Angel Cloud

January Sunset

Micro Garden

Lichens growing on an apple twig.

"Structurally, lichens are among the most bizarre of all forms of life. That's because every lichen species is actually composed of two, possibly even three, distinct species of organisms. One species is a kind of fungus. Usually the other species is an alga, but sometimes it can be a photosynthesizing bacterium known as a cyanobacterium. Sometimes all three organisms are found in one lichen." (Read the full article about these amazing life forms by clicking on the above link.)

Peru Revisited--The Sacred Valley

Last March Terry and I had the privilege of being able to spend a week in Peru. The purpose of the trip was to be part of his youngest son's wedding, which took place in Lima. Terry didn't want to go (he is not fond of traveling by plane), but there was no way I was going to miss the opportunity of life time. I bought him a plane ticket that was non refundable and non transferable so he pretty much had to come with me, despite his very vocal protests. In the end he was glad I forced him to come. The trip was not without several hardships, but the beauty of Peru far outweighed all the inconveniences we experienced.

For me, the highlight of the trip was a spending a few hours in the mountains overlooking the Sacred Valley of the Incas in the Andes Mountains. Our tour guide was in a big hurry when we got to the sacred valley. He informed us that usually it takes three hours to tour the ruins and mountains overlooking the valley, but that since we were running late we were going to do it in an hour. A year later, I still have to laugh that such a notion as rushing through these mountains could even occur to anyone.

This is a place that is so beautiful and so awe inspiring that you cannot rush through it. You could spend days just sitting in one spot drinking in all the beauty that surrounds you. Besides, the terrain is steep and rough in many places and unless you are used to climbing mountains on at regular basis, attempting to turn 3 hour hike into a one hour hike isn't very feasible.
Ruins of Inca homes built into the mountainside.

In spite of his best efforts to make us all keep up with him, Terry and I quickly fell at least a quarter of a mile behind and enjoyed the scenery, the fresh mountain breeze and millions of wild flowers without being constantly harassed to keep up and pay attention.

The Sacred Valley is the one of the major agricultural areas of Peru, and was considered sacred by the Incas because of the fertile soil and the abundance of the food that could be easily grown there. A view of the sacred valley showing the ancient ruins and terracing overing looking the river Urubamba and the town of Pesac.

Thousands of years ago they carved terraces from the mountains and used them to grown crops. Many of these terraces are still being used today. We passed many small farms during our bus ride. The farmers that I saw were using primitive hand tools and and lived in small adobe buildings. I would have loved to stop and be able to spend some time visiting with the farmers, observing their gardens, and learning about how they live. I loved the way the gardens and grain fields blended in with the mountain scape. It appeared that farming was not about conquering the mountains, it was about working with them. Regrettable, I was unable to see any of the gardens or fields up close except through the bus windows, and the only photo I got, does not do them justice.
Peruvian corn and adobe huts.

The farmers seemed to quite impoverished. Their homes were small, simple adobe buildings, and often the doors and windows were simply open frames with nothing to keep out the elements. I would occasionally see someone working in the fields with a donkey. Cows, llamas, and chickens where common. From what I could observe, tractors, and other gasoline operated farm equipment seemed to be nonexistent in this part of Peru.

Close up of an adobe brick building.

More fields in the distance outside of the town of Pesac.

There is a lot of history in a place like this. Unfortunately Terry and missed 95% of what the tour guide had to say. We did learn that that one of the mountain sides is an ancient burial place. If you click this next photo to enlarge it, you can see the many holes carved out of the rock where the dead where placed.
Sadly, many of these graves have since been robbed. Even though this mountain side looks pretty impassible, we could see cows grazing up on the cliffs.

The ruins of the Inca city which included a temple of the Incas' sun god was a highlight of the tour. The Sun Temple.

One of the aqueducts in the ruins.

The mountain sides are like one vast wild flower garden.
There were hundreds of different species of plants, from tiny plants and cactus growing in crevices in the rocks...

to bold bright flowers...


and tiny delicate ones.


All in all, this was one of the best two and half hours I have ever had and this alone would have made the whole trip to Peru completely worth it. (Yes, to the great frustration of our tour guide, we didn't complete the hike in an hour!) Terry and I both want to go back to Peru and spend more time there-next time on our own schedule, though!

January Thaw

Grateful for a January thaw to remind me that spring is right around the corner and so that the chickens can get out of the coop and run around the way chickens should.


Grateful for the first spring bulbs poking green shoots up through the black soil.


Grateful that so far the moles have not yet appeared to be tunneling in the flowerbeds though there are plenty of signs of them elsewhere!


Grateful that all the chickens are healthy and recovered and we are back to five eggs a day.


Grateful for a gentle rain that brings out the colors of a January day.

Grateful for all the life that surrounds us, even in the middle of winter.


Grateful for quiet, pleasant neighbors.

Frozen Fog

The other day the forecast stated that we would wake up to "frozen fog". Beats frozen rain any day!

Prison Walls

The block long, beautiful stone wall with castle like turrents caught my imagination the first time I saw it. The side that I drive by almost daily on my way to see one of patients, looks abandoned, and through one set of open doors you can a weedy, abandoned field that is about the size of football field. On the other side that I have driven by, the massive stone wall is almost all obscured by large modern buildings and shops. I wondered what such an impressive structure in the middle of a city would have been been built for and why it now appears to be completely abandoned. I thought these beautiful walls should enclose something of beauty, some kind of a haven, or refuge.

I asked my patient about it. "That's the old prison," he said.

I admit I was a bit shocked. One of the largest prisons in the United States is only a few short miles away from this beautiful wall. And I drive by it almost daily as well. It is anything but beautiful.

My patient, an older man who has lived in this city most of his life, told me his version of the prison. "It was built during the civil war," he said. "It was used to house the captured confederate soldiers. There are coal mines under the prison and the prisoners where forced to work in the mines."

When I got home I did an internet search. Yes, this beautiful wall once enclosed a prison. I was unable to verify that it housed confederate soldiers or or that there were coal mines underneath it. There are tunnels under the prison, though I was not able to discover what they were used for. I did learn that it had the capacity to house 6,000 men (in very small cramped cells that were 7' x 3') and was the largest prison in the world during its time.

In the last few years, on the far side of the 20 acres that this wall encloses, some of the prison buildings have been converted to low income housing for artists, musicians, and others who are pursuing creative arts. There are communal art studios and workshops, as well as an art gallery that is open to the public. You can also tour what remains of the prison and and the tunnel system.

One of these days I am going to drive around to the other side of these prison walls and learn more about its history and the beauty and hope that is now being created inside a place that I am sure was once filled with ugliness and sorrow.

Wild Willow Basket

Made with hand spun wool, wild willow collected from the roadside, and a grapevine that was growing in our woods. (I need to make these a little more often...this is my first basket in almost two years.)

Sun Catcher

My first attempt at growing an amaryllis.

In the light of the setting sun

Surprise visitor

Look who came to my house today!

It is 20 degrees out and snowing, but somehow this butterfly showed up in my kitchen. I sprinkled some sugar water on the poinsettias for it. I'm not sure if she actually ate any, but is was the least I could do. Certainly can't stick her outside to freeze. I've never seen a butterfly in January before. Anyone have any idea what is going on here?

1/9/10 update--A blogger friend has identified the butterfly. Thanks Sandy for the the link!

Guest bathroom

The upstairs bathroom was remodeled shortly before we bought the house. I love the sink and tile countertop.
The glass block window-wall behind the bathtub lets in plenty of natural light and and provides privacy at the same time.

In the summer vines grown up around the glass wall outside. You almost have the feeling that you are bathing in a luxurious outdoor garden.

Upstairs Kitchen

Two views from the living room:


And then looking into the living room:

It is stocked with dishes and cookware and ready for use. :)

Before and after--guest bedroom

Our first project in our new home has been turning one of the bedrooms into a guest bedroom.

This room must have been a nursery at one time. I ripped out the ugly carpet, painted the battered up trim, and painted over the ocean scene on the walls.


Terry found just the right amount of maple wood flooring on Craig's list for pennies compared to what it would cost if we went and bought it at a home improvement store.

A free brass bed (also from Craig's List) and a quilt from the thrift shop complete the room.


The Before Pictures:


We would love to have you come and stay for a night or two. Our guests have lots of space and privacy, since Terry and I live downstairs and hardly every go upstairs, except for my treadmill and to do laundry. Coming in the next day or two will be photos of the guest bathroom, your private kitchen, lovely dining room and spacious living room. (Of course you still have the option of staying in the tree house, if you prefer. It is heated and is toasty warm. And was used this weekend by one of my brothers and pronounced very satisfactory.)