How to Grow an Avocado Tree

September 25, 2014September 25, 2014 ~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ 1 Comment

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a sprout! While an actual tree may be a while off, these little guys are already defying my dubious expectations (chronicled here). So, as promised, here’s what I did:

Make guacamole, duh!
Remove any remaining flesh. Let the pit sit out for about a day to dry a bit.
Peel the thin, dark brown skin from the tan flesh of the pit.
Stick 3 wooden skewers 1/4″ or so into the pit so as to suspend it about halfway in water.
Place stem-side down in a container filled with water, set on a sunny window sill and wait! You’ll need to refill the water regularly.

I noticed the pits starting to split down the middle about a week in. Another week in, and one of my pits has a visible root growing from the bottom of it, while the other’s root is still in the crack. My friend Kaia left hers to grow in water for several months, until the stem that will (hopefully) eventually come out of the top of the pit was more than 8 inches tall.

Have fun and good luck!

Bermuda in photos

September 17, 2014September 18, 2014 ~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ Leave a comment

What’s that? More pretty pics of my new home, please? Ok, if you insist!

Lest you think Bermuda is just beaches and palm trees… This is Front Street, the main drag of the city of Hamilton

Green moss grows on beach rocks in the winter

The view from the pool at Tucker’s Point

Parliament (I think)

Don’t worry I found an art store

Elbow Beach

Elbow Beach, near where we live

Love tree roots in old sidewalks!

Street signs here are posted on buildings… walls… or sometimes not at all!

This is “our” beach :)

This is what parking lots look like here: mostly bikes!

Bermuda lobster! (Note no claws!)

Bermuda has the bluest water I’ve ever seen

Where in the world is… Bess?

September 14, 2014September 14, 2014 ~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ 1 Comment

Once we get through the standard rounds of Bermuda questions, there’s a quick pause while my conversation partner processes it all, and then their eyebrows raise as they ask, “Oh! What are you going to do with your press?”

The answer is… bring her along for the ride! I realize shipping a 400-pound antique printing press to another country maybe isn’t the most practical course of action, but I look at it as an investment in my personal happiness. I considered leaving her at my parents’ house and just printing when I go home to visit, but had I left her for a few months previously and it’s just not something I want to do for the next 3-5 years, or however long we’re here.

A few weeks before the big move, my dad and I took her apart into two main pieces, the fly wheel and lots of smaller bits, above. I spent a Saturday rubbing wax over every inch of her to protect from any water and humidity—which also had the added benefit of cleaning more of the 100-year-old gunk from her frame than I thought possible. Then we packed her up along with all my studio supplies, securing everything to a pallet and built a wooden crate around it all. We then shipped it to a facility in New Jersey.

New wood type that I haven't even had a chance to use! I can't wait to print with it. — New wood type that I haven’t even had a chance to use! I can’t wait to print with it.

She’s currently on a container ship on her way to the island. I’m not exactly sure what happens now—some people have said that since I just moved here, my crate will breeze through customs. Others have said it will probably sit on the dock for 2-3 weeks and cost me several hundred dollars in duty to release. Who knows! Either way, I can’t wait for her to arrive—and don’t worry, I’ll share more pics as soon as my studio/office here is set up!

Adventures in Agriculture

September 13, 2014September 13, 2014 ~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ 2 Comments

I have what some might call a black thumb… That is I’ve killed nearly every plant I’ve ever owned. The only house plant I’ve ever had long-lasting success with is fondly named Spike, a succulent I picked up at the Dane County Farmers Market three summers back. Since I wasn’t sure if I could bring plants to Bermuda (and he was outgrowing his container again anyway), before I moved, I divided him up, repotted and gave him to friends and family.

However, I’ve decided that Bermuda’s high humidity could be the key to horticultural success. Forgot to water for… ahem… a while? No problem—90% humidity means the soil is still moist anyway! (And my hair has the texture of a Brillo pad.) So I hit up a local nursery and picked up some serious green.

First up: house plants! I honestly have no idea what the ones on the left are… their names have already escaped my brain. The ones on the right are tillandsia, or air plants… which I love and have managed to kill over and over again. Seriously! It doesn’t even need dirt and I can’t keep it alive! Again, I blame Wisconsin winters.

Produce here is expensive, not always the greatest quality and sometimes not even available. We are so spoiled in the U.S.! So I wanted to get a few things that we could eat. It’s an odd time of the year to start a garden, but I did manage to pick up a few strawberry plants and a really great selection of herbs. At first I had them mixed together in one long container, but the basil and mint are well on their way to shading everything else, and one of my strawberry plants sent out a runner, so I thought everyone could use a little more space to thrive. See, success already!

The last “plant” I’m working on is really more of an experiment. My friend Kaia (who blogs here) had a bit of a project going when I stopped by her house the other day. She had grown an avocado tree from a pit and was finally potting it. Apparently you can grow trees in your house! Anyway, I picked her brain for a how-to and now I’ve got two pits sitting in water… who knows what will happen. I’d share instructions, but I’m not even sure I did it right, so if I were you, I’d google! If—big if—I have anything sprout, I’ll share by expertise then!

Oh, and finally: limes. I certainly did not grow these, but Andrew picked them last weekend when he was golfing and hit a bad shot into a wooded area. Because we live in a place where lime trees just grow naturally. I wonder how long it will take me to get used to that!

Light and love, sand and sea

September 7, 2014September 7, 2014 ~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ Leave a comment

Call it a reflection of the American school system, or just the fact that Bermuda is seriously teeny tiny, but very few people I’ve told about my move know almost anything about it. Here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions:

Where is that? Not down by the Bahamas! Bermuda is much farther north than many people think. If you were to draw a horizontal line straight out from Charleston, SC you’d run right into the island. I usually leave from Atlanta, which is just under a 3 hour flight.

Why Bermuda? About a year and a half ago, I reconnected with an old boyfriend from high school and college… who happened to now live in Bermuda. He grew up in Wisconsin with me and was offered a job at a reinsurance firm. Reinsurance (companies that insure insurance companies) is a huge industry here, and there are several thousand expats working on the island. Some of our best friends here are English, Irish and Scottish.

What’s up with Bermuda shorts? Oh yes, they’re real. Generally brightly colored and slightly shorter than American men’s shorts, they are the business uniform for men in the summer. They can be worn with a jacket, tie, or just a dress shirt depending on the office culture, but they are always worn with tall (usually dark colored) socks and dress shoes. SERIOUSLY. This is the look!

Are you going to get a job? No. I looked before I moved, but Bermuda has very strict employment laws. I had to get a permit to reside here, and its contingent on my not seeking employment. I’m continuing to work for the magazine in Wisconsin and other freelance clients in the U.S. and continuing to print work for non-Bermudian shops. Please get in touch if you need design or letterpress work!

How big is it? Tiny! The entire country is about 20 square miles total and is actually made up of more than 100 islands. Some of Andrew’s coworkers commute by boat! Others drive small cars, but the most common means of transportation is a scooter. I’ve rented one for a few weeks now and I’m finally starting to feel steady on it. Another week or two of practice and I’ll be ready to take the test for my license!

What’s weather like there? Right now, it’s pretty hot—high 80’s (F) during the day, and humid. It doesn’t cool down at night like it does in Wisconsin, the temperature drops maybe 10 degrees. Winters here are rainy with temps in the 50’s and 60’s, which seems quite luxurious when compared to the winters I’m used to, but the air stays so humid that it feels colder—especially on a bike!

More questions? Leave them in the comments and I’ll get back to you!