The word May evokes happiness and warmth...as in truth the beginnings of summer are not far away. Here in Turks & Caicos islands, however, the month of May is for rain - huge thunderstorms with dark skies and sheets of fresh cool water pounding down from the sky. It is a welcome rain, a delightful refreshment of the earth, and most importantly, a replenishment of the water cisterns and tanks upon which we depend for our year round water supply.

Spring is upon us, and even in the Caribbean the trees and plants let us know of the seasons change. The weirdest image is that of the sisal plants, sending a spear soaring skyward...... giant bright green "asparagus" dots the landscape for the next three months. These huge spears are the last dying gasp of the plant - it will wither, fall over and sprinkle thousands of tiny baby plants as it falls, ensuring the cycle goes on and on. And with the spring, as with the northern climes, usually come the spring rains.

Pine Cay, even after 10 years, continues to surprise me! I have wandered the beaches endlessly, toes in the fine sand, breeze on my skin, ocean waves lapping at my feet - utterly entranced for hours. The spectacular colours of sea and sky brighten my life and this special island holds me close. Yet last week I had my eyes opened wide by the simplest afternoon on my friend's dock in the channel. It was a scene not always associated with the Caribbean, as there was no beach in sight!

The inspiration and power of nature is ever present in the tiny islands of Turks & Caicos, the sea a fabulous ever changing display, the sky rising away in all directions – and quiet, tranquility an ever presence. Pine Cay itself, protects this natural treasure, where few disturb the local flora and fauna. I am increasingly conscious of the rarity of such privacy.

How utterly amazing this date is to me…very science fiction yet here I am. And here I am in this tiny country of Turks & Caicos, a wee speck on the map south of the Bahamas and north of the Dominican Republic! If anyone had asked me 25 years ago “would I live on a sparsely populated Caribbean island in middle age?” I would have laughed, but here I am. And very glad of it too!