Hi everyone,
You are invited to come to our farm next Saturday for a tree planting party! Our farm is within the Bellbird Biological Corridor, and since last year we have been working on reforesting a degraded part of our property with native trees. This year, we are focusing on our lower pasture, which we hope to convert into an agroforestry area which will include organic coffee and fruit trees, as well as native trees.
We have about 100+ more trees to get into the ground before the rains truly dry up, and if you'd like to help us out next Saturday morning, we'd love to have you!!
If you can make it down, please bring:
* Long pants and rain boots (long grass with potential critters)
* A shovel
* Gloves if you have or want them
* Hat, sunscreen, bug spray, etc.
* Items for potluck lunch as well as plates, utensils, etc.
We'll have lemonade and snax flowing to keep the planters full of energy
*** We are also hoping to put in a simple friendship garden near our house, made with cuttings or "hijos" of plants / flowers that our friends have in their gardens at home. If you have cuttings or favorite plants that you'd like to add to our space, we'll find a special place for them
Mike had already committed to a Saturday morning activity with a local conservationist and a group from the Monteverde Institute measuring trees (sounds right up this science teacher’s alley), so I loaded up the boys and headed down the Trocha to the San Luis valley. We gathered our boots, shovels, sunscreen and cold tuna salad (everyone needed to bring something to share for lunch), picked up a friend and her son on the way, and arrived at Karen's quaint bungalow (their little house on the prairie well before the afternoon rains).
The trees were purchased (for a donation, I think) from the University of Georgia’s campus in San Luis. After lathering up with sunscreen, I headed into the pasture with my shovel in one hand, and my trusty camera in the other. The host family welcomed us into their home and provided instruction as to what and where to plant. In some places the grass was so high, one of the guys had to power up the weed-whacker to make room to dig the holes. A mango tree here, an avocado tree there…I sure hope we can sample the fruits of our labor in a few years ☺
All in all, there were about 10 families that participated and boy, did we have fun. The older kids quickly shed their jeans for shorts and tees and headed for the river just down the road. Hours later, they appeared, wet, dirty and exhausted, but still had left over energy to practice their acrobatic skills they are learning in gymnastics class. The younger ones enjoyed the tree swing, getting in on the fun of planting and playing with little Christopher’s toys.
We’d plant a little and chat a lot, plant some more and then retire to their home for some homemade lemonade, snacks, fruit, and homemade muffins to feed the hungry work crew. Their little bungalow was so comfy, with air flowing from the back porch through the house and spilling out onto the front porch. I escaped with just a few Chigger bites and just barely rosy red shoulders.
We planted about 150 trees that morning and enjoyed the fellowship with our neighbors. I reckon this is how things happened years ago, when community members would show up to support and help with whatever was the need for the day.
We loaded up and headed back up the Trocha with several sleepy boys and one tired mom! But, wow, it was worth it.
A quick little update on Tookie –
He is thriving and is enjoying his new outside platform, which hangs from our front tree. Although we still have to keep an eye out for him, he enjoys spreading his wings out in the sunlight. He is spending a few days with a friend as we head to the beach tomorrow for a couple of days of R and R (hopefully).
We are fighting a bad virus, John suffered with a 103-degree fever Thursday when I quickly loaded him into the car and drove him to the clinic. Good news is that the clinic took us right away, bad news is that it took John projectile vomiting on himself, me and all over the waiting room floor in order to get us in promptly! Nice work John! He even scored a hospital smock on the way out, as the nurses could not bare the thought of him putting back on his shirt covered with...well, PUKE. After 2 hours at the clinic, we both enjoyed a nice shower to rid us of the vomit and then to bed. He is feeling much better, however he has shared this with Michael now, who has slept the day away and is fighting his own 102-degree fever. So, our plans to head to Samara beach tomorrow morning may be derailed due to sick kids, but the sand and sun will be there later in the week if we choose to reschedule. John is putting his smock to good use – add the cardboard shoe insert from their new soccer shoes, a rubber band and he is ready to play doctor and check out Michael’s symptoms. John says, “mom, bring on the tea with oregano and mint” – a sure fire way to kick the virus.
Good news - we are here in Samara and LOVE the FENIX hotel, right on the beach with kitchenette and all the amenities. The rain has been coming down in droves since we left Monteverde at 10 a.m. this morning, however the boys frolicked in the ocean and we got in the pool despite the downpour. I can't hear the ocean breeze over the sound of the rain! Praying for sunshine tomorrow!
Peace,
Signed: S
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