cascadas

Today we walked for over an hour up and down a jungle path with banana trees, coffee and guava on either side. Streams, chirping birds, a sparkling waterfall and beautiful rainbow. We dropped our drawers and swam in the crisp mountain river. Mangos hanging from the trees everywhere.

Mango leaves are long and narrow and the trees grow tall and wide as an oak but I haven't seen a mango trunk that I couldn't reach my arms around. The mango fruits hang in bunches of 5 to 15 rippening in the hot sun.

elder --> sauco

The elder plant is known here as sauco, and is used medicinally to remedy respitory problems. Steep elder flowers in steaming hot water, cover head with a towel and breathe the elder steam. So says Lucy, the sheep woman.

Elderberrys

This morning in El Tiempo we read that Colombia is the second most biodiverse country, following Brazil. Walking Gorkie, el perro de la tia, in the park we were shaded by eucaliptus. The majority of the trees, bushes and plants are all in bloom. Ever color and shape and size. Even in the capital city of Bogotá we are surrounded by diversity and impressive foliage.

A very popular ornamental tree, found in the small front yards and lining the streets, is the elder. I first recognized the leaves but was doubtful because the trunk measured a 10 or 12 inches in diameter. Then I noticed the flowers and was immediately convinced. It wasn´t til I found a berry and tasted it that I felt confident enough to announce it!!! This city is covered with elder plants... but their precious Vitimin C is not a scarce resource down here like it is in the north. My first investigation... what is the name and does anyone use it for food or medicine???

I am well and feel at peace. I ate papaya for breakfast. Give thanks.

blanket of white

A comforting, calming, blanket of white descends upon my quite home as I prepare for the journey ahead of me. Slowly completing the necessary steps of winding down for winter, today we get to check 2 simple tasks of the list. A green house for our red russian kale, and to clean up the front yard. We are getting serious.

rye n vetch

I am learning about cover cropping. This year will be my first experiment in planting rye and vetch as a over wintering green manure. I am just fascinated with it. The rye is so vibrantly red when it first pokes out of the earth, and the vetch looks like little green hands reaching up out of the soil. It is true excitement and beauty to watch things grow.

military industrial complex blues

dear friend,

I just got the war-time blues again. I have been living in the cool shade of denial, y de repente, the burning rays of awareness and globalism just pierced down and burned me bad. Just bad enough to injure my drive and motivation, security and positivity. Not bad enough to stop me in my tracks, just enough to throw me for a loop and dispize all that I see alrededor de mi. los milagros y los arcoiris ahora me parecen fake rotted garbage and festering wounds. Forever searching of my true fight. Where is my fight? It is not just in finding a beautiful, sustainable, organic, supportive community. Those things are all so pure and peaceful, but now the rage has already been planted in me. I can't just simmer down and docile. I gotta seguir luchando.

de verdad, me encuentras un poco deprimido.

simple logistics

Nothing makes me happier than growing food and eating it.
What are we here for except to eat, regenerate and die.
Nothing is more electric than love.

february fog

may we enjoy the blanket of warmth that the great spirit has laid down upon us this morning.  may we cherish the humidity that we have been lacking this cold, dry winter.  may we find strength in this february fog, allowing ourselves to reach out and feel what is before us and all around us despite our limited visibility.  let us not fear the unknown, nor trust it blindly, but rather allow our hearts, bodies and minds guide us on our paths toward truth.

dreaming of betty

dedicated to grandma betty

may the knowledge of the generations
seep slowly like sap from ancient trees
sweet and subtle,
soothing,
sacred,
sabiduria
que deslisa
sobre nuestros
suenos.

Winter Worms

Under my kitchen counter in a 20 gallon plastic tub, one finds a world of magic wriggling and waiting.  Through the middle juts a PVC pipe punctured with dozens of holes for a bit of airflow.   Inside a terrarium equipped with all sorts of almost to mostly decomposed kitchen scraps, one will find slug-slime trails and oft times a slug.  If one is fortunate, one might see centipedes, fruit flies and other rolly-polly type insects.  And if one digs, as one aught to do, reaching into the depths of the moist organic material, shredded paper and rich black soil, one may encounter the writhing beauty of the winter worms.  Yet heed my warning and excavate with care for there're itty-bitty baby worms a wigglin' down there.  And take a second look, before reaching in the bin, fore there prowls a mighty matriarch creeping over her lair.