It's Raining Mahogany!

There has been a subtle change in the air here.  After a month plus of beautiful weather, temperatures are beginning to rise, which has triggered an explosion in the mahogany trees around Gallon Jug.

Though there is selective harvest of mahogany trees in the jungle portions of the Gallon Jug estate, the trees in the 'ranch' area of the estate, where the school is located, have been left untouched.  This serves the dual purpose of showcasing the beautiful mahogany tree, one of Belize's national symbols, and seed production for replanting.

Seed pods on the mahogany trees have been bursting this week showering large helicopter seeds all over the school yard every time there is a breeze.  Some of the seeds have been found over 100 yards from the nearest tree.

We have one mahogany tree located by the road in front of the school, and a few other larger trees in the general vicinity.  Each morning before school, and during recesses a group of children has been scouring the school yard collecting the seeds.  Plans are in process to add a mahogany tree nursery to our school's garden.  The kids will be planting and looking after the trees until they are ready to be transplanted around the estate.

Puppies, Pumas, and Procrastination...

At the end of January I started taking a few online graduate courses through Minnesota State University, Moorhead.  They offer courses specifically for individuals working in education, so the load is manageable, and offered something to do when the creatures of the night begin to prowl in the jungle after dark - which is pretty early this time of year.

This past weekend I had a big paper due, which gave me ample opportunity to procrastinate, ruminate, and take random puppy pictures.  With my paper completed I can switch gears to a topic of recent contemplation, my puppy, who is now around 6^th months of age.

 Belikin was born a week or two after my arrival in Gallon Jug, and since birth has had the unique distinction, among her puppy peers, of a perfect little cowlick mohawk at the scruff of her neck.

 She was my favorite puppy long before I decided I wanted a dog, and with all of the dangers present for a puppy in the jungle, I have tried - rather unsuccessfully - to avoid getting too attached to her.  There are many perils for dogs in this area, the list including snakes, pumas, jaguars, coyotes, and - perhaps the most numerous and dangerous - falling coconuts.  A week after Bel moved into the loft I took it upon myself to wrestle and relocate a boa constrictor that was living in the stables at the time.  As a testament to the perils of being a jungle puppy, Bel's mother Dulce, loved by all in Gallon Jug, went missing from her home, about 100 yards away from the loft, a few weeks ago, never to be seen again.

 Only very recently have I begun thinking more than week-to-week as a puppy owner, but as I now have a 60 lb bag of dog food and a 5 month flee collar, I may as well continue in that same vein with a proper puppy post, to immortalize my dear puppy, instead of memorializing.

Aside from her mohawk, Belikin's other major quirk is screaming when she yawns - similar to the sound made by some female tennis players when the strike the ball.

The number one rule that I have with Belikin is NO FOOD AFTER MIDNIGHT.

gremlins.wikia.com

  I don't want her turning into one of these things...

gremlins.wikia.com

Puma update:

Aside from the obvious workout benefits, biking also allows for covering a lot of ground in a stealth mode compared to vehicle travel.  I saw my third puma while biking yesterday.  This was a big one that was sleeping in the road about a mile past Laguna Verde.  I biked within about 40 yards of him before he decided to head into the jungle.  I did catch myself checking behind my as a bike for about the next two miles and contemplating the purchase pepper spray, if such a thing can be found in Belize.


And the Orchid of the Week is:

The shower of gold orchid...

Cacao!

 In the weeks since I've gotten my mountain bike I have been working to familiarize myself with new parts of Gallon Jug.  I have 4 bike routes that I frequent, ranging in distance from about 8 to 20 miles and if difficulty from typical gravel roads to jungle hiking trails. 
A lot of days, by the time I get done with work, I'm quite limited by the approach of evening.  In this region the shift from day to night happens extremely rapidly, and since I have no interest in getting caught in the jungle on a bike after dark, one of my favorite late afternoon rides has become a quick trip to Gallon Jug's cacao plantation.  The cacao is grown about 4 miles into the jungle, which makes it a nice and easy ride, as well as a manageable jog if there were to be bike issues.

Cacao is the plant that yields the seeds used to make chocolate.  As with coffee, I'm not a huge fan of the end product, but the cacao seed pod is quite the treat in and of itself.

 There are three or four different varieties of cacao growing in Gallon Jug, and I have found all that I've tried to be equally tasty.

 Inside the cacao seed pod there is a grape like cluster of seeds.  Each seed is coated in a layer of custardy deliciousness that has an under-ripe banana flavor.  To get at the goods one takes the seed pod and cracks it in half on a rock.  Next you pluck and slurp the tasty coating off the seeds.

 What you are left with is the proper cacao seed that is used to make chocolate. 

 Monkeys are also frequent visitors to the cacao plantation.  I've seen spider monkeys on every trip that I have taken.  I've also heard howler monkeys in the jungle around the cacao, though I am yet to actually spot this larger, but more skittish primate.

 My most exciting animal run in on a bike happened last week, though not at the cacao plantation.  I was taking a longer loop from Gallon Jug to Laguna Verde and then on to Sylvester Village and back.  As I was nearing Laguna Verde I crested a hill and biked right up on two young pumas (aka mountain lions) playing in the road like kittens.  I was within about 20 yards of the pumas when they took notice of me and dashed into the woods.  It was without a doubt the most exhilarating wild cat encounter that I've had in all of my travels, and would rank very high for wildlife encounters in general. 
At present I've now seen first hand three species of Belize's wild cats (5 jaguars, 2 pumas, and one jaguarundi).




And the BELIZE NATIONAL SYMBOL of the week goes to..................

The Black Orchid 

These thumbnail sized beauties are currently blooming on their palm tree perch outside of the school.

Growing in the Garden

My work in Gallon Jug breaks down into three pretty distinct categories: 1) teaching duties, 2) principal duties, and 3) all the stuff no one else at the school wants to do. 

As relates to the third category, my favorite duty has been managing the school's garden.  Gallon Jug is a very agriculturally focused area, so it makes perfect sense that the school would have a large and productive garden.  Prior to having it thrust upon me here, the closest I've come to gardening has been my annual tradition of murdering a Poinsettia plant during the holiday season. 

  

At the school we have a 7 period day, with the 7th period being an exchange where each teacher has the chance to teach one subject to all of the grade levels at the school on day per week.  This is an opportunity for each teacher to work with all of the students at the school and also to teach a subject separate from the regular routine.  These classes include:  Music, Arts & Crafts, Spanish, and Environmental Studies (aka, gardening). 

 

 

As the Environmental Studies teachers I get to plan lessons for the Kindergarten/ Infant 1 Students (1st grade), Infant 2 - Standard 2 students (2nd - 4th grade), and the Standards 3/4 students (5th and 6th grade).  My Standard 5 and 6 class splits our Thursday Environmental Studies period between the garden and the school's Medicinal Plant Trail, depending on which is in most need of attention any given week.

 By far the most popular job in the garden is chopping - using a machete to cut the grass and trim weeds.  The kids in Gallon Jug - and I think largely throughout Belize - learn to use a machete very young, as it is the main tool for yard care in parts of the world where you don't see many push mowers and weed whippers.  I'll admit that it took some getting used to seeing the kids grab the machetes and go to work.  At the beginning of the school year my class had a 'bring your machete to school day' when we needed to reclaim the garden after a summer of uncontrolled weed growth and the 3 school machetes weren't getting the job done.

  

Despite their weekly protests, I don't allow students younger than Standard 2 to use the machetes.  They can learn the basics of wielding really big knives at home under their parents supervision.  

There's always plenty of work to be done.  The students in Kindergarten thru 4th grade keep plant journals where they track the growth and life cycles of plants that they start from seeds.  We have a small plant nursery on the veranda of the school where many of the plants in the garden got their start under the watchful eye of one of the young students.     

Given the climate and jungle environment, we are continually able to replant and replant.  We've tried a variety of plants with mixed results.  Our best luck has been with sunflowers, radishes, onions, and - my personal favorite - cilantro. 

I've learned a gardening adage that the surest way to know when a cucumber is ready to be picked is when the birds have eaten it.  Our cucumber plants grow and produce like mad, but thus far we've been splitting the bounty about 50/50 with the birds.

 

The thing that I've been most proud of with our Roots and Shoots garden is that, not only has every child at the school been able to take an active role in gardening, every student has also been able to share in the rewards. 

All of the vegetable grown, with the exception of one batch of lettuce that was sold to Chan Chich lodge recently, have been sent home with the students.  The lettuce sold to Chan Chich was on a day when the lodge was short on lettuce and we were the only garden in Gallon Jug with any that was ready to pick.  The profits went to the school's field trip fund.

End of December/ Beginning of January in Pictures [and Captions]

The holiday season, and the end of 2012/ beginning of 2013, brought visits from friends and family, adventures all around Belize (and even a trip to Guatemala), and a distinct lack of blogging.  Here's to a belated new year's resolution to more actively share my adventures. 

Prepping for 12-21-12 by visiting Tikal in Guatemala.

Rehearsing for the end of Mayan calendar festivities.

Some of the most stunning Mayan ruins in Central America, and only 25 miles from Gallon Jug - as the toucan flies.

The pit for making pork pibil, my favorite menu item at Chan Chich, and the featured item for the 12-21-12 celebration.

A new addition at Chan Chich - great spot for animal and bird watching.

My newest hobby - jungle mountain biking.  So far only one flat tire...much better record than I've had with the Jeep.

Laguna Seca, the dry lake.

Chan Chich's purpose built bird watching boat.

Can you find the bird in this picture?

Tiger-Heron

Getting ready to launch the inaugural voyage - the Chan Chich guys were certain I wouldn't catch anything using 'plastic'.

Bay Snook

Let's call this a Belizean sunfish.  I've forgotten its proper name.

Impromptu volleyball clinich at CCS.

A wonderful gift to the school from my parents.

After 4 hours under ground at ATM cave, unfortunately no cameras allowed.

And after only 6 months living above a stable, I finally went horseback riding.

My trusted steed Irish.