Angangueo, Mexico ...more on the Monarchs

Hi! Happy Fourth.....pictures for the Fourth in Telluride will follow tomorrow. First, I need to send off a few photos from my trip to a Monarch Butterfly reserve in Michoacan, Mexico. These were taken in 2007 and though some of you have seen them, many of you have not. However, they follow my other butterfly tales, well, so I wanted to include them.

The monarchs arrive in Mexico right around the 1st of November, just in time for El dia de los muertos or "The Day of the Dead." Many believe that the butterflies are the spirit of the dead ancestors, returning in time for the celebration. The butterflies travel to the mountains and spend the winter there. At night, they cling to the branches of a certain type of fir tree called oyamels, and keep each other warm. Thousands cling to one tree and it is estimated that a couple million monarch winter over in these forests. The clumps of brown in the trees that you might think are dead leaves are actually butterflies. It is an amazing spectacle to behold. As the sun warms the air, the butterflies leave the trees in search of food and water. As they fill the air, you feel as though you are in a magical forest, with sunlight streaming down from the heavens and these delicate creatures flying all around you.

As spring approaches, the butterflies mate and the males die shortly thereafter. The females begin the long trip home. It takes many generations before some of them reach the northerly states, and by then, the milkweed is growing and it has warmed enough for them to live.

You have to either hike for hours into the forests or ride horseback. The forests are now protected because illegal logging was (and still is) removing vast amounts of the acreage that these butterflies need in order to continue their existence. The communities around this area are so poor that they are making a living any way that they can and for many, it is through the lumber. Tourism is helping the natives to understand that perhaps they can both earn a living and protect the monarch.

One of my most memeorable experiences ever.........!

More Monarchs.......June, 2008

Hello everyone....just a few more marvelous monarchs. The little "guy" lying on the floor didn't make it, I'm sorry to say. The picture is great, though, because you can see the skin splitting, revealing the chrysalis inside.

Also shown, in the other three pictures is Little Joe, our first monarch. We released her into the apple orchard and she happily flew away. The life expectancy of a monarch is only a few weeks long during the summer months. However, the last generation in the fall "knows" to fly to Mexico to winter over. They meet up with other monarchs during the trip and "migrate" thousands of miles to winter over in Michoacan, Mexico. Sorry that I can't seem to end this butterfly tale because the pictures are so fascinating. I'll send more soon so I can get on to the Fourth Of July!

Magnificent Monarchs- June-08

Monarchs fascinate me. They are one of nature's marvelous designs and a wonder to watch. I was fortunate in 2007, to travel to a monarch butterfly reserve in Mexico and visit one of the few sites where this amazing creature winters over. I wanted to share this knowledge and teach the kids about metamorphosis, hands on.

Last fall, we hunted all over the farm for eggs or larvae but were unsuccessful. This spring, I ordered the tiny larvae stage from a company in Florida. When our 6 "first stage or instar" caterpillars arrived, some were so tiny. However, these amazing eating machines quickly started to grow and we witnessed incredible changes overnight. In this process, they shed their skin 4 times, before reaching the final stage of molting.

When the chemicals in their bodies tell them it is time, they stop eating and go in search of a place to hang themselves upside down by silk threads and their skin splits open one final time. They hang for about 20 hours in a "j" shape before this happens. Inside, there is a beautiful emerald green chrysalis, decorated with shiny gold dots.

Teddy named our first caterpillar that turned into a chrysalis, Little Joe Curry. Little Joe turned out to be a girl and her picture will follow in the next monarch installment.

I have to run because my Mom is flying in and I need to go to the airport to pick her up. I apologize for not writing more individual e-mails but it is difficult for me to get on-line at the farm and i have no cell service! Miss you all....

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.