Who’s that guy looking down from the Basilica? It’s Bob Ramsak of Piran Cafe!!!!
Silvana of Monoaulladorand I were delighted to say “WELCOME BACK!” to our WordPress pal, Bob Ramsak (Piran Cafe) today in Quito. Bob’s trail brought him through the Jama area two years ago as he traveled (overland) from Argentina to Chile, Bolivia, Peru and on to Ecuador on his way through the Americas. The following post summarized WEEK 18 as he finished the Ecuador leg of his journey: BOOTLEg BARBIES, AN INAUGURATION, A MARCH AGAINST MONSANTO, AND THE COOLEST FLOOR IN THE WORLD.
So who is Bob? His “About Page” offers a great summary: “I’ve visited 54 countries and roam often as a writer, editor and translator, but Piran Café is not a travel blog. It’s evolved into a notebook, a collection of experiences and moments, long and short, connected and propelled by my primary passions: travel, art, culture and justice. When they and I cross paths, you’ll find some of the results here.”
The true gift is to visit with Bob in person, where he taps into his thought-provoking reservoir of knowledge and shares stories that range from world-class sporting events to the dangers of street photography. SURVIVING A STREET ASSAULT IN POTOSI or THE DANGERS OF STREET PHOTOGRAPHY The posts are great, but the stories in person are even better! Continue reading →
Hurriedly I share these images of sunshine and shadows from El Matal (Manabi) Ecuador. The tides are reaching their highest for the month, and we’ll be watching closely for the next two days.
So far so good, but today we feared one boater might grind into the rocks. Continue reading →
Peruvian Boobies – References list the Peruvian Booby ‘as far as SW Ecuador,” but they now populate many areas up the coastline.
Last week I helped my Ecuador Expat Journeys friends on their Coastal Tour. Near Salinas, we spotted flamingos and black-necked stilts wading the shallows of the salt ponds. Upriver from Bahia de Caraquez, we toured Isla Corazon and marveled at thousands of magnificent frigates that shared the unique island with great egrets, snowy egrets, cattle egrets, tricolored herons, cormorants and cocoi herons. Cute little saffron finches decorated Canoa Beach Hotel’s tropical gardens.
Isla Corazon – Rio Chone
On my way home on Thursday, I said, “Hello” to the Peruvian boobies in San Vicente and reached Casa Loca in time for the late-afternoon finale on the river.
Gasp! How does one count so many birds?!
This morning while reporting a thirty-minute bird-watching session on the Backyard Bird Count stats page, I scanned the online queue of species for Ecuador. The Peruvian Boobies! Their presence along the Ecuadorian coast should be reported, but they are not in my backyard!
“What are you waiting for?” Please let the world know we’re alive and ready for Carnival!”
If any of you have boobies in your neighborhood, please take time to add them to the online form! BACKYARD BIRD COUNT/Get Started.
Let’s decorate that BirdCount map! Thanks for speaking up for the birds!
Jama (Manabi Province) Ecuador — Yippee! Almost two months overdue, the rains are finally quenching Manabi’s thirst! Dodging lagoons of water at every corner this morning, I assumed that the gray skies would offer few opportunities for good photos. I was wrong.
Jaime, the fisherman, ignored the sprinkles.
The rains fell during the night then resumed again mid morning; there are countless music options for these images, but I’ll nudge Eddie Rabbit a bit closer to the equator to kick off these images:
No one seemed discouraged by the mud and water, though without boots, I skirted around mud and leaped across swollen pools of water throughout town. While enjoying a cup of coffee and an extra sour lemonade “sin azucar” (without sugar – to chase away an allergy) I was well entertained by Silvana’s nephew who sported a new pair of boots. He pranced past my table, climbed aboard his cousin’s new motorcycle and stole the show! Continue reading →
“Catch of the Day!” (They call this a chamy fish.)
Headlines of winter storms make me grateful to live along Ecuador’s Pacific coast. Those of you who are enduring brutal weather, stay warm and safe and well. I wish I could send some of this climate in your direction. Yesterday I pondered how we fell trees for timber or we leave deep scars on Mother Earth so that we can produce concrete – how does one build homes without impacting our planet’s struggling health?
..S.ometimes Mother Nature bites back!!!!
As we peer over the groundhog’s shoulder to see his shadow – or not – take time to peer into Mother Nature’s wetlands and ponder their importance on our planet.
The ponds are off limits before the harvest. After the harvest, the feathered feast begins with no stress!
Today I’ll be driving along Ecuador’s Pacific coast with a great tour group, but wanted to wave a token banner in honor of our precious wetlands. Hop over to SerenitySpell for a refresher course! Preserving Our Future – World Wetlands Day.
(Ecuador – Jan. 31, 2015) Today’s Daily Prompt arrived as I traveled the 7-plus hours between Jama and Guayaquil. Michelle suggested, “Tell us how your week went by putting together a playlist of five songs that represent it.”
Ha! The week delivered disappointments as well as grand moments, but I managed to keep my sense of humor. On Monday/Lunas, I painted until noon, put away my paints and brushes, changed and waited for a driver to take me an hour up the coast to Pedernales. Rolando and I had talked on Saturday, and I told him about the floor project and the most important item needed was a non-yellowing varnish for floors. I said that I would be painting all day on Sunday and again on Monday morning and would be ready to go by “…1 or 2 o’clock…” He didn’t show up! Welcome to Ecuador! (Perhaps I absently said, “Martes/Tuesday” instead of “Lunas?”)
I shrugged; it wasn’t important, and I switched back to painting while watching the birds come home to roost. On Martes, I waited again, and at 2, decided to walk to town (5K) and glare at Rolando with the ‘truck taxi’ and watch his mouth drop when he remembered that he’d forgotten!
Maybe he feared he’d have to help carry heavy items from Playamart!
I enjoy the walks to town, and I inspect the birds along the road, in the al-garrobo (mesquite family) trees and in the shrimp ponds. This week I spotted the Peruvian Meadowlark, a species that’s been absent for months. About twenty minutes into my trek, a friend drove along at high speed, braked, backed up and gave me a ride to to town! As he resumed top speed on the gravel road, I didn’t tell him of my two-day wait for the driver! Instead I smiled after we all but broke the sound barrier and said, “Muchicimas Gracias!”
(Image from 2013) Some people think that third-word countries are dangerous; thankfully there are sweet angels who enhance the quality of my days! Thanks, Doc Castro!)
Instead of seeing Rolando, I spotted one of his brothers (they have a fleet of pickup truck-taxis.) He chuckled when I told him the story; we discussed the fare to Pedernales, my list of things to do there, judged the time, and he said if we left immediately we could be back before dark. I hopped in the co-pilot seat and said, “VAMOS!”
Squinting at the laptop, I worked on photos for National Geographic’s “Your Shot,” while peering out the window and occasionally snapping photos.
Harvest in progress of a balsa tree farm near Camarones Ecuador.
We returned just before dark, and he helped carry the items from the road to Casa Loca. I slept well and started Wednesday in painting mode.
My friends harvested a shrimp pond near the house, but I was very focused on adding details to the floor. I emerged from my painting fog around dark, looked out and noted that the pond was drained, and the trucks and workers were gone! Only the birds remained as they foraged the muddy bottom for shrimp.
I painted on Thursday morning as well; my high-energy painting sessions often correlate with strong rain, so I was not surprised when the sound of rain pelted the roof. The rains strengthened, and I noted one slow drip-drip-drip from the tin roof; I moved the potted ceibo tree beneath the drip and continued painting for another hour. That lovely one-plus inch of rain saturated the ground, but it also extinguished the electricity in this 7-house circuit!
The skies cleared slightly, and I painted until almost dark and photographed the details for Timeout for Art. With an opportunity to try out my new green mud boots, I retrieved my rain coat (just in case of more rain!) and walked to town in the late afternoon. Continue reading →
One of nine panels, this 2′ x 4′ section will be part of the border. (Acrylic on plywood)
Hola Sports Fans; I’m writing via off-line mode while taking a break from a floor project. Black paint is drying, so it’s best to take ten or more giant steps away from the work and enjoy a break! Nine pieces of plywood make up this large jigsaw floor puzzle that will upgrade an 8-foot area that overlooks the river. Clear thick plastic protects each finished panel until all are fine-tuned and adjusted to merge with the others. The design should be ready for varnish on Tuesday. It’s been a challenging and rewarding project, and you’ll see the entire floor on the next Timeout for Art.
Center 4′ x 4′ Section – detail
Border Detail
Yesterday my dear friend Silvana, back from her internship in Minnesota, dropped by the house and happily accepted the task of filling in areas with color. We set up a work area on the balcony and watched the birds and fishermen as we painted. Time flew, and at sunset we stopped to take photos from a slightly-different vantage point before she returned to Jama.
Although the rainy season is quite late, many birds are displaying breeding plumage.
Silvana gazes toward the boca as the fisherman snags another fish!
After high tide – Entrance to Coco Beach Village – no longer serviceable…
El Matal Ecuador – Dec 26, 2014
When living on the front line of a beach threatened by spring tides, most people stay home during that critical high-tide hour to be sure there is no threat of flooding. The high tides usually arrive with the new or full moon and hang around for a few days. The first high tide of each month usually arrives in the pre-dawn hours and then at sunset; it arrives a bit later each day. When staying at my friends’ home, I usually start peering outside around 4:30 in the morning. By 5:30 I am able photograph what’s happening at sea level.
Dec 26, 2014 “Buenos Dias” – 5:58 in the morning!
6:11 a.m. Dec. 26 2014
While working on a holiday art project, my friends and I kept a close eye on the waves. On the second day of painting, I took a low-tide break and walked to the center area of El Matal. Life goes on, and the spirit of the fishermen remains strong. I was told, however, that “the people of El Matal are scared.”
El Matal, Ecuador (and Jama)
In contrast to the previous post that illustrates the vanishing beach and the work to protect the front line, these images showcase the amazing beauty of the frigates, pelicans, gulls and boobies of the area. (Yes, boobies!)
Pelican, Seagull and Frigate
(These photos were uploaded on Friday and scheduled to fly to you on the day of the December Solstice. Enjoy!) Z
Stained glass artwork scrapes the skies over Otavalo Ecuador.
The Aya Uma mask is an important icon for the June Solstice Festival.
There are subtle colors and explosions of colors in the Otavalo Ecuador area; one can sample the quiet hues of the landscape or take a giant immersion in the Saturday market in town. There are colors to suit all moods and personalities!
Let’s start with a leisurely walk in the mountains that overlook Otavalo. Continue reading →
The shrimp ponds along Rio Jama are owned by a handful of families, and each one has a modest headquarters where pumps, feed and supplies are stored. Life is usually quiet on these cameroneras; the pumps run when fresh ocean water ebbs upriver each day, and they are quiet when the river is low.
Many times a modest living area is located on the second floor above the bodega. (My house is this type of design.) Having someone watching over the ponds day and night helps protect against theft (yes- thieves sneak in at night and steal shrimp!). The employee also turns the pumps on and keeps an ear tuned for signs of mechanical problems. When the river water levels get low, the pumps are turned off.
Storks clean up the leftovers after a harvest!
The health of the ponds is closely monitored from the time the tiny larvae are delivered to a small nursery pond until the day of harvest. Oxygen levels are important, and sunny conditions produce healthier ponds than cloudy ones. The ponds are deep enough that herons and egrets are not tempted by the shrimp that stay near the bottom. If the birds line the edges, it’s a sign that something’s wrong – perhaps the shrimp need more oxygen, and they’re coming to the surface. Continue reading →
With a HUGE smile, I introduce you (again) to my multi-talented friends Luis and Susan (Tribus Futuras) whose original track “Children of the Wind” is featured on Putumayo’s new CD, Music of the Andes! (Hijos del Viento)
Susan and Luis live in Mindo Ecuador, and I mentioned them in last-year’s post Did You Fall off the Milk Truck? I am so proud to share this incredible news, and I look forward to buying a copy and getting their autograph! Enjoy their track here: CHILDREN OF THE WIND!
The Daily Post tossed out a challenge with four options this week; I selected this one: “Take a draft post that you didn’t published because it didn’t turn out as you expected. Change the story, revise it, and publish.”
I found two posts in drafts; one recent post from April 3rd stalled because of slow internet and low battery:
“…In today’s WP post, Kristin nudges us to, ‘Look out your back window or door — describe what you see, as if you were trying to convey the scene to someone from another country or planet.’
Most sources say that this song was written for Fogerty’s 3-year old son and was inspired a Dr. Seuss book. I’m quite pleased to introduce you to this cast of characters out my own backdoor!
Reaching back to a post from January 2013, I can finally release these birds from their cyber cages. May they soar from my back door round the world and lighten your day! Continue reading →
April 1, 2014 – Did the sun know of the upcoming earthquake?
At sunset yesterday, I noted that the tidal waters seemed a bit different – I could not articulate why, but there was something strange or surreal about the way the water was moving; the birds used different flight patterns as well, and many more egrets and herons roosted in the mangroves; the pelicans were absent. (That happened last year a few days before bad weather approached.)
After sunset, I came inside and followed a random ‘tweet……. tweet……………….. tweet…………….’ to its source and welcomed a frightened nomad for a B&B night at Casa Loca! Last year I flunked Baby Bird Rescue, so this year I tried a different menu.
Look who came for dinner! (I fed it aloe vera water and mashed aloe vera pulp!
Today one of Jama’s bright young shining stars soars out of Ecuadorian airspace and lands in a most unpredictable spot for the next nine or so months of her life! If you started guessing right now, my money says that you won’t guess her destination! Continue reading →
This past weekend I visited the fishing village of El Matal and found ample material for this week’s Photo Challenge of ‘STREET LIFE.’ On Saturday, the high tide washed across areas of the front street, where fishing boats trumped automobiles for use of the road!
First-aid options for the vanishing beach are tied up in red tape. Concerned locals watch as each wave brings the next spring tide a bit closer. How much longer will there be room for boats and autos? Continue reading →
Jama Ecuador (Manabi Province)
Only one street back from the center of town, Hostal Ciragan provides a quiet respite – unless there’s an all-night fiesta nearby!
Mid-morning on Saturday, I walked down the quiet street near Ciragan and pondered my good fortune to have my health, happiness, and many talents to keep me happy; I also felt lucky to have a large support system of people who care about me. I noted wild tobacco in bloom near the sidewalk, and then I noted always-smiling Ramon painting the sign to the hostal! Continue reading →
Manabi Province – Ecuador
As if to announce a change in our ‘rainy season’ drought, this sunset cast an eerie glow across the entire landscape. Still muddy from early February rains, the river seemed to bounce the colors back into the sky. That night the heavens soaked the parched earth with an inch of rainfall. We received another inch of rain the following night.
A similar color returned to the end-of-day skies three days later. My friends were draining the shrimp pond, and the surreal colors played well against the lone canoe. Continue reading →
A few of my WordPress friends will relate to the following message that often appears at the top of an “Add New Post’ page: “Connection lost. Saving has been disabled until you’re reconnected. We’re backing up this post in your browser, just in case.”
Slow connections can test the patience of Job! Sometimes the above message remains on the screen for hours as images upload or backfire with snitty red Errormessages. Last night’s “pink” images took three hours to upload, and I worked on Thursday’s Timeout for Art in another window while battling with the uploads. Emails loaded slowly, comment and like options failed to load. Notification stars blinked in the upper right corner, yet the drop-down box revealed a white field.
Although I had typed several hundred words, the Timeout for Art/Save material was still idling with a 31 word count from hours before!
The headlights work; I wonder if the clutch and brakes are dependable! Slow internet is like an ancient vehicle!
Comments in moderation arrive in the inbox, and the final jump to approval rolls to a dead end! Other comments that I attempt to answer often swirl for a minute or two before either leaping to the proper place, or they vanish – poof! – or I can sometimes hit the ‘back’ button and return to my comment, let the page load again, then send it a second, third,fourth, and hopefully it reaches its destination!
Today as I watch my comments swirl in neutral space before they sail into a dead zone, I reflect on the time spent trying to move forward. It’s like having a road-weary vehicle that’s lost its transmission fluid or gets stuck in neutral! The blank screen reminds me of the odometer stuck on zero! Instead of raising the hood and searching for solutions, I place the USB modem in a stainless steel bowl or metal colander, and the speed usually doubles… juggling that with an external keyboard while trying to keep the homing device on the cell tower is a balancing act, but it’s still too slow in daylight hours.
Could this March 12 sunset have been an omen for an unusual upcoming day?
March 13 began with an early-morning walk to town… I spotted the first Peruvian Meadowlark for the year, then stopped and admired a smooth-billed ani. The black and white stilts, herons, ibis and egrets are perennial bonuses!
Some days the walk is muddy; other days it’s dry and dusty. There are always interesting fora and fauna waiting to be discovered!
Grabbing a drink and banana bread on the run, I hopped in a collectivo pickup bound for El Matal….
After a brief check at El Matal, where Project Sandbag is underway, I returned to Jama for lunch and Timout for Art post then home to resume work on the painting…
But wait! The sound of a helicopter veered me off course, and to the airstrip I went! Continue reading →
Anyone who knows Jama will surely smile at this photo! (More below)
Jama Ecuador
Losing a friend sometimes reminds us to embrace those that are still with us. This past week’s blog feedback regarding my friend’s death touched my heart, and your observations abut Jama’s Lovely Women filled that same heart with joy. Thank you; I am blessed. I hope to acknowledge your comments by the end of the week.
Internet options at my house remain poor, so I am only online when in town – usually in short doses while having lunch or dinner at Restaurant Exclusivo. (Thanks again, Sivana!)
Silvana wears many hats! Our appreciation for her tripled when she acknowledged the cluster of extranjeros that participated in the Wear White for Peace March. (2013)
Silvana and her father have visited El Matal to show support and concern for the vanishing beach.
And she can paint!
Silvana, btw, is preparing for another internship/cultural immersion in the USA; she leaves on April 1st and will be there about six months. She will surely share those details with everyone soon.
Silvana and her family took a rare afternoon off from their Restaurant Exclusivo. These gals juggle university studies with restaurant responsibilities!
Tapping into photos from the past year, I present some of the hard-working women from the Jama (Ecuador) area.
Nelly took a rare break from her restaurant for Mother’s Day 2013.
Most of these women touch my life on a weekly basis, if only through a smile as we pass on the street.
I always pause to speak to the ladies who keep our streets free of litter!
Sometimes they are quite weary at the end of the day. But they can usually reach down and find an honest smile.
Sorting through these images made me wistful for those syrupy long-ago days in the Mississippi Delta. We did not need trendy gadgets or sleek modes of transportation. We delighted in tending the vegetable garden and shelling peas and beans in the cool shade of the mid-day sun. Life in Manabi Province in Ecuador reminds me of those days. Continue reading →
Many of you will remember the extremely-popular (It Started With One Light Pole) post from 2012 that circulated round the world – more than once! Several periodicals pointed readers to this community project that was triggered by one lone light pole.
Just last week someone else featured this community event – (And did not ask to use my photos!) – I refrained from scolding them about using my photos, since this was about the locals in Jama and not about me. The more the world read about those artists and about the positive things happening in Jama, the better. Right?
“It Started With One Light Pole” – (Remember this view!)
One year later…
I’ve enjoyed watching Luchy transform his petite little building into a work of art, and we sometimes smile and say, ‘It started with one light pole.” That lone post triggered two years’ worth of urban art. I witnessed shy insecure young artists bud into confident ones.
But something is amiss this week, and I’m struggling with warring emotions. Continue reading →
Although there are thousands of egrets, cormorants, frigates and pelicans in my neighborhood, today one lone cocoi heron stood guard in front of the riverhouse. Thanks, neighbor!
(Webster’s II – Office Edition 1984) Incongruent – adj. 1. Not congruent. 2. Incongruous Incongruous – adj – 1. Not corresponding: disagreeing 2. Made up of diverse or discordant elements. 3. Unsuited to the surroundings or settings. Congruent – adj. 1. Corresponding: congruous. Congruous – adj – 1. /Corresponding in nature or kind.
Jama & El Matal Ecuador – February 2014
If this last bend of Rio Jama were populated with thousands of Cocoi Herons and few egrets, a different species might be featured above! There’s something special about close encounters with elusive species. On the first day of this year, the distinct call of the lone osprey whispered, ‘I’m back; did you miss me?” (Yes, I did!)
Roosting egrets streak home in low light!
Equally elusive is the lone Cocoi Heron, a pearl of a recluse that dodges society. At times this feathered beauty stands guard in the mud flats upriver, or it edges closer to the ibis and egrets that forage beneath the blue-green mangroves. Quite shy and untrusting, it soars away at the slightest hint of human presence. Today, however, this closest neighbor of mine stood guard slightly downriver from the house while rough-winged swallows flitted nearby!
Cocoi Heron Stands Guard
Gazing out the other windows, I’ve observed a different scene for over a month. I’ve briefly mentioned this new activity, though I’ve tried to dismiss it; this daily intrusion sometimes lasts into the night. Continue reading →
Waving valiantly, this flag joins many others in El Matal’s fishing fleet. At noon on Valentine’s Day, many fishermen were not with their boats – they were attending the public meeting about their vanishing beach.
El Matal (Manabi) Ecuador
Residents of El Matal and concerned citizens from nearby areas displayed a united front at the public meeting to discuss the critical status of the eroding beach. Engineer Daniel Santata, a coastal specialist, joined the Minister of Pescadores and the Director of Risk (Portoviejo), though the meeting began without the presence of Mayor/Alcade Alex Cevallos.
Where beach restaurants once punctuated the public beach, a withering young palm stood guard while 70-plus locals gathered for the community meeting.
Because of difficulty in understanding sometimes rapid-fire Spanish, and straining to grasp what I heard through the outdoor acoustics, I apologize in advance for errors in translation. The essence of the meeting follows. Z Continue reading →
While waiting for a bus connection, I’m pulling these photos out of draft status before rolling to home sweet jama! These photos were taken one week after the destructive tides that washed away most of the remaining beach. (See It’s Devastating)
Gallivanta continues her support with helpful feedback from across the Pacific (New Zealand) – i am especially grateful for this radio interview with coastal scientist Jim Dahm: http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/2585167
The bus just rolled into town, so without any captions added to the photos, I share the images taken in front of El Matal “proper, past Coco Beach Village, and along a natural area. Continue reading →
Heads up, Jama Residents: Community meeting with officials at Raul’s Corner Restaurant – Tuesday February 11, 2014
El Matal Ecuador – This past Friday, I walked almost the entire stretch of El Matal’s beach, from the southern end closest to the landmark of Punta Ballena to El Matal “Proper” and Coco Beach Village, past the site of the new Punta Ballena Development, through the river mouth (low tide) and stopped for a very late lunch at the community of La Division. I’ve surely earned the title of “Beach Inspector” for this past week!
Although I missed seeing the devastating high tides, the beach wears its scars from its battle with Mother Ocean. The powerful waves stripped the sand beneath the thatched-roof bamboo structures that once sheltered the boats. In the next assault, will she devour the road and advance to the houses and restaurants?
(Pardon me, but you’re blocking the road!) Where will the fishermen put their boats if the ocean destroys the road?
Overwhelmed with hundreds of photos, I’ll start with the southern end of the beach. Walk with me and enjoy the beauty while pondering the dilemma of the vanishing coastline. Continue reading →
El Matal Ecuador
Canton: Jama
Province: Manabi
02-February – 2014
Late afternoon – Feb 02, 2014 – El Matal Ecuador – Homeowner photo – (Hold that thought…)
On Saturday, I sent queries (about the destructive high tides) to people living in the coastal area near my home on the river. Lesli, a homeowner at Coco Beach Village at El Matal, wrote late Saturday night with a two-word message. “It’s devastating.” Continue reading →
Are you looking for a simple business in a tropical country with low overhead and a chance to sell to a captive market? Three options come to mind, and perhaps one might pique your interest! Continue reading →
2012 brought extremely destructive high tides to the Playa San Miguel (Costa Rica) area.
As the most evolved species on the planet, we – as humans- oftentimes inflict the most damage and leave a swath of damage in our wakes! The more primitive indigenous cultures sometime seem to be the true evolved ones, as their simple lifestyles allow them to monitor Mother Nature’s pulse. When something is out of balance, they are often astute enough to connect it back to a particular event. (An easy example would be, “That flying machine soared over the fields, and days later the grasses turned yellow and died… later the people began getting sick with mystery illnesses we’ve never known…”)
An indigenous family near La Mocora Ecuador (Manabi)
Rarely do the Indians attempt to strong arm Mother Nature; they respect and live in harmony with her. In contrast, we – the ‘evolved’ – use our brains and technology and modern equipment to literally move mountains at times! Society progresses and sometimes later realize that we’ve upset Nature’s balance.
Growing up along the Mississippi River, I’ve witnessed firsthand the effects of trying to control the waterways via levee system; John Barry’s Rising Tide – The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 should be a must-read for anyone who works in flood control/water management industry! He tells the history of the the Mississippi River, the great floods, and how everything done to control that grand Father of Waters seemed to backfire. When one learns those lessons and then sees those same mistakes repeated elsewhere – oh, it’s like watching someone being sucked into a whirlpool.
Rio Jama – ..Sometimes Mother Nature bites back!!!!
When the local authorities strong armed the stretch of mangroves just downriver from my house, I chuckled when Mother Nature bit back and attempted to swallow the excavator. Had she waited until high tide, she might have been successful in destroying that big orange machine! Can we really blame her for biting the monster that ate those mangroves? Continue reading →
My my my! Views from my windows this week reveal society in the front and side views! Because the large boulders are unstable, I sometimes fear for the safety of the fishermen. Last week a sense of foreboding washed over me when I saw three young boys fishing from the rocks. I insisted that they leave, and that night, the rocks fell from that very spot! The next day slightly-older fishermen were there, and one refused to leave. Sigh.
Rocks that fell the night before…
Views from my windows also revealed a large orange surprise that might offer another explanation for power outages! This orange surprise will be working here for a few weeks.
The orange tree-gobbling monster also has a tag-along work crew: Continue reading →
Posts from other WordPress friends have been zero (to my inbox) today. This is a first! I’m wondering if it’s a WP glitch or if many of you are battling winter storms. Watching via internet for stories about the ice and snow reminds me of watching Katrina inch toward the Gulf Coast.
Here on the river, I’ve been working (in short sleeves, cropped pants and barefooted) on a not-so-serious painting. Every so often one should paint just for the joy of painting and have fun!
This could be plate; maybe it’s a painting of an egg?
In contrast to the previous post, Hello Cruel World, this one features the carefree awakenings of butterflies. The above emerging butterfly is one of many showcased at the Mindo (Ecuador) Butterfly Gardens, where one steps into a magical world of colorful butterflies and equally-colorful flowers.
Witnessing the chrysalis of butterflies awakens a childlike wonder, and I recall a private showing several years ago on the deck of my home! Even though the drab-colored caterpillars stripped the foliage of the passion fruit vines, they later rewarded me with with an unforgettable beginning to my morning! Continue reading →
It’s not fair to keep you in suspense, though the suspense for me will be wondering how long it will take to compose this post on slow internet!
So where did we stop on the last post? Oh yes, with the recipe!
200 Sections of Bamboo
200 meters of fabric
70 pounds of Nails
12 Gallons of Paint
80 Spray Cans of Paint
One Air Compressor
3 Pistols of Silicon
Rycardo Alcivar and 6 Volunteers…
7 weeks of work and counting…
With a tiny slice of time, I am again sharing images of my most favorite mascots that dot the Ecuadorian landscapes during this final week of the year.
Each year they seem more scarce, and their absence concerns me. As with flowers, the presence or absence of these ‘ano viejo’ effigies somehow represents the soul of the community. Why are they no longer enjoying this custom in my sweet community? Continue reading →
