Summer fun!

July! Last leg of the freedom of summer vacation. End of the carefree "lazy, hazy, crazy dayz of summer."  Here in South Florida this is the time to prep for the possibility of the occasional hurricane.  And in the meantime, we enjoy those summer fruit jewels - mango, mamey, and the family of annona.  The heat is so intense but the sweetness of a tree-ripened tropical fruit is so very delicious!

Its that time to also start sending our thoughts toward preparations for fall. That means setting those marigold and milkweed seeds to germinate, as many as possible! Those monarch butterflies will be gliding through our greater everglades flyway before you know it and in our overdeveloped coastal areas, this means we need to plant more milkweed! [Get your free milkweed seeds here.] Then we can start to plan for which veggies will go where and what soil conditions each needs... soil type is so crucial here in the tropics... northern gardeners really just don't get it!

Finally, it's that time to start thinking about ofrendas. This year's #SouthFloridaDayoftheDead Celebration will host free community workshops throughout the fall, including family friendly puppet, mask and ofrenda making. Follow South Florida Day of the Dead for event postings coming soon! There's also a couple of adult only events too, including Roast of the Calacas which offers a showcase of your best off-color puppet humor (call to artists coming soon).  Applications are open for the community to participate as artists in the month long Ofrenda exhibit at History Fort Lauderdale. And everyone is welcome to dance, walk or roll in the November 2 Day of the Dead procession from Huizenga Plaza through the downtown historic district to Revolution Live.

In the end it's all a cycle, with art, love & planting holding it all together for us - let's work!

Learn more about Mesoamerican Danza
Photo credit: Kendall Clarke

A Return to Turtle Road

Yesterday morning, I pulled up happily up to the entrance gate of John U Lloyd State Park a full half hour earlier than anticipated. Early morning weekday traffic to the South Florida Beach was a lot more user friendly that I thought it would be.  A friend from the South Florida Day of the Dead celebration invited us out to do a presentation on #FTLhistory at the summer camp she coordinates.

Mornings at the beach are a rare beauty for me. A beach visit, however fleeting, without my own children is something I hadn't experienced in over a decade! It is truly amazing the gift that just a few moments can be in one's life. I'd been thinking of a young friend this week, hearing news of the #Moonshot meetings, and missing the amazing person she was... but the intense light of the rising sun on the water and the graceful pose of the maturing sea oat pods distracted my thoughts.  I looked toward the horizon, wondering what beauty might still be ahead on my own journey through life.

As I traversed the few paces along the shoreline back toward the pavilion where my work day would soon begin, a peculiar pattern caught my attention.  I knew this u shaped track from seeing it once before, cradled in midnight darkness.  This was the evidence of a nesting sea turtle.  I was impressed by the realization that several hours earlier, a massive, 200 pound mature female turtle had emerged from the open sea at this precise location of her hatching 5 to 50 years prior.  Soon enough the park ranger arrived to investigate and document the nest. Fifty two days from now, the eggs should hatch, barring any hazards like racoons, coyotes, or overly rough seas.

That 20 minutes may be the most gratifying observation that I've ever made. It provided me with a much needed reminder that in life you may need to return to the slow road of a turtle, but the road of a turtle is strategic, definite, purposeful and carries a message that is intergenerational in its impact. May we all experience the beauty of a return to turtle road...

Turtle Track Pic

More turtle track pics

Last year's #WorldOceansDay #SeaTurtle nesting adventure

Sister Power! Part 2.

So, the year that I turned 13, I had the ultimate summer vacation.  It started off with a 6th grade graduation ceremony from the Montessori School I'd just aged out of (yes, it was still called graduation back then, not promotion or moving up or completion like we do now with any non-twelfth-grade achievement).  We started out with a one day cruise to Freeport aboard the Sea Escape. Ugh, the absolute most miserable day of my life - except for the few hours we got to spend on that lovely solid Bahamian soil... how I wish we could have stayed, but eventually, we did make it back to good ol mainland USA. Thankfully!

Me, my sister Adrienne and my late cousin Sharane eating tamales at the Belmopan market, still my favorite food.

Soon after, we took a whirlwind trip to Belize, not uncommon for us in those days, while Mom and Dad were both working, we took a family trip home most every year.  This one was a bit shorter than most, as we had my cousin Sharane along, it was her first time to Belize. It was pretty funny, the process of her acculturation - apparently her dad wasn't as adamant as my Mom when it came to passing on the subtleties of Belizean language and culture.  "What's a shilling?" and "There's not even a 7-11" were the two most memorable Sharane quotes of the trip.

And then finally, to round out the summer, I still got to take my annual trip to my own hometown of Scarborough to visit with my grandparents and aunt and uncle.  I loved those trips more than anything else in the world.  The connection to the land that I experience in Belize and in Canada are so similar and yet so different.  My return to "real life" in Scarborough was always an experience in going home to my grandparents.  Those beings who exuded so much unconditional love for me, that I can still feel it today, decades after their passing.  

That year, an amazing thing happened.  I got to stay in Canada.  My options were bus to Miami Lakes Jr. High, or walk to Carol City Jr. High. This was the 1980s - the advent of gun violence in schools was just starting to top the news charts, and metal detectors had just arrived at the front entrance of the latter. I got accepted to Pace too, but that seemed way too far from my reality to be a good fit.

So, my aunt, Andrea Chadwick-Maguire, extended an invitation to my parents to consider allowing me to stay in the Toronto area that year and attend Fern Hill School in Oakville where she would be teaching.  I was ecstatic.  I could not believe that my parents said yes!

That year, I studied Latin, learned Ukranian dance, got a steady job babysitting, and spent every weekend with my beloved grandparents.  For my birthday, I got my first ever hair cut at a barber shop. Mullet head. I was so proud! I even started wearing eyeliner for the first time... much to my mother's discontent.  It was a momentous part of my life journey, now looking back. That ability to forge an identity outside of my parental expectations allowed me to grow into the determined, rebellious, hopeful idealist that I still am today.

On the set of the HMS Pinafore demonstrating Ukranian dance with 7th Grade Math teacher Christine Puhach

At the conclusion of my school year, maybe around this very time, I got a call from my mom, not unusual, I did miss my family and my baby sister Adrienne quite a lot during the year, even though I loved being where I was.  But this call was quite different.  My mom had something to tell me... and she was hesitant, like she didn't know what to say or how to say it.  If you know my mother, this is a trait that is quite uncharacteristic of her. I owe my blunt, undiplomatic, say-it-how-it-is nature to her.

Finally, she said, "I'm going to have another baby." I was floored, flabergasted, completely in disbelief. I think my reply was something like, "What?! You didn't even ask me!"  Ha ha. Pretty funny now thinking back. But honestly, I could not even fathom the possibility of my 37 year old mother even being able to still have a baby.  A baby!!!  OMG.  This changes everything!

So, another trip to Belize that summer! This time, with Mom waddling around in her Yucatec-style huipil... that was the year she took us to Xunantunich and declared, "You know you're part Maya too, right, Tara."  Another "WHAT? How could you not have told me this," response from me. 

And of course I, as the big sister of the family, felt obligated to return to my family and take up my daughterly duties.  Reina was born on the first month of the year.  She was noisy!  I got up and brought her into bed with me every morning at 2 am when I could not bear to hear her crying anymore.  After her, I never wanted to have kids. Or at least not for another 13 years anyway. But I learned how to be a mother through Reina.

My baby baby sister is truly one of the most special people in my life.  She is practical, super smart and she has always had an incredible gift for maintaining a healthy balance between work, life, family and community.  This girl is definitely one of the sparkles in my eye.  I graduated from Miramar High School just as she was entering grade school at Fairway Elementary.  I left home when she was so little.  More than anyone, this time, away at college, I missed Reina.  So whenever I had a chance, I bought a plane ticket and brought her with me to work.  Chippewas of M'Njikaning, Center for Indigenous Theater, Belize Department of Archaeology... Reina came to visit. It was fun, for me a way to mitigate our isolation from one another.

Center for Indigenous Theater at Kimbercote Farm

Today, my sister Reina, like our other sister Adrienne, has become a friend, role model and mentor for me.  Reina's passion and adeptness at marketing, public relations and communication has spurred me to look at the way we promote our businesses in a new way.  Regardless of whether they are arts, community, small business or non profit organizations, maximum reach is crucial to the sustainability of our work.  

Now she's on me to grow again... that's her other gift, in addition to always seeking the best possible position for her clients, she is also all about making sure that we are all placing appropriate value on ourselves as well... 

This was at the world premiere of #MayaHiddenWorldsRevealed in St. Paul, MN, now on at the Witte, San Antonio

Thanks for always encouraging me Reina.  Without you, I would never have started to blog, or learn how to use social media.  I look forward to what the future holds for you, my baby sis.  Till then, I better keep on truckin' or I know I'll get a call with some "encouragement"...  :)

See some of Reina's recent blogs at: Americans for the Arts and The Leaky B@@b 

Sister Power! On International Museum Day

I hereby declare May sister brag month. I have two biological sisters. My first baby sis, the one who made me into a big sister, is actually way bigger, badder, bolder and cooler than I. She was born on a freezing February morning in the bedroom of a modest east end apartment overlooking the immeasurable geologic beauty of the Scarborough Bluffs. Yes, we are Scarberians... strange creatures who emerged from the cave of life at the far eastern corner of what they call the GTA. Used to be a day long Greyhound trip here from downtown Tdot, aka Cabbagetown. Not anymore though, unless you take the 401, then it may still take a you a day to traverse the 12 miles.

My baby sis was born three weeks ahead of schedule into the able bodied, yet completely unprepared hands of my aunt and grandmother. From day number one, she required innovation from every person around her! No nose squeezy thing? Find the straws and clear out those passageways so this baby can breathe!  As she grew, she exuded creativity and confidence in every aspect of her life. From where she determined it was best to keep her toys (on the floor), to where she preferred to consume her self assigned snack (under the table).

One of her first jobs was as my fundraising assistant - official escort of the Saint Catharines Museum IMP (Important Museum Person) aka full-bodied papier-mache gargoyle capital campaign mascot, created by Diane Sharpe, and animated by yours truly.  Thirty years later, my little sister has now become my consultant and mentor in art and museum development, education, programming and management.

Hats off to sister power! I remain honored that Adrienne chose to follow my footsteps into the world of museums and humbled that my sister continues to share her time, knowledge and experience with me as we work to extend the passion and power of culture and art into the lifelong learning routine of as many people as possible.

You can find Adrienne's daily photo journal at https://www.instagram.com/adriennechadwick/

To view the art of Adrienne Chadwick visit AdrienneChadwick.com

Kites, kids, kindness and kicking life to a new level...

On aging:

Today I got my first pair of granny glasses. Yep, knew it was comin... lotsa folks younger than me have had theirs for a while now. Baby sis thinks I'm a wimp 'cause she's had hers her whole life. Don't get me wrong, I'm so happy to actually be able to see small stuff close up again. But wow. The actual process of finding out that my body's officially on the other side of that hill... well... it's not a subject that's very popular - and especially not for a female to write about - unless you're writing about how to stop the inevitability of aging. But I say, let's hear it! All that stuff still stuck in the taboo categories of the 1890s. It's 2016 now, let's act and write like it. The glasses are still making me feel a bit seasick, but it sure is nice to see like a superhero again, even if I do feel like I'm seeing through a bubble. 

On Prince:

So while I sit here and write, many friends and colleagues back in the Twin Cities are attending a block party at Sabathani Community Center in honor of our artist. It's been interesting, conceptualizing just how powerfully art can act as a catalyst for emotional, social, individual and collective change.  And realizing how all the different parts of the production and consumption of art work together to form a lasting impact on people over time.  Its an area I've never given much thought to:  concept, funding, production, post-production, editing, marketing, outreach, evaluation, finance... it's mind boggling to actually think of all those pieces of the "success" puzzle. But it's also super exciting that we all can take a little piece of this model and apply it to the work we do in our families, communities and neighborhoods. I am still sad, and so happy to receive this gift of insight from a guy I never knew, but who was always there, teaching through challenging in a beautiful, masterful way what I think about men, women, relationships, gender, music and gender roles. The funny thing is, I generally pay as little attention to popular culture as possible, but this guy even challenged that, and while I still mourn his loss, I sure am glad that we had the chance to have him with us in the soundtrack to our lives. My tribute to Prince: Purple Sky Bubbles.

On reflecting:

Spent the start of this month still realizing all the things that were going on for us in 1986. Not only the birth of the Belize Association of Florida, but the birth of my baby sis, Reina. And an awesome move from South Florida to Southern Ontario, a little town about 20 minutes North of Niagara Falls, once the terminus of the underground railroad, St. Catharines. It's a bustling little metropolis, home to the Georgia Pacific paper company, and yes, your professional and personal paper needs may still be met by a factory there. My early teen years were filled with volleyball, visits to the Falls, lots of time with my beloved grandparents, and volunteering on the fundraising team of the local historical society, now the St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Center. My role: IMP (that's Important Museum Person, by the way!) Funny that now, my sister Adrienne and I continue our family's tradition of promoting education, art and civic engagement through our work in the museums field, almost 30 years later. 

Maya Hidden Worlds Revealed opens in San Antonio May 14 - tix at #MayaSA

On kites & kids:

And finally, an update on the spread of kite fever... this month the African American Research Library celebrated kite month with a series of kite making workshops, kite flying festival and a month long exhibit of kites in their museum. It was amazing to see the skills of kite engineers from all over the Caribbean demonstrate their favorite tricks of the trade and share stories of childhood memories where all children learn technology, math, physics, geography, and science by playing! At the conclusion of a month long standardized testing season, happy Dia de los Ninos to all our young people - we love you!

And by the way:

Happy International Workers Day & May Day to everyone out there, struggling for balance, equity, dignity and sustainability in their life.  Congrats to one of my favorite old collaborators, In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre for appearing in CNN's article on May Day - lookin forward to seeing the pics tomorrow - have a great one! Florida - let's organize!

The Magical Month of March: Whiz... Blurrr... Wheee...!

Watching the spiral of the seasons change fly by at gale force speed; reflecting on thirty years of work in the field of museums, education and community building; ten years since the water forum in Mexico; feeling gleeful and daunted by that double four approaching just one equinox away...

The struggle of life is a good one, seems that we're always headed up hill, but that's how it is when you're engaged in the process of building, constructing, however, wherever it's possible to carve out a little space for equity, dignity, dialogue and learning.

It's tough at times, intentionally participating in this collaborative venture to prevent oblivion with the few hundred ties we have to other members of this human species we proudly belong to...

And then there are times just like this moment, when in the process of making new connections, you come to realize how delicious it is to enjoy the tattered, frayed imperfection of those old and older relationships that have been there all along.

This month as I attended the annual Baron Bliss Day (aka Heroes and Benefactors Day) gathering of the Belize Association of Florida, I watched the older heads come in, with their grown kids, grand kids and great grands... and I watched my kids play with them the same way I used to play in my day... and suddenly I remembered my spot on the living room floor, folding letters and stuffing envelopes at just about the same age my pre-teen son is now. The memory was so sudden and vivid and it brought back a host of others... of floats & banners, buttons & beads...

The next day I checked the database... 30 years it's been since that moment! The Belize Association has been an active part of the South Florida community and the Belizean Diaspora for thirty years this year. That's my formative training. Do what you must to build something. Make the time. Find the resources. Keep it going. Make it happen. I am so glad that I happened to be here this year. To remember. To appreciate. To mark the anniversary of this work that my mom, dad and their friends did to build something for our community.

Of course, now... the question is... "what will I do..."  #laluchasigue

News Reel on Baron Bliss Day at Belize Association of Florida (minute 1:12 - 1:34)

On Preservation & Restoration

Just a few short words this month - early for a change - because they want to be said now. Here's what happened today at work. I was there a bit earlier than usual - it was my first day of tour listening and we knew we'd have a sizeable group to prep for. After a bit of running to and fro, a glint caught my eye and to my dismay, I saw a beautiful irridescent spotted butterfly fall to the ground just outside the replica of Fort Lauderdale's first school house. I froze in my tracks - worried that I'd inadvertently squished it. However, as my internal frames-per-second slowed down, I took the time to see what was happening in the micro habitat of this hopefully-not-squished butterfly.

To my relief and delight, the swish of my skirt had not squished the butterfly's guts out, but had knocked a recently hatched atala and its chrysalis - to which it was clinging - off the coontie plant that is their home. Upon further observation of the tiny neighborhood - I was treated to a beautiful surprise. What I had stumbled across was an urban neighborhood of #atala butterflies in both pre and post hatching phases of their life cycle.

These butterflies I knew were special because I had heard about them last year and how they are making a remarkable recovery from the brink of human - induced extinction. For anyone who's read my past work, interest in insects should come as no surprise. But to see a whole microcosm of atala life... with their beautiful sparkly wing spots and that remarkable red thorax... just a most incredible gift to witness. And I am so thankful!

Then after the noon day sun began to recede, I realized my second incredible  gift of the day. I was standing on the boardwalk overlooking the wetland trail at Miramar Pinelands. As the soft shell turtles swam over and the waxing moon tipped over the shallows... I remembered that this too was an ecosystem in regeneration - restored to its historical contours and hydrological morphology as closely as possible. By returning the land to the way it was at the time of the first European settlements, the ecosystem has been able to regenerate itself - naturally returning turtles, fish, frogs, foxes, ospreys, even an eagle and untold numbers of insects... (See my Miramar Pinelands media set on facebook)

These two distinct yet comparable success stories in human conservation and restoration practices are just what the doctor ordered in my current, not-so-stress-free analysis of what we need to do to get back to basic respect of each other and this beautiful garden we have the luxury and responsibility to live in and care for. No matter how many cool space travel pics NASA releases, as humans, we are still bound to this earth in a trust relationship with our future generations that we need to seriously reflect on and start acting like responsible adults. 

We may move slowly at times - but it is truly wondrous to see the fruit of an unfulfilled childhood dream come to life before your eyes - that is the miracle we call life unfolding around us each and every moment - if we just slow down enough to notice.