The Last Schoolhouse-June'08

Despite the heat that we are having to contend with, the yurt, in the middle of the apple orchard, is probably my favorite schoolhouse of the year. It overlooks the ponds on one side and is surrounded by the sounds and sights of nature. Some folks are surprised when I tell them that the temperature is reaching the high 90's each day now, but we are located in the high desert. The nights cool down for sleeping but the days are hot and sunny.

We had to move out of our regular school house at the end of May. Black Canyon Anglers is another business that is located here on the farm. There are 6 cabins where the fishermen come in and stay for a night before heading out for several overnights on the Gunnison River. The busiest month is June so we had to give up our cabin. I have been fortunate to be able to keep mine as my living quarters for the rest of my stay.

The yurt location is so conducive for science explorations. I ordered a thousand red wigglers so that the kids could learn about vermicomposting. We had fun preparing the bin and they were so excited when the box arrived! We have also been studying about plants and I found this lovely seed head with tiny parachutes, similar to a dandelion head, but much larger and more showy. I will share some of the shots from our Monarch Butterflies in the net blog.

We are incorporating our reading and writing into science exploration and the kids are all researching a "wonder question," something they have wondered about personally. Math is studied daily, as well, with as many hands on methods as I can think of.

I introduced the children to the Read to Feed Project, which is sponsored by Heifer International. They have run all over the farm getting pledges for each book they read. They are very commited to the project and to earning enough money to buy and animal for a family overseas. I'm really proud of them!

They were surprised when they counted the days today and discovered we have only days left of school..........no one cheered.

Mi amigo nuevo, Benedicto May 2008

The family had talked about a trip to Oaxaca, Mexico this spring but for different reasons, it didn't happen. I was disappointed, as Oaxaca is my favorite Mexican State and my friend, Samuel, a native Zapotec, lives there and I had hoped to introduce the family to him. He is a marvelous young man who loves to share the Zapotec beliefs with those he meets.

However, if we had left the farm then, we would not have been here to spend as much time as we did, with Benedicto. Benedicto is a 27 year old artist from Guatemala and h was hired to come to the farm to paint a mural in the dining hall. We all learned so much from him during his stay, not only about painting, but also about the Mayan culture. The Mayans, who had been the dominant civilization in the Yucatan and Guatemala around 200-800 AD, is one of those civilizations that "disappeared" without anyone really understanding why. Some of them migrated and continued to florish in Guatemala and live there today. We attribute the concept of zero to this civilization and they developed a calendar more accurate than our own. This calendar was later adopted by the Aztecs and the "Stone of the Sun" is based on this.

Tha Mayans had two calendars and one of them ends in the year 2012. To some, this is a prediction that the world will come to an end. Benedicto said that this is not the Mayan interpretation. He says it signals the time of great change and a new dimension coming to our world. He also told of the struggles of the Mayan today and how the Catolic Church continues to try and squelch Mayan beliefs. If you go against the church, your job may be lost, your land will be taken, etc. He spoke to us about his spiritual beliefs and love of his culture in such a meaningful way.

In addition to the mural, he taught art to the kids 4 days a week. Around the age of 13, he told his Dad he wanted to paint. His Dad bought him a few basic supplies and he began. Most of the time, he begins only with the three primary colors and mixes the rest from there, working only in oils. The kids did amazing work under his direction and had a ball. They accepted him into the family as their brother! He had greta experiences here as well, going on a river rafting trip and in the small airplane. He even practiced his driving on the farm roads!

In his village, there are only a couple of cars, no refrigerators, and he is the only English speaker. He volunteers in the local school to teach the students English. He raises and donates money to the school and has started a co-op garden in his village.

After leaving the farm, he went to Denver to exhibit his work, before returning to Guatemala in time to take an exam, as he is in college. His work was sent on to NY for another exhibit. I have the feeling, we'll be seeing more of it around the US.

So, now, I have yet another place to go and visit! I would love to spend time in Benedicto's village, teaching the children. But, alas, no more leave of absenses will be granted to me! However, this would be a great contact for some of you, if you are ever interested! This man, offers all he meets, a precious gift.....himself.

Oops, I forgot the corn!

I mentioned the corn in the last blog but forgot to add the picture. I also wanted to inclue a shot of the fossils that are in some of the rock in Balcony House, proof that all this land was at one time covered by the ocean. I have only begun to understand the age of the earth and the miniscule amount of time that man has inhabitated this land, during this trip. I think the exposed rock, the layers that tell the story, have helped me to understand. Amazing, we have done so much damage in such a short time.

Miss you all but hoping you are enjoying the day, as I am!

More on Mesa Verde- June, 2008

Hello everyone,
A few weeks after my trip to Mesa Varde with Becky, Jan asked how I felt about going again with them, for a field trip. She didn't have to beg...... We had Monday morning school and headed out by car. We stayed in a lovely hotel in Durango that night and got an early start to Mesa Verde. The weather was lovely again and the kids were so excited. Jack and Teddy had been there before but it was Jenny's first visit. They especially wanted to visit Balcony House where you had to climb he 32 foot ladder and squeeze out on your hands and knees to leave.

We enjoyed spending time in the museum and looking at the ancient artifacts. Corn, was one of the crops that allowed these people to live in one place and not have to bee hunters and gatherers. The corn in the picture was found in an ancient cache and has been preserved all this time. It is amazing how much remains of their homes, as well. Can you picture what our homes would look like in 700-800 years, if we abandoned them now? I was surprised to see the remnants of red paint and designs on some of the walls.

A large portion of the mesa has seen wild fires since 2001. Most of these fires have been caused by lightening and are a part of nature's plan. However, large crews have been called in as the fire has neared the ruins, in an attempt to save them. They have done a good job.

We all enjoyed Step House again, as well, and the children tried out the manos and metates and decided they wouldn't like to grind their corn that way. Everyone worked hard to keep food on the table and fulfill their basic needs. We have become so spoiled over the years. The rising gas prices cause me to reflect on the changes we may need to make in our own lives, in order to maintain our homes and diets.

Mesa Verde-May 20, 2008

Mesa Verde is one of the most interesting places I have been this year. Located in the south western part of CO, it is one of our nation's most spectacular archeological preserves. There are over 5,000 sites within and more than 600 cliff dwellings where the Anazasi once lived. The mesa top,for which this site gets its name, is more than 80 square miles and was forested with juniper and pinyon trees until successive forest fires have burned a great portion. I'll include more on that in the next blog as I can only load 5 pictures at a time.

The eariest known inhabitants of this region were named the "Basketmakers" who lived in Pit Houses from 500 AD-750AD. In the years between 750-1100, their skills increased and they began to build kivas. One is shown in my photos, the large pit in the ground. These served as ceremonial centers as well as a place to gather in the cold. Each kiva was covered with a roof and had a firepit, as well as a symbolic hole in the ground where the spirits could rise from the underworld.

The actual cliff dwellings were build around 1200 at the peak of their arts and crafts and handiwork. They farmed the top of the mesa and hunted for food. Around 1276, a 24 year long drought began and it is this that is the most likely reason these people left their beautiful homes. Some believe they joined the Hopi Tribe in Arizona.

It was surreal to stand on the high cliffs and look down upon these dwellings which appeared more like miniature clay models than actual homes. And yet, we we visited them on tour, the size and magnitude of these structures were amazing. They were well built and designed to be able to still be standing 700-800 years later. Becky and I had a great time scrambling up the 38 ft. ladder and crawling through the tight rock passages to enter and exit the structures. It was so special to share this experience together. I'll write more about the Anazasi Native Americans in my next blog.

Wishing you all a lovely day!

Durango for a night-May 19, 2008

Becky and I arrived in Durango in the late afternoon and checked into our accomodations for the evening, a rustic cabin situated right on the Animas River. Due to the high water level from so much snow, the river ran right under the porch. It was very beautiful.

We went into Durnago for the evening and she treated me to a late Mother's Day dinner which was delicious! We walked around and saw the historical buildings and a great hotel that she had stayed in on a previous visit. The train station was active with people coming and going from the Silverton/Durango run. Durango also began as a mining and smelting town during the gold and silver rush but is now an active and large commercial center at the gateway of the San Juan Mountains.

When we went back to our cabin, we sat on the proch swing, drank tea and talked. It was a lovely ending to another busy day!

Traveling the Million Dollar Highway-May 19, 2008

Becky and I left Telluride Monday morning and drove to Ridgeway where we picked up the Million Dollar Highway and headed toward Ouray. There seems to be no real agreement as to how the highway got this name; some think it was due to cost and others, to the views. Ouray is often referred to as the Switzerland of America and it is another lovely Victorian town which sprung up due to mining in the late 1800's. As we were driving down the main street, I looked down a side street and saw several deer munching in someone's front yard and heading our way. We stopped to take photos as they neared the main street, not at all afraid of us.

As we climbed, more and more snow appeared along with beautiful views and remnants of old mining operations. There is a lot of pollution due to these old sites which are still being cleaned up. We tried to find a ghost town but most of them are located down old dirt roads, still impassable at this time of the year. However, we did drive into Silverton and that was delightful and so "western." The buildings are beautifully restored Victorian style structures. You could almost picture the sheriff coming out in the street to break up a gun fight. I was surprised at how wide some of the main streets are in these old western towns, as if they anticipated such growth. We had lunch near the stop of the famous Silverton/Durango train. The sun felt so good!

After lunch, it was on to Durango.........