You painted a wonderful and exciting picture, commendable! Best regards, Denis Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. George Bernard Shaw On Dec 23, 2007, at 9:20 PM, Ann Q wrote: > > Dear Chris, > I remember days of fragrances, as all the women were making > Sweetbread, and Tarts, cocoanut, guava, guavaberry. There is pork > or mutton roasting, Marbie bitters simmering on the stove and > fermenting in bottles in any bit of sun. Dondosla(sp), a large > twisted peppermint candy is made, potato stuffing, peas shucked for > pigeon peas and rice, Saltfish is soaking, to make saltfish pick-up > as an appetizer, or stewed with green banana. > But it is the callaloo that is the star of the show, my mother and > I would go into the 'bush' behind our house to look for Man better > man, sassafras, or as it is known locally callaloo bush, to make a > pot for the carolers. > My dad would bring home the beer, rum and demijohns(sp) of > Guavaberry wine, and a block of ice in a bathing pan. > > As soon as the sun goes down on Christmas eve, carolers would > appear, some on foot and in cars and trucks, accompanied by violin, > squeezbox, mandolin, harmonica, tambourine, scratchy, trumped or sax. > The carolers would sing one song at each house that stopped to, > since we lived at the top of Pollyberg hill, they had a captive > audience, there were the Lewis', Mr. Clarence-the barber, my cousin > the Benjamin's, Miss Emmy Williams, Miss Florie, J. A. Jarvis and > Georges, so we got a full concert, between wetting their whistle, > and bowls of callaloo w/fungi. > > The later it got into the evening the more rabid the songs became > and the louder and more off key the singers were. > > We had a gentleman that lived across from us named Mr. Faulkner, he > wore all white all the time, just like Hercules Perot, down to the > hat and cane, and walked just like him. He would blast, yes I said > blast,Handel's Messiah from his Victrola, trying to drown out the > singers. The singers in turn, would drink more and sing louder, as > they were joined by other carolers, and the children and the dogs > of the neighborhood, a proper cacophony abound. But fun was had by > all. > The next morning was sunrise service, many of those same carolers > had not been to bed, and the fumes in church, well, it was good > smoking was not allowed in church. > > After church, presents were taken to elder relatives, then home to > eat all those aromas that tormented us that whole week leading up > to christmas. > > Merry Christmas from the VI! > Ann"Sharing the information."Researching the USVI, St.Eustatius, > St. Barths, Barbados > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to CARIBBEAN- > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message

Thanks Ann That was just wonderful.... Cod Also thanks for the Christmas web-site which was quite helpful and reminded this non-resident of Jonkanoo -- I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. It has removed 48 spam emails to date. Paying users do not have this message in their emails. Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len