aguas amargas

 We decided to finally go and check out Aguas Amargas. A little hot springs destination not too far away from Xela. So we hop on a bus and head in that direction, getting off the bus in a small pueblo that we have to walk through. Mind you we had to tell the bus where we were going and we had to ask a few people which direction to walk and they all happily told us which way to go to get to Aguas Amargas. What they did not tell us, is that it was completely destroyed in a hot mudslide last year! Classic. It was a fantastic day even though we didn't get to soak in the hot thermal waters there.

What is left of the entrance.

 It's so destroyed and overgrown it's hard to see what's going on. If you see the little waterfalls towards the top right-ish part of the photo....those little waterfalls are going over what was the road.

This was one of the cabana rooms with a tub that thermal water flowed into. Egads, now it's a mudroom!

 

                                        This the road going there. Totally washed out. It was fun walking down through the little river.



flowerheads

Not everysingle time but, a lot of the times I buy flowers and arrange them I am left with the odd flower heads that fell off or can't be used in the arrangement for some reason or another. I can never bring myself to toss the beauties out with the stems and scrappy leaves! The last batch I floated the flowerheads in bowls of water. Floating flowers are so enjoyable to have around. Win win. I've also strung flowerheads and used them for some tipico photos in the background.

assam tea

Assam is a north-eastern state of India surrounded by 6 sister states also bordering Bangledesh and Bhutan. The area is known for it's gorgeous geography, preserved wildlife such as the one horned Indian Rhinoceros, Assam silk and Assam tea. Of course that's not all it's known for but, those are a few big ones. I am just chomping at the bit to visit or possibly live in the culturally rich area.

Assam tea is a black tea clearly named for it being produced in Assam. It is a tea that is known for its robustness and strong bright colour. This is the world's largest tea producing area. It seems to be of the perfect land lying between two significant rivers, the perfect altitude, with the perfect amount of rainfall which is heavy in the monsoon season and the perfect temperature! It's this combination of elements that gives Assam tea such a strong unique flavour for a black tea.

I know it's my favourite black tea!!

drinking fresh aloe

A leaf of aloe from our local market. Cost: Q5

Drinking or eating fresh aloe may be hard to swallow for many but, with the awesome health benefits in mind, I've choked it down enough times to like and crave the stuff. I first heard of eating aloe when I was a kiddo; I knew a Mediterranean family that ate a nice slice of aloe flesh everyday and they swore by its longevity factors. I always thought of them eating aloe. Especially when I started having kidney stone issues and was turned on to aloe big time! Aloe is an anti-inflammatory and it'll fix you right up in so many ways if you're ailing from: digestive disorders, arthritis, kidney stone issues, burns, scraps, cuts, bug bites, joint and muscle pain, diabetes, high cholesterol, dry skin and any inflammation. Pretty incredible, eh?

Here is a fantastic link that'll tell you some of the truly amazing benefits you can reap from aloe vera!! It also has a great video showing you how to harvest the flesh from an aloe vera leaf.

We blend aloe flesh with water and coconut water. It might take some getting used to but, it's so pure & healthy!! You can also just blend it into a blended fruit drink. =)

mini succulent rock garden

I've been collecting little snippets of succulents here and there throughout Guatemala and planted the cutest little succulent garden from them. This is such a great outlet for snipping really small little tid bits off plants. It is really hard for me to pass up a fine looking succulent and not pinch a lil nub to take home. 

A few months back I did a fun package exchange with a pal in Tampa and I got a nice little bunch of crystals-rocks-gems. Housing them in my little succulent garden that basks in the moonlight and lulls in the sunshine has them super posi charged! I use them to enhance my special powers when needed by plucking the right one and lovingly carrying it around in my pocket. If I could I'd be teeny tiny & hang out in this lil succulent rock garden, I would lounge around in there all the time.

growing my own spices

There's nothing like have herbs and spices to cook with! And there's nothing like not having herbs and spices to cook with. While there are many wonderful ingredients to be found in the markets here in Xela....there are a few things that I have grown accustom to cooking with that are not to be found! My solution? Grow them! Mustard seeds are something I incorporated into my cooking while living in Portland, Oregon some years back. I was going to traditional Indian food-themed pot lucks. I discovered a couple of dishes that influenced my cooking still to this day and probably for my ever. One of the dishes I made that had a huge impact on me was Bombay Potatoes. You start the dish by frying a bunch of spices...YUM!

Harvesting mustard seeds is fun but, a wee bit tedious. Thank goodness I've found a huge bag of mustard seeds (the dark ones) in the market...at a pet food stall. They are fed to birds. Who knew? Not me!!! Out of all the plants we had room to grow we only got about 2 tablespoons of mustard. It was a fun project and I've never regretted growing anything!

Mike even loved the plants and helped out, of course he did, he's a very good boy!

hydrangea :: life-long favourite

I grew up with a giant wonderous Hydrangea bush in my Grandmother's yard situated right at a quiet corner of her house. It was always a small place of refuge as a small child sitting under and behind that magnificent flowering goddess of a bush!

I feel so super lucky to have a gorgeous one in our little courtyard!!!

lovey plants from the market

I ran into these little dears for sale by an even more enchantingly dear lady from Chajul. She dug these plants up out of her garden, nestled them in a leaf secured with another plant fiber and brought them all the way to Xela. I of course could not resist purchasing one of each from her. The grassy plant I'm told will have beautifuly scented white flowers! And I'm a total sucker for succulents. I have to say I love love love the packaging. The cheese I buy at the market comes wrapped in leaves as do a few other things, I think it's rad!


Here's a map (below) showing where Chajul is in realtion to Xela (Quetzaltenango). It's a hellva chicken bus ride, a beautiful one no doubt but, it's a haul! Bless her dear darling heart.

I've never been in love with a peoples or place like I am with the lands and folks in Guatemala...I have immense love for Mayans of their ways and attitudes of life...it's a beautiful thing.

Huge chile tree!

In our not so giant courtyard is a really giant pepper 'bush' (it's more like a tree!). I am not sure what kind of chiles they are. I've cooked with them and eaten them raw and they are muy picante!! The closest I can get to figuring them out is thinking they are: Capsicum Pubescens. A Guatemalan variety perhaps.

Hay Bale Garden Part 4

There's lots of action in the garden this week! We lost most of our lettuce because we had to leave them while they were way too young for a few days and it's been Africa hot here.

We have baby tomatoes, little collards, tiny lettuces leaves, a mini squash,a happy pineapple plant,

Mike and me in the garden this week!!

Here is a spicy lettuce.

AND...here is our mystery plant revealing itself! Summer Squash!!! Yum!

Collards!!! My personal favourite vegetable!

Mike, almighty garden protector!

Happy little baby tomatoes!

Mike & I enjoying the sunshine and our garden!

Hay Bale Garden WE HAVE SPROUTS Part 3

I was greeted with sprouts yesterday morning!!

Everything but, the Chinese Celery has sprouted.

The California Spicy Lettuces are in the lead!

Look!!

our warehouse has one windowsill

I have always been a big lover of displaying things in windowsills. Naturally, that's where the best light is! So, having one lone sill makes it center stage for me! This is currently a little snippet from said sill. Those are 2 of my favourite vintage glass pieces and I found that beautiful dried pod on a walk with Mike & Zach.

a freebie from the thrift store

This beauty was given to me for free as I was admiring her in a thrift store....the owner of the shoppe was by me and said if you like that junk you can have it! After I gasped at that comment, I was all, ok! Even though I noticed that one of her hands was broken off I really wanted to keep her and put her somewhere nice. So, here she is in a plant in front of my casita!

LONE KNITTING NEEDLE PUT TO GOOD USE.

here's the prettiest little succulent that got a little leggy and needed my help! and what a perfect use for that random unwanted knitting needle. i am especially fond of the pretty coloured aluminum ones.

i use them in the yard & garden all of the time. they are perfect as they are stick straight and usually wood or aluminum! they don't rust and they look kind of cute with plants.

TONGUES.

i've always like these plants. my family always either called them mother-in-law's tongues or snake plants. i just call them tongues.
2 of my primo friends, matt & orel, are rathe smitten with these plants as well. they've been buying buckets of them and planting them lately.
just last week while i was across the street letting the neighbors dog out. i peeked through their fence into the backyard next door of a vacant house. my next door neighbor is taking care of the yard and stuff. well, guess what my eyes feasted on in that backyard? 2 of the biggest thickets of tongues i've seen! i asked my neighbor if i could maybe have some of the off shoots...these things really are taking over that backyard...it's glorious!
i got a bunch and now i want more!

as you can see they are sharing a flower box....i still have some pretty coleus and a bushy basil plant i haven't been able to rip out. i would like to fill the whole box in with tongues!