Happy New Year 2012

Today as the world pulsates with music, noise and merriment dance and chares of joy welcoming in the New Year 2012, I bring you sounds from beneath the city. Accordionist playing “O” comes all ye faithful”. Saxophonists at 53rd and Madison Avenue playing the New Year special “



Old long Syne”


Should Old Acquaintance be forgot,


and never thought upon;


The flames of Love extinguished,


and fully past and gone:


Is thy sweet Heart now grown so cold,


that loving Breast of thine;


That thou canst never once reflect


on Old long syne.


As a Vibraphonist jazzes up the air under West 57st street.


Happy New Year to all my followers around the globe.


Folk Incognito Blog master.

Remembrance of Christmas returns par 3.

Dear follower’s thanks for you’re over whelming support and good wishes for the Christmas season. I wish your Christmas will also be fulfilling and rewarding for your soul.



Love folk Incognito Blog master.
REMEMBRANCE OF CHRISTMAS








In the sixties in Guyana was going through a period of political unrest. There was protest, rioting looting and thousands of workers were on strike. There were food shortages and many houses and businesses were burnt to the ground. These were frightening times for children. My aunt Yvonne whom we lived with then was also on strike. My brother and I had gone to live with her while; our parents were away in Ghana West Africa.


Therefore I will always remember the sad rainy day when the miracle of Christmas came rippling into our world. Our aunt Yvonne came bursting into our bedroom dancing and flouncing. Flouncing is a traditional dance step in Guyana, preformed mainly during the Christmas season by the masqueraders.


Suddenly while flouncing away with the majesty of Christmas Aunt Yvonne raised the hem of skirt and out flew a toy. Then with one, more whirl and toss of the hem of her skirt out flew another toy. To my brother and I these were the best of gifts of the season, nothing else mattered. Our hearts were so content it would not have mattered if we received no new gifts. We were completely satisfied. Her dance of an angle flowing with joy and Peace lifted our hearts with promise and happiness.


I remember Christmas.

Remembrance of Christmas returns, 2

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Attached to this episode of my blog are two painting the first I sold to a collector, I therefore painted a second. Hope you enjoy my art and writing. Feel free to enquire about all art featured on my blog. And my web site Marabunta. Thanking you Folk Incognito blog master.

REMEMBRANCE OF CHRISTMAS

During the Christmas season, one of the traditions in Ghana was to build a trash house. This trash house was built out of the leaves from a palm tree. You then spend Christmas Eve and Christmas morning in it rejoicing the day Christ was born. This custom symbolized the humble way that Christ came into the world born in a stable. Although I must confess that, I was never able to spend the whole night in the palm house. I missed my bed and the nights were cold.


It was Christmas Eve and my elder brother, Clarence and I decided to climb a tall tree to cut down a few posts to build our little Christmas house. While my tall and on the way to becoming fat brother climbed the tree I stood at the bottom of the tree to point out which of the best limbs to cut. Suddenly I heard a loud “crack.” Then before my horrified eyes, Clarence came crashing down from the tree landing on a pointed tree stump with a loud “thump”. His right thigh was punctured


Bravely he held on to his thigh and told me not to cry. Quickly he ripped his shirt off and told me to tie a tourniquet above the wound. How that idea came to him, I would never know. I scampered home screaming for help. What a courageous big brother Clarence was. Lucky for us my parents were home, they rushed him to the Hospital. “Oh! For the love of parents what would kids do?”


I remember Christmas.

Remembrance of Christmas returns Chapter 1

REMEMBRANCE OF CHRISTMAS



I remember Christmas, when as a little boy I sat Under the Christmas tree and gazed at all the toys that Santa had brought for my brother and I. Me saying aloud “Santa must be a very good man”.


Those words brought tears of joy to my grandfather’s eyes. At that age I had no Idea that he was one of Santa’s great helpers, who brought all those wonderful gifts that were, adorned the bottom of our Christmas tree. The essence of Christmas, giving gifts of love.


I remember Christmas.

Remembrance of Christmas rerun.

Friends around the world I love you thank you for your birthday wishes. I will take this opportunity repeat my Remembrance of Christmas Kids book.

The background of this children’s book has a distinctive Caribbean flare. Remembrance of Christmas opens windows on different cultures and their similarities.  The comparable backgrounds I feel children the world over can relate to also adults.  Remembrance of Christmas narrative was drawn from memorable episodes of the Christmas season in my life while a child growing up in Guyana South America and Ghana West Africa.

FINALITY

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As we come to the last episode of Once upon an Easter. I thank you my fans and fellow bloggers worldwide for your patience, love and support of my blog throughout the year. Please be sure to click on the link to my web site Marabunta. You are also welcome to join my blog and make inquires of my art.



Love you all,


Folk Incognito Blog Master

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Then with running starts raised Baby gal straight up with the pulling loop Kite Man made on Baby Gal. Then it was only two kite in the air we battle a bad man kit name Pit Street Bull. Twice our tail with razor blades cross over his rope but he still was flying and dipping and crossing and coming for our kite. Pit Street tail cross our rope three times. It looked like he was winning the battle. So we pretend we hurt and start to fall flapping in the wind like a bird whose wing is broken. Pitt Street sees that and he coming for the kill. The Kite Man Say (Pull! Pull! Pull! I pulling and balling the twine furiously the rope burning my hands I already have blisters the kite rose and just as pit was coming for the kill our tail cut his rope.
At same moment a big thunder and lightning flashed through the sky Kit Man shouted Lego! Lego! Lego the rope! Away flew Baby Gal, into the thunder and lightning razor blades sparking Baby Gal on fire.


Once Upon an Easter.

Once Upon an Easter "Kaleidoscope"

Love to all my followers’ worldwide, America, Canada, South America, and the Caribbean, Europe, Asia and Africa. Special love to those who are serving the poorest of the poor, UN Crew in Mogadishu I love you hope my writing awaken nostalgia of past loves.  Please  preview new web site Marabunta" I am working on, it is the link side of painting. Your comments are welcome. Also join and become a follower of my blog.

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KALEIDOSCOPE.KALEIDOSCOPE.



When we got there, there were thousands of kites already in the air kites of every sort and shapes and size, box kites, bird kite, boy and girl kites. And a buzz of excitement engulfed us. On one end of the dam a jukebox was playing loud calypso music and on the other a steel band was warming up. With Kite Man as our instructor: he says “Raise the kite with the cloth tail fus let’s sees how’s bad?” Ten minutes after the kite was raised bad boys, bad men, and girls start to make an attack on our kite. Our kite was the best looking kite on the dam and therefore the envy of many a kite flier. When Kite Man saw the attack he said “let she pitch and come do like she get cut”.


That we did. Then he said “Replace the tail with the rope tail which we bring wid we”. That tail had razor blades placed strategically on its length also broken sharp glass. We waited for a good breeze and like a plane taking off we flew straight up in the air the bandits quickly saw us and so much coveted our kite they wasted no time and attacked immediately. In minutes we cut down two girl kites. Then came the boy kite they we fought off and eventually won over. Now a big kite war had broken out Four times we got tangled up and had to bring down Baby Gal.
Two times we had to cut and join and the rope and bring down “Baby Gal” Because she got into some dangerous tangles.


Once upon an Easter.

Once Upon an Easter Baby Gal4

 


When we got to his room he was already dressed and waiting for us he had a broad smile on his face and his eyes sparkled with anticipation of the day. He wore a green suit with white shoes. And said “We go fly in style”. With breakfast over we headed to the Back Dam where all the kite flying took place. Our kite was so big we had to hitch a ride on a donkey cart and bumped our way to the Back Dam.


Once upon an Easter.

Once Upon an Easter Baby Gal4

West Indian Day 2011

The West Indian American Day Carnival symbolizes the end of summer and the beginning of fall. It’s also a time when Labor is recognized. Wanting to be part of the festivities of the day I completed my labor then headed for the Parade. Pushed my way on to the packed number 4 express Sub Way train to Brooklyn. At Franklyn Avenue I made my stop the platform was shaking from the heavy bass sounds coming from the big speakers carried on the float parade trucks. I exited joining the masses of humanity in every color, music, food, dance and merriment. Here are a few of the pictures I captured.



Folk Incognito blog master.

IRENE

Its Sunday morning 28th 2011 Hurricane Irene is bearing down on New York. Got up late feeling very lethargic, milled around the house, had some breakfast then got back to bed woke a one hour later felling worse. It was now time to have a talk with my Tiger. Me “Tiger what gives?” Tiger” have you forgotten I have got to go man? “. Me” long or short walk?” Tiger “too much talk I got to go!” So I gather my camera and Golf clubs and headed for Row Wilkins Park for his walk and to practice my golf swing. Here are some pictures of the scenes on our way to the park and at the park.

Folk Incognito blog master.

Baby Gal 3

Living in a village or a small town every boy goes through the dreaded experience of having to take an outside bath by the stand pipe or vat. It’s an exercise that has to be preformed every school day. Trying to evade this bath leads to dreaded consequences {licks like peas}. Can be skipped on the weekends but defiantly not during the week. Waking up early with bubo} in your eyes you reluctantly make your way down the back stairs hoping you are not spotted by the neighbors’ daughter.

All art featured on my blog are for sale shoot me an email if interested in any.

Folk Incognito blog master.

Kite flying day.

 However by morning (Monday morning Easter Monday) we had forgotten all about Kite Man supposed deeds. Bright an early we were up. The air was abuzz with kites. We headed down to the huge vat Aunt Sybil had in the yard to draw some water to bath. (Vat water the coldest water on earth). With the morning warming up there was no way we were going to get any hot water to mix. So we took one of those quick baths. A little bit of soap here and there, a sauce pan full of water for the face and under the arms between the legs and a little bit on your hair to soften it so it can be combed, then we were out. We rush upstairs to have my mother apply some oil on our bodies. Put on our very best cloths including our new pairs of Yachting boots. We now head down to breakfast, fry bakes with salt fish and hot cocoa; full’s us up for the best part of the morning. Aunt Sybil then filled our book bags with lunch for the day some beef curry rolled up in a doll puree; two bottles of five fingers drink some sugar cakes and fudge.  An Extra parcel for Kite Man.  It was not lost to her that Kite Man was assisting us to make the kite and that he would be accompanying us to fly it.

Baby Gal3 "Kite Man"

Back to another episode of Bay Gal here we have the “Kite man” New Amsterdam most infamous butcher man. Lovers of facts endure with me. All art shown on my blog are for sale be sure to drop me a mail should you have any interest in any of the paintings shown.

Love to all Folk Incognito blog master.

Then we made some cut out of and wrote out the name of the kite “Baby Gal”. It was the biggest kite my brother and I had ever seen and the most beautiful. Only one thing disturbed us, was the name “Baby Gal”. Next the Kite Man said “find some razor blades and broken old glass and bottles with sharp edges”. With all these items procured and the kite completed; he declared “I done now. How you all gon pay me?” Big problem for us we had no money. While “Kite Man” was building our kite he kept on rambling about the different people he used “Baby Gal” to slash. By then we had figured that Aunt Sybil’s boarder was the infamous murder who sliced up his victims. However the police could never pin any definite murder on him. Hence he would spend a short time in prison and has to be released. He was also known as the New Amsterdam Butcher Man. While scratching our head he blurted out “I want Rum”!




Well Aunt Sybil had a bottle of Rum which she used for black cake and to preserve fruits. So we raided her cupboard poured out all her rum and replaced it with some lime juice swank.

We now had the best looking kits in New Amsterdam. But fear Aunt Sybil’s boarder was the notorious “Kite Man” known criminal for cutting up his victims. This knowledge lingered in our minds. That night we hardly slept a wink we had constant night mares of kite Man creeping up and cutting us up in our sleep.

PUSH LAWN MOWER

In an effort to mitigate my carbon foot print I recently I bought a Push Reel Lawn Mower. After years of gas powered lawn mowers. My initial reluctance to purchase one had to do with my past experiences with using these push lawn mowers. Which was mowing my aunt’s Yvonne’s lawn, {best times of my life}. Using the old Push Reel Mowers one had to exert enormous effort; their coefficient of friction was very high. However the modern Push Reel Mowers have a very low coefficient friction. This means they are easier to push. Apart from offsetting carbon foot print pushing the Reel Mower is another means to exercise. As evidence of my action to save the environment and promote health I have attached a few images of a muscular and handsome man and a beautiful woman mowing my back yard lawn back lawn.



Most of the art featured in my blog are for sale.


Folk Incognito blog master.

Folk Incognito: Baby Gal 2

Folk Incognito: Baby Gal 2

Baby Gal 2

Baby Gal 2. Here I venture into another realm. One that grips us at any time or age it may be untrue however it’s a part of our truth. It’s just an untouchable mirage that comes true and is touchable then at other times is just out there one time visible next time just floating in our heads it’s a part of the cosmos that we can’t quite grasps. Ah! woking hard to bring out the “Ah we”. Next blog hope to do am better. Be free to make enquires on the art shown on my blog, most of my art are for sale.



Love to all Folk Incognito blog master.

BABY GAL 2 

 “Hay there! Hay you there!” We looked round and there was this tall skinny man pointing at us. “Stop that racket”  “Is what you guys think you doing?” We replied “We trying to repair our kit”. “Oh! I see.” “Come here let me help you all.”  “I am the Kite Man.”.  “Wait here Ah! Gon bring out me out me favorite knife”. “Baby Gal!” “Boy she is the sharpest gal I ever had, when she cut she, she does cut real clean and smooth”. Me use am to chop up nuff of them”. “Bring them boards, le me help you all build a big man kite”.  His fingers were long, and his hands was steady as he chopped and plane down the boards to be used for our kite. “Go get me some (Pacie) Pacie is a gummy sticky fruit that grew on a large tree in Aunt Sybil’s yard.  So we climbed the Pacie tree chopped down as many bunch of Pacie as we could, as fast as possible, because red ants was biting we on all parts.  Red ants always bite you in parts unmentionable.   Red ants does live in Pacie trees, they love the Pacie fruit because it so sweet. Next we had to cut some bamboo to make the bull of the kite.  We then asked our mother for a few dollars ran down to Main Street to buy some kite paper to pace on the kite frame.  Because that the kite was so big we could not use our crochet # 0 twine, we had to buy a thicker twine more like a fine rope. Now for the tail we get some old cloths and joined them up. “But the Kite Man say we got to get some rope so we find a big old rope in the yard and split it in two to make the tail. The Kite man said “I is a fight man and we gon battle any bad man kite that challenge we on the Back Dam tomorrow”.

RASMUS

While sitting at my favorite spot outside the Apple Store, 5th Avenue between 58th and 59th street. Gawking at Tourist or some times taking a fifteen minutes nod in Sun, and listening to my IPod. I let the music transport me, Some days I am in a Caribbean mood and listen to Steel Pulse or Harry Belafonte; other times I am in my back to Africa state of mind I listen to Costal Vibes by Peejay Scott At that moment I am transported back to Ghana a country I love. Other days I am in a meditative mellow mood I listen to Bach’s St John’s Passion my favorite baroque sacred arias music so beautiful it fills me with faith, sorrow and love of the divine. Ofcource I listen to the other classics Beethoven, Mozart and the rest.

During my wake period; Yes! I open my eye. I have my camera poised for anything beautiful to blog about. This day it was RASMUS. I met this great fellow a Rhodesian ridgeback and his parents. He had poise he had style, he was gentleman of class, and his parents taught he was a Viking. I spoke to him and from what he told I knew he was a cool dog. Please write a comment join and become a follower of my blog member almost all art featured on my blogs are for sale be sure to email me if you have any interest. Love all my next blog posting will be continuation of {Baby Gal}.


Folk Incognito Blog master.

BROOKLYN BOTANICAL GARDEN

To all my followers here is a time out from nostalgia, come with me and spend an evening in the garden, the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. Came across these wonderful pictures taken by Sheermoy Grierson. Please scroll and enjoy. Your view and comments are welcome. From time to time I will be featuring his photography. To all my followers please recycle same and make comments.



Again most of the art featured on my blog are for sale. Love to all Folk Incognito.

Baby Gal

While preparing this chapter for the blog I kept getting recurring images of the old architecture of my aunt’s home and similar houses I have lived in. Hence these two paintings to go with {Baby Gal}. The art done for this page are of Dutch architecture style buildings on stilts, high roof, lattice windows like eye lids which had to be pushed open with a stick they also carried a platform from which plants would be placed. The front poach landing from which my aunt would some time sit and watch the people go by, the stairs landing sometimes carried a bench, and the many windows of her house which took forever to lock at night, woe on to the last person to go to bed.



Should you my followers have any interest in any of the art featured in my blogs, please be sure to drop me an email most of the art featured on my blog are for sale.


Love to all Folk Incognito blog master.

Baby Gal

 Crossing the Berbice river in a ferry from Rosignol to New Amsterdam an old town named by the Dutch.  We trudged our way down to St.Ann Street with our luggage and tattered kite.  We arrived at my Aunt Sybil’s house late in the evening, it was already dark and we were greeted with lots of love and kisses by my mother and Aunt. Now Aunt Sybil’s house was an old time huge Dutch style house with a high roof, the ceiling space allows breeze to flow through the house. My aunt’s house also had lots of windows and a bottom house which she rented to boarders. The house was also surrounded by a Genip tree and a Mango tree and a Dungs tree.   The Dungs tree was so close to the house that with a reach out of the window one could pick the Dungs. After a quick bath.  Cold water mixed with hot water from a kettle and poured into an enamel bucket. Followed by a quick rub down with soap from head to toe. A bowl to throw water over your body we hoped out the bath as soon as possible. Towel off on with your pajamas. We head down to the kitchen for a hot dinner. Aunt Sybil had a huge kitchen with a large table from which all activity revolved. We sat down to some fresh brewed hot  ground Cocoa with raw Cow’s Milk and some Bakes with Salt Fish and two Chinese Cakes for sweet.  The Cocoa tea the best I vow to anyone in the world. Roasted fresh Cocoa Beans ground in a hand mill and served with hot fresh Cow’s Milk; just milked for the cow earlier in the morning it’s a taste to be savored for a life time. We had no time to waste next morning we start rummaging our aunt’s yard looking for old box board to cutup to make parts for our broken kite. We found a few pieces and with a cutlass started chopping down on the wood. Suddenly we heard someone shouting at us.

ONCE UPON AN EASTER

Sometimes a story needs to be told. The calendar timing might be past however memories linger. Hence “once upon an Easter” continues. Fellow bloggers and fans bear with me a while as I continue my tale for the next couple weeks.



Love to all Folk Incognito blog master
ONCE UPON AN EASTER

With our spirits uplifted Clarence my aunt Yvonne and I began preparing for the big Easter Monday kite flying day. Only the receive a letter from my mother stating that she wanted us to spend Easter with her in New Amsterdam. The next couple days were now spent preparing for the long journey to New Amsterdam. We boarded the train in Georgetown, Lamaha Street in Cummingsburg to begin the trip New Amsterdam.



To our amazement and joy as boys we were in the same compartment with two British soldiers.


Guyana the then “British Guiana” was a sovereign colony of England. The British army sent soldiers to help squash the unrest and riots and return to country to a state of peace. Between strained snips of conversation we got to know the English soldiers. They proved to be a savior to us after the train made one of its major stops at Mahica. At this stop we are lolled to leave the train to stretch our feet buy food and stuff.


What we did not know was Mahica was also World Head Quarters for Sand Flies and Mosquitoes. The moment the train pulled out of the Mahica station colonies of Sand Flies and Mosquitoes descended on us with most vicious attack of insect on man ever. Sand Flies will attack you in swarms on every exposed part of your body. They will find their way through your hair down to your skull and the bite every exposed part that no hair grows from and leave your head full of bumps, they are bad. The mosquitoes there will bite and drink every drop of blood you own by the time you reach to Rosignol you will have no blood. So there we were facing eminent death when the two English soldiers produced the most complete defense in the from of a bottle of Citronella oil. They offered to share some with us. We graciously accepted their offer. We rubbed that oil on our body from head to toe. We literally took off our Yachting Boots and rubbed the oil between our toes and of course on our head, under our shirt and pants. “It just takes one sand fly to get under your shirt and pants to have you scratching and itching. My brother and I will always be great full to those two English soldiers.


Once upon an Easter.

ONCE UPON AN EASTER

Hi fellow bloggers and my loyal readers worldwide. Here is wishing you and all your love ones a solemn Easter Sunday.   Here is another episode of once “Upon an Easter” hopes you enjoy same and again all art on my blog are for sale.

ONCE UPON AN EASTER

The time was the early sixties there was political unrest in Guyana schools were on vacation and my aunt was out on strike so was my uncle. There was rioting in the capital Georgetown, and political factions marooning the streets. It was getting close to Easter my brother Clarence and I were facing the daunting prospects of going without a kite. In Guyana it is traditional to fly kits on Easter Monday symbolizing the resurrection of Christ from the grave. We were moping around the house feeling sorry for ourselves and being lazy.


Because Guyana experiences bursts of heavy rain at any time and extreme heat and sunshine the grass grow at an aggressive pace. It therefore happens on one of these hot spells that a Gardner came by and offered to cut the grass on our aunt’s lawn for a small fee. My aunt Yvonne quickly agreed. We as boys stood and watched in amazement as he used his scythe to swipe through the tall grass. Because of the extreme heat and humidity he had to take a break which he did. We sat around him in my aunt back yard and chatted with him and watched in amazement as he sharpened his scythe.


We explained to him our dilemma. He convinced us that our fears were unfounded and we could build our own wood kite. Up to that time my brother and I could only build pointer broom kits. Which were not very efficient kits. They were prone to breaking easily and had bad flying records. The Gardner then proceeded to lead us through the steps of making our own wood kite with old pieces of board hanging around our yard. With the assistance of my aunt Yvonne who provide us with some of her Grease Proof paper and some color Barbados Paper we built two singing engine kits with big bulls so that they could hum in the air. The kits being completed mine was put to the test flight. It flew so high it homed so loud it could be heard for miles my heart could not stop pounding with happiness. Then as if out of nowhere a strong gosh of wind blew and pop went the twine (Crochet #0) and away flew my kite. There was no time to waste straight away we plunged in to action running in the direction of the falling kite. As fast as the kite fell it disappeared more speedily. We now had to go from yard to yard over fences fearing dogs and angry shouts. Finally we got to the yard of an old lady and decided to ask her if she had seen a kite fall. “Yes” she said, and then asks us to describe the kite. I slept well that night with my kite by my bedside.


Once upon an Easter