April 18
Life in the jungle: Most of my day was spent painting. First, a little primer on both cabana interiors (shower joints and kitchen counter) and some exterior painting on the smaller cabana. I’m pretty much out of paint.
April 19
Life in the jungle: After feeding the chickens, I sat for an hour on my riverbank as per my recent Sunday morning routine. While sitting there, an adult crocodile did a swirl and dive only about ten feet away. I never saw it, but there was a powerful swirl and ripple just off to the side of me.
After returning home, I took my mandatory Sunday morning nap. After lunch, the rest of the afternoon was very uneventful. After feeding the chickens, I did some greenhouse work until dark.
Lots of birds on my Merlin app this morning
April 20
Life in the jungle: Spent the morning organizing notes on my computer. After breakfast, I headed to the village to deliver eggs and pick up some lumber with my bike and trailer.
Returning home, I did touch-up painting in both cabanas for the rest of the afternoon.
The other week, I hand-pollinated my passion fruit blooms for a few days (with a small artist’s paintbrush). This afternoon, I did a quick inspection and discovered that it was a successful use of my time.
April 21
Life in the jungle: First thing, I shared my Frustration: It Will Make You or Break You in the Jungle post to Belize Facebook groups. I then headed to the city for more paint. Today was super hot. I managed to do a little painting at the end of the day.
In the city, I bought a pound of Tamarind fruit, mostly for the seeds. I’ve never tried it before. I recently heard about it and that it has some health benefits. I tried and decided that I don’t like it, but I’m excited about planting the seeds.
I’m beginning to realize that I’m not in a great place mentally. I’m mostly just exhausted and overwhelmed with work. The harder I work, the further I get behind. If only I could get away for a few days of R&R.
April 22
Life in the jungle: This morning, I slaughtered two layer (egg-laying) hens. I really goofed up a bunch of months ago by getting way too many layer chickens going. The worst part is the expense to raise them to maturity, and then they only provide enough meat for three meals, and to top it all off, the meat is tough.
The dogs caught a green iguana in the yard. Fortunately, I was able to intervene. It dropped its tail and was in complete shock. While spiny tail iguanas sometimes venture close to the house, I have never had a green iguana so close to the house. I placed it in a tree and returned a while later, and it was gone.
After breakfast, I cut the grass at the ponds. I got Mounds 1 and 2 finished. On the way, I came across a female green iguana on the road.
April 23
Life in the jungle: First thing, I published Belize blog Part 211. I confess, afterwards I took a nap in my hammock until I had a late breakfast. I was sleepy, but I’m not sure how I feel about taking the time for a nap during working hours.
I painted the smaller cabana until I had a video chat with the author of a book called Living Where the Cats Eat the Dogs. It was an opportunity to learn and speak with the author of a self-published book about his time in Belize.
April 24
Life in the jungle: This morning, I published Belize blog Part 212. After feeding the chickens, I started painting in the cabanas. After breakfast, I headed to the village to drop off eggs and get some groceries.
Returning home, I continued painting the larger cabana. A hot day again. This whole week has been hot. Every day is also spent watering seedlings in the greenhouse at the end of the day.
Lots of birds on my Merlin app this morning
April 25
Life in the jungle: I finally got back to doing a little editing on my memoir. Technically, I am way behind on blog writing, but I feel a little overwhelmed to start a new post. My morning was then interrupted by an unexpected video chat with someone interested in moving to Belize.
Before breakfast, I slaughtered two more layer hens. After breakfast, I painted inside and outside the larger cabana.
I was a little distracted at the end of the afternoon as I saw a Keel-billed Toucan in one of my Mahogany trees. This is the first Keel-billed Toucan I have ever seen on the farm – ever! About three years ago, I saw one in the village. For some reason, they are quite rare in my area.
April 26
Life in the jungle: This morning, I was able to do a little work on the Mexican chapter of my memoir. After feeding the chickens, I sat on my riverbank for an hour as per my Sunday morning routine. Returning to the house, I took my mandatory Sunday morning nap in the hammock.
After lunch started rereading Jaguar. I haven’t read this book in a lot of years. Between my video chat with a self-published author the other day and reading Jaguar, I’m looking for additional direction for my own memoir.
I haven’t read Jaguar by Alan Rabinowitz in a few years
April 27
Life in the jungle: First thing, I was able to get a little bit more work on my memoir. After feeding the chickens, I painted the larger cabana, and before a late breakfast, I was actually completely finished the exterior of the larger cabana, except for the deck. I can’t believe the exterior is accomplished.
After breakfast, I headed to the village to drop off eggs and get groceries. Returning home, I was able to put a coat of paint on the kitchen counter trim of the larger cabana.
My cabanas are almost complete
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.
