There are ten SunDogs (and one cat) in all, but you’ll likely have two or three to keep you company and patrol the grounds. The remainder live across the street helping us with other projects. All are rescued Cruzan 'Coconut Retrievers' of one sort or another. If you prefer to keep a little more distance, your host(esses) will stay in the fenced and gated backyard and provide security. If you’d rather enjoy their company, the gate can be opened to allow them access to the patio garden, front porch and East veranda.

Beyond the patio garden, ascending a few gentle steps to the front entry, you’ll encounter the SunDog mural. Painted by local artist Barbara Gelardi, the mural depicts SunDogs, past and present, limin’ on St. Croix, enclosing a comfortable patio kept constantly breezy with ceiling fans, powered by the sun. You enter into the greatroom, the SunDog common room, decorated with local art. Here you’ll find cozy Caribbean chairs and a sofa for lounging; books, games, and a stereo/dvd surround system and television. Overhead are three ceiling fans, so it’s always airy.

At the far end, the greatroom is separated from the kitchen by a bar counter. The kitchen is fully stocked with dishware, flatware, eco-friendly ceramic coated cookware made from recycled aluminum, full stove, energy-star refrigerator, microwave, blender, toaster and coffee-maker. Freshly ground Dean’s Beans organic fair trade coffee is provided for your first morning cup.

To the left of the greatroom is the Ajax Suite. A queen bed, dressed with sumptuous organic cotton bedding and pillows, angles artfully toward the corner. A hardwood bench offers additional seating, and wicker and rattan dressers and closet give plenty of room to store your goodies and gear. Blood-red organic hemp throw rugs accent the Purple Hyacinth walls.  Off to the right is a private bath with his and her sinks, full vanity and a large shower.

You can step through sliders from the Ajax Suite onto a covered back porch running the western width of the house. There’s a charming seating area with bamboo recliners and accent table. The porch features a BBQ grill, bar area and beverage fridge and opens to the upper pool deck. A pink cedar grows up through the deck, providing additional shading for umbrella-covered out-door dining. This deck steps gently down to the pool and pool deck with chaise lounges.

Passing around the north-west corner you’ll see a full noni tree with highly nutritious (though smelly) fruit and leaves that can be used to relieve muscle pain. Below it grow numerous aloe vera, a natural salve for sunburn, and beyond, neem and ginger thomas trees shade orchids on the north side of the house. Under the eaves are strung a few solar/wind dryers ;-), convenient lines for wet towels or swimsuits.

Here you can re-enter into the kitchen. A laundry room is on your right with high-efficiency front-loading washer for cleaning incidentals during your stay. Outside on the covered porch are additional retractable drying lines.  All the water is from roof-top rain catchment and all electricity is provided by the sun.

Behind the kitchen, in the north-east corner is the Shade Suite, in soothing periwinkle with queen bed, white wicker furnishings and lavender throw rugs. In the south-east corner is the Percy Suite, inviting Caribbean Blue Water walls, a queen bed angled toward the far corner, natural rattan furnishings and full closet. All bedrooms feature ceiling fans, organic cotton sheets and pillows, and private baths with organic bamboo towels in vibrant Caribbean colors. They look out onto the verandas, the Great Pond and Great Pond Bay in the distance.

The east veranda, accessible from the front patio, is lined with potted Caribbean flowers and plants, ferns, crotons, palms, bougainvillea, hibiscus, and philodendron. The porch is scattered with white out-door wicker chairs and tables and a colorful woven hammock for breezy afternoon lounging.

This completes your walking tour of SunDog House. Sit down, relax and enjoy.