boWINdow

After a horrible experience with an aluminum shop that truly cares for neither quality nor customer service (if you’re local, think of the initials of the major competitor to the major hamburger chain and look on the Ruta Interbalnearia), a friend referred me to a friendly mom & pop operation.

Satisfied with my first window, I went back to them with a simple diagram of what I wanted next: a ‘bulging’ window for the kitchen. I had a diagram from the top. I had a perspective drawing. They had no idea what I was after? A hood for a stove? This went on for a while, until finally, exasperated, I said se llama ‘bay window’ in ingles, at which the proprietor threw his hands in the air, with a prolonged aahhhh! and slumped back in his chair with a huge smile.

Problem solved! You just need to know to say boWINdow.

Earthbag construction

New construction nearby.

I’ve been aware of something happening at the entrance to our country road. Today the profile rose into view – an earthbag house! I went to check it out. I’ve never seen something like this here, I told Liber, the owner. Nor have I, he replied, I found this on the internet.

Peaceful resting place

Our dog of twelve years, Karma,  developed a tumor about six months ago, six months after I thought we would have to put her down because of a cyst forming on her spine. But she happily walked to the beach every day, and we watched carefully for any sign of discomfort, since we let the last dog Pandora hang on too long.

Last Friday, the tumor – size of a baseball – doubled (or more) in size, and the dog wouldn’t lie down or even sit, but stood all day, panting, or following us around. Our lovely country neighbor, a vet, came with her father in the evening, did an exam and announced that it was an edema which would rupture in a day or two – very ugly. It was our decision, but the dog actually made it. Calmly lay down on its side for the first time that day, eager for relief.

Digging the grave was hard – not emotionally so much as physically: clay.

Third pet buried in nine months:

Zeus: 4/29/2012

Peepers: 10/12/2012

Starting the year with wildlife preservation

tadpoles
The cloying heat yesterday broke into a downpour, turning our road into a river. This morning, heading back from the deserted beach, I noticed that one stream had formed a puddle in the road, full of tadpoles, most less than a meter from a ditch full of water, but with no way to get to it before car tires crushed them or they died in the sun as the rest of the water drained.

Surprisingly difficult to catch them with a cut-off plastic bottle, but I managed to get 50 or 60 – most of them – into the ditch, where they at least have the chance to grow into frogs.

And eat mosquitoes.

Monsters in the yard

Our friend Gundy sent photos of a monster caterpillar in their yard. I had some incredibly camouflaged tomato hornworms a few years ago in my first garden here. I actually pointed to them from less than a meter away, and people couldn’t see them!

But this – wow.

Giant caterpillar, coastal Uruguay

Giant caterpillar, coastal Uruguay

She also sent a couple links about caterpillars:

Fotos de orugas (just learned a new Spanish word if you were paying attention 😉

Why you might not want to pick up that cute fuzzy caterpillar

Mushrooms

Mushrooms growing in a field in Uruguay

Awaiting the alambrador (fence guy), I pile old sheet metal on top of logs and other crap to try to convince the big dumb bovines not to enter the area where my garden will soon be, and eat the volunteer squash plants growing there.

Spot a couple of large, odd mushrooms. I know very little about mushrooms; certainly haven’t seen this type before.