Let´s talk about nature. Gorgeous, bizarre, noisy, vibrant nature. I haven´t been inside, really inside, for a month! Besides this delightful internet cafe, that is. I am always exposed to the elements, interacting with insects, feeling the rain and the humidity, the sun and the moonlight. It´s interesting to think about how we are so secluded from these powerful forces, creating our own days, nights and climates in our houses, cars, buses and offices. This past week all 5 of us have felt tired, really experiencing the pull not only of hard physical work, but also that of the rapid, almost manic changes in temperature and weather that the sub-tropics are known for. I feel very healthy but sort of out of whack. I look forward to hearing from my compatriots how they change and feel over the next two months. I am the only one leaving after just one month! A part of me would love to stay, in fact I planned on calling Cj this morning and letting him know that Kim and Marcelo have invited him to come and recommend that he just pop down here for March and live in the tent with me. But it´s a bit fantastical of a suggestion, I know. And as much as part of me would love to stay, a bigger part wants to go home and be me, this less anxious, more open, less frightened me with all of the people I love so much. PLUS Harper looks so much older, Julia has gone from wanting to be a ballerina to a scientist, Josie laughs and sits up and has teeth, Mary, Stephanie, Sharon, Annie, and Katie are all having babies, and Seattle is moving closer and closer to spring! Things change quickly. This comes to me everytime we plant seeds and in this intense climate, they sprout three days later. I can´t wait to go home and start seed beds in the basement! I have decided to start saving seeds as well and would love to do seed exchanges with any interested folks. I refuse to let Monsanto own all of the seeds in the world.






Making mortar to cover the bricks on our bathroom. The first time we did this we were all barefoot, gleefully stomping in the mud. However, I did not realize that the almost orgasmic feeling of the mud and sand and pine needles scratching my 27 bug bites would lead to oozing pain only moments later. Now we stomp with boots:








The bathroom is coming along! Check out the sweet brick arches in the back. This picture is a bit old, the wall is now twice as high and we will hopefully be laying the floor tomorrow. These two chambers are the composting chambers. We will build stairs out of earthbags around the side, and you will climb up to the height of my shoulders and walk into the room which will have a wood floor. These chambers will be underneath, 1-3 full of sawdust and leaves. Poop goes in till it´s full, closed off at the top and allowed to compost for a year while the other side is used. And so forth. Genius!! Plus there will be beautiful glass bottle designs and views into the forest from the pooper. I love beautiful bathrooms. The picture below is one of our dry composting toilets that we currently use. I am standing in the open doorway with jungle behind me. The walls are painted with natural paints and tiles are inlaid in the mud floor. The roof is green, hence the unearthly glow.

However. This tarantula lives in the bathroom. And just last night, Maggie informed us that there are now three tarantulas living in the bathroom. They slink into their little hidey-holes during the day and come out at night. Apparently they are harmless, but have been promoting constipation among the ranks.

A trip to the river with Marcos, and a picture of tobacco drying in his family´s barn.

As a continued tribute, below is Nestor, the late rooster. That´s Hannah holding him after we fed him whiskey. The second shot is plucking. I left the killing off the blog.



I couldn´t believe this butterfly. It´s not even the most patterned or complex, but it looks like Julia took him and spread green glitter glue all over his back and wings. So many beautiful creatures.

And this spider looked like Tim Burton´s inspiration...the photo does not do her justice.

Four more days on the farm and then the five of us are going to stay up all night bowling at the casino in Obéra before getting on a 3am bus to Iguazu Falls (enormous waterfalls - one of the new wonders of the world!) on the border with Brazil. We will spend three days there and then I will bid them adieu and head back to Buenos Aires on my final 20 hour bus ride.

And then, Seattle!

lovelovelove.

I cannot make this picture go away. I don´t know why. It´s just going to sit here, sideways.