“Virtually unexcavated” means that only a small portion of the 4 square mile site has been excavated; that is, the piles of jungle covered rocks and dirt have been removed to show the ancient structures that lie beneath.

The site  lies about an hour drive inland from Costa Maya in southern Yucatan, Mexico. Our guide pointed out many trees and plants that were used by the Maya that still grow in and around the site. I was focused like a laser on the tree tops, hoping against hope to see a monkey in the wild.

Darn! No Monkeys!

From his perch far above the jungle tree tops, Roy took a breather from carrying the chatchki bag loaded with a good 35 pounds of “stuff” that would have been perfectly safe locked on the bus. See how red his face is? It’s tough in the jungle when you’re from northern Pennsylvania. Now add that 35 pound chatchki bag!

Here’s a bit of the view from there… much of the site where we were was set above the surrounding jungle.

This next building has many chambers, which are missing on buildings that are for religious purposes. The king lived here, with his family.

The King's crib

In close proximity to the King’s dwelling is a long avenue of homes where the priveledged  class of folks lived. This area had an almost spooky feel to it and I got goosebumps more than once.

Walkway in between houses

The beauty of this site is that the vast majority of structures and secrets are yet to be discovered. I’ve read that this site has indications of being a place of pilgrimage.  I was completely mesmerized by the jungle; the sounds, the smells.

There were areas of  excavation that are just beginning; you begin to understand that all the mounds of dirt/stones around you are buried dwellings, streets, and temples.

Our guide, who is full blooded Mayan, said that they recently took some Mayan folks in to the site; over 100 souls worshipped at the main temple. He said that to hear their voices lifted in song and chants to the Mayan Gods was a thrill of a lifetime for him. It must have made the entire site come alive. I wish I could have seen it.

It was a wonderful experience and I hope with all my heart that some day we can return to this place of wonder in the jungles of southern Mexico. 

Cacchoben is one place where the land has not forgotten those who came before.  Here’s hoping that we will someday return to the land of the Maya and to Chacchoben, to listen for those voices across time.

-Nancy

As always, click on any photo to see a larger version.

I smell people!

This little fawn is becoming a regular around the farm. I snapped this early one morning a few days ago. She was a foot or so off the back porch and seemed very curious.  There are young’uns everywhere… baby crows, bunnies, deer and one of my favorites, barn swallows.

Eat! Eat! Eat!

Our barn is loaded with nests like this. It seems as if the swallows are on their third nesting for the year. We have quite the colony and it seems to be growing. They are welcome, as they eat lots (and lots) of bugs on the fly. They are great acrobatic flyers, fun to watch and fun to listen to as they always have a lot to say.

Of course I can’t forget Robby’s baby raccoons; there are four of them. They come at night to eat leftover cat food and kitchen scraps and are adorable.

I’ve begun to can cukes; dills, relish, as well as bread and butter pickles. Broccoli is finished for the season and my freezer is packed. I picked most of my onion crop yesterday.

Refridgerator dills.

Making relish.

There are enough tomatoes ripening to have a good supply for tomato sandwiches which is a favorite around here. Soon it will be time to dig potatoes, and I’ve begun to harvest bush beans. I’ll probably can a batch of dilly beans and freeze the rest.My cabbage is ripening and I’ll have to find a way to preserve that, too. Next month I’ll be dealing with tomatoes and corn, which is all tasseled and loaded with honeybees. Someone’s hive has been hanging out in my corn patch, and they are welcome.

Sweet and juicy... yum!

Tassels and bees...

It’s kind of silly, but looking at those jars of finished veggies, or packets of beans or broccoli for the freezer just gives me a warm fuzzy feeling of accomplishment. I just know that my Dad is looking down on my humble garden and smiling with approval. You just can’t beat fresh organic veggies that you’ve grown yourself.

Italian plum tomatoes.

Yukon Gold potatoes.

My garden is flourishing and it is an endless source of deep contentment. I guess I deserve the name that my brother Jim used to call me: Earth Mother. It’s a throwback from the hippie 60′s and 70′s and yes, I was a hippie. I’ve always been an Earth Mother. (big silly smile)

No matter the circumstances that you find yourself in, make sure that you make your way to your local farmer’s market and treat yourself to some of the bounty of summer.

-Nancy

Friday and Bootsie, watching Momma work.

Warm sleepy day.

[click on any pic to see larger version]

Today, after a few days to familiarize myself with my birthday present, we went to Claws ‘n Paws. That’s a ‘wild animal farm’ in the Poconos. It sets deep in a primeval forest with the canopy sitting 70 feet high or more. The enclosures are roomy and natural, with lots of pools, foliage, and resting places for the animals.

Two beauties grooming.

The sound of happy kids and tinkling water is often broken by loud whistles, hoots or rude screams that echo through the whole compound.

It was one of those times when you are so focused on a task that the whole environment becomes part of your awareness. My task was to photograph these exotic and breathtakingly beautiful animals with my new present. Roy took me out earlier in the week and bought me the camera that I’ve been lusting after for a while. I got a Nikon D 3000 with an additional 55-200 telephoto lens. The camera is unbelievable. It’s a digital SLR  , and is a whole other animal from most digital still cameras. The only way to learn is to jump right in and do it.

I didn’t see one animal who looked stressed, even if the heat and humidity of the day had me like a wet dishrag with a huge smile stuck on my face like the kids in the petting zoo area.  The bigger excitement for the kids is the resident giraffe who gets hand fed carrots by the park visitors every day.

I guess he’s just checking for wayward carrots.

Some of the enclosures were protected with thick sheets of plastic. It wasn’t the optimum photo conditions; the rest of the enclosures had wire fencing of differing thickness that often made automatic focus an impossibility. These weren’t too difficult to overcome, considering the subject matter and the beautiful day we had.

This fellow took a shine to Roy and even came up to him and gave him a nosie through the glass! Many of the animals were curious, most were resting quietly and none were visibly stressed.

This bobcat and her two babies just melted my heart in about 5 seconds. The kittens were engaging in wars, with mule kicks and all. Momma stayed close enough to keep an eye on everything. I wanted to pick them up and take them all home.

I stopped taking note of the critters’ names after the first few enclosures, so I’m not including any. Couldn’t be helped. Trouble is, I was already walking, chewing gum, and taking photos… that’s dangerous territory.

These monkeys were beautiful. They also had a peaceful look in their eyes; almost kind. I wanted to feel that fur, it looked so luxurious. They didn’t seem bothered by the heat at all.

This monkey is sitting with his back feet on the side of the cage. It was such a curious position and I was glad to get a shot of the bottoms of his feet.

Well, this little photo excursion will have to get split into two chapters I see.

Now to answer a few questions about my absence. My laptop broke and that whole fiasco ate up almost 2 months. Then my camera started to fail a little. I’m nothing if not visual, so I languished in my beautiful vegetable garden until I got my birthday present. So here I am, back at it, already with a stack of pics and a few ideas.

So I’ll be watching for replies like this fellow was watching for a spare piece of fruit to fall out of my , um, camera bag.

So get out there and enjoy your summer in your own manner and time… find your own barrel of monkeys.

-Nancy

Garden Gate

Being able to work in my garden is therapy for my winter-ravaged psyche. While occupied with weeding and planting, the constant stream of birdsong is often punctuated by a gobbling turkey, or crowing pheasant, or passing hawk. Those sounds are always in the distance and make me smile inside.

My plants are growing beautifully, even the potato tops that got frosted last week. The sad thing is that same frosty night really zapped both of my chestnut trees. They are both is shock, I’m sure. Well, nature will have to find its’ way.

Rows of Goodness

This isn’t the greatest photo, but it shows my work is cut out for me. Roy has been helping to prepare the other half of the garden for the warm weather veggies to go in soon.

In the meantime, my lettuce sits next to the onions, for some protection from slugs, which can plague a lettuce bed later in the season. Hey, they repel some people, so why not? To their right is an  all but invisible row of sweet onion, and then parsley. Way down the line of parsley, the row turns into celery. My broccoli is on the far right, and some if it is taking off.

No fertilizing… rotted horse manure tilled in at the start of the season takes care of that little chore, happily.

There is a lack of shade in the garden area, so we took care of that with a brand new canopy that now provides a little respite from the sun, or sprinkles. It offers a great view of the garden, pasture and barn area. I just love sitting and watching my garden grow.

Respite

Right next to the canopy, sitting in the edges of the brushy hedgerow are happy little wild strawberries which produce teensy strawberries, coveted by birds and small animals alike.

Wild Strawberry Flowers

A few feet away there are honeysuckle bushes in full bloom as well. They produce an abundance of berries that don’t last very long when they ripen in mid summer. Birds descend on the bushes and pluck their prize as soon as they are ready!

Fragrant Honeysuckle

Even though we had to add a foot of chicken wire on the bottom of our beautiful fencing to keep the bunnies out, they still love to hang out nearby. This little guy must be getting very used to people, because I got close enough for a decent shot of him on full zoom. I call them my little bun-buns and talk to them all the time.

Hungry Bunny

When roaming the huge greenhouses at the place where we get our veggies, Roy spotted this hanging basket with Aloha petunias that are just stunning. He hung the basket on the garden gate.

Aloha Petunias

My garden is not only growing beautifully, it beckons one. It is truly a magical place for me to spend many hours of sweet work. I’m hooked on gardening and can’t wait to indulge in organic veggies… enough to eat, enough to give away.

Get outside and feel the sun and wind on your skin. Gardening, swimming, barbecuing, playing or just sitting… just get out!

May you find respite and peace in your surroundings.

-Nancy

New Occupants

After moving this little birdhouse to one of the apple trees in the front yard, it has been claimed by a pair of chickadees, which is a first for my offerings of nesting sites. I discovered the beginnings of the new nest after Roy bonked his head on the low hanging house.

In spite of a number of frosty mornings recently, my garden is coming along. This morning I was surprised to find that my seemingly tender lettuce was still thriving, while the new leaves from the potato plants looked a little rough after last night’s frost. Today marks my first true garden salad, complete with lettuce, tender leaves from cabbage and broccoli plants as well as a few scallions. I made lots of mmmmm’s during today’s lunch.

The season's first greens

Not to be outdone by greens, my columbine, Jacob’s Ladder, lilies of the valley, and a few other flowers apparently laugh at the frost.

columbine

Jacob's Ladder

Fragant Favorites

Sweet Alyssum

Rhododendren

Sunny or cloudy, it’s always good mousie hunting weather. Just ask Nikki, who is closing in on some poor mole or field mouse after I rudely released her first catch of the day.

Here mousie, mousie!

Winter bird feeders are being stored, not because I want to, but because I don’t want any bear incidents. All is not lost, however. The hummingbird feeders are out and are being visited regularly by the newly arriving tiny hummers.

Up up and away...

Even the easily ignored ferns are beautiful as they unfurl their leaves.

Cinnamon Fern

Life carries on; colors, shapes, sounds, smells surround us as we go on with our busy lives. All it takes is to raise your head and open your eyes; you never know what fleeting beauty you will witness.

Passing beauty easily missed...

May you witness the color, the beauty, the life reborn all around us; may it renew, sustain and encourage you in your life.

Life goes on.

Please click on photos for larger version.

-Nancy