Merry Christmas...

Finally! School vacation began yesterday and I've got until January 5th to rest, do housework, prepare lessons and correct papers AT MY OWN PACE!

The rainy season has also started and our backyard is flooding more and more often these days... (Click on pictures to enlarge)

 The rainy season, however, is not mansoon season like in Bangladesh with continuous rains for months. Here, it's just storms every day ranging between 10 minutes to a couple of hours. Temperatures are cooler so it's easier to stay outside during the afternoon.

The rainy season is also bringing more critters into the backyard... mostly giant sized such as this grasshopper...

or this moth.

 Frogs and toads are everywhere. This frog decided to stick to our sliding glass door for a couple of hours...

...and we found another small frog hiding amongst the dishes in our kitchen sink.

One positive side to the frequent rains, humid atmosphere, and steady heat is the general effect on my garden. My plants are thriving and I can enjoy many flowers in full bloom such as my orchids...

or hibiscus...

and a few others.

Next week, Jack and I will be leaving for the Salvation Islands to spend four days together on this little tropical paradise (but with a dark history). I promise lots of pictures and some explanations about what you can see and do there. Until then... merry Chistmas!