The valley here is a tough place to live for dog lovers. It's pretty rare to find a dog owner who considers their dog a pet. Dogs are work animals who protect their owner's property. Most dog/owner relationships are strictly business like: food in return for protection. In all my years traveling or living here, I can only remember very few times when I witnessed an owner petting his dog. Many dogs don't know how to play with humans. Tortillas are the main food source for dogs along with table scraps. It's not uncommon to see a dog's ribs protruding from its body. It's tough to see a female that's just had pups in this condition. Some females are unable to produce enough milk for their pups. Many local dogs make their rounds to our home with the hope of being fed. We've learned if we are going to give food, we have to feed them away from the house or they won't leave. Dog food is more expensive here than in the States so owners resort to the most common and less expensive tortillas. Beth and I have begun to make Scooter's food and supplement it with dog food.

Birth control is rare so pup litters are common. In villages you can see a natural pecking order. The biggest and strongest rule. It's fascinating to see dogs in what must have been their natural environment. For a dog to travel from one side of a village to the other, they must endure a gauntlet of other dogs. This is especially dangerous when an owner has several dogs. They'll team up on a passing dog. Dogs that kill chickens are beaten. So there are dogs in an emaciated state that will not touch a chicken. It's almost impossible to make the trip to Oaxaca de Juarez without seeing at least one dog on the side of the road that's been struck by a vehicle.

In the larger towns strays are everywhere looking for scraps. Sundays which are the market day in Tlacolula offer a windfall of discarded food. It's pretty easy to pick out the dogs that live on the street from dogs that have homes. Dogs from the street along with being in poor health are very weary of humans. They will not take food from your hand and handouts must be thrown far enough away for a dog to feel safe enough to pick it up. The higher economic condition of city folks is apparent by the condition of many dogs there. They are healthier and friendlier to humans.

The plight of dogs is a reminder of the plight of many people here who struggle to eek out a living. There is little help or assistance from the government. Consequently, people are forced to be creative and resourceful. Families with relatives in the US are lucky. A few dollars sent from the States makes a world of difference.

I'm going on a month without reading any news. It's been a bit of a struggle. The curiosity and feeling of not wanting to be uninformed still lingers. News from the US was especially depressing. Living amongst people who struggle to make a living make me ashamed to see the issues that Americans squabble over. Americans have so much and are afforded so many opportunities. It's been over two years since we've watched any news on the television. Television news we never missed. I blame television for much of the hateful divisiveness in America. Facebook is a little tricky. A little more Politics than I care to see. When President Bush was in his sixth year in office many of his strengths and weaknesses were obvious. We are now in the same position with President Obama. At this point we have a pretty good idea who he is and what he stands for. Vilifying or making excuses for him is not necessary. I was thinking today that more care seems to be spent choosing a coach for the NFL than for President of the United States as far as qualifications go. I much prefer to read about the hopes, dreams, and accomplishments of friends and family (not that I don't enjoy a lively debate). Another annoyance of Facebook is the use of celebrities who happen to agree with a certain point of view. Are we that intellectually depraved as a Nation that we have to turn to people that make their living playing a sport, acting, or playing music for political or scientific insight?

We just celebrated Mexican Independence here. I was a bit jealous to see Mexicans come together in honor of their country's freedom. It's refreshing to see a population celebrate their oneness instead of constantly being reminded of their differences.

The new Macro Plaza (thirty minutes from our home) recently opened. We've already made several trips there. Located on this side of the city means we don't have to deal with as much traffic. It's close enough that we can make a weekly visit if we choose. We will still buy our fruits and vegetables from local markets, but it's nice to have easy access to items we are accustomed to from the States. There is a movie theater. The manager explained how to determine if the movie is in English (with Spanish subtitles). We were never movie goers but it would be nice if we can find a movie decent enough to see.

A new Home Depot also just opened in Oaxaca. The advantage is that everything is out in the open to see. In the ferreterias almost everything is behind counters so products have to be brought out one at a time to see. It's difficult to ask for items that I don't know the names of or to try to explain a project I am working on especially when the concept is foreign to them.  I have to say though that the employees in the ferreterias in Tlacolula have been wonderful trying to assist me. It would have been nice if the Home Depot had been open two years ago when we were doing so much construction. Every month or two we also visit Sam's Club. Again, the familiarity is comforting.

Those who are opposed to Mexicans crossing into the US will be happy to hear that it is much tougher to cross (regardless of the rhetoric). Many people leave the Valley to cross only to return. The unfortunate part is that most borrow the money to cross so when they return they are in debt and much worse off than when they left. Consequently, fewer people are trying. For Beth and I it's complicated. We believe America has the right to protect it's borders; but when a friend leaves to cross, we can't help but wish them good luck. One good friend just returned unable to cross. We were sorry for him. It's unfortunate that our government is unable to come up with a reasonable solution to the immigration problem.

We continue to be thankful for our internet. Resolving problems and gleaning information is a breeze. Of course email, Skype, and Facebook remain our window to friends and family. Beth just traveled to the US to see Chris and Danielle's beautiful little girl (Alysandra). The trip was a bit stressful and we're both glad she is back. We owe a special thanks to Mickey and Yadira who opened up their home and made the trip possible. We are so very proud of our sons as they make their way. They have grown into fine young men.

A recent comida in Matatlan exposed us to a new experience. It was to be an all day event so Beth and I provided cinnamon rolls and scrambled eggs. For dinner goat was the main dish, BUT to kill the goat, it was tied to a seven foot rope about two hundred meters away. Several men shot at the goat until it was killed. I couldn't participate. Anyway the goat was skinned and the meat cut into manageable pieces. I'd never seen the intestines cleaned and prepared. Almost every part of the goat is eaten including the blood. I feel like Beth and I are assimilating pretty well into the culture here EXCEPT for the food. Many things are too foreign. Most of the meals served here are very traditional and have been served for many years. The majority of  food here is prepared with lots of spices and contains a fair amount of grease. Sometimes tortillas are all we eat at a gathering.

I'd never seen this method before. A large and a smaller hole are dug. The earth is removed between the two holes connecting them. A fire is started in the large hole using logs that are quite thick. Air from the smaller hole allows the fire to breath. Rocks are placed on top of the fire. When the fire is burned down and the rocks are hot enough, the small hole is filled in.

The goat is two hundred meters away. Most of these men belong to a hunting club so are permitted to legally own firearms. It took a few shots to kill the goat.

Skinning the goat.

This tub was placed on the rocks. I'm not sure what the liquid was but it didn't look very appetizing.

Meat was placed on the carrizo to be steamed by the boiling liquid.

I believe the contents of the yellow bowl was fat from the goat.

Cleaning the intestines.

A consume is made from internal organs.

You could tell that everyone was familiar with the process. Everything was prepared very quickly. We left at this point, but I was told that it would take about four hours to cook. I believe I explained in another post that when we first arrived we tried to eat everything placed before us. That caused us a lot of stomach problems. As we've become closer to our friends, we've become a little pickier. If we are uncomfortable, we won't eat.  Sometimes we feel uneasy sitting there munching on tortillas while everyone around us is eating. Eating meat that is freshly killed makes for a strong flavor. Not being accustomed to goat meat in the first place, the potent taste can be difficult.

Rainy season is petering out so we'll have to water our watermelons. I believe the ground is moist enough to bring corn crops to maturity. Beth and I continue to care for plants and trees. Brownie the dog that showed up about two months ago wandered off. We miss him and hope he is OK.

I've mentioned that our well water has a high content of alkaline. We are considering a reverse osmosis filter system. Beth purchased a Turmix juicer which is made here in Mexico. It's built with steel parts. Usually vendors who sell juice use the Turmix. The fast RPMs does a great job of extracting maximum liquid. After juicing the left over pulp is pretty dry and is a great addition to our compost. Not sure if the Turmix is available in the US, but we strongly recommend it. Beth has been experimenting with a variety of juices. We are fortunate that many fresh fruits and vegetables are available and of great quality.

Turmix Extractor

When Beth was in the States I ordered a Victorio Strainer and had it shipped to Micky's. We had one year's ago in Sedro Woolley. We processed and canned apples into applesauce, pumpkin into pie filling, blackberries and peaches into juice. Now that we are here with so much lovely fruit and veggies available, Beth had been dreaming of owning another. Beth packed her new one into her suitcase when she returned from Mick's. Last week we made a large batch of applesauce from local apples and froze it in small portions. No need to peel and core, nor to add sugar. We're excited to make pumpkin puree again from these calabasas.

The Mormon church is growing rapidly here in the valley. Tlacolula just built a building. It seems like everywhere we go in Oaxaca de Juarez, a new church has been built and of course there is a Temple in the city. We see missionaries often. They stand out in their white shirts and ties. I've been a little critical of the rise of Christian Churches here in Mexico but a moral compass is sorely needed. For many these new churches provide one.