On November 15 less than a week after flood waters from Tropical Storm Nadine subsided, we got hit with Tropical Storm Sara. On November 16 we experienced top-gallon again. Top-gallon means the Belize River is raised about 25 feet and has flooded its banks and there is flooding everywhere.
With all the flooding, I have been doing my best to remain focused on editing my bike ride book. During 2019-2021 I biked 26,000 km across Canada to Belize. For over two years, I have been (slowly) writing a book about the experience.
November 19
Life in the jungle: After the last three days, I finally finished editing the British Columbia portion and finished Chapter 6 of my book – The Rockies and West. No rain and it was sunny today, but of course, everything is very flooded.
November 20
Life in the jungle: I need to be doing a little work outside, even if things are flooded. I chopped at the ponds as the mounds that run parallel to them are (obviously) dry. I got the first mound chopped, and it was completed fairly quickly,y given it wasn’t chopped all that long ago. Arriving home, I could hear the mountain lion Andy saw the other day in the jungle.
After lunch, I edited the Washington portion of Chapter 8 – The Pacific Coast of the US (2,900 words).
Late in the afternoon, there was an extremely heavy and loud house-shaking thunderstorm into the evening, as if we needed more rain.
Screenshots of the video Andy took of a mountain lion on our road
November 21
Life in the jungle: The First thing I did was head to the village for groceries. On the main road, I witnessed an amusing situation. There were ten guys in orange jumpsuits chopping the roadsides with machetes while being guarded by two guys in uniforms with baseball caps that said prison on them. The guards had no guns, but the ten inmates each had three foot sharp knives on them.
The trip took longer than anticipated, so even though I should have been back for breakfast, instead I was back for lunch. I have never seen so much water on the road. I found a dead catfish on the road, and by the time I returned, the fish was eaten except for its head.
After lunch, I posted Belize blog Parts 113, 114, and 115.
That didn’t last long
November 22
Life in the jungle: This morning, I headed to the ponds. I got about 90% of the middle mound chopped. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go back to working on Belize blogs or continue editing my book. Instead, I mostly took time to ponder what the dry season would mean as far as work. I admit to being lazy ever since Tropical Storm Nadine hit over a month ago on October 19. I also feel like by the time the current flood waters recede and the ground is dry enough to work, I will explode with the work fury of a workaholic. I edited a few social media reels and wrote Belize blog Part 141.
My Merlin app picked up a few birds this morning
November 23
Life in the jungle: A cold front rolled in, and yesterday evening was quite cool. I intentionally went to bed underdressed, with only a light blanket, a t-shirt, and boxers, waking up a few times through the night. It wasn’t that I wanted to sleep in the cold, but I meant it as a reminder that it’s not always hot here. This morning, I woke up feeling chilly.
First thing, I headed to the ponds to finish off the middle mound and weed my pineapple plants.
My pineapple garden
This morning, at the ponds the Howler monkeys were extra loud. There were two troops nearby, and it was apparent that they were not happy with each other being so close to each other. They sounded amazing, and it caused me to reflect on my first visit to Belize. It made me think that I should start my tree farm.
My original plan and goal when I arrived in Belize three years ago was to start a tree farm and raise as many Mahogany trees as humanly possible for reforestation of the jungle and rainforest. Unfortunately, I became very disillusioned with the country and lost heart. This was the main reason I was happy to let Andy use my greenhouse for his hot sauce business. Because of my disillusionment with dealing with people here, I am not interested in taking the lead on the project publicly, but maybe if I just get it started, it might attract the right person to take the lead. I have no time for any of this, of course, but that makes it even more attractive to me.
In the afternoon, I published Belize blog Part 116 and 117, and to my Flora & Fauna Page, I published the Red-bordered Stink Bug, along with editing a few more social media reels I made this morning.
November 24
Life in the jungle: First thing I chopped at the ponds. I am about 50% finished the third mound. Being that it was my day off, the day was largely uneventful. After lunch, I took a nap in the hammock, but I did spend part of the afternoon researching germinating mahogany seeds in regards to starting a tree farm as soon as Mahogany seeds are in season. No rain today, and the weather was perfect.
A mahogany seed pod
November 25
Life in the jungle: I woke up to a short but heavy rain shower this morning. With only about one more day of chopping needed at the ponds, I decided that could be tomorrow. Before breakfast, I edited the Oregon portion of my book – 2,600 words of Chapter 8 of my 2019-2021 bike ride book. After breakfast, I posted Belize blog Parts 118 and 120. Somehow, months ago, I lost or accidentally deleted post Part 119.
In the yard, Andy spotted a juvenile Tricolored Heron hunting in the flooded yard. He got some great photos of it.
I also slaughtered two hens. I expected more rain today, but it never came.
A juvenile Tricolored Heron – photo credit goes to Andy Wilson
Of Note: At this time I am currently 3 months behind in posting my Belize blog posts due to having no internet for the first 18 months of living in Belize.
Glossary of Terms
Glossary of words or people that may or may not be part of this blog post. This glossary will be at the bottom of every blog post for Belize.
Wayne – He is the son of the original owners of the farm (both owners are deceased). The original farm was two – 30 acre parcels minus two – ¾ acre parcels for my house. In 2017, Wayne sold me 40 acres of land from the original 60 acres (one 30 acre parcel plus 10 acres from the second parcel). Wayne lives in his parent’s house and has a few cows on his remaining 18 acres of land.
The ponds – I have two large (300ft long x 50ft wide x 10ft deep) ponds on my 30 acre parcel of land, which is basically a jungle. I have about 60 coconut trees (mostly mature) around the ponds. In my first two years of living in Belize, I also planted about 250 assorted fruit tree seedlings (Lime, jackfruit, custard apple, pomegranate, and avocado).
The coconut field – I have about 400 coconut trees planted (various growth states) on about 3 acres of cleared land of my 10 acre parcel. I have planted about 350 assorted fruit trees (lemon, starfruit, mango, soursop, cashew, lime, and orange), all raised from seed since my arrival in Belize in 2021.
The river lot – my house sits on a ¾ acre lot. I have a second joining ¾ acre lot that allows me river frontage on the Belize River. I call that my river lot.
The dry – Belize has two main seasons. The rainy season and the dry (no rain). The wet is obviously the rainy season.
Chopping – using my machete to clear brush, vines, weeds, and unwanted trees. Generally, when I chop I am removing unwanted vegetation around my baby fruit trees.
Andy – A fellow Canadian who rode his dirt bike from Canada to Belize. When I offered him the use of an apartment that I recently built and the use of my greenhouse Andy decided to stay in Belize permanently and start a hot sauce company here.
