Mexican Masked Tree Frog
April 28
Life in the jungle: First thing, I shared my post, Morning Routine for Jungle Living in Belize: Why Starting Your Day Right Matters to Belize Facebook groups. I then started writing a new blog post or possibly an entry into my memoir called Reconciling the Isolation.
After feeding the chickens, I painted the kitchen counter trim in the smaller cabana. I then returned to the house to continue writing this morning’s new post. [Weeks later, the post is still not completed as I’m having difficulty reconciling my thoughts.]
After breakfast, I painted the smaller cabana, and then I headed to the village to pick up broiler (meat) chicks (fire ants attacked the broiler chicks from last week) and grabbed a sack of chicken food to help justify the trip. My chickens are taking up too much of my time.
Returning home, I worked further on the smaller cabana. I was pretty tired by the end of the day.
My Dutchman Pipe vine seeds that I planted last month are starting to germinate
April 29
Life in the jungle: First thing, I continued working on Reconciling the Isolation post. After feeding the chickens, I spent almost the whole day painting both cabanas. I can see light at the end of the tunnel with all this painting. I also slaughtered two more layer (egg laying) hens.
April 30
Life in the jungle: I built a replacement seed germination shelf for growing vegetables. Last month, I built a small greenhouse for vegetable seed germination and growing. I have two old shelves that I made of scrap lumber a long time ago. But they are too cumbersome for their purposes.
Vegetable germination shelf (first of three shelves)
After breakfast, I worked on and started installing the kitchen sinks in both cabanas. I only installed the sink in the larger cabana, and in the smaller cabana, I installed the plumbing. I’m not sure how a somewhat simple installation can turn into such a headache, but it did. It took most of the afternoon. Part of the problem, of many problems that I ran into, was that the installation kit that included all the pieces for the sink – drains, trap, pipe pieces, also included a few useless substitute pieces. I’ll have to purchase better-quality replacement pieces.
I find myself tired, just tired. Tired as in I need a break (holiday), but I can’t escape the farm because of my dogs. I wonder if my dogs appreciate the personal sacrifice I make for them. I couldn’t even be bothered to make dinner. I may have to just take tomorrow off, but I don’t think a day will make much of a difference, and that’s why I keep pushing.
Installing sinks in both my cabanas
May 1
Life in the jungle: I woke up tired, just tired. I’m trying to understand the tension between discipline and perseverance, and pushing for the sake of pushing to the point of burnout. Part of the reason that I blog daily is to put an unseen pressure on me to force me to write that I was productive by detailing everything I accomplished in the day, and did not waste my day by writing that I did nothing. One thing that I didn’t accomplish this month, other than my daily journal – Life in Belize blog posts, is that I wrote no other posts – no Belize tree, wildlife, jungle superfood, or jungle lifestyle posts. This past week, I didn’t even edit or share any daily social media short reels, as I normally do every weekday morning.
After feeding the chickens, I could push through my tiredness and work on the cabanas, or I could take a nap in my hammock for my mental health.
Part of my situation is simply that I lack the freedom to remove myself from my environment, even for a weekend to go to the cayes for some much-needed R&R. Andy left the farm six months ago, and because of my dogs, I’m literally stuck here in paradise.
I wrote Belize blog Part 214. After feeding the chickens, I spent the whole day reading a PDF book sent to me called Living Where the Cats Eat the Dogs. Last week, I had the opportunity to do a video chat with the author, and a few days ago, they were nice enough to email me a PDF copy. I’m interested in reading the book to help keep me motivated to finish my own memoir, and I’m still trying to consider some of my subject matter for my Belize chapter.
I was able to get about halfway through the book today. It made me realize there are way more adventures in this country to realize. I hope my dogs appreciate me.
I spent the day reading
May 2
Life in Belize: First thing, I wrote Belize blog Part 215. Shortly after feeding the chickens, I headed to the village to drop off eggs and pick up some lumber on my bike.
It had to be over 38°C (100°F) with no breeze. After a late breakfast, I had a nap in the hammock. What else could I do in those temperatures? With a fan blowing on my I was still sweating. Later in the afternoon, I slaughtered two layer (egg laying) chickens. I then cut grass and cut right into the dark to make up for some of my nap time.
A Pauraque on her nest
May 3
Life in the jungle: As part of my Sunday morning routine, after feeding the chickens, I spent an hour at the riverbank in silence. Returning to the house, I took my mandatory Sunday nap. After lunch, I did a little housework. I also did a little work on the Mexican chapter of my book. I’m anxious to be working more on my memoir.
There was lightning last night and some thunder this evening. Today was hot!
My riverbank
May 4
Life in the jungle: I pulled my back yesterday. I have never done that before. It might have been a result of a sneezing fit. When the heat is on, I notice my allergies get worse. I’m very fortunate not to have experienced any sort of back pain throughout my life to this point in my life. So this is a new experience for me.
I spent the whole day working on my Mexican chapter. I just want this book done once and for all.
At the end of the day, I had two dump truck loads of road material dumped on the road. Finally, the road was dry enough last week to handle the weight of a dump truck. The road should have been dry enough in early March. That being said, I’ve been trying for a week now to get these loads. My usual guy was not returning my messages, so I dealt with a new guy. I’m always very anxious dealing with someone new in this county, but it went well. I even saved a few dollars.
Today was hot!
Two dump truck loads of stone. I just need to spread them better (next week)
Glossary of Terms
Glossary of words or people that may or may not be part of this particular blog post. This glossary will be at the bottom of every Life in Belize blog post.
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 parents’ house and has a few cows on his remaining 18 acres of land.
Top-Gallon – The local term for when the Belize River floods its banks during the rainy season.
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, 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 season (no rain). The rainy season starts around June 1 and goes until the end of the year. It seems June, November, and December are the wettest times of the year.
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.
I arrived at my home on November 25, 2021, by bicycle from Canada. I have journaled my daily adventures every day since. Since I have arrived, I have built a 1,000 sq-ft shade cloth greenhouse, a tiny apartment that I refer to as my greenhouse apartment. I also started and am close to completion of two small cabanas that I refer to as my smaller cabana and my larger cabana. The apartment and cabanas are for visitors and people wishing to move to my farm. I’m also getting close to completing an additional 1,600 sq-ft shade cloth greenhouse.
