On Saturday the 27th Beth and I hosted a dinner. It just so happens that the 27th is also my birthday. Our idea was to use my birthday as an excuse to host a comida but not to actually make it a birthday party. Well, it ended up being a birthday party. We're not sure how the word got out that is was my birthday but it did. Chisme (gossip)! 

Because of the number of guests we invited we rented a tarp and ate outside. Flies can be a real problem with outside dinners but it usually stems from families having their animals close to their homes. As we have no animals the unwanted guests were kept to a minimum. We have attended fiestas where the tables are almost black with flies. Thousands and thousands of them. It takes some getting used to. Keeping the cap on your beer helps and a napkin over your soft drink is a must. 

Early in the day Scooter found a mouse and got a little tied up chasing it!

Every Sunday in the market at Tlacolula this man and his wife sell barbecued chicken. We've eaten it a few times and enjoyed it so we asked them to prepare the chicken for our dinner. It was fantastic!

This is my neighbor Manuel (Manny) with his wife and grandson. Manny is retired from his work for the government.

On the very right is Felipe. He is recovering from having his second eye operation. The family is Humberto's. Beto works for the government.  Beside him are is wife Lucy, Armando, Shela, and Yesenia. Yesenia gave me a piece of art she made at school for a present. I can't believe how well behaved Beto's kids are. They are a pleasure to be around.

Augustine and Dalia. Augustine owns an electric repair shop in San Dionisio. Dalia is originally from Vera Cruz. She was kind enough to make frijoles a la charra and a very tasty desert for our dinner.. A lot of work preparing for forty five people. The lady on the left is his mother and the lady on the right is Felipe's wife Alejandra. 

The gentleman on the right is Juan. He is from Matatlan. He makes mezcal and farms for a living. His wife across the table is Dolores. When talking to each other they usually speak Zapoteca. 

In the forefront is Ciro. He is a policeman in the city of Oaxaca. 

Kids doing what kids usually do.

What a surprise. She's usually beating him up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We love how the women jump in and help serving the food without even being asked. Here Lucy and Amparo are preparing plates to be served. In addition to the chicken and frijoles, Beth had prepared a huge pot of potato salad. The potato salad turned out great and we love turning our friends on to other foods. In keeping with their tradition, the red cooler is holding forty pounds of tortillas!

Felipe's dog Colt loved the icy cold water.

Augustine's daughter Iris on the right with a friend. We are padrinos to Iris.

At many fiestas people do a lot of sitting. We decided to have a balloon toss for something to do. We wern't sure how it was going to be accepted but everyone enjoyed the fun. We played in three groups: men, women, and children.

Not sure of the relevance but Beth and I were told to dance first. While we danced we threw candy and plastic bowls out, given to us by Felipe and Alejandra.

Even grown ups expect candy! This is Casto. He too is a farmer and makes mezcal. One day i'll explain the process of making mezcal. Its very physical work with critical steps along the way. Casto makes our favorite mezcal. 

Casto gave me some mezcal and a cool container to keep and serve it in.

Beto brought his television to display a slide show I'd created over the get-togethers we've had over the first thirteen months. It was pretty emotional. I'd post it but I used copyrighted music and I'm sure Zenfolio wouldn't like it.

We did another dance this time a circle was formed around us. Talk about being the center of attention! This was a great day. The food was excellent, we were able to talk with friends for hours, people had a chance to relax, and a bit of alcohol was consumed. Can't wait for the next one. 

Monday the 1st Beth and I went to San Baltazar to watch Epifanio's son graduate from preparatoria (high school). Miguel Angel was the first of eight siblings to graduate from high school. To earn money for college Miguel is going to give one year of service to the government in exchange for three years help with college. He is going to teach at an elementary school. His most likely location will be in a rancho far from civilization. I was told that many of these pueblos are without electricity. Some teachers are unable to complete their service due to the primitive conditions. 

While discussing Miguel's prospects Epifanio informed me that San Baltazar didn't receive electricity until nineteen seventy. The first phone in the village was installed in nineteen ninety. Cell phones have been in operation for about four years. One of the things that I am completely stunned by is the difference between my early life compared to the early lives of men my age. It's fascinating to hear men recall how life was for them. So many things I took for granted!

The ceremony lasted about two hours. There were seventeen students in the graduating class. It's pretty unusual for a village the size of San Baltazar to have a high school. I can't think of another. 

It was wonderful watching these young people receive their diplomas. They are Mexico's future. The comaraderie amongst the students was touching. They have uniquely close relationships due to the small size of their student body. 

Miguel being congratulated by members of the Municipio.

With diploma!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

These are some of the parents and grandparents of the graduates. The generational difference between them and the graduates is enormous. 

One of the younger classes provided entertainment with a traditional dance. The girl below is just beautiful. 

Of course Coca Colas were passed out to administrators.

This young lady was the equivilent of Valedictorian. In her speech she thanked those involved in her educational process. She also had words of wisdom for her graduating class. I spoke to her after the graduation and was very impressed by her. 

Miguel with a younger schoolmate.

Part of the graduating class with their instructors. 

Today is our one year anniversary. It’s been a heck of a year filled with new challenges, friends, information, perceptions, reflections, and experiences.

Our retirement has ended up so far being what I pictured it would be back in Brownsville. The combination of problem solving without the extreme feeling of pressure is extremely fulfilling.

Becoming more proficient in another language will probably be our foremost long term challenge. We are fortunate to be in a culture where most have the patience to work with us. It’s amazing how well one can learn to express themselves with a limited vocabulary.

We are also fortunate to live in an area that is pretty foreign. Almost daily we are exposed to an unknown. This keeps you on your toes and certainly makes life interesting. The give and take continues as ideas are exchanged between us and our friends. We know very little of raising crops and maintaining animals. But we do know about doing some things more efficiently. Growing up in a country filled with technology has its advantages.

I had started a pretty negative blog thinking about the differences between here and the states but deleted it and started over. We still read the news and are often baffled by what we perceive to be self-destructive policies. I guess the main thing is the presence of so many victims in the US. Here where there are so many that could be considered victims the victim mentality is almost nonexistent.  Despite the very low wages people work. Consequently I believe people are happier here.

Having spent a large portion of my life buying things on credit I can really appreciate that most folks here live on what money they have. Building a house is done a room at a time as money allows.

This year we plan to build a carport, a four foot brick wall around the front yard, experiment with raising watermelons and maybe some beans, and continue to try and fit in here.

There is grass growing in front of the house because of the rain. The grass will help keep the dust down when the dry seasons rolls around again.

Communication between Beth and I continues to improve. Solving problems together and depending on each other has a real bonding effect. Scooter also receives a lot more attention.

We are going to celebrate our one year anniversary by driving to Oaxaca and eating Chinese food. The restaurant is owned by Chinese and it’s a real trip to hear them speak Spanish!

We got back last Friday from a trip to Guatemala. Our tourist passes must be renewed every six months which means a trip outside of Mexico. Guatemala is half the distance to the US so we decided to test out a trip to Guatemala. We left the house at 5:30 in the morning and arrived close to the border about 5:30 in the evening. Tuxtla Chico is where we planned to spend the night but alas another group protesting wanted to make their voices heard by blocking the freeway. Not sure why the Mexican Government allows this. It happens all the time in Oaxaca. Semi-trailers are usually used to block the road. And it is often main roads that they are blocking. Most of the time it's unions that do the blocking. It appears Unions in Mexico are just as selfish to ignore the damage they do to their economy as American Unions are. Any way it's a real pain in the ass when it happens. Immediate change of plans. So we spent the night farther away from the border than we wanted. That night we worried that we wouldn't be able to pass in the morning. Sometimes these things go on for days! It's real frustrating when small interest groups hogtie the rest of a country. You know, the way they do in the US all the time.

The drive from Tlacolula to the turnoff before Tehuantepec is torturous. Average speed for the four hours is thirty miles an hour. I don't believe there is a single stretch of road that is straight for more than a half a mile on this leg of the trip. There is a new freeway being built that will drasticly cut driving time to the coast when completed. 

The main thing I would say about Chiapas is that it is simply beautiful. It's almost jungle like. It has to be the lushest area that I have ever been to. The highway from Tehuantepec to Guatemala is pretty flat and is in very good shape. We must of passed at least fifteen or twenty rivers. The price of the lush greenery is a climate that is more humid than anywhere that I have ever been. That saying "it's a nice place to visit but wouldn't want to live there" fits the coastal area of Chiapas perfectly. We were told that inland is much different. From inside of our air conditioned truck the drive was amazing! There were many areas where the trees on both sides of the road formed a tunnel over the road. Lots of cattle grazing over acres and acres of thick grassland. 

A surprise was the existance of windmills. On both sides of the Chiapas and Oaxaca border in a long valley are hundreds of windmills. They are of course quite large and turn at different rates. I'm not sure where the electricity goes but it was astounding to see this kind of technology in Southern Mexico. 

We stopped at a store to buy coffee and the cashier had a name tag that read "Kenia" which is Spanish for Kenya. A conversation insued  over her name and we learned that her last name was Chun. Her ancestory included folks from China. Talk about diversity. 

We ended up spending the first night about twenty miles from the border. We arrived the next morning at the border at about 7:15 only to find out that we had to drive back about thirty miles to cancel our permit for our truck. When we returned with a canceled permit there was no reason to drive across so we walked across to Guatemala. There is no way to describe the abundance of scams along the border on both sides. We were literally accosted by men who insisted on helping us through the process. They claimed to know all the shortcuts while others had wads of money to exchange for our pesos. Thank God we have a little command of Spanish now. I eventually had to become quite aggressive and take control of the situation. We cancelled our personal permits in Mexico before entering Guatemala. Ends up we paid the government of Guatemala about seventy dollars for the privilege of entering and immediately leaving their country. We had heard a rumor that Guatemala required a waiting time between stamping your passport entering the country and exiting of three days. Maybe the lady at the window took pity on us as there we at least fifteen men around us trying to get into our pockets. I must say concerning these men on both sides of the border that they were in no way threatening. I never felt like I was going to be physically harmed. They were pushy and of course it was confusing. Next time we'll zip right through the process!!!!! 

Normally Mexico requires you to leave their country for twenty four hours to apply for a new tourist permit. We were fortunate that the immigration let us renew our personal permits as soon as we re-entered Mexico. I must add here that the woman that canceled and renewed our personal permits was a real sweetheart. I told her that she was the most kind and helpful person that we had ever encountered. 

We then drove back to where our permit for the truck had been canceled and requested a new one. Much to our surprise he gave it to us. No waiting! 

Our initial plan was to take three days for the trip. One day to Guatemala, twenty four hours in Guatemala, then drive home the next day. We gained a day by not having to stay in Guatemala so we decided to take two days for the drive home. Felipe and Alejandra were watching our home so there was a little pressure to get back. 

Stopping along the drive is always a special part of a trip for Beth and I. Even a chat while filling up with gas can lead to wonderful insights. The majority of people in Mexico are hardworking honest people. They like to talk as much as we do and are as curious about us as we are them. Driving in Mexico is a lot like driving in the US in the fifties. There are many interesting stores and shops along the highway. It's a little slower than driving on mega freeways but you don't miss the contact with the people. 

We were stopped at checkpoints seven times coming back. Mexico seems a whole lot more serious about controlling who enters their country than the US.

As we were in a bit of a hurry on our trip I didn't take many photos but I would suggest that you do a Google image search for Chiapas. You'll be amazed at it's beauty. 

We are going to begin the process of acquring a different status here that will elliminate having to leave the country every six months. 

Anyone traveling from Mexico to Guatemala for the first time is welcome to email us for more specific details on crossing the border. 

Back here at home the rainy season is beginning. The 18th will mark one year for us. As we are settled in now we'd like to invite friends and family to come down and see Oaxaca. 

We have ended work on our well at 16 meters. There is about a seven meter reserve of water so the likelihood of running short is minimal. Work was stopped a few weeks ago. We are finally getting used to not having Selverio and Luis around. 

The week we stopped work coincided with "San Maritana" (hope the spelling is correct), the celebration of having water. Our friend Beto explained that the custom began back when villagers shared a common well. Every year the villagers celebrated or gave thanks for having water. The tradition has carried on and is still celebrated today. We celebrated by putting flowers around our well.

We also visited a Capilla (small chapel) in Tlacolula where water, flavored with fruits, was given out. For those in a hurry a kind of drive by service was offered. Cars could stop and have drinks brought to their vehicle. 

A few friends came by our well to celebrate finding water. Dolores blessed the well while burning incense. Gifts of mezcal, beer, and cigarettes, were made (the three food groups). 

It seems like Mexicans are always celebrating something. In retrospect I think that has always been one of the things that drew me here. It's real healthy to constantly be around folks that are celebrating life and giving thanks for what they have. It's such a contrast from being around many Americans who have so much yet are so dissatisfied with what they have. I have found myself being a little curt with family and friends. Their complaints seem so menial. I see things everyday that remind me of how fortunate I am. 

We had a backhoe come in and open up an area from the house directly to the well for convienence and security. 

The well is so far from the house that I had to have a pretty secure top put on to protect the pump. The fellow that made it was pretty clever. There is a lock on top that allows the little door to be opened. Inside is another lock. It would take a lot of effort to get the top opened. And a lot of noise.

This photo is taken from in front of the well looking up towards the house.

This trench holds the water and power hoses. Pretty quickly now the hoses will be completely covered with sand to protect the hoses then filled back with dirt.

The distance from well to house ended up being about five hundred feet or about one and a half football fields. The water has to be pumped up from the bottom of the well about 50 feet, then travel up hill the 500 feet. And finally up the wall about fifteen feet and into the house. We brought down a submersible pump and while it doesn't fill the tinaco real quick (about nineteen minutes) it's great to just flip a breaker from inside the house. Getting the well and pump working was really the last major project. We now have all the comforts. Mickey bought me a wood heater that i'll install before cold weather hits again. 

Our neighbor owns a German Shepard. About three weeks ago she attacked our little Scooter. We ended up having to have one of his eyes removed. He still bumps into things on his blind side but has recovered remarkably well. The vet who removed the eye in Tlacolula told us about a vet in el Tule that had a young Labrador that she wanted to find a good home for. We traveled to el Tule, about a thirty minute drive from our home, and instantly fell in love when we saw her. She's a white Lab about one and a half years old. Beth named her Lily. She's been with us for two weeks now and is fitting in wonderfully. There is lots of room for her here and lots of new smells. 

With work basically done inside the house we have turned our attention outside. We now have a YARD. We hired a backhoe to move dirt around and have planted grass in front of the house. We have two lime trees that already have fruit. We got a tip from a friend who told us that when making lemonade it's better to use about six leaves ground up in a blender with water. The leaves don't have the real strong flavor of the lemons. Beth has many flowers, some ceder trees, a beautiful pine tree, three ficus trees, three pomagranate trees, and a palm tree. Our water consumption has risen with all the watering of our plants. 

Here are a few shots of in front of the house before and during our work outside.

We'd had this key less lock in Brownsville. It works perfectly here.

Grass has been planted on one side of the house. We toyed with the idea of buying grass that comes in squares but were disuaded by friends that reminded us that it would need to be watered every day. The grass we planted is a native grass. We are watering every day until it fills in after that it will need minimul watering. 

This is the future sight of our carport. The sun is so strong here that it's real hard on vehicles.

Keeping sand and gravel around is a must. Most construction requires cement. 

Our first breakfast on our spool table. We hauled the whole spool down from Brownsville. It weighed a ton and took up space but i'm glad we brought it.

Beth and I only drink here when we have company. We found ourselves without any mezcal yesterday so we went to Matatlan to purchase some from a friend. Of course he wouldn't let is just buy, he had to have us sample the various variaties that he had on hand. An interesting thing we learned was that during the distilling process some men use a real hot fire which cuts down on the process time but makes the mezcal taste very strong. Casto uses a smaller fire which extends the distilling process but his mezcal is much smoother. The degrees of alcohol are the same either way it's only the flavor that's different. We much prefer the smoother mezcal. We ended up buying eight liters. Four liters were from a barrel in which the mezcal had been stored for five years. Cost for eight liters 300 pesos or about $27. 

A question that is often asked of Beth and I by Americans and Mexicans alike is "don't you get bored"? It's hard to stifle the sarcasm when answering! There is always work to do here! We usually start our day from five to seven. Working outside is much more pleasant before the heat arrives which is usually about 11:00. The house stays fairly cool during the day so work inside is done between 11:00 and 5:00. After 5:00 we go back outside to water plants and do more landscaping type of work. There are always people to visit or receive. Then there are the fiestas. We don't attend as many as we used to. They tend to be hard on our digestive systems.

We bought a satellite and have many channels in English. Watching television is usually done right before bed. We also have a library of over thirty thousand ebooks that I continually add to. There are also many beautiful places to visit. We love driving up to the mountains. Many places remind us of Washington State. There are rivers, pine trees, and wonderful people that are always willing to talk to us. Most of the mountain regions near us are inhabited by Mixe. Their language reminds me of the Apache language. It's pronunciations are  strong. Guteral. Very different from Zapotec. 

I mentioned earlier in the post about the benefits of being around people who celebrate life. Another positive factor here is the ability to constantly problem solve. With so many new challenges opportunities to create and refine are a daily occurance. Friends help us toss around ideas. Never a dull moment!

Mickey and Yadi will be here Tuesday to spend two weeks. We are looking forward to their visit. They will be our first guests. A lot of late night conversations. They are both interesting people with lots of ideas. And we get to speak English!!!!!!!!

On Sunday February 17th, Everette and I were invited to join Epifano's family for a picnic adventure to a unique geological site on the east side of their village, San Baltazar Guelavia. Everette had gone there with them about three years ago, but I had never been. To start our adventure, a 1-ton pick up truck picked all of us up (more than 20 people - I didn't count) at Epifano's house. The drive up to the spot took about 40 minutes. In this first picture you can seen the truck crossing this creek. To enter this area, you must have permission from the government of the village. 

All of us were in the back of the truck holding on tightly so we wouldn't fall. The ride was rough and we were constantly jostled. Only two of Epifano's daughters with small children rode in the cab of the truck.  

The following pictures show the terrain and an another crossing of the river that creates some of the geo formations in this area.

When we reached the end of the road, we started a one mile hike down to the river. Everette said that when he came with the family three years ago, the road was not complete and they had to hike about 2 1/2 miles in the riverbed to reach the spot. We only needed to hike about a mile. Everyone participated by grabbing a bag, a pot, a chair, or the small charcoal stove.

I carried the cookies and cups!

The terrain was not difficult here and we got to enjoy the plants and trees.

Here, Epifano's daughter, Beatriz, is helping me across the stream. Beatriz was very attentive and made sure that I was safe.

These are the beginnings of some of the unusual rock formations. These rocks look like they have been welded or cemented together. Scientists believe they are the result of fallout from a massive volcanic eruption in Mexico City thousands of years ago.

Here is the first glimpse I had of the canyon formed by action of the water in the river over thousands of years.

The photo below shows water continuously bubbling up from a tiny whole in the rocks. In some places the water is warm.

The large leafed plant at the top of this photo is a variety of maguey called tobalah. Mexcal is also made from this type.

Jacobo's finger gives a perspective of the size of these rocks which have been formed together by pressure.

This green covering has been formed by minerals deposited on the rocks.

Here is another example of the action of water upon the rocks forming crevices and unusual shapes.

At this point the chasm is much deeper, slippery in spots, and a little dangerous. Everette found a stick for me to use to negotiate the river.

Mineral and rock formations create the walls and our passage was slow but very interesting. The shapes of the rocks are so varied. Some are rounded, some cylindrical, and some sharp.

Here is Epifano, the father of this gang and a friend of ours since 1994.

The mineral deposits and rock formations are stupendous but unfortunately the camera didn't due justice to the colors due to the low light.

The mineral deposits come in a variety of rich colors which are determined by the mineral content. The reddish color suggests the presence of iron. They are still being actively formed by the water running over the rocks.

Here is an excellent view of this river canyon.

Wish we had a geologist with us to explain the different types of rocks, deposits, and formations.

Here is the entrance to the swimming spot with the waterfall at the end. In some spots on the walls the water streaming out is warm. If you are cold from swimming in the chilly river, you can press yourself up against one of these spots to warm up.

The shape of this swimming spot is round and closed in with the waterfall at the end. The water is quite chilly, but no one could resist diving in including two of Epifano's daughters and me. Next time I will brings shorts - my jeans were wet the rest of the day.

The next two pictures show more evidence of the extreme pressure exerted by the volcanic ash. It's amazing since Mexico City is at least 250 miles from here.

Here are some of the guys enjoying the water and a good view of the waterfall.

The pattern and variety of colors here is just amazing. This is like contemporary art but it is a natural formation.

Ofelia and Beatriz decided to join the fun.

When we returned from our swimming adventure, lunch was served. The women had prepared chicken and rice at home and everyone had carried it to this spot. We also enjoyed salsa, refrescos, fruit, and tortillas. The little charcoal stove was used to reheat the chicken and tortillas.

Everyone found a spot on the rocks to sit and enjoy the meal.

Here we found a couple more small holes that allowed the water to bubble up to the surface.

Here are two more examples of rocks that appear welded together.

This is our last look at the canyon as we leave.

From this area we could look north east and see the back of Hieve al Agua with its famous mineral formations.

We're on our way back to the truck after a very pleasant Sunday afternoon.

When we arrived here in Oaxaca a well had been started for us. It is located where the green dot is. We ran into a few problems with it. It's so far from the house (about two hundred meters); it is in an old riverbed so the likely hood of contamination in the future is possible; the water has a slightly salty taste to it; and while there is sufficient water to use at home, there is not enough to water the crops we would like to plant. The concrete rings had been set into place which meant if we wanted to dig further the rings had to come out to avoid a possible collapse. The rings weigh about six hundred pounds a piece. Installing them or removing them is dangerous and time consuming. On top of that we had no assurance that we would hit a more substantial pocket of water. So we changed locations to the red dot. The photo with the dots was taken back in winter 2004 before work began on the house.

Before the work began on the green dot well, an attempt had been made to dig a well at the red dot but a large rock of very hard sandstone was encountered. After days of trying to get past the rock the decision was made to abandon the well and move to the area with the green dot. With new workers I decided to return to the red dot. The hard rock was located about two meters down. The rain had caused the partially dug well to fill with sand consequently the first day of work entailed removing the sand.

By day two the rock was exposed and the gruling work of cutting past the rock began. Sledge hammers, chisels, and a long bar with a point were used to cut through the rock. Many times a chisel would be driven completely into the rock without any results so a second chisel was driven in next to the first. Often a third chisel was needed just to break off a small piece of the rock. On an earlier post (Pizcando Mazorca) I commented on the back breaking job of harvesting corn. Trying to cut through rock far surpasses picking corn in difficulty. Basically the job entails swinging an eight pound sledge hammer all day. Turns are taken with one man in the well with the other on top hauling out the pieces with a bucket. They rotate when the day is half over. 

Some days a little more than a foot was gained. 

After the first week one of the workers, Selverio, had to go to Vera Cruz to visit his mother so Luis (the other worker) brought his father to help. The father (Genaro) mostly worked up top which meant that Luis was in the well most of the day. When full I'm guessing the buckets weigh about thirty pounds. I attempted to help Genaro but he wouldn't let me. Later in the week I found out that Genaro was eighty years old. I couldn't believe that this gentleman was still so strong! 

Digging a well is an iffy proposition. You aren't sure if the work being done is going to pay off. Even though wages are much less here than in the States, day after day it still adds up. We got a glimmer of hope at about four and a half meters which is a pretty shallow depth  considering many wells are thirty feet to water. Some go to sixty feet. The photo below was taken in the morning. The water was an accumulation of seepage throughout the night. 

Here are a couple of shots  of what is being removed. 

As the digging continued it seemed that a little more water was in the well when work started in the morning. Still work was very slow.

A pulley was installed to bring the dug up contents to the surface.

1/18 At the end of the day yesterday we were at a little over seven meters deep. Tomorrow will mark three weeks of work. Before Luis came up at the end of the day he sent up a sample from his present digging. It was mud like. Very different from anything we have yet encountered. I was told that this is what is usually found right above water. Guess we'll see.

1/22 We are a little over eight meters. Yesterday morning about five hundred liters were taken out before work could start. Selverio had to stand in over knee deep water until the well was emptied. No one worked Sunday so the well sat for two days. Luis gave me a good size chunk of rock. I wanted it to remember just how difficult some areas were. I'm having to take chisels and the long bar to Tlacolula every few days. It's amazing how quickly they become dull. Sometimes they get doubled over. The tools can't be ground on a grinder or they lose their temper. We take the tools to a blacksmith shop in Tlacolula. I love watching them work. They are masters!

1/23 No changes really. A little deeper and a little more water. My twenty foot extension ladder is now useless. They raise and lower themselves with the rope and pulley. I've been tempted to go down for a look but don't know about getting back up. 

1/26 8.8 meters or about 29 feet at the end of the day. We're four weeks in and are keeping our fingers crossed. The sandstone is softer but it still takes a sledge and chisel to loosen it up. Felipe, Alejandra, Beto and his family, and Beth and I watched them work today for about forty-five minutes. We are close to the point of having enough water to live but not enough for plants. Luis gave me a bottle with water from the well today. It tasted great. This vein is coming from under the mountains. I haven't tested it yet but expect it to be pretty pure. The workers have been drinking it for a couple of weeks. 

1/27 No work today. Epifanio and his family came from San Baltazar to spend the day. Beth prepared dinner for nineteen people but had lots of help. Epifanio is an albanil (bricklayer). He began working on our house back in 1994 and we've been friends ever since. I might have mentioned it before but their first language was Zapotec so their use of Spanish is limited like ours. We communicate quite well. 

1/28 Eight hundred liters taken out this morning! There was water in the well all day. At the end of the day before Luis came up he was working the barreta (long bar) into the middle of the well. He commented that is was soft and sand like.  After about five minutes of digging water started appearing. We are hopeful that it is from below and not from the sides.

Here is a short video of Luis working in the well. Notice the change of the sledge hitting the chisel when the rock starts to break. It becomes more of a hollow sound instead of a solid one. 

1/29 No change. The water is still just coming in from the sides. Luis told me that this was the hardest well he'd dug. It's pretty much been hard sandstone the whole way. 

Beth had had thyroid problems in Brownsville so we went to a specialist in Oaxaca last week for a checkup. He did a physical exam and sent us for blood tests and a sonogram. We returned to his office to review the results today. Every thing is fine and our total cost was 2000 pesos or about one hundred and seventy dollars. The doctor is very interesting. He earned his doctorate in Montreal, Canada, and studied endocrinology for four years in France. At the end of our first visit he told us if we needed help of any kind we were to feel free to call him on his personal cell phone (I have a little trouble imagining a doctor in the US telling me this). Unfortunately other patients kept us from chatting to great lengths. We invited him to Don Pedrillo. I would love to spend an evening with he and his family.  

1/30 Removed three hundred and fifty liters this morning. 9.30 meters deep. 

I've decided to go ahead and post this. I suppose i'll update as work progresses. 

2/5 Began removing water in the morning with a pump. Much less labor intensive than hauling it up a bucket at a time.

2/6 Filled up our first five gallon water containers from the well. We did a test of the water and it's fine so our days of buying drinking water are over.

2/9 11 meters down. Took out 840 liters of water this morning. Yesterday Luis hit a spot and the water began squirting into the well. Hopefully today it will open up more.  Every morning water has to be pumped out before work can resume. I bought some additional hose so the water being pumped out goes into our small tinaco which I then haul up to the house and pump into our large tinaco. I cleaned the large tinaco before we started this process to insure that the water would be safe throughout the house. We can now drink water and brush our teeth from the faucets.

2/19 While enduring the dilemma of the well we got good news from our first electric bill from our own cables. We paid $75 for two months. Our gas which we use for the hot water heater and the stove runs about $50 for two months. Gas for our truck is about $4 a gallon.We don't eat much meat aside from chicken. Beef is expensive as is fish. The meat of choice here and the most expensive is goat.  

We returned to the first well to take out eight rings to be put in the second well. 

As I mentioned earlier the rings are heavy. I was expecting a brutal day but the workers knew short cuts so it ended up being a lot safer and easier than I had imagined.  Luis is very sure footed. He moved around very easily which contributed to the ease of the job.  A friend loaned me a chain hoist which allowed things to go much quicker My neighbors Felix and Manuel. Digging a well here is a major event. Wherever I go it is a topic of conversation.  Once all the rings were removed they were rolled up a 2X12 and on to Felipe's truck. We moved four at a time. We discovered at the new well that the rings were a little too small. Two concrete posts were set on top of a solid rock base and were used to support the rings. Rocks filled the space between the rings and the well. Then plastic was laid on top of the rocks so dirt could be added without it falling into the well. Juan from Matatlan and his brother in law showed up to give us a hand. 2/27 Water hadn't been pumped out of the well for five days so we expected a lot of water. We pumped out 5,000 liters which is very close to a tinaco a day.

We experienced our first accident. While using the sledge and chisel a piece of the chisel broke off and cut Selverio's leg. It was only about an inch long but was deep. I took him to Tlacolula to get stitched up. The doctor's charge was about $25 and another $5 for pain pills.

I drive to Union Zapata every morning to pick up Luis and Selverio. I like to get there early and read for a while. It's so much fun watching the rancho come to life. There are two major construction projects going on nearby. The workers from Union Zapata gather near the center of town and wait for their rides to work. Trucks with alfalfa pass by on their way to the market. Some men are already out in their fields. Kids begin to arrive for elementery and middle school. There is no high school in Union Zapata so the kids take a bus to Mitla or Tlacolula. My favorite event is watching the women carrying their buckets of maize to the molina to be ground for the day's tortillas. It's such a rich and timeless tradition. The corn is placed in a plastic bucket at night along with water and lime. By morning the corn is soft and is ground into a paste. How fortunate are the women that live close to the molina. For others it's close to a half a mile walk. There is a small factory that makes tortillas but the difference between a factory made or hand made tortilla is similar to the difference between store bought and home made bread. 

As one might expect most of the work here is very physical. I was so proud when I wore through my first pair of leather gloves. Kind of a badge of honor.

Here is the well with the rings in place along with dirt packed around it. When we are done digging we'll add one more ring. The opening will be about three feet off the ground so there will be no chance of rain water getting into the well. We added a tarp for shade. It's gotten hot so the man bringing out the dirt in the afternoon doesn't have to suffer in the sun. Luis continues here to haul out rock one bucket at a time.

By now everyone has grown accustomed to me carrying my camera with me. I have a little point and shoot Lumix that is almost always in my pocket or in the truck. 

This is Scooter. We have owned him for over eight years. He is a mix of who knows what. He's always been a very grouchy guy but we love him. His life in Brownsville consisted of being in the house with us except for bathroom and exercise walks. To put it plainly he was a house dog!

Our other dog is Einstein. We have owned him for a little over a year. He is the complete opposite of Scooter. He is always happy and ready to play. The months we owned him in Brownsville we also considered him a house dog. Most of his time was spent getting into mischief and begging for attention.

In Brownsville, when outside, they were always on a leash. That changed when we arrived here in Oaxaca. There is little or no traffic here by the house so they get to run free. They don't roam. They stick close to the house but have taken well to their freedom. 

They both have become great watch dogs. They alert us when someone or something is near the house. The drastic change has been watching our little domesticated house dogs morph into killers. Because we live in the country there is a plentiful amount of rats. Not the kind you find in the city, but rats non the less. Our house is sealed off pretty well so we don't have a problem inside. The patio side is not sealed so it is accessible to the rats. Every morning the dogs make the rounds looking for intruders. I'll not be too graphic but their manner of disposing of our unwanted guests was quite shocking. Einstein has proven to be the better hunter. He loves the hunt. They will both spend hours in the patio hunting down their prey. Einstein loves to parade around with his prey in his mouth. He is usually pretty obedient but refuses to relinquish his catch. I even tried prying one out of his mouth but he refused. He didn't growl but stubbornly refused to give it up.  I have to tempt him with something more savory to get him to drop his catch. Word has apparently gotten around outside because our rat problem has all but diminished. Still the boys make the rounds each morning. 

Another type of intruder is the fruit fly. They are very prolific here. We bought fly strips but they were pretty ineffective. One evening we'd had company and drank a few shots of mezcal. At the end of the night a shot glass of mezcal was left on the table. In the morning there were fruit flies in the shot glass. We have learned that an open shot glass filled with mezcal is the perfect control method. Here in Oaxaca cremas are made from mezcal. They are thick and sweet and come in a multitude of flavors. As an experiment we set out a shot of crema but discovered the straight mezcal is more popular. Of course we felt pretty high and mighty about our discovery so we wanted to enlighten our friends. We were knocked down a peg when we found that our method is common knowledge. In fact the fruit flies here are called burrachos (drunkards) because of their propensity to like mezcal. Anyway, our fruit fly problem has been resolved.

At the top of our unwanted guest list are scorpions. I'm sure there are many species here (too lazy to investigate); the two most popular     are a small brown one that we've seen reach about an inch and a half, and a black one that we've seen reach to about four and a half inches. I did research years ago and found that scorpion bites here in the valley are non-lethal. They do hurt though. Over the years Beth has been bitten twice and I once. The initial sensation is one of being poked with a needle. The pain is acute for several minutes. Eventually the bite resembles a bee sting with swelling for a few days. When we first moved into Don Pedrillo, we expected to be inundated with them. After all we were moving into their habitat. Surprisingly we saw only one. It has been the change in weather (colder), that has increased sightings here in the house. In our five months here we have only seen five in the house but it can be very unnerving when you  run across one in the safety of your home especially the big black ones. Again our dogs have come to the rescue. I noticed one evening that Scooter's bark was more than playful. I could tell that he was uncomfortable. I looked into the space that had drawn his attention and saw a black scorpion. He has alerted us on two other occasions. The black scorpion looks more ominous but the small brown one actually carries a more powerful sting. I read that homes with cats or dogs are less apt to receive unwanted visitations from scorpions. It must be true because we are certainly in scorpion country. I saved the first two scorpions and ended up giving them to a friend. Some people here enjoy putting unusual things in their mezcal. I felt a bit bad about that so now we catch and release. 

Near the house we see a great variety of birds. Most are very colorful. Hummingbirds are occasionally seen as are hawks and eagles. There are quite a few birds that are a type of vulture. Haven't seen a snake yet but wasps are plentiful. We've seen several owls returning home at night and often hear them hooting. Coyotes come down from the mountains to hunt at night but we've yet to see one.  There are lots of rabbits and of course the field rats. There are insects galore! They are everywhere. Most have beautiful designs. Even the beetles have unique patterns. Ant mounds are everywhere. The other night while driving down our driveway Beth and I spotted a large and small animal (probably mother and child) they immediately fled but we did make out that they were  from the cat family. We've questioned friends but no one knows what they were.

Thursday morning at 7:30 I met several men in a corn field that belongs to Felipe. From their trucks they gathered large baskets and began strapping them to their backs. As they were preparing themselves, one of the men came around with a bottle of mezcal offering each man a drink. Everyone accepted their portion because they knew what awaited them. They were there to pick corn. 

For the next eight hours these men walked along the corn stalks picking and tossing ears of corn over their shoulders into their baskets. Felipe had asked me to photograph the day so his children in the States could see the results of their investment. Thank goodness! I'm sure I would have been embarrassed if I had tried to keep up the pace with everyone else. 

When full the baskets can weigh up to forty kilos. The way they attacked the field reminded me of insects devouring a crop. Within minutes I understood the purpose of the mezcal. The work is like no other I've ever witnessed. It is truly a grueling, backbreaking job. Maneuvering through the field with a large basket in its self is difficult. As the basket is filled it becomes more challenging. I felt a bit foolish stumbling along trying to keep up with just a camera. 

When a basket is filled it is taken to a truck and emptied. When the first truck load was filled it was taken to Felipe's and unloaded. I rode with the driver and discovered that the women had been preparing breakfast. After the corn was unloaded, the women returned with the truck to the field. The meal was laid out and soon the men arrived. Already some looked worn. Cups of mezcal were again passed around before eating. The conversation during the meal became jovial. Insults were thrown back and forth in jest. Of course I was ribbed for not participating. It was offered several times that I should at least have a photo taken with a basket on my back so I could boast at having worked alongside. 

After the meal the men returned to work, and the women returned to Felipe's to begin preparation for the evening meal. What will forever remain in my thoughts is the light hardiness manner in which all the tasks were completed. While the men didn't talk a lot, when they did there was never an air of drudgery. The women also chatted and laughed while they worked.

At about 4:30 the men returned with the last loads of the day. The trucks were emptied while others stretched to find relief from pain. The mezcal came out again as the men cleaned up to eat.

My biggest shock came when Felipe brought out his money to settle for the day. Not one of his friends would accept payment! I suppose it’s because we view manual labor differently but I sat there in disbelief as they turned down any pay. Felipe is recovering from a recent operation on one of his eyes and is unable to work. He is fortunate to have such loyal friends.

I had been uncomfortable during the evening meal because I knew that I’d not done my share of physical labor. As if he sensed my uneasiness one of the men turned to me and said how wonderful it is that his grand kids are going to have a record of their grandpa working in the fields. Beth and I have started displaying photos with our friends in the patio. He made reference to his grandchildren coming to our home and seeing grandpa.

After the meal, much mezcal, and conversation everyone left. The job now is to remove the husks, which will be used to make tamales, let the corn dry after which it will be beaten with a stick to remove the kernels from the cob, and the stalks will be cut down and gathered for animal feed.

In a conversation with one of the men, I learned that there was another job that surpassed picking corn in its difficulty.  Juan makes mezcal, (how convenient for us), when the agave plants are harvested the stems are cut right to the head of the plant. The heart or head is then loaded into a truck. Some of these heads weigh up to four hundred pounds and they are lifted shoulder high.

Beth and I have had the luxury of having two friends who produce mezcal.   It’s become quite a nasty business. Because the market for mezcal is high and there is little control some fabricas have begun to use unscrupulous methods creating their product. Most common is adding chemicals to encourage quick fermentation. Other trampas are adding water or pure alcohol to make their product go farther. Aguardiente, a nasty drink made from sugarcane, may also be added.

Many times during comidas or get-togethers, Juan or Casto bring pulque, a drink that was made by the indigenous people before the arrival of the Spanish.  Pulque is taken from the agave plant while the plant is still alive. The top of the head is exposed and a hole is made in the top of the head. Each day for several days the owner can dip out the liquid that has seeped into the hole. This is a very rich drink. It is sweet yet tangy. Initially, fresh pulque is slightly alcoholic; as it ages, the fermentation process continues and the alcohol content rises. I remember reading that before the arrival of the Spanish many people practically subsisted on pulque. It is very rich in nutrients. It was with the arrival of the Spanish that the distilling process began which resulted in mezcal.

Monday was Beth's birthday. It was also our first attempt at hosting a comida. We invited 47 people and 45 showed up. It was a wonderful evening. Friends from Union Zapata, Mitla, Matatlan, San Dionisio, and Tlacolula attended.

Everyone was warned that the food was going to be a little different. We served hot dogs, potato salad, coleslaw, and Boston Baked Beans. Not a typical menu aqui in Oaxaca. Beth was asked for her recipes which is a good sign that the food was enjoyed.  

We have attended many fiestas here in Oaxaca. How different it is to attend or give a small comida where all of the faces, regardless of where you look, are faces of close friends. 

As is the custom here Beth was prompted to take a bite, (mordida), of the cake before it was cut. It's kinda of a fun version of the bride and groom cutting the cake at a wedding. Often someone manages to sneak around behind the birthday person and push their face into the cake resulting in icing from chin to forehead. I suppose that not knowing what her reaction would be Beth was not accosted. 

Later in the night Beth and I were coaxed into having a birthday dance. We felt like king and queen as we danced to "Don't Let Our Love Start Slipping Away", by Vince Gill. 

It's such a great feeling to see friends enjoying themselves and even greater watching a loved one bask in the light of such wonderful friendships. 

Today, another comida in Mitla  to celebrate a friend's birthday. 

Tomorrow morning at seven we have been volunteered to help pescar corn in the field of a friend. Should be interesting!

Beth just finished making a beautiful set of curtains for the windows. We bought the natural 100% heavy cotton in Oaxaca. These really finishe off the kitchen and give us some privacy.

We also bought three Petates, (woven palm leaves), to hide all the junk we have stored above the bathroom. They are not completely installed as we are stretching them but they look great. 

Here is a close up of the work involved. It's very hard to try and negotiate for a lower price when so much work is required to create each one.

Saturday we drove to a couple of lakes near the small town of Huayapam just a few miles outside of the city of Oaxaca. For those who have not traveled in Mexico, sites like this are a lot less common than in the States, which makes it all the more precious. We are so glad that we've found another spot to visit. Oddly, fishing and swimming are not allowed but the view was spectacular for a couple ex Washingtonians. There are three large restaurants which have seating outside overlooking the lake as well as inside. On our next trip we plan to try one.

Paddle boats are available for rent. There are several small food stands, but don't expect hot dogs, hamburgers, and fries! Instead, expect to find tortas, aguas de fruta, refrescos, sabritos, dulces and fruit with polvo de chili.

Many years ago while planning our retirement to Oaxaca we pondered the idea of creating a little extra money to supliment our fixed income. Having owned the photography studio for years and having a photo bank with thousands of photos taken during our several trips down to Oaxaca each year, offering them for sell to tourists seemed the most practical way to bring in a little extra. 

We have a friend from Matatlan who has a store in Tule, Oaxaca. Tule is one of the major tourist destinations in Oaxaca. It's main attraction is a Cypress tree that some claim to be the oldest tree in the world. Here is a quick read about Tule. http://www.delange.org/Tule/Tule.htm. Anyway we are going to display some photos there and see what happens. 

Most of the digital cameras I've owned through the years have been incapable of producing a large quality print for resale. To compensate we've made a series of collages with the individual prints ranging from about 5x7 to 8x10. The overall size of the collages is 16x20. We're starting with a series of fifteen prints and will increase our inventory if we are successful in our sales. 

We put a spot or two of color in some of the collages and were happy with the results. 

We were invited to a comida tomorrow. All of the meat is non domestic. Should be interesting. 

In my last post I mentioned that we were still having water trucked in for home use. That changed yesterday. Last week we bought a small pump and some hose. After much trial and error figuring out how to use the pump, we drove our truck down to the spring fed well that used to accommodate the washing of clothes and filled a 450 liter tinaco with water. Drove home and pumped it into our home system. We can now get water whenever we like.

Further work on our well is postponed until the ground around the well dries up. The problem is that it will not stop raining. Of course we are happy to see the rain. Many farmers have no way to irrigate their fields. They rely exclusively on rain water. 

Here is the spring fed well. There is water year round. And it's clean!

Our set up pumping water into the house.

The following photos are from July I believe.

Work being done on the well. Water level is about 35 feet. Water is being pumped out so that work can continue. Concrete rings are placed in the well to keep it from collapsing and to keep the water free of dirt.

The pump they were using would not pull water from the top so the pump had to be lowered down to the water.