There is a small pool and cool rock formations just fifteen minutes hike from the Bosque. For fun, we packed up cauliflower from our gardens, cucumber from a friend’s garden, homemade hummus and homemade flatbread, and went for a quick picnic.

We’re thinking of putting a geocache at this particular spot. Do any [...]]]>

There is a small pool and cool rock formations just fifteen minutes hike from the Bosque. For fun, we packed up cauliflower from our gardens, cucumber from a friend’s garden, homemade hummus and homemade flatbread, and went for a quick picnic.

We’re thinking of putting a geocache at this particular spot. Do any of you do geocaching? It seems like a fun excuse to explore.

We call this place La Cascada de Piedras.

Since June we’ve been fairly diligent about weighing the produce from our gardens and the fruit trees. This year we’ve had pretty good success. We haven’t bought fruits or vegetables from town besides some mangos that were too inexpensive to pass up, a papaya (I miss it and we can’t grow it easily), [...]]]>

Since June we’ve been fairly diligent about weighing the produce from our gardens and the fruit trees. This year we’ve had pretty good success. We haven’t bought fruits or vegetables from town besides some mangos that were too inexpensive to pass up, a papaya (I miss it and we can’t grow it easily), and onions and garlic. Pretty good, right?!

Our biggest successes are lettuce, chard, and cauliflower (oh, you should see the cauliflower). Our avocado trees are producing well, and we’re finally getting some yield from our apple trees, our guayaba trees, and even a few pomegranates. The carrot and cabbage patches are still producing.

It’s was an exciting rainy season. We’ll see how we do as we move into the drier time of year. We’re hoping to keep a year-round tomato and chard garden near the kitchen, plus some potted plants of herbs to last throughout the winter.

We’ve had surplus this year which we give to friends, let go to seed, and/or preserve via canning and drying. Our rabbits and chickens get fresh produce daily from the gardens.

Lizards drop their tails if they are very frightened, or if a predator has them by the tail. We did not frighten this one (much) but found it already tailless. Brian snapped a quick photo.

Lizards stay close to their hidden homes so when the sun is out we can reliably see a [...]]]>

Lizards drop their tails if they are very frightened, or if a predator has them by the tail. We did not frighten this one (much) but found it already tailless. Brian snapped a quick photo.

Lizards stay close to their hidden homes so when the sun is out we can reliably see a lizard in the same spot each day. Usually by the time we pull out a camera, they’re usually gone before we can snap a shot.

Here are some we’ve caught on camera over the years:

We’ve been going on daily hikes around the dirt roads near the Bosque. During the rainy season, we took our walks early to be sure to be home before the rain hit in the afternoon.

One morning we went out particularly early and saw just how many spiders live alongside the road. I [...]]]>

We’ve been going on daily hikes around the dirt roads near the Bosque. During the rainy season, we took our walks early to be sure to be home before the rain hit in the afternoon.

One morning we went out particularly early and saw just how many spiders live alongside the road. I was in awe and slightly grossed out as I considered how many times I’d gone off trail to see a mushroom or neat plant.

Spider webs are nature’s art! So pretty!