Friday, August 20, 2010

Easing Out Winter

Winter time in the subtropics is all about surviving the humid chill that interweaves with warm sunny days. To get ready for making our own medicinal remedies for such springtime maladies as bug bites and stings, we are harvesting wild plants, garden flowers, and other herbal gifts. (Above, calendula, plantain, lavender, and a bottle of plantain liniment. )


Mushrooms galore... strange looking but true! They're everywhere, blooming in glorious colors and delighting in the jungle rot.


Nothing like a quick dip in the refreshing (and chilly!) river bathtub.
The gardens get a winter coat. Tubes of bamboo and plastic hug the warmth into the gardens, even in our occasional nighttime freezes.

Flowers and greens poke out their heads during the daytime sunshine.

A delicious and beautiful garden lettuce, we found her tucked in betwen the peas. Who planted this?? Thank you for the surprise!

Finishing up the buildings, the community bath house has a floor, shower, hand washing sink, and two composting toilets. What luxury!


The little earthen cabin has been painted and floored in preparation for its first inhabitants! The interns are coming!