My favorite things about Honduras

Seeing the mountains every day. And not seeing the mountains when the clouds cover them, called a 'cloud forest.'

No junk mail (because there is virtually no mail period). We do have a mailbox for those months when we write a check and receive a bank statement and once a year when Uncle Sam finds me and sends me those tax forms.

No telephone solicitations (partly because we can't even get a telephone line).

No cold weather (although there are a few days each year that feel cold − even though it might still be in the 60's).

Mussaenda philippica 'Aurorae' blooms year round

Seeing flowers blooming every day.

No gripey neighbors complaining about my compost or dogs or chickens and no laws against them.

No $100 visits to the doctor plus $100 blood tests plus $100 x-rays to have the doctor write a prescription for a drug that you knew you needed before you went to the doctor.

Things can be economically repaired here rather than thrown away (kitchen appliances, TVs, shoes, clothes, cars, books, etc.).

Two sheets to the whatever

What a fun afternoon! A Honduran friend stopped by. It was his birthday and he brought a bottle of wine to share with us. First we shared the Torres Sangre de Toro, Spain, 2004, and then his bottle (Carta Vieja Merlot, Chile 2005). I have to say that I liked the Carta Vieja better.

We invited him to go out to dinner but he couldn't because he already had a commitment with his family. Just as well! I'm in no shape to be doing anything at this point. You see, I'm not a big drinker at all and my share of two bottles of wine has me "two sheets to the wind," whatever that means.

I always enjoy talking with E. It reassures me when we talk about all the crazy, wrong things here that he finds them just as crazy and wrong as we do.

I'm having a hard time finding the "o" so I guess I'll stop here. If you read this, E, "Feliz Cumpleaños!" Wheeeeee!

Conchita's gone broody

Conchita in the nesting box

That doesn't mean she's temperamental. Broody means that she wants to hatch her eggs. After only about a month of laying, Conchita has gone broody. I thought this was something that happened after about a year, or in the springtime. I guess I have some reading up to do.

As soon as they leave their dog pen in the morning (El Jefe's still working on the coop), she wants to get in the nesting box and she wants to stay there all day. We keep removing her and sending her off with the others, but she keeps returning. I'm just not ready for baby chicks − I'm still trying to figure out what to do with the ones we have.

We are getting two eggs per day, but we haven't figured out for certain who is giving us the other egg. We think it is Carmen, but she doesn't use the nesting box. Luckily she found a safe spot where we can find the egg every day. Her egg is a little smaller and whiter, not cream colored like Conchita's eggs.

We don't know what is up with Ramona. Either she isn't laying yet, or she has a hiding spot we don't know about. Yuck! I hate to think about a pile of rotten eggs laying somewhere. She is a little smaller than her sisters, so maybe she just isn't ready yet.