I have decided that I’m going to learn to drive a motorcycle. Today we went to Seidy’s parents’ house in Verbena, a shortish walk through the mountains. Seidy opted to walk home with her son, meaning that I would be taking the moto home with her husband. A storm soon blew in, and there was some seriously bright lightning followed closely by that loud, sudden kind of thunder that always makes me jump.
The family bundled me up in a sweatshirt and rain jacket with a clear trash bag over the top to keep dry. I put on the helmet and the reflective strip that drapes like a strap diagonally across the body. Off we went, and wow it was so, so good. Qué rico, Robert was saying to me as we zoomed through the rainy night, and he was so right.
The rain was pelting my face and I could taste water on my lips, and when I closed my eyes, I knew what it was to fly. We drove through the winding, hilly streets that don’t have streetlights, so all I could see were the dark shadows of trees stretching their arms into the sky above us, and raindrops that glittered in the moto’s light as they fell onto us.
We got home and my knees were the wettest part of me. Seidy gave us a towel for our faces and we hung our wet jackets on the clotheslines in the indoor laundry room. I went to change, and Jovi Patricio, family dog, had crawled into a drawer where I keep my clothes, curled up in the dark because he has a great fear of thunderstorms. I put on dry pants that were already warm from the dog, and hung the rest of my wet clothes on the line. It’s very peaceful to watch soccer as the rain softly taps the metal roof. There is a canary in the cage hanging from the ceiling, and a fish tank where they breed guppies, and Ruby the cat curled up on Seidy’s lap. It all feels very homey. My face is cold but my hands are warm.
This photo shows a basil plant among the rows of lettuce. The basil has flourished here, and has helped reduce pest pressure with its strong aroma.
On a different note, the lettuce is the garden is almost ready to harvest! It is huge and lush and green and so beautiful. Everyone who passes tells us how good the garden looks, and asks questions or congratulates us on having worked hard. It’s excited to see how engaged the community is, even before any product has reached their tables. There is even a Facebook page where everyone can see our progress in pictures, and leave comments and messages if they choose. ( https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alimentos-Org%C3%A1nicos-de-Aquiares/814046035314019 ). The connection within this town is inspiring, and I can only expect good things for us when the vegetables begin to sell.
The zucchini is flowering! Photo from the Facebook page.
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