Hola Amigos,
Did you notice the title of this one? Pic-of-the-MONTH? It has been a month since I wrote the last one, and I'm getting as slow as Ben about getting these out! I guess that means we're busy..... or something.
We are enjoying watching our "bottle brush" tree bloom right now. It certainly makes a brilliant display, especially from the roof deck looking down on it. In this picture you can see the buds getting ready to bloom, as well as the poofy pink flower in bloom.
This was taken from the roof. The blooms only last one day, so we are happy that it is more mature now and has more than the 5 blooms it had that first year! It flowers for up to 3 or 4 weeks now. Scientific name is Pseudobombax ellipticum.
Ben is making weekly trips up to La Paz to check on his Model A progress at the body shop there. It is coming along nicely. He rarely takes pictures with his phone, so we'll just have to believe him on that! He will probably take up the chassis next week so they can start putting it together.
Ben has been working hard clearing our new property, mostly pruning trees and shrubs, but also raking up all the twigs and stickery things. He isn't getting too many scratches! (He wears a hat and leather gloves at all times). It seems like every tree here has thorns. We've also found a few neat cactus tucked away under all the brush. Ben cuts the brush into short lengths, and after it dries a couple days, we have "campfires" in the evening instead of hauling it off to the dump. We've made S'mores several times! Our friend Pat found some Marshmallows at Chapito's Express, and I found Graham Crackers at Joe's Deli, and Hershey bars at Chapito's regular grocery store! Ben made a roasting stick (broom stick with some stainless steel wire on the end), so we're set! I am helping, too, by the way, especially with the raking and cleaning up, and sometimes moving a cactus. After we're done, we go in and pull all the thorns and sticks out of the bottom of our shoes! We were kind of surprised to find all the rocks under those trees, too.
Our house is casting the shadow you see in this picture.
The garden has been doing great this year. Our corn is almost ready to start harvesting! It isn't very tall, but it's green and healthy looking, and the cobs are filling out nicely....the second crop is doing even starting to form cobs. I've canned one batch of green beans, we've had them multiple times fresh, have eaten an abundance of lettuce and spinach, and our cucumbers have produced quite nicely. I just pulled out all the remaining lettuce yesterday as it was starting to go to seed.
By the way, that little fence around the corn patch was very necessary! I planted a few sunflower seeds outside the fence the other day, and as soon as they were sprouted, they were gone! We do have bunnys in the neighborhood! They are appreciating the leaves on all the pruning piles that Ben has piled up. I have also noticed the burros and cows hanging around our place lately. I'm sure they can smell this corn.... just hope the fence and cattle guard keep working.
We had company this last week! Our nephew Ariel and his girlfriend Darling came to visit for a week. They mostly stayed around here and had some great beach time, as the weather and water were warm, and the wind didn't blow! They spent a lot of time snorkeling and swimming. (Darling was impressed that I convinced Ariel to put on sun screen!) They were lucky enough to spend a couple evenings dancing because a great Cuban band was in town for two of the nights they were here! They were also able to spend a day in La Paz, and while there, Ariel swam with the Whale Sharks. I think they'll be back!
Zoey and I have been taking our daily walks first thing in the morning. There is always something interesting to see and appreciate; the sunrise, rocks, flowers, cactus, shells, beach glass.... I have even taken a plastic bag several times to pick up garbage on the beach. Last weekend was the second "Easter vacation" weekend for Mexicans this year, and although they're much better about picking up their own garbage after camping on the beach, there is always something left behind. I pick up little bits of plastic, such as bottle caps, old toys, bottles and cans that end up on the beach. Zoey is a real trooper and we manage over 2 kilometers every day. (She then spends the rest of the day napping!) Sam has decided he's too old to go on our long walks (he turned 11 on April 4), so he stays home and guards the house. In this photo, Zoey is checking out all the campers on "HER" beach! We didn't walk the beach that day, since she is so friendly she'd be walking through the middle of everyone's camp, checking for leftovers and making friends with everyone.
These are the blooms from a Palo Verde tree I saw on my walk.
And here's a sunrise when I got out REAL early one morning. Actually, the sun was up, but it was making some neat colors behind those low clouds.
With that, I leave you to think about Baja and wish you were here to see this stuff! I haven't started an album, and don't know if I will, so just enjoy these few pictures.
Hasta la proxima vez, whenever that will be!
Tus amigos de Baja,
Harriet, Ben, Sam & Zoey
Did you notice the title of this one? Pic-of-the-MONTH? It has been a month since I wrote the last one, and I'm getting as slow as Ben about getting these out! I guess that means we're busy..... or something.
We are enjoying watching our "bottle brush" tree bloom right now. It certainly makes a brilliant display, especially from the roof deck looking down on it. In this picture you can see the buds getting ready to bloom, as well as the poofy pink flower in bloom.
This was taken from the roof. The blooms only last one day, so we are happy that it is more mature now and has more than the 5 blooms it had that first year! It flowers for up to 3 or 4 weeks now. Scientific name is Pseudobombax ellipticum.
Ben is making weekly trips up to La Paz to check on his Model A progress at the body shop there. It is coming along nicely. He rarely takes pictures with his phone, so we'll just have to believe him on that! He will probably take up the chassis next week so they can start putting it together.
Ben has been working hard clearing our new property, mostly pruning trees and shrubs, but also raking up all the twigs and stickery things. He isn't getting too many scratches! (He wears a hat and leather gloves at all times). It seems like every tree here has thorns. We've also found a few neat cactus tucked away under all the brush. Ben cuts the brush into short lengths, and after it dries a couple days, we have "campfires" in the evening instead of hauling it off to the dump. We've made S'mores several times! Our friend Pat found some Marshmallows at Chapito's Express, and I found Graham Crackers at Joe's Deli, and Hershey bars at Chapito's regular grocery store! Ben made a roasting stick (broom stick with some stainless steel wire on the end), so we're set! I am helping, too, by the way, especially with the raking and cleaning up, and sometimes moving a cactus. After we're done, we go in and pull all the thorns and sticks out of the bottom of our shoes! We were kind of surprised to find all the rocks under those trees, too.
Our house is casting the shadow you see in this picture.
The garden has been doing great this year. Our corn is almost ready to start harvesting! It isn't very tall, but it's green and healthy looking, and the cobs are filling out nicely....the second crop is doing even starting to form cobs. I've canned one batch of green beans, we've had them multiple times fresh, have eaten an abundance of lettuce and spinach, and our cucumbers have produced quite nicely. I just pulled out all the remaining lettuce yesterday as it was starting to go to seed.
By the way, that little fence around the corn patch was very necessary! I planted a few sunflower seeds outside the fence the other day, and as soon as they were sprouted, they were gone! We do have bunnys in the neighborhood! They are appreciating the leaves on all the pruning piles that Ben has piled up. I have also noticed the burros and cows hanging around our place lately. I'm sure they can smell this corn.... just hope the fence and cattle guard keep working.
We had company this last week! Our nephew Ariel and his girlfriend Darling came to visit for a week. They mostly stayed around here and had some great beach time, as the weather and water were warm, and the wind didn't blow! They spent a lot of time snorkeling and swimming. (Darling was impressed that I convinced Ariel to put on sun screen!) They were lucky enough to spend a couple evenings dancing because a great Cuban band was in town for two of the nights they were here! They were also able to spend a day in La Paz, and while there, Ariel swam with the Whale Sharks. I think they'll be back!
Zoey and I have been taking our daily walks first thing in the morning. There is always something interesting to see and appreciate; the sunrise, rocks, flowers, cactus, shells, beach glass.... I have even taken a plastic bag several times to pick up garbage on the beach. Last weekend was the second "Easter vacation" weekend for Mexicans this year, and although they're much better about picking up their own garbage after camping on the beach, there is always something left behind. I pick up little bits of plastic, such as bottle caps, old toys, bottles and cans that end up on the beach. Zoey is a real trooper and we manage over 2 kilometers every day. (She then spends the rest of the day napping!) Sam has decided he's too old to go on our long walks (he turned 11 on April 4), so he stays home and guards the house. In this photo, Zoey is checking out all the campers on "HER" beach! We didn't walk the beach that day, since she is so friendly she'd be walking through the middle of everyone's camp, checking for leftovers and making friends with everyone. 
These are the blooms from a Palo Verde tree I saw on my walk.
And here's a sunrise when I got out REAL early one morning. Actually, the sun was up, but it was making some neat colors behind those low clouds.
With that, I leave you to think about Baja and wish you were here to see this stuff! I haven't started an album, and don't know if I will, so just enjoy these few pictures.
Hasta la proxima vez, whenever that will be!
Tus amigos de Baja,
Harriet, Ben, Sam & Zoey
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