CONVERSATION IN A HOT AUGUST MORNING BY THE BALDORIOTY DE CASTRO AVENUE

IMAGINE going for a l o n g stroll around the Santurce picturesque alleys and roads, sweating, the overwhelming, irritating, bright sun; watching the urban vegetation in residences of the lower income status, showing imagination in the plant selection. But the story is about this brief conversation with some attorney who was present at this particular oasis when I entered.

THE name: Frederick R. Auld Mirus. Flipping? I did. Never before had I seen such combination of last names in a native islander. As I found out, his dad was Scottish and his mother German.
The parents arrived in Puerto Rico in the early nineteen hundreds when there was only one hotel;
The Normandie, an impressive architectural marvel then, before it was restored not long ago. Later came the Caribe Hilton, not much to say about it.

The point is that rarely one has the pleasure of meeting, people with knowledge of their surroundings as his, Ocean Park and Santurce in general. Sonia Sotomayor was mentioned. He stated that having experience as a judge is not such a big deal, and mentioned Jaime Fuster, or another great PR judge who had never step on a tribunal, since he was a professor before becoming one. It is not the first time I hear this
from attorneys, therefore it must be true.

He cultivates capsicum, cucumbers but is not fortunate with tomatoes. I mentioned
my failure at this, and suggested to get local seeds since that could be his problem and not the salty breeze, environment. Other themes were touched but that is that. The kilts? I can not remember if they were mentioned.

SAGRADO CORAZON
follow up

HORTICULTURAL JERKS

THE beginning of this story really started visiting Sagrado Corazon, the
college next door. The soil still bare after ten days, with silly ferns, abused
red Acaliphas and Cupheas planted as ground cover.

The SIX stupid looking royal palms, fifty feet high, look like a big wart in a small nose! Right at the entrance, to welcome you: visitor or student. Two guys from the company were cutting the fronds with huge sawing poles. Already, maintenance expenses in an
institution with four lousy gardeneners for 30 acres, incapable of doing simple tasks, now have more work and organic waste to handle. Silly isn't it? Much worse considering the negative aesthetic result.

In my GARDEN, a new variety of Polyscias was propagated, increasing to four the species in the collection. Also, some Turneras subulatas, in my known humble opinion the most flashy flower in a bush down here, second only to my white, yellow, pink, yellow/pink/white FRANGIPANIS,
the stars in my collection. I have to add one new species, I believe mentioned before the Endemic Frangipani, thin leaves, white flowers with
a lame fragrance.

News on the Mesquite. It still looks like crap after the trip from Guanica, but such is life. The columnar Asparagus are doing great and so is everyjuanelse, including the new generation of yellow, light orange Cosmos sulphureous collected during a trip to Orocovis.

BONUS

IT should be noted that Dracaena cinneraria is only found in an obscure arhipielago
of the Indian Ocean: SOCOTRA, a territory of YEMEN.

On the other hand Dracaena draco, are mostly in Canary Islands, island provinces of of Spain, perhaps my favorite islands. Particularly, Lanzarote, home to the late genius of architecture and landscaping CESAR MANRIQUE CABRERA, his work, vision is really unique.
I will be happy if this province names me adoptive son, send me a ticket one way or both. I am willing to work in any of those moonscape, dry, exemplary xeriscapes found in these marvelous islands. With a trip to el TEIDE if possible. If you read this
blog over there please pass the word! I will work for room and board.

To our faraway readers, it is worth mentioning that many citizens from SPAIN, migrated
to Puerto Rico through out different historical periods. Our culture is infused from many of their speech patterns, particularly the Canary Islands. Also in gastronomy...gofio being one of their original
offerings to our boring, decaying, going no where culture. If you listen to the speech
of one of those islanders close by Africa and some of our own, you will be surprised, as I am every time I have the pleasure to have a glimpse of them in RTV.ES. Time to go....