tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66319336448517213512024-03-13T22:11:56.951-07:00Eat What You GrowEricahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16289293347871485325noreply@blogger.comBlogger182125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631933644851721351.post-14899199611519057862012-08-09T06:30:00.000-07:002012-08-09T10:12:14.007-07:00A Message from Chief Seattle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUUcdlYCkNPfELROPefXgC1fctDtjSM37GWf0PA9c5u1t7jjImUzMCzPvsYPE-00sZ9ZdYNEVdM30Oh_qrtNvTKSf1WA7DvVAuQfxCyidwPiMtJaK2vcLp-4cNNN9SiQ4oQbCkFa0rbn1e/s1600/bird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUUcdlYCkNPfELROPefXgC1fctDtjSM37GWf0PA9c5u1t7jjImUzMCzPvsYPE-00sZ9ZdYNEVdM30Oh_qrtNvTKSf1WA7DvVAuQfxCyidwPiMtJaK2vcLp-4cNNN9SiQ4oQbCkFa0rbn1e/s1600/bird.jpg" /></a></div>
<p>Someone recently shared an excerpt with me from a book called The Young Rockhound's Handbook. It is an unlikely name for a book containing the excerpt I am about to share, but it is a message that still needs to be heard and reflected on.</p>
<p>"The following is a letter written by Chief Seattle of the Duwamish Indian Tribe. The Duwamish lived in the Puget Sound area in Washington State. In 1854 President Franklin Pierce offered to buy much of the Duwamish land from the tribe, promising them a safe reservation somewhere else. Here is part of what Chief Seattle said in reply."<p>
</p><i> - Rockhound's Handbook </i></p>
<p>"How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land? The idea is strange to us. If we do not own the freshness of the air and the sparkle of the water, how can you buy them?</p>
<p>Every part of this earth is sacred to my people. Every shining pine needle, ever sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods, every clearing and humming insect is holy in the memory and experience of my people. So, when the Great Chief in Washington sends word that he wishes to buy our land, he asks much of us. We will consider your offer to buy our land. But it will not be easy.</p>
<p>We know that the white man does not understand our ways. One portion of the land is the same to him as the next, for he is a stranger who comes in the night and takes from the land whatever he needs. The earth is not his brother, but his enemy, and when he has conquered it, he moves on. His appetite will devour the earth and leave behind only a desert.</p>
<p>Our ways are different from your ways. The sight of your cities pains the eyes of the red man. There is no quiet place in the white man’s cities. No place to hear the unfurling of leaves in spring, or the rustle of an insect’s wings. But perhaps it is because I am a savage and do not understand.</p>
<p>We will consider your offer to buy our land. If we decide to accept, I will make one condition: the white man must treat the beasts of this land as his brothers. I have seen a thousand rotting buffaloes on the prairie, left by the white man who shot them from a passing train. I am a savage and I do not understand how the smoking iron horse can be more important than the buffalo we kill only to stay alive. What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts were gone, man would die from a great loneliness of spirit. For whatever happens to the beasts, soon happens to man. All things are connected.</p>
<p>This we know: the earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the earth. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. Man did not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself."</p>
<p> <i>- Chief Seattle</i></p>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16289293347871485325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631933644851721351.post-10652954325505263662012-08-07T06:30:00.000-07:002012-08-07T06:30:03.685-07:00Nectar: Charming Palouse Cusine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivL1Q8m39Hg7idQGI8LCS4h_vHA9dOAiHitgQoqpfGWIpdfo7p2FrTtj4u7xvpQXh1Mrq9awQyWKGg48kKhXbUfVy4wlJ4iEVkwVdghLMZeodgqi9yFNzvP9UR_LlN-of7QhaGEEvapBx8/s1600/Nectar-April-2010-Photos0019-L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="334" width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivL1Q8m39Hg7idQGI8LCS4h_vHA9dOAiHitgQoqpfGWIpdfo7p2FrTtj4u7xvpQXh1Mrq9awQyWKGg48kKhXbUfVy4wlJ4iEVkwVdghLMZeodgqi9yFNzvP9UR_LlN-of7QhaGEEvapBx8/s1600/Nectar-April-2010-Photos0019-L.jpg" /></a></div>
<p>During the last half of July, I traveled through eastern Washington and Northern Idaho, thus all the recent posts from this part of the world. It is surprising how many cafe jewels I've come across in this region! So, here's another one I'd like to share. Read on!</p>
<p>If gastronomy is the study of the relationship between culture and food then <a href="http://moscownectar.com/">Nectar</a>, a small restaurant located in Moscow, Idaho, is the place to study it. Why? Nectar specializes in classic dishes made from local food. At Nectar you can experience the art of cooking (with a really good bottle of wine) and the food culture of the Palouse region.</p>
<p>Many in Washington and Idaho know the Palouse as wheat country, where in July rolling hills are golden. The rich, fertile soils of the Palouse grow many crops including wheat, barley, lentils, garbanzo beans, and peas. This agricultural area is home to big farms, but more and more small scale farmers are farming here, especially in and around the town of Moscow, Idaho. When I travel around the Palouse, I relive the history of my family, many of which grew up in small farming towns nearby that were once bustling with activity. Today, these small towns have only a fraction of the people once living there. Through the decades as farms grew bigger so did farm equipment, which has meant fewer people employed, fewer people farming, and fewer small businesses. There are some signs, however, that Palouse food culture isn't only about big agriculture. Take one trip to the Moscow Farmer's Market and you will find a suite of area small farmers selling vegetables, honey, cheese, and grain. You don't have to travel too far beyond that to visit Moscow restaurants that embrace local food and make a business from it. Nectar is such a place.</p>
<p>So let me set the scene. My boyfriend and I wandered in one fine summer evening and were shown to a small table in the back of the restaurant. The lights were dim and the wine glasses were sparkly. To start we ordered a bottle of wine. For an appetizer we ordered ceviche, which was wonderfully fresh, tart, and flavorful. I could of kept eating the ceviche, because it is one of my favorite dishes, so thank goodness for the small portion. For my main course, I had the best slice of meatloaf ever. Want to know why? It was seared around the edges with a slice of bacon, was perfectly moist and flavorful in the middle, was topped with a chipotle barbecue glaze, and was placed on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes with carrots on the side. Wow, heaven.</p>
<p>For dessert we had strawberries and cream and the last few drops of our delicious red wine. Nectar is a must if you find yourself in Moscow, Idaho. Nectar also has an extensive wine list and a rotating menu to keep up with the seasons. It is a restaurant I've wanted to go to for the last two years and finally made it there. Yah me and yah to my boyfriend who was so sweet in taking me there.</p>
<p>Photo credit: <a href="http://peterroise.com/Commercial/Palouse-Photos/11014584_8tv5Mt#!i=770275216&k=dAe27">Peter Roise Photography</a></p>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16289293347871485325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631933644851721351.post-21886115543572592042012-08-01T23:08:00.000-07:002012-08-05T21:28:08.062-07:00My Grandmother's Home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4khrv-XkE_O9Qxu7IAzEIEFBwUwDdsXvFtNJSYO3wKgGBqKgBeVPdNyY5-VDXCq1Lqf20sliRhBLOnk80teVNVNDD1xx3Jsi1SQLbY0DC84bwZ78fuVQFg4YlMTR8Eij7DiizrizsjOdf/s1600/IMG_2125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:middle;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="334" width=500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4khrv-XkE_O9Qxu7IAzEIEFBwUwDdsXvFtNJSYO3wKgGBqKgBeVPdNyY5-VDXCq1Lqf20sliRhBLOnk80teVNVNDD1xx3Jsi1SQLbY0DC84bwZ78fuVQFg4YlMTR8Eij7DiizrizsjOdf/s1600/IMG_2125.jpg" /></a></div>
<p>This past weekend I took a trip down memory lane, but they weren't my memories. They were my Grandmother's. She grew up on a homestead that her grandparent's built in the late 1800's in the wheat farming region of Washington State. A young family lives on the homestead now and they have done a wonderful job at restoring this old farm house in this golden place.</p>
<p>We stepped up the stairs onto the front porch. At a distance on the horizon you can see the once bustling wheat town of Ralston, where my Grandma walked through fields to take her piano lessons. Now it is but a sweeping glance of forgotten buildings. Stepping inside the house, the wood floor boards are still original, but were stripped down through many layers of paint. My Grandma was born in this house. It is where three generations of my family members lived and loved. How could this be? I suppose such is the sentiment of history, knowing who breathed or battled in a particular place all the while trying to pinch yourself to believe it so.</p>
<p>My Grandma told me stories of how her family cooked during harvest time; cherry pies, homemade bread, German sausages, and fresh eggs. These were homesteading meals. Hard work wasn't something that was defined it was done daily through chores, farming, and hard labor. Joys were simple such as the taste of a ripe peach off the tree, a nap in the shade, or fresh curtain linens hung on a bright window. Sorrow often appeared too, in quiet and not so quiet places. Times like these seem grand, difficult, and humbling even to the distant observer.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPk9fLQulicQmR7TK9Px4F29PYHseZmUdcG0PV3yo__KIlfVTI18qdLnnglH4P9d5UMDaEFS4ZAzTRqyRzlT-cFjNwTU14a6opC6N4o5heaiUcoaZbtr69dzgoLzwb_z2R7w7xDa-q1BGq/s1600/IMG_2041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:middle;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="334" width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPk9fLQulicQmR7TK9Px4F29PYHseZmUdcG0PV3yo__KIlfVTI18qdLnnglH4P9d5UMDaEFS4ZAzTRqyRzlT-cFjNwTU14a6opC6N4o5heaiUcoaZbtr69dzgoLzwb_z2R7w7xDa-q1BGq/s1600/IMG_2041.jpg" /></a></div>
<p>"Would anyone like a watermelon milkshake"? My head turned in anticipation. Sure enough the woman of the house opens the door and walks out with dixie cups and a beautiful pink pitcher. This is hospitality. The sun was beating down and we were drinking watermelon milkshakes while the family visited on the lawn and learned about the improvements that were made to this lovely home. The house was raised three inches on one side to account for decades of subsidence. Sixteen feet were added to one end of the house, but much of the house still claims its original layout. The room where my Great Grandfather played music on his beloved organ and the horse barn where my Grandmother brushed her favorite horse were still in tact. The old trees on the property still stand. The summer house where my Dad played as a little kid on vacations to the farm and the root cellar no longer exist except for the remnants of the rock foundation now surrounding a bed of flowers in the front garden.</p>
<p>I was impressed. The family living in the house now are such a joy and were so welcoming. Their house is a part of history, our history. They are embracing that, building it up, and are keeping a legacy alive. This trip to the farm got me thinking of the hard work of the past and how it has changed over time. It got me thinking of all the valuable skills we have lost over time as a result of convenience and increased mobility. It got me thinking about ghost towns that were once thriving local economies. It got me thinking about the value of place and how well a person can really know home. We can learn a lot from the past, especially when it comes to growing things and sharing things. Is there hope for the town of Ralston? I'd like to think so. I'd like to think that our small agricultural towns could once again flourish. I hope so.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPHQjWJ9TTB0LIBf3bJOdUTR7JZFVhJrBOHp6t8ptF7B21cU4A50JhTBquukz-fk9Dd1wpmqYY5ypjeR92nqyvFJphzFSGdQfa-rogD5qN_Sn3JWJKWDX761vOmEXGMe6nI7rS4yFqJWg4/s1600/IMG_2039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:middle;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="334" width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPHQjWJ9TTB0LIBf3bJOdUTR7JZFVhJrBOHp6t8ptF7B21cU4A50JhTBquukz-fk9Dd1wpmqYY5ypjeR92nqyvFJphzFSGdQfa-rogD5qN_Sn3JWJKWDX761vOmEXGMe6nI7rS4yFqJWg4/s1600/IMG_2039.jpg" /></a></div>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16289293347871485325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631933644851721351.post-18759190835954337752012-07-25T17:15:00.000-07:002012-08-05T21:28:33.619-07:00Vlad's Souvlaki: Greek Fast Food in the Palouse<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYIAq4HXeK66XmVV6E9xvKQ1uYiOVbej1y18Gv6YqJiQoITu5rN_C_Wzbe_Hq2J73Xl8fQCZjRWYPeVKBvMGW0kM9upV3vKkvJvhCgTcEd8mJsqmoGQ3EEVQaH-QR28bLbNGcVPUMRnqb8/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYIAq4HXeK66XmVV6E9xvKQ1uYiOVbej1y18Gv6YqJiQoITu5rN_C_Wzbe_Hq2J73Xl8fQCZjRWYPeVKBvMGW0kM9upV3vKkvJvhCgTcEd8mJsqmoGQ3EEVQaH-QR28bLbNGcVPUMRnqb8/s1600/photo.JPG" width="500" /></a></div>
<p>It makes sense that someone would start up a small fast food joint in downtown Moscow, Idaho. Vlad's, however, is a lot different than your typical fast food experience. This new business features Greek fast food on its menu, also known as souvlaki. I know little about Greek fast food other than I like it so when Vlad's opened up, I made a point to stop by to try it.</p>
<p>First, let me describe the place. Think food truck without the truck. Vlad's is a small permanent structure on the corner of highway 95 (the north/south highway through town) and E 6th Street (the east/west road through the University of Idaho campus). Yeah, sure, there are parking lots nearby, but there is no drive through. Their space reminds me of a BBQ shelter you might see at your local county park meets trendy outdoor Portland cafe complete with tables, art work, and a chalkboard menu.</p>
<p>I looked up at the chalkboard menu and ordered their special. The menu isn't extensive, but that is what adds to its charm. They have a specialty and it's good. Pick from your choice of grilled skewers and sides. The prices are very reasonable too. Two and half dollars per skewer (Pork, turkey, beef, or tofu) and a buck in a half for their sides (romaine or cabbage slaw and "garbs"). Perhaps you have to be a local to know what "garbs" are, but I caught on because "garbs" is short for garbanzo (aka chickpeas), a delicious legume grown here in the Palouse.</p>
<p>The "Kolatso" special is what I ordered. I got two pork skewers, cabbage slaw, garbs, tzatsiki sauce (a personal favorite), and two slices of Panhandle bread. Sounds good, doesn't it? Here's how it tasted. The pork skewers were delicious. They weren't as lean as I'd prefer, but they were grilled to perfection. They were sliced into small pieces and the outer edges were charred golden brown. An oil based marinade was added at the end full of savory herbs. The skewers were placed atop of a bed of cabbage slaw with a tangy lemon dressing. The side of garbs was slow cooked with a hint of rosemary and the tzatsiki sauce, do I really have to explain? It was too good for words. Tzatsiki is a thick Greek yogurt marinade or sauce with garlic, lemon, cucumbers, olive oil, pepper, and herbs. It goes with just about anything in my opinion. It was a great compliment to each of the menu items and it ended up paired with each side dish on my plate. Did I mention I like tzatsiki sauce? Souvlaki would be nothing without it.</p>
<p>I highly recommend stopping by Vlad's for some souvlaki. For $6 I ate a delicious and healthy fast food lunch. My only complaint was that I had to wait 15 minutes for my order to finish. Yes, I was also in the hot noon sun (which didn't help) and this Western Washington girl can only stand outside for so long. It was their first week, however, so they will get faster as they get more experienced.</p>
<p>P.S. I took a hiatus from blog writing, but I'm back and will be more consistent!</p>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16289293347871485325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631933644851721351.post-33665374940387722452012-05-07T22:37:00.000-07:002012-05-07T22:37:00.313-07:00Thrifty Tips: My Birthday Dress<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKPubDYv1KmA2QGXZlP0yOmoIswQD-ndYxSfuSKT0OHWWNea_NfFp0K60DzveqtbZF23WYKJ7rmQuZfTaC29n4zndBxbzgLnmW3ddcRnRafDOj18Om6-S6Z_2MMEQLMp0h9N35RYT6YG6g/s1600/thriftstore_00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:middle;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="334" width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKPubDYv1KmA2QGXZlP0yOmoIswQD-ndYxSfuSKT0OHWWNea_NfFp0K60DzveqtbZF23WYKJ7rmQuZfTaC29n4zndBxbzgLnmW3ddcRnRafDOj18Om6-S6Z_2MMEQLMp0h9N35RYT6YG6g/s1600/thriftstore_00.jpg" /></a></div>
<p>Alas, Spring is finally here. And so it felt today. </p>
<p>The sun was out, the air was warm, and there was a bustle on the streets from all us vitamin D deprived Pacific Northwesterners. I spent the morning working from a coffee shop and then spent the afternoon attending a Red Cross CPR/AED training. After my class, since I just happened to be at the Goodwill of all Goodwills in the Seattle area, I stopped to see if I could find some thrift store treasures. I love thrift stores. I find all kinds of cool stuff. So, every once in awhile when I do, I like to show you. Mainly so you can be jealous and then go to a thrift store yourself to see if you can find yourself something awesome too.</p>
<p>It has taken a couple days to convince myself that I would splurge and buy a cute dress from Anthropologie, one of my favorite clothing stores that I hardly buy clothing from anymore. It's my birthday soon and I want a birthday dress. The reason why it took a couple days to convince myself was because Anthropologie dresses are a pretty penny. I can expect to pay a minimum of $150 for one. That is a lot for a dress! But, people buy them everyday. And so was I. That is, until I went to Goodwill this afternoon. I was browsing the aisles, sorting past one garment after another, while discovering patterns, color and an assortment of fabrics, when all of a sudden I stumbled on a familiar name. The dress I had stopped at was a beautiful dress full of spring time color that not only swayed in the gentle breeze of someone walking by, it was also from the very store I planned to visit and that I dearly love: Anthropologie! A thrift store find in the record books and a birthday present to me. Now what will I do with the rest of the birthday money I saved from this magical thrift store purchase?</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL1dXBO0OPVdJ1lNrs_v2LoS3oKXFRdY81_DbdcE3IVRUG6R-GlZn55cSucHJcaJmqf78yoU3tw604p0wXXCWjugAYjqNVXJFLlQ2N1V1hXvPlXiHv3S2roQy6vfd6vdCyZGSFYl7eHj5a/s1600/thriftstore_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:middle;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="500" width="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL1dXBO0OPVdJ1lNrs_v2LoS3oKXFRdY81_DbdcE3IVRUG6R-GlZn55cSucHJcaJmqf78yoU3tw604p0wXXCWjugAYjqNVXJFLlQ2N1V1hXvPlXiHv3S2roQy6vfd6vdCyZGSFYl7eHj5a/s1600/thriftstore_02.jpg" /></a></div>
<p>I also found a lovely lace top (below) that I am hoping will go quite well with a certain pair of birthday jeans, as well as a butterfly tank top and a long cherry sweater (see again below).
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW_G8blZzZGwy9UVM0m3cJxydv7FRnoY2NbM8VVwZPrXzQy3RuMDvT-yEDWr2kkyBpxEc_Ar2-1ht3jjAPqzBs6jesAcvnjZR0CBO9TPjcf4qGjCCLwIm06npspucGt0DFRsdcRvFzKahW/s1600/thriftstore_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:middle;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="334" width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW_G8blZzZGwy9UVM0m3cJxydv7FRnoY2NbM8VVwZPrXzQy3RuMDvT-yEDWr2kkyBpxEc_Ar2-1ht3jjAPqzBs6jesAcvnjZR0CBO9TPjcf4qGjCCLwIm06npspucGt0DFRsdcRvFzKahW/s1600/thriftstore_01.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJR2zoIJ9oApeRl6UgSKlJSX9cPDBkbJssUUpG1xESw1ZZtL-tRYYkZUUGHSvIGZM6m2vcnKDQKEv_NL1KWwm-DOpGmPbmJs9ZLcPoEytzsVcd3_wd_Hkw9UUfLBKdK70On12JbcNWCrH/s1600/thriftstore_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:middle;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="334" width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJR2zoIJ9oApeRl6UgSKlJSX9cPDBkbJssUUpG1xESw1ZZtL-tRYYkZUUGHSvIGZM6m2vcnKDQKEv_NL1KWwm-DOpGmPbmJs9ZLcPoEytzsVcd3_wd_Hkw9UUfLBKdK70On12JbcNWCrH/s1600/thriftstore_03.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibxQJvtF6FxocpiXF_OOhUC4Yp8aCnfo5c680Lz1caMaZubL4__6uWCY1JkaddavT03owjLKmRBo155rtZCebsvTYc_ekz5l8ofwlaBOw16zsqVDASglGaSCZIkfkuYwl-DeTh1PpfbVcw/s1600/thriftstore_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:middle;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="500" width="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibxQJvtF6FxocpiXF_OOhUC4Yp8aCnfo5c680Lz1caMaZubL4__6uWCY1JkaddavT03owjLKmRBo155rtZCebsvTYc_ekz5l8ofwlaBOw16zsqVDASglGaSCZIkfkuYwl-DeTh1PpfbVcw/s1600/thriftstore_04.jpg" /></a></div>
<p>Happy spring. Cheers to finding your very own thrift store treasures!</p>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16289293347871485325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631933644851721351.post-75155718456889167482012-04-01T14:09:00.011-07:002012-04-01T22:04:55.408-07:00What's In Season Sunday: Eggs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwvPXYVto_ZDrnUOBZtnhP78wJX483jqPvd7gRZ3GF8Syk6pJhbvmcEBOtb6GIjl-wcCj6VkPkHUIp9GWhyphenhyphenCOaZ30LZXerRClc4RHiNsxkX1k8Xxr7PU_8mYMUF62ht5tEHitdaUEJaSbU/s1600/eggs_031.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwvPXYVto_ZDrnUOBZtnhP78wJX483jqPvd7gRZ3GF8Syk6pJhbvmcEBOtb6GIjl-wcCj6VkPkHUIp9GWhyphenhyphenCOaZ30LZXerRClc4RHiNsxkX1k8Xxr7PU_8mYMUF62ht5tEHitdaUEJaSbU/s1600/eggs_031.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726552244810667218" /></a>
<p>I don't have chickens, but I will someday. </p>
<p>Then I could eat fresh eggs all the time. Instead of eating meat, sometimes I opt for eggs instead. Eggs are a familiar breakfast food, but they can be used in many ways for lunch and dinner too. Eggs are delicious in egg salad sandwiches, in egg burritos, in home made mayonnaise, salad dressings, salads, with roasted asparagus, in custards, bread pudding, and other baked goods. There are so many uses for eggs. I guess that is where the slogan comes in, "the incredible edible egg".
<p>Yesterday I visited a friend's farm near Royal City, WA. His family gave me almost two dozen farm fresh eggs. Thanks Brett! I was in the hen house when they were collected and saw the chickens. Any farmer would probably laugh and say, "big deal". It is a big a deal. Us city folks, those of us who don't have urban chickens wandering our backyards anyway, consider this an adventure. We simply don't get to see the chickens that lay the eggs we eat. It is as simple as that. I think about it often. Having the story behind the food I eat, makes me enjoy it so much more. Breakfast isn't just breakfast, it's an experience.</p>
<p>Farm fresh eggs have good health benefits over their grocery store counterparts. They have a third less cholesterol, a fourth less saturated fat, two thrids more vitamin A, two times more omego -3 fatty acids, three times more vitamin E, four to six more times vitamin D, and seven times more beta carotene. That is fantastic! <a href="http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/2007-10-01/Tests-Reveal-Healthier-Eggs.aspx">Read more about it here.</a></p>
<p>Farm fresh eggs are becoming available at some grocery stores. Make sure you ask your grocer where they came from (so you are aware of how the chickens were raised) and when they arrived. Farm fresh eggs can also be found at your farmer's market or from bartering with an urban farmer in your neighborhood. It is becoming increasingly popular to raise backyard chickens. Seattle and Portland both have annual chicken coop tours. <a href="http://seattletilth.org/special_events/chickencoopurbanfarmtour2012">Plan ahead and go to Seattle's here!</a></p>
<p>So, who's with me? Let's go buy ourselves some chickens!</p>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16289293347871485325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631933644851721351.post-62410140133981678252012-03-30T21:02:00.001-07:002012-03-30T21:59:08.803-07:00It's Beginning To Look Like a Bag<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8zaZtszhDt95KJU0hwjNb4mN406jqCi2wRJdnvSp9ejmDwIuUqWImzhcnZ54lZikLAC6aKj6XCF3vwHWSQf94Vk4DgZrhJKde4sFkvOLk7f4xEG3lAy-MZFsZPOBE6qRfCZJKx9NRnVCX/s1600/fabric.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8zaZtszhDt95KJU0hwjNb4mN406jqCi2wRJdnvSp9ejmDwIuUqWImzhcnZ54lZikLAC6aKj6XCF3vwHWSQf94Vk4DgZrhJKde4sFkvOLk7f4xEG3lAy-MZFsZPOBE6qRfCZJKx9NRnVCX/s1600/fabric.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725919895842046674" /></a>
<p>One of my New Years resolutions this year is to learn how to sew. I learn best by having someone show me! Yeah, I tend to be one of those people that skips reading the instructions for real world demonstrations and hands on experience. So I knew I needed to find a sewing friend or register for a beginning sewing class to make any progress. I looked online first by doing a simple search. I found several options.</p>
<p>The first, a beginning sewing class at a hip Seattle fabric store. The second, a beginning sewing class at the local community college. The community college offers continuing education classes and regularly has a whole range of sewing classes to choose from. The Community College class required that I bring my own sewing machine, so I opted out for now. I have my Mom's old sewing machine, which I plan to look at this weekend and determine if it is worth servicing (an estimated cost of $100), since it hasn't been used in quite some time. I know two important things about her sewing machine. First, it is a very heavy sewing machine (unlike the easy to carry machines we used in class). But because her sewing machine is heavy, means it was made with metal and not plastic parts. In other words, it was made to last! I like that. Second, when I look at the sewing machine I think of my Mom. I have a very sentimental reason for keeping it and learning how to use it. I really like that.</p>
<p>I called the hip fabric store and registered for my class. It is a two part five hour course. Yesterday, I went to the first class. I imagined a big room full of sewing machines and lots of people. But it was even better. Our sewing instructor was an older man with tattoos up and down both arms and along his beard line. Like me, two other young women were really eager to sew. That's it. I got my wish, practically one on one demonstration and instruction. We got to work sewing the "inevitable bag", a fun shopping tote. I imagine mine being used to go to the beach.</p>
<p>The best part of the class was when we moved from measuring to pinning our fabric and cutting and then on to practicing sewing on our fabric scraps. We got a complete overview and introduction to the sewing machines and then were let loose. Luckily, none of us sewed our fingers together or stitched in crazy lines. I don't know why a sewing machine has to be intimidating or hard to learn, like I thought. It was easy. We each sewed two spare fabric patches together and were like little kids playing show and tell. We were so proud of what we had just done.</p>
<p>Next week when I go back we will assemble the pieces we stitched this week and sew the actual bag together. I am really excited to show you all the fantastic finish to my first sewing adventure!</p>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16289293347871485325noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631933644851721351.post-41071403024982177572012-03-27T21:46:00.013-07:002012-03-27T22:29:24.031-07:00Thrifty Tips: No Coupons<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuMLuzpXNahEbx-nhdR-_9ErjN31jj4ThjLtw_7UlLWykyy2t9yFxS8B9nRh2gKggW4T7zRBVJkamNl-BQmYYCqBPSQd_1NeEZ2tvRaln3i0OoLvboeb1NxgoKvRwigVhL93eSBs3gZ9m6/s1600/cook.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 319px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuMLuzpXNahEbx-nhdR-_9ErjN31jj4ThjLtw_7UlLWykyy2t9yFxS8B9nRh2gKggW4T7zRBVJkamNl-BQmYYCqBPSQd_1NeEZ2tvRaln3i0OoLvboeb1NxgoKvRwigVhL93eSBs3gZ9m6/s1600/cook.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724811448020275794" /></a>
<p>Trying to save money on your grocery bill? </p>
<p>Are you a coupon lover? </p>
<p>Believe it or not, coupon cutting may not save you the most money when it comes to reducing your grocery bills. What will? Well, cooking from scratch is a good first effort. Having a menu plan for the week doesn't hurt either and is something I often lack because of my busy schedule. But everyone has that excuse, right? </p>
<p>The reality is, the best way to save money, waste less food, and eat healthier is to spend some time each week on a menu and stick to it. It can be hard to make the switch from grab and go to stay at home. Just this week alone I've fallen into that pattern. I've made several trips to the grocery store already. Each time I go, I never really have a plan beyond one or two days, which leaves me with a higher bill than if I would of planned a menu. As a result, I also haven't been packing lunches to work and have been eating out more regularly. I don't mind eating out every once in awhile, but for me I'd like it to be a once a week thing, not an every day habit.</p>
<p>I saw a friend on Facebook post a really good article in the Desert News recently called, "No Coupons: Secrets to Beat Rising Food Costs" that I'd like to pass along to all of you. In it, you will find the story of one woman who gave up coupons, started cooking from scratch, and found herself saving more money for her household (and just as important, wasting less food).</p>
<p>See for yourself, cooking from scratch can be cool!</p>
<p><strong>Read the article here:</strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765563236/No-coupons-Secrets-to-beat-rising-food-costs.html?pg=1">No Coupons: Secrets to Beat Rising Food Costs</a></strong></p>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16289293347871485325noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631933644851721351.post-19735337277010436182012-03-20T07:36:00.031-07:002012-03-20T07:36:00.316-07:00Thrifty Tips: Reusing Sandwich Bags<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRFmkX3ozz_XNpCr20PC9V_Vy_SwNZrl2LHM21uoSqODgFrhdE_v1zgL4kDo0jKt7SIXGhNFybKDYnu4HEVfUgpxIEojtc0Ck2wc8QhZS-W_G3nrdPhCYL6aCLKTDn17vh1VZL9hFHTk7/s1600/ziploc.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRFmkX3ozz_XNpCr20PC9V_Vy_SwNZrl2LHM21uoSqODgFrhdE_v1zgL4kDo0jKt7SIXGhNFybKDYnu4HEVfUgpxIEojtc0Ck2wc8QhZS-W_G3nrdPhCYL6aCLKTDn17vh1VZL9hFHTk7/s1600/ziploc.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5720946191090765602" /></a>
<p>I was driving around the other day and glanced at the sticker on my car windshield that lets me know when my next oil change is due. I am approaching the mileage where it is time to make my next appointment, but I also noticed I am overdue on the calendar date the Honda dealership estimated I'd be back. Suckers! I am sure there is a mechanical reason for not letting dirty engine oil circulate in my car for too long, even though I have yet to reach the next three thousand mile oil change mark, but to me this is a sign that I have been driving much less than the average car driver out there. I feel like I'm extending the life of my car. I am driving less, thus delaying the pace of needed oil changes. As a result, I'm also saving money. This little sticker on my car windshield is a great measure for the pace of how I use up something. In this case, my car. But what if this same technique could be used for other things?</p>
<p>Have you ever noticed what a chore it feels like to reuse something? Throwing stuff away is so easy! Even recycling is easy! You use something, you toss it in a bin somewhere. Easy. In the ease of consumption we seldom really notice the pace of our consumption, until we slow it down. This is when a handy little sticker could be really helpful to track how quickly we use something up. Now, I am not suggesting you make little stickers for everything you consume, but you could!</p>
<p>Take the instance of those little plastic sandwich and freezer bags. I've been trying to eliminate them all together from my household, but they are so useful for some things. Saving glass jars from items you purchase at the grocery store and storing dinner leftovers in them is a good way to reduce the amount of plastic storage bags you use. Another way to slow down sandwich bag use, is to reuse them! I know, it isn't as fun as tossing them away. Each sandwich bag you wash and reuse will save you about five to ten cents. That can be real savings in the long run.</p>
<p>Now imagine that box of Ziploc bags you just bought from your favorite store came with a little sticker on it that said, "You are due back to Target in two weeks to buy more plastic bags". If you use up all your bags in time, what a faithful customer you will be! Every two weeks for a long, long time you can plan on adding Ziploc bags to your grocery list. On the other hand, if you wash and reuse your bags (and use jars for storing food), it may be a month, maybe two, before you have to buy another box! Target may be weeping, but you have just saved yourself money (and your landfill some extra space)! It is estimated a plastic bag takes 10-20 years to decompose!</p>
<p>If you don't know how fast you go through Ziploc bags (or any other product), start tracking! With a permanent marker, write the date directly on the box (or container) when you first begin using the product. When you have used it all, write the end date. Count the days or weeks it took you to use it all. Say it was two weeks. When you buy a new set of Ziploc bags, again write your start date and write the estimated end date (two weeks later). Now see if you can beat it! Make it a goal to extend the life of that box of Ziploc bags by an extra week or two! You just might find yourself pushing out the date of replacement even further each time.</p>
<p>To wash Ziploc bags, I find it easiest to turn them inside out, wash them with a little soap and warm water, and let them air dry upside down on a dish rack or atop a wine bottle. Otherwise, they tend to close and not dry completely. When they are dry, return them to the normal orientation and store to use again later. Being thrifty can fee like a small act, but it is one that matters. A little effort to fight the tendency to toss can make a real difference in a household's overall effort to save money and resources, reduce trash, and to extend the life of a product. </p>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16289293347871485325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631933644851721351.post-88557262614491844282012-03-18T07:34:00.014-07:002012-03-18T07:34:00.216-07:00What's in Season Sunday: Oysters<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh10lXv67vH0Z3HoQeKiazZjkIeB9VHVpH6U4XHBB_a78LeBpZ7FshwOd51z-z5qW5xDjjEIXQj-YdG_5Je6N42AD7bitiBUfxdGwu3bQDDnidFNmbmYvn_xK84rnnknmu9jh6Wz4NfeSR/s1600/oyster_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh10lXv67vH0Z3HoQeKiazZjkIeB9VHVpH6U4XHBB_a78LeBpZ7FshwOd51z-z5qW5xDjjEIXQj-YdG_5Je6N42AD7bitiBUfxdGwu3bQDDnidFNmbmYvn_xK84rnnknmu9jh6Wz4NfeSR/s1600/oyster_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5720941402801036386" /></a>
<p>Awe, beautiful Willapa Bay. Driving along Highway 101 on a sunny Winter day feels like a deep exhale. The blue water and sky split the horizon and the breezy, salty air let's you know you are near the Pacific Ocean. Until about five years ago, Willapa Bay was never really a part of my mental map. After all, the bay is off the beaten path of the main north and south thoroughfare that is Interstate 5, and I had never ventured west of the freeway through Pacific County in lovely southwest Washington State. What a shame! This area is a testament to some of Washington State's most valued resources, including timber and shellfish. Willapa Bay is one of the cleanest bays in the United States and produces an abundance of mighty fine delicious oysters.</p>
<p>Did you know Washington leads all US states in oyster production? There are a lot of oysters out there for us to enjoy. It wasn't until recently, however, that I came around to eating and enjoying them. Most people either love them and think they are a wonderful local delicacy, or they think they are slimy and taste like salt water. Well, I'd like to say we are all right. Freshly shucked oysters taste like the ocean, have a creamy texture, and sweet tasting liquor (the liquid inside the shell that the oyster is happily living in). I love eating oysters raw (oyster shooters) with a little lemon squeeze and a small dollop of cocktail sauce. They are also tasty fried or smoked.</p>
<p>Not only are oysters delicious to eat, they do a great service to places like Willapa Bay. They are filter feeders. They filter an average of 25 gallons of water per day in search of food. They also filter out nutrients and toxins in the water that flow off the land and into the sea making them a very sustainable food choice! I wanted to see an oyster production facility first hand, so I looked one up online, and on my travels stopped at <a href="http://ekoneoyster.com/">Ekone Oyster Company</a> in Willapa Bay. </p>
<p>It was a small place. We walked inside through a hallway to a window where you place your orders. Above the window, a big white board listed their prices. You could buy oysters in the shell, shucked oysters in various sizes, and smoked oysters. A friendly man welcomed us, told us some history about oyster production in the Bay, and let us go in the back room where a line of workers were working at lightning speeds shucking oysters as they moved slowly toward them on a small conveyor belt. They packed a quart size container of shucked oysters out of the ocean that morning for us, put them on ice, and we were on our way. If you ever get a chance, I highly recommend visiting the Ekone Oyster Company, or any other local oyster producer for that manner. It is a wonderful experience meeting the producer of the food you eat as well as eating shellfish fresh from the sea!</p>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16289293347871485325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631933644851721351.post-57062314605128959812012-03-04T07:33:00.019-08:002012-03-04T10:31:48.466-08:00What's in Season Sunday: Potatoes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaflEYlxiLSLFjZ2xRyKb90pCz3LngKcmbg-lh5miP9410Hb7HT2IB9H9NOeNd0nxURBCB_g3Wc7DEbuTsAnWVGSFoifGsvkaxwHDNk6mbwK11Yi4IFhFIMYcp9lxoXHR6XtPFFfiEzToT/s1600/chorizopotatoscramble2.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaflEYlxiLSLFjZ2xRyKb90pCz3LngKcmbg-lh5miP9410Hb7HT2IB9H9NOeNd0nxURBCB_g3Wc7DEbuTsAnWVGSFoifGsvkaxwHDNk6mbwK11Yi4IFhFIMYcp9lxoXHR6XtPFFfiEzToT/s1600/chorizopotatoscramble2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715534034579286706" /></a>
<p>Of course, I choose a time to get back into my blog writing about local food when it's winter. I've been traveling all over the world, but now it is time to settle in and stay closer to home. Time to appreciate the bounty that is growing here in the Pacific Northwest. Well, ok, not much is growing. Last week, however, I went to the farmer's market. I hadn't been in such a long time! I was expecting to see very few food stands there, but to my surprise I saw grain, cheese, fish, greens, and many varieties of potatoes for sale! Spring is definitely coming.</p>
<p>I decided to buy a handful of potatoes, but I almost didn't know where to start because there were so many varieties. When traveling in Peru, I heard at certain food markets you can choose between hundreds of varieties of potatoes to buy! More varieties of potatoes mean more food security. Different microclimates and soils over time throughout the Andes meant that if one type of potato wasn't successful, (because of pests or disease), there wouldn't be a food shortage. What a great lesson for us all still! Potatoes originally came from the Andes region of South America and have been cultivated outside of the Andes region for about four centuries. So, as you can imagine, no one should be short on recipes! Also, my Grandpa use to grow potatoes in his garden, so I have a special memory of him whenever I cook with them. </p>
<p>I decided to buy a yellow skin/yellow flesh potato called a Binjte. I also decided to buy something totally different, something you wouldn't find at the local QFC, a blue skinned/blue flesh potato called an All Blue (even though it looks purple). I bought these potatoes from <a href="http://olsenfarms.com/olsenfarms/who.htm">Olsen Farms</a>, located in the northeast region of the state by Colville. They grow 23 varieties of potatoes, all of which have different colors, textures, and culinary purposes. The man I talked to told me the varieties I purchased were perfect for frying. That is exactly what I wanted to do with them. </p>
<p>This recipe is very simple and is inspired by my boyfriend, mainly because he makes it all the time. He is a graduate student and wakes up every morning and the first thing out of his mouth is usually, "I'm hungry". This breakfast makes a nice Sunday brunch, or an easy weekday breakfast (you know, like on one of those mornings you have extra time). It's a very hearty meal and will keep you full for hours, which is perfect for those of us who use our wits all day long. It also makes good left overs. I always fry up an egg to go on top. Enjoy!</p>
<br>
<strong><p>Chorizo Potato Scramble for Studious Minds</p></strong>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSkRWdtSwOmGATYWaWrNQ2cUhaYv8VAV7OSaym03hmCDYCx2aDmWyIWBuofoMC4pmUwuYH2kww7iu534DqnZ6o-CuN4Tv8EA4RLVhO4lzyiCJTdIEdMQKJN0phIQL_gok2IKdSkFuWBz7n/s1600/chorizopotatoscramble.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSkRWdtSwOmGATYWaWrNQ2cUhaYv8VAV7OSaym03hmCDYCx2aDmWyIWBuofoMC4pmUwuYH2kww7iu534DqnZ6o-CuN4Tv8EA4RLVhO4lzyiCJTdIEdMQKJN0phIQL_gok2IKdSkFuWBz7n/s1600/chorizopotatoscramble.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5715533869962796402" /></a>
<ul>
<li>Olive Oil</li>
<li>6-8oz of Chorizo Sausage</li>
<li>6 Potatoes from a local farmer, cube into sugar cube-sized pieces</li>
<li>1/2 - 1 Yellow Onion, Chopped</li>
<li>2 Tbsp Parsley, Finely Chopped</li>
<li>Eggs</li>
<li>Salt/Pepper</li>
</ul>
<p>In a medium sized frying pan, heat up 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add chorizo sausage and cook until brown, or about 10 minutes on medium to high heat (chorizo has a lot of spices in it, so it may be difficult to tell when it is done). Remove the chorizo from the pan. Add the potatoes. Cook until tender, but not falling apart. It may help to add a little water and add a lid to the pan, if the potatoes are still crunchy or they are sticking to the pan. Just before potatoes are cooked through (and all water has evaporated, if any was added to the pan), add the onion and cooked sausage. In another frying pan, fry an egg, or two, or three. I like to fry my eggs over easy. Serve bowls with the chorizo potato scramble and place fried eggs on top. Sprinkle with parsley and season with salt and pepper.</p>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16289293347871485325noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631933644851721351.post-81040580341826052902012-02-08T16:17:00.000-08:002012-02-08T16:56:59.756-08:00I'm Coming Home!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe9ICjowl9xMk-un00Q-p45AtJZU0iDsBFsf5g_IeqAgUkbkRowSdImqF_11kK03xGmm4eZ6xa8nl-U7v0e1w1pjsA7_sAW2KF7FGHsaQ8ggylpZm2LaEUjO4e-H84llXtgHhfOKAxxaCX/s1600/IMG_0985_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe9ICjowl9xMk-un00Q-p45AtJZU0iDsBFsf5g_IeqAgUkbkRowSdImqF_11kK03xGmm4eZ6xa8nl-U7v0e1w1pjsA7_sAW2KF7FGHsaQ8ggylpZm2LaEUjO4e-H84llXtgHhfOKAxxaCX/s1600/IMG_0985_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706928104298957794" /></a>
<p>Hello everyone! Internet connectivity has been quite poor the last couple days from my hotel. I am writing you on my last full day in Chile before flying home. I've been traveling now for almost four weeks! Tomorrow morning I am taking a bus from Pucon to Valdivia. I will spend the day there until my evening flight. It is a 25 hour journey home. I have had a great time here in Pucon with Mercedes. It is fun working with her and it was so nice meeting her family.</p>
<p>Pucon is a crazy town right now. It is party central. There are teenagers everywhere and young families. The beaches are crowded with umbrellas and the sidewalks are packed with window shoppers and people eating out. It is a little much for me. I love the setting of Pucon. It is surrounded by mountains, big lakes, and national parks. The rivers are ready for rafting and kayaking. The recreational opportunities are endless. I like that. The town is nestled a little too close for comfort for me next to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villarrica_%28volcano%29">Volcan Villarrica</a>, Chile's most active volcano, but it has been safe since the 1970s so the odds are potentially good between now and when I leave that the steady stream of smoke coming from the top will stay as it is. I would definitely come back here in either December or January, but not during this crazy month of February. There are just too many people, unless you plan to spend most of your time outside of town.</p>
<p>I did get a chance to sit on the beach today. I was soaking up the sun before I return to winter! I counted, in about four to five months we will be getting weather like this in Washington! The sun was warm today. I think I may be coming home with a little bit of a tan and I loved feeling the warm breeze on my skin. I ate out twice today. For lunch I had ceviche and for dinner a traditional Chilean casserole dish made with creamed corn, ground beef, chicken, basil, and olives. I will miss the good food I've tried along the way!</p>
<p>My bags are packed and I am ready to go. South America is an amazing country and so big to explore! I love the diversity of plant and animal life, the warm weather, and the wonderful people I've met along the way, but I am also looking forward to being a home body for awhile now!</p>
<p>Thanks for following my blog with me on my travels! Here are a few more pictures to share. Chao!</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2jimnYQHGJ1uSRbXJ0f8gw6wTQkXYIkD_kXw56nbTLR8TKdBsKsXfy-OuXY9EiPsQd7SxwntPKhNsE3jwkTMkePVY9hb2QZRfeFBCvZYRuysCIhCf0QuhnhZSwQCBccQ0qnWnHV-XPSQc/s1600/IMG_1002_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2jimnYQHGJ1uSRbXJ0f8gw6wTQkXYIkD_kXw56nbTLR8TKdBsKsXfy-OuXY9EiPsQd7SxwntPKhNsE3jwkTMkePVY9hb2QZRfeFBCvZYRuysCIhCf0QuhnhZSwQCBccQ0qnWnHV-XPSQc/s1600/IMG_1002_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706928687415739010" /></a>
<p>Above: Volcan Felafel House (the name I've given it). A small cafe downtown.</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCIEsPQfx96I7LoL5ZkwOkuFUI6hVcGOIoFaNhJNgHNSohVBMbqjvCkT-zdiEkYlEr9_QkhPVlbm5fKqy8Tt5jrngrQQ5XvRMeBv5xGoMuPRdSF573LdlrKgagMsfTQW1KiatmPmzZ-2nb/s1600/IMG_0964.JPG"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCIEsPQfx96I7LoL5ZkwOkuFUI6hVcGOIoFaNhJNgHNSohVBMbqjvCkT-zdiEkYlEr9_QkhPVlbm5fKqy8Tt5jrngrQQ5XvRMeBv5xGoMuPRdSF573LdlrKgagMsfTQW1KiatmPmzZ-2nb/s1600/IMG_0964.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706931190404055298" /></a>
<p>Above: A view of Pucon from a street downtown.</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz5fSEnkRyIi6NXEzig_seUCkQircvURmA_VgGmWC2qP-rNExdnQUudGeJ9cTBOrJ5rlPnOwZRjSzFSh3jy-EPxaNrdReGW5j7oPMAHbFFcEjYczhBvZe-V0dlMtAICiLUS-QlHYvggiw3/s1600/IMG_0988_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz5fSEnkRyIi6NXEzig_seUCkQircvURmA_VgGmWC2qP-rNExdnQUudGeJ9cTBOrJ5rlPnOwZRjSzFSh3jy-EPxaNrdReGW5j7oPMAHbFFcEjYczhBvZe-V0dlMtAICiLUS-QlHYvggiw3/s1600/IMG_0988_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706929415056092306" /></a>
<p>Above: Villarrica Lake during sunset. It is home to many boats and jet skis during the summer!</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXfc7vgnxtR5csukFyA5pbZ4KnrcmraFnlcgLBBjuoIsBhfTVC9B2KJOAAbWb-_UDijTOSMzioLaOOTnAHYNRRWqIdl8W5RbCVSq5_2_ZybLTzOFGM3EmG-ESYHuIvE7TReEnUIviQKy9V/s1600/IMG_0950_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXfc7vgnxtR5csukFyA5pbZ4KnrcmraFnlcgLBBjuoIsBhfTVC9B2KJOAAbWb-_UDijTOSMzioLaOOTnAHYNRRWqIdl8W5RbCVSq5_2_ZybLTzOFGM3EmG-ESYHuIvE7TReEnUIviQKy9V/s1600/IMG_0950_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706929955948632274" /></a>
<p>Above: My coworker's daughter's puppy Kila. She was so sleepy, I moved her to this position and she stayed like this without waking up. She is the happiest puppy.</p>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16289293347871485325noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631933644851721351.post-44216760642206208992012-02-05T16:04:00.000-08:002012-02-05T17:22:42.527-08:00Parque Nacional Huerquehue: A Jurassic Experience<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_evY-98Qu5E1Oui_Z9DCq2UgM3-jevXlDyPDaXGHpu3k4m_xqRi9v9zYS27rcmG03GVOIs25vh7qQ3cLAbbIAhxNNR5m7MrgoUZx_GjJt8YHXhHpyunbFo19NzH9wBoGFX1WHEypzC2wI/s1600/IMG_0821_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_evY-98Qu5E1Oui_Z9DCq2UgM3-jevXlDyPDaXGHpu3k4m_xqRi9v9zYS27rcmG03GVOIs25vh7qQ3cLAbbIAhxNNR5m7MrgoUZx_GjJt8YHXhHpyunbFo19NzH9wBoGFX1WHEypzC2wI/s1600/IMG_0821_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705811578040852866" /></a>
<p>Parque Nacional Huerquehue may not be big in size (30,000 acres), but it is home to some of the Chile's oldest and respected trees. <a href="http://www.globaltrees.org/tp_monkeypuzzle.htm">Araucaria trees</a> (Monkey Puzzle) are evergreens and at their tallest can grow up to 250 feet. They have thick branches and cones. The seeds from the female cones are suppose to be delicious, though I've never tried them. I've heard people in Chile say they have made jam from the seeds. It must be wonderful! The araucaria trees have a restricted distribution, mostly growing at higher elevations in the temperate forests of Chile. These columnar trees are also living fossils, dating back to early in the Mesozoic age. Some of the trees I saw today, likely have lived over 1,000 years!</p>
<p>The araucaria tree also has great social and cultural significance to this region. The seeds are an important part of the Pehuenche indigenous people's diet. The characteristic forests are unique and beautiful and are emblems of the national parks and provinces in Chile and Argentina. These forests were quite a site to see!</p>
<p>I caught a morning bus from Pucon to the National Park headquarters, which was a small building with enough room to allow visitors in to charge an entrance fee. I was given a map and then I stepped outside. I had to really orient myself to the area before setting forth, but the trails were well marked and many people from the bus began hiking the same trail along with me. The trail started off through campsites and some agricultural land, but then quickly turned to dense forest of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothofagus_dombeyi">coigue trees</a>. The trail climbed steeply through the forest and I had to take many breaks! I'm calling this my first hike of the season! The destination was a basin with many lakes, three of which the trail took a loop around. After reaching the first lake, I got my first view of the araucaria trees!</p>
<p>I noticed many treasures along the way including waterfowl, lizards, wildflowers, bamboo, trees, and much more! I meandered along the trail getting more glimpses of this wondrous landscape at every turn. I met some hiking companions on different portions of the trail, including two young woman from France and a man from Hong Kong. For lunch, I spent an hour relaxing along the shores of Lago Toro, a beautiful blue mountain lake. Meanwhile, birds I've never heard before were chirping and making a racket. I had a really good time!</p>
<p>Below are some photos of the treasures I found along my way!</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv4I5J2muytitI5mpjlPAWcU2HigQUc36tkqgpilPJFVotIziMGrLrbZpK_uL3vg1Dr4Km7P-xfAMsd9MD493pqZGPVaIZuBDzNkvC_82Rht9lRFx-4GHf3L1rEmGPrc22D8fqSH6CVpI7/s1600/IMG_0892_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv4I5J2muytitI5mpjlPAWcU2HigQUc36tkqgpilPJFVotIziMGrLrbZpK_uL3vg1Dr4Km7P-xfAMsd9MD493pqZGPVaIZuBDzNkvC_82Rht9lRFx-4GHf3L1rEmGPrc22D8fqSH6CVpI7/s1600/IMG_0892_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705819509141706834" /></a>
<p>Above: Araucaria trees were thriving at every turn in Parque Nacional Huerquehue.</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfXfkeZx6lGY0Xwl4ii0WNXgeeekNuqmhX2a6wkDjI2c4dizfKFikXO7a_VlxrNHaVIzTCNWVV-FK_AA3wgcabm6nm3r78jFMo1NIDB7zjyRHzeSvMNdI4HaIIUVW2e4CIRTMunlaSTeD8/s1600/IMG_0895.JPG"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfXfkeZx6lGY0Xwl4ii0WNXgeeekNuqmhX2a6wkDjI2c4dizfKFikXO7a_VlxrNHaVIzTCNWVV-FK_AA3wgcabm6nm3r78jFMo1NIDB7zjyRHzeSvMNdI4HaIIUVW2e4CIRTMunlaSTeD8/s1600/IMG_0895.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705820389041355234" /></a>
<p>Above: A close up of an Araucaria branch.</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin7sm-f5Jb-XAganEJeWaGQW0maEBCn67YpL25P8DevNILaltEyFsEnmfA_0zAUxCao74bAEI_QHm1NbL_g-t3W64__QhywpdRRC9iRH1H4NPImFrjnxuX2MF48junbGot8cTgE5HdRNV-/s1600/IMG_0887_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin7sm-f5Jb-XAganEJeWaGQW0maEBCn67YpL25P8DevNILaltEyFsEnmfA_0zAUxCao74bAEI_QHm1NbL_g-t3W64__QhywpdRRC9iRH1H4NPImFrjnxuX2MF48junbGot8cTgE5HdRNV-/s1600/IMG_0887_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705820919433880594" /></a>
<p>Above: A view from the shores of Lago Toro. This was one of my favorite perspectives.</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimyuPDpx7nnGsXP1KNnhHHbwgH5VPgJQVVn2kHbvlDadv2vQB9DAHWh2UqyLB1yI-LgEJrePAJ7gtRIeZiZ3LzsCYWet0Uqh4_HQ1qYNrnTm4o56zkuudE90ZIzS7izH5CCW9DhxUTs5vM/s1600/IMG_0919_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimyuPDpx7nnGsXP1KNnhHHbwgH5VPgJQVVn2kHbvlDadv2vQB9DAHWh2UqyLB1yI-LgEJrePAJ7gtRIeZiZ3LzsCYWet0Uqh4_HQ1qYNrnTm4o56zkuudE90ZIzS7izH5CCW9DhxUTs5vM/s1600/IMG_0919_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705821805693190274" /></a>
<p>Above: Vibrant and healthy chilco (fuschia) plants were growing everywhere!</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi98tNGLcn2iLYzILYOEVBHnSR6ZQU2cso7Rn2H4uXt6lC20q3RxIJuRfu-Da6SJVHuPtfdaraWHIC-ePslSQEDZw-muQeul-8WB9OoRPstDlSckZ4LnvqS42y2ABrULL-Tu_a7_H3ICbsY/s1600/IMG_0865.JPG"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi98tNGLcn2iLYzILYOEVBHnSR6ZQU2cso7Rn2H4uXt6lC20q3RxIJuRfu-Da6SJVHuPtfdaraWHIC-ePslSQEDZw-muQeul-8WB9OoRPstDlSckZ4LnvqS42y2ABrULL-Tu_a7_H3ICbsY/s1600/IMG_0865.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705822968059481986" /></a>
<p>Above: I found these beauties in only one spot. I love them.</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8nhbS94-HTrZYxfNFq0AA5w6bXUXq_T79HD4oZ4vPk6buHgGa5tHcFS3SvZShv7qhTYoIv5XkH1gXkae2lHPbDxPWc9LePUalNkTjgnQFwP6deJ0uN8iSsnGpFk6adkdlxGVOOfyrjELX/s1600/IMG_0935_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8nhbS94-HTrZYxfNFq0AA5w6bXUXq_T79HD4oZ4vPk6buHgGa5tHcFS3SvZShv7qhTYoIv5XkH1gXkae2lHPbDxPWc9LePUalNkTjgnQFwP6deJ0uN8iSsnGpFk6adkdlxGVOOfyrjELX/s1600/IMG_0935_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705823813022646338" /></a>
<p>Above: This small lizard reminded me of the geckos I've seen in Hawaii as a kid.</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjByOdlHEVT9wkJFE45kuIOGC8ypwqQMVYftyEdlS22BpeQHohC4KQcMVYWastoRcDexgrjFImQwBRk_e9T38SpKnSpE4CpiHE51E2XAI9Thhg_KCnilXbJQiqgJNU9WyWIMYshLD_77CaO/s1600/IMG_0851_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjByOdlHEVT9wkJFE45kuIOGC8ypwqQMVYftyEdlS22BpeQHohC4KQcMVYWastoRcDexgrjFImQwBRk_e9T38SpKnSpE4CpiHE51E2XAI9Thhg_KCnilXbJQiqgJNU9WyWIMYshLD_77CaO/s1600/IMG_0851_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705825078000003074" /></a>
<p>Above: The top of an arucaria. The shape reminds me of a bulb or a mushroom top. They each grown at different levels to create a very unique canopy.</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHh-Q3xYT0i7lOBv5LUzsQv0sMQA2rjMPh9PrDGwqadmZqDh9YwJQULoeWvxtHysRYL-NST5FcW3TooFwZNBOS7ULZwlkxFAdjYhko1q4z7uTGK1n9rJXs6WF82EJC_kZnMEKt8_bFB7AE/s1600/IMG_0902_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHh-Q3xYT0i7lOBv5LUzsQv0sMQA2rjMPh9PrDGwqadmZqDh9YwJQULoeWvxtHysRYL-NST5FcW3TooFwZNBOS7ULZwlkxFAdjYhko1q4z7uTGK1n9rJXs6WF82EJC_kZnMEKt8_bFB7AE/s1600/IMG_0902_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705826006171019682" /></a>
<p>Above: A glimpse at the temperate forest I spent much of the day walking through.</p>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16289293347871485325noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631933644851721351.post-78717482485736375422012-02-04T16:43:00.001-08:002012-02-04T18:48:36.048-08:00It's Summer in Pucón<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ds9NnE-w4T-AMFhu2R-nLGFhRLKpDoVF0Czk0drQ3vEeNRsoEUsaKw8EXQy5e1gzj4Ul6Ixr6My8YX0drZXBK6BU-ZXUDo59jRWVc3wWsNqm_tsGUC6TqVcfy5ZYKgZ0MB8x9t2LpsOC/s1600/ChilePucon2.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ds9NnE-w4T-AMFhu2R-nLGFhRLKpDoVF0Czk0drQ3vEeNRsoEUsaKw8EXQy5e1gzj4Ul6Ixr6My8YX0drZXBK6BU-ZXUDo59jRWVc3wWsNqm_tsGUC6TqVcfy5ZYKgZ0MB8x9t2LpsOC/s1600/ChilePucon2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705458517329816210" /></a>
<p>How can I tell? People are everywhere. Cars are everywhere. Events are happening. The shops are full, the restaurants busy, and the sun is always shining. The highlight of my day was spending it with my Nature Conservancy GIS South American counterpart, whom I have been filling in for during her five month maternity leave from work. This is only the second time I've met her. The first was when I took my trip to Santiago, Chile last August. After spending about three hours walking along the lake shore, window shopping, and trying to find a guided tour for my Sunday adventure this afternoon, I was invited to a BBQ with my coworker's family and friends. I accepted of course, and they picked me up at the hotel. </p>
<p>We drove about 10 km outside of town to a small property by a gorgeous river. We crossed the narrow suspension bridge you see in the above picture, by car! It is hard to believe a car can fit on that thing. Mercedes was telling me on our way that it is traditional to have a BBQ once the frame of a new house is built. She said in Chile there is always a reason to celebrate something. As it turns out, the people who are building the house are actually building six cabins next to this river and plan to start up a river kayaking business where people spend the day kayaking down the cascading river and, once finished, relax at the cabins. All I can say is, the setting was amazing! At the property we bordered a national park and the hills of the mountain next to us rose above the landscape so quickly it was hard to grasp. On every square meter, trees were growing from it. Even rock cliffs were somehow full of trees. On the other side of the river where we were siting, I could also see the top of Volcan Villarrica and the steam raising up from its crater. I stood on a series of decks they had built right next to the river and felt like I was in a tree house, every which way I looked was a jungle of green life. Many places on my trip so far have reminded me of Washington in some way, but now that I am closer to the national parks in the Andes Mountains, I can surely say I have never seen anything like what I saw today, and tomorrow is just going to get better.</p>
<p>Back to BBQ talk, however. When I first arrived I was offered a fanchop, which I quickly learned is a very popular Chilean mixed drink. To my surprise or horror, I can't decide which, someone poured me Fanta orange soda mixed with light beer in a wine glass! After one sip, I admit it wasn't horrible, but I think it is because I could hardly taste the beer. I can guarantee this isn't a habit I'd pick up and bring home with me... unless you all are curious and want to try it with me!??</p>
<p>I met some really wonderful people there. Most of them could speak a little English and were practicing because they wanted to improve their language for this business they were starting. Most of them are ski instructors from Santiago, that have decided to take a go at starting a seasonal summer business. We had barbequed beef and chicken and lettuce tossed in lemon juice and olive oil. Throughout my traveling and eating in South America, very little emphasis is put on salad dressing. In fact, I see no salad dressing sold at grocery stores. A little lemon juice or balsamic vinegar is all they really use. And they have really yummy lemons here. We also had a potato salad and a traditional Chilean onion, tomato, and cilantro salad that had been marinated in what I am guessing is more lemon juice! It was all really delicious. It was also fun meeting local people and participating in local culture.</p>
<p>Mercedes has a six year old daughter in addition to her new born. Both are really cute. For their six year old, they bought a two month old golden retriever. It took its first ride in the back of their pick up truck today, which wasn't a pretty sight after arriving at our destination. It lost bodily fluids from both ends, poor thing. But when it jumped out of the truck, she was off wagging her tail like nothing in the world ever happened. I also got to see her take her first swim ever. On the way home, the six year old was signing in English to the Jason Maraz song, I'm Yours. She doesn't understand English, but she knew every word and she sang the song once, twice, three times! At the end of the car ride she gave me a chocolate volcano, a little cookie filled with dulce de leche covered in chocolate. Yum!</p>
<p>Of course you are all going to be mad at me because I didn't bring my camera to the BBQ! I had to switch gears pretty fast this afternoon between getting back to my hotel room and being ready to go, so it was one of those times where I was outside and realized I didn't have time to run back into the hotel to grab it! But, I do plan on taking it with me tomorrow.</p>
<p>Before I went to the BBQ this afternoon, I tried to go to at least four places to schedule a tour for Sunday. I had so many options between rafting, canopy carabining, horseback riding, going to the hot springs, climbing the volcano, etc, etc, etc. It was a bit overwhelming, mostly because I want to do it all! But I determined what I want to do most is go to the national park to see the ancient araucaria trees. Of course, no one takes guided tours there because the national parks are suppose to be really easy to get to by bus and are not that far outside of town. At the barbeque I met a German student who told me how to get there and back. She said it was safe and lots of people go there. So, tomorrow morning I am going to take a bus from Pucon to Parque Nacional Huerquehue where I am going to hike on the <a href="http://www.travelaid.cl/eng/excursions/hikes/loslagos.htm">las lagos trail</a>.</p>
<p>The bus leaves at 8:30 am in the morning and will take me directly to the park. There is a ranger station at the park where they give you maps and information. So the main thing will be making sure I am back to the bus by the afternoon to come home! But I will figure that all out once I get there. I'm excited to share the photos from my day trip, as long as I make that morning bus!</p>
<p>Photo credit: <a href="http://www.travelapproved.nl/countriesSubinfo.php?idcountryinfo=148&idcountry=63">Travel Approved</a></p>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16289293347871485325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631933644851721351.post-84511672295006507772012-02-04T05:08:00.000-08:002012-02-04T06:22:04.925-08:00Living at the Base of a Volcano<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAYjqRAnYnlPs6VxCVefzTnL6xRYNGclfary8amOsTRN-raTE9eSTfO6BOtx1b2XjliFy3qLZyw5wiWVilinhl6J2Vb6TcPNj50xbvZh4MI_niNLkPuLTs2vH8It93v6sWsbTk4YvQyaP/s1600/pucon.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAYjqRAnYnlPs6VxCVefzTnL6xRYNGclfary8amOsTRN-raTE9eSTfO6BOtx1b2XjliFy3qLZyw5wiWVilinhl6J2Vb6TcPNj50xbvZh4MI_niNLkPuLTs2vH8It93v6sWsbTk4YvQyaP/s1600/pucon.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705278090169534162" /></a>
<p>Yesterday I left Argentina and spent most of the day on a bus to Chile. I had to cross an international border again. It's a bit of a process. We had to make one stop in Argentina to exit the country. Once we crossed the border on a mountain summit covered in ash, we began to descend in elevation and then came to the next immigration control center in Chile. Each time we had to wait for tour buses ahead of us to unload all their passengers in this process, and once they were cleared it was our turn. It was a nice day with nice scenery for traveling. My bus ride took me to Osorno, Chile where I switched buses. I originally thought I'd have to wait two hours before my next bus came, but the first bus was late and arrived 30 minutes before the other. I had only a half hour before I spotted my bus and I was on my way to Pucon, the last big destination of my trip.</p>
<p>The ride into Pucon was beautiful. The way was heavily forested with broad areas open to mostly pasture. We journeyed through a big floodplain and we crossed over many rivers. When the bus arrived in the small town of Villarrica, I almost got off thinking we were in Pucon! Glad I didn't. The rest of drive was along Villarrica Lake, which was beautiful. In some ways it reminded me of my days along Lake Whatcom in Bellingham, WA! Pucon sits on the east end of this giant lake under Volcan Villarrica, which I hear is one of Chile's most active volcanoes! Tours are led to the summit everyday. It is a 9,341 feet high volcano and is a perfect triangle. I am hoping to get some good pictures of it while I am here!</p>
<p>This morning I slept in, which was really nice for a change. I had breakfast at the hotel already. Last night I wondered around the town watching all the tourists and townspeople eating dinner and shopping. This area is a major hub for adventure touring in Chile. It is a base for rafting trips, trekking, horseback riding, sailing, and swimming. There is much to do here! I am going to wonder around this afternoon and see if I can find myself an adventure of my own to go on tomorrow! I really want to see an araucaria (monkey puzzle tree) forest growing like crazy in the wild!</p>
<p>Photo credit: I did not take the above photo, it was found <a href="http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1479521">online here</a>.</p>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16289293347871485325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631933644851721351.post-75819524120414505732012-01-29T14:31:00.000-08:002012-01-29T14:47:07.897-08:00Rainy Day<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6mPrxhKl2T1WOTia5hUiiqsbuF8i913dCVv9jRiGHVzzSXOcfIGFLZ47XsBhmP2eUKUxDLdqVvYIN89LkVzE6GPwNYq44-udUipIzLRIcyXYJ90zBOapBZcfpiNqHL8P7QXvkFxFsshDl/s1600/IMG_0411_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6mPrxhKl2T1WOTia5hUiiqsbuF8i913dCVv9jRiGHVzzSXOcfIGFLZ47XsBhmP2eUKUxDLdqVvYIN89LkVzE6GPwNYq44-udUipIzLRIcyXYJ90zBOapBZcfpiNqHL8P7QXvkFxFsshDl/s1600/IMG_0411_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5703185907630770002" /></a>
<p>The rain is coming down in Bariloche today. It isn’t light rain either. It is pouring and whipping around from the gusty winds. Big drops are falling off buildings and rooftops and steady streams of water are running down streets forming big puddles everywhere. This all sounds too familiar to those of you back home I’m sure! The rain has confined the group of us here for work to the inside of our hotel. I did manage to get a walk in this morning, however. I brought a rain jacket with me just in case, and I am glad I did because it allowed me enough time to get from the hotel to the church downtown without getting completely soaked.</p>
<p>I went to mass at the church I spoke of last week. It's hard for me to believe, between the two times I’ve been to Bariloche, that I’ve been to mass at that church four times now! I think that is more then I’ve been to my actual parish in Seattle over the last several months with all the traveling I have been doing. Maybe I should just join this parish? I still can’t understand Spanish, though. I did however manage to turn to the right song book pages today and, thanks to my field work last week, I could understand the word “ceniza” during the prayers of the faithful. It means ash and I recorded a lot of it on my field notes last week. At this rate of progress, I could be speaking Spanish fluently by the time I turn fifty! </p>
<p>On the way home from church, I went to a panadaria. They have so many wonderful pastries to choose from. Most of them are like danishes with some kind of burnt sugar glaze. Sometimes they are filled with fruit or custard. I bought a few churros and also a chocolate covered cake rolled with, what I can only imagine is, dolce de leche. Dolce de leche is similar to caramel and is very popular here. For instance, you can order flan and get dolce de leche on top. You can also buy it in jars, in chocolate, or even in or on ice cream. I think I bought about ten pastries to share with the group at the hotel and when I went to pay it was only 20 pesos, or about $5 dollars. Wow, what a deal! If I haven’t gained ten pounds from this trip, I surely will if I stay any longer. </p>
<p>The week ahead will be busy again. Tomorrow we are doing the same field work we did last week, but with the purpose of training sheep farmers in how to do it so they can take the methodology back to their farms and monitor the health of their own grasslands. This is all an effort to get private land owners excited about conservation and also interested in selling their wool at a premium in the marketplace. I am excited to meet these farmers! </p>
<p>Tuesday and Wednesday I will be inside for much of the day in meetings, but the meetings are very much focused on data and mapping work, which is right up my alley! I suspect we will be going out after the work day for dinners (which I will of course tell you all about!) and I’ve also heard a rumor that we might do a float trip down one of the local rivers on Wednesday. I hope so! That would be amazing!</p>
<p>At the end of the week (on Friday), I will be taking a bus back to Chile and will be traveling to Pucon. Pucon is a small town nestled along a big lake on the west flanks of the Andes Mountains. I will be returning to a temperate forest, which gets lot of rain, so I am looking forward to seeing a whole new landscape once again. I will be staying there for six days and then I will be flying back home. I am soaking it all up while I can. </p>
<p>Time is flying!</p>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16289293347871485325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631933644851721351.post-4057441112908259812012-01-28T13:29:00.000-08:002012-01-28T19:19:47.150-08:00Vegetarians Take Heed<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4fQtchvaKij0_UBp8eJbN9UxYP6YBt7H2cGHfOt0VmIwILoD-zAs6gfqjBQpCUeMmMZv2i1D9IxM07VIKkYIfnSpghwipsCPM4OLOTJHPkDKkabWfFz6LhQya_8OJwx-UNvki7fgtXMCi/s1600/IMG_0540_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4fQtchvaKij0_UBp8eJbN9UxYP6YBt7H2cGHfOt0VmIwILoD-zAs6gfqjBQpCUeMmMZv2i1D9IxM07VIKkYIfnSpghwipsCPM4OLOTJHPkDKkabWfFz6LhQya_8OJwx-UNvki7fgtXMCi/s1600/IMG_0540_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702884390852124514" /></a>
<p>Last night I had the best steak ever! It came from a cow that was grass-fed and grass-finished. Very rare to get actually, especially in the United States. In other words, the meat tasted delicious, and the cow it came from roamed wherever it wanted its whole life eating grass in the Patagonia grasslands until its fateful day when it ended up on my plate. I ordered a half portion of bife de lomo off the El Boliche de Alberto restaurant menu, in downtown Bariloche. I'm guessing I got about 8 oz of the best cut of filet mignon to be had in the whole country. And to think the full portion of beef would have been a whole pound of meat. Wowza!</p>
<p>When I walked into the place, I saw pictures of old men holding up giant pieces of meat everywhere. Take a look at their restaurant <a href="http://www.elbolichedealberto.com/">website</a>. Obviously, they take great pride in their meat here in Argentina!</p>
<p>I'm usually a light eater and it isn't often I eat red meat, but I'm in Argentina for goodness sake, so I want to eat lots of meat. It is actually hard not to. I would hate to be a vegetarian here. If you aren't eating beef, then you surely are eating lamb. If you are not eating lamb, then you are surely eating trout! If you are not eating trout, then you are surely eating venison. And if you are not eating venison, then there is a small chance you could be eating guanaco, rhea, or a little armadillo in the half shell. It all comes with a side salad or potatoes, so don't worry. Oh and delicious chimichuri sauce comes with every order, which is a flavorful condiment of dried and fresh herbs, garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil. I highly recommend you look up a recipe and make it yourself!</p>
<p>One thing they don't tell you right away in Argentina is if you eat lots of meat late into the night (like most dinners usually end), you can very well come down with the meat sweats. I am pretty sure it happened to me. You wake up at night, you feel awake, a bit too warm, and wonder why in the world you cannot stay asleep. Then you remember the gigantic portion of steak you ate for dinner and wonder how it is possible that your body can actually digest that much meat while you are asleep. Then you realize, that is precisely why you are awake! Perhaps it has happened to you at one point in your life or another? If you come to Argentina, it surely will happen to you. In my opinion, it is worth it because the meat is that good. It is also the reason I spent today eating mostly salad.</p>
<p>I've learned that big business is well on its way to Argentina, and an increasing number of cows are now being corn fed, basically because of the big business plans of American companies. In the central region where I am staying, grass fed and finished beef isn't a thing of the past it's the real thing. This type of ranching is still happening here in Argentina, and I feel really fortunate to be able to try its end product. Now the task at hand is to keep it that way and to make sure the Patagonia grasslands stay healthy now and well into the future so this type of ranching will always exist.</p>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16289293347871485325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631933644851721351.post-43215738631554084132012-01-26T16:48:00.000-08:002012-01-26T18:47:37.723-08:00Field Work and Estancias<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP-e9WAZxHM4-ZGq10cnveSkzYedxHGM3gOCurZxlRJOuIG48Owa-BcBza1ag4_Lj2Aehk6P3RLbJLjJ7TFNppGE8wKHxIdMRy8A4FurgI39ZUIHED4MvDhc_y9eTPakUVLeA7j0Ej4eKZ/s1600/IMG_0423_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP-e9WAZxHM4-ZGq10cnveSkzYedxHGM3gOCurZxlRJOuIG48Owa-BcBza1ag4_Lj2Aehk6P3RLbJLjJ7TFNppGE8wKHxIdMRy8A4FurgI39ZUIHED4MvDhc_y9eTPakUVLeA7j0Ej4eKZ/s1600/IMG_0423_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702127670221087794" /></a>
<p>I've been spending the week doing something I never do... field work! Every day I sit at a desk looking at a computer screen mapping the world with very few chances to actually see what is on the ground. In college I majored in geography, which for me was a mix of social and physical science. I took many classes where science was very relevant to my studies including geology, water quality, and ecology, but I never was trained to be a scientist in terms of learning scientific methodologies. This week has been fun in that regard, because I have been working with a field scientist to help identify plant species found in landscapes used and managed predominantly for grazing sheep and cattle. To help monitor how that landscape is doing and to set up a baseline for future monitoring work, my task was simple, hold a clipboard and a list of plant species and tally the number of species I find every meter for 50 meters. Luckily, I wasn't the one expected to identify the species, but it was my chance to play outside with biologists.</p>
<p>Over the last four days, I've traveled down many dirt roads. To my surprise, the main highway east out of Bariloche is not paved! Bariloche is in central Argentina on the east slopes of the Andes Mountains. This dirt highway out of Bariloche extends east for 600 kilometers to the Atlantic Ocean, clear across Argentina! It doesn't take long before the green pines and shrubs of Bariloche turn to expansive and vast dry grasslands. In my Washington centered mind I think of Bariloche as being very similar to an area like Leavenworth because it is nestled close to the eastern side of the mountains and, although dry, still receives enough moisture to have trees. The areas we were sampling in were very dry, similar to areas around Moses Lake or Vantage. This region of Patagonia is so big and vast it is almost incomprehensible!</p>
<p>We drove to a small town called Jacobacci where we sampled and then stayed the evening in what I can image was the town's only hotel. It was simple and quaint and had a down to earth feel. The couple that ran the place must of been well into their 80s. They ran both the hotel and the restaurant that was connected to it. That evening our group of seven sat down for a home cooked Argentina meal. The first thing to appear was a cart of appetizers. Each of us took a plate from the table and served ourselves from the cart of traditional dishes (as I understood, these dishes are often served at parties or special events in Argentina). I had a cold beet salad, a layered tortilla cake with tomatoes, hard boiled egg, and mayonnaise (among other things), mushrooms thinly sliced and rolled with a vegetable filling, and raw seasoned red meat. Now, I am not sure I would of eaten the raw red meat if I knew it was so, but as it turns out it was good and also didn't kill me! Of course, I don't remember what any of these dishes are actually called, but I did get a cookbook recommended to me that I want to buy. It is called <a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-9781579653545-0">Seven Fires: Grilling the Argentine Way</a>. </p>
<p>For my main dish at the hotel restaurant, I had steak with a mushroom sauce and for dessert tiramisu! Pretty fancy for a small town in the back country! The next night we stayed at research station and grilled chorizo sausage we picked up at a local meat shop and ate chorizo sandwiches on crusty french bread from a local panaderia. There were no big grocery stores out in these parts. All the food was locally made, which made it even more delicious to me!</p>
<p>Our field work took us to three estancias. The majority of land in Argentina is privately owned and some of these landowners have estancias, or land estates, that are thousands and thousands of acres. In fact, I learned that some of these estancias are larger than many U.S. national parks (excluding those in Alaska of course). These wealthy landowners are often from all over the world and manage a staff of people to run the management of the estancia, including gauchos, or Argentina cowboys. There is much folklore surrounding the guacho. The gaucho plays an important symbolic role in the nationalist feelings of this region of Patagonia. Many school children in Argentina read the epic poem Martín Fierro by José Hernández, about a guacho who was a symbol against corruption and of Argentina national tradition. I'd love to read the poem to better understand this country and the landscape I've been exploring.</p>
<p>During our field work this week, we came across many animal species as well. I saw <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andean_Condor">Andean Condors</a> soaring in big blue skies. Condors are the largest flying bird in the world! We saw one land on a cattle carcass in a field as we were passing by. Even from a far distance it looked huge! We also saw a small armadillo run across the road and managed to stop the truck and catch it! It was really cute, but probably something a gaucho would eat in the half shell for dinner! Today at one of the estancias we saw a herd of red deer and about five <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guanaco">guanacos</a> (an animal in the llama family). One of my favorite sightings was a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesser_rhea">Darwin's Rhea</a>, or a Choica as the locals would call it. Choicas are related to ostriches, but are much smaller. I also saw many bird species, including the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilean_Flamingo">Chilean flamingo</a>. I wasn't able to get pictures of many of these, but I did get a picture of the armadillo and of a lizard that was running from one bunch of grass to another. It has been a lot of fun discovering new wildlife and plant species this week!</p>
<p>Tomorrow I am back in the field for one more day. In the meantime, I am going to get some much needed sleep! Check out my collection of pictures below showcasing the past four days...</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWG8y-fuGqKZhqojfIjFYouXLGJs7Y7q6LhyphenhyphenzqVlYeuhmqyEAy2uegjDqAhY3bD7uLmRQ7dCJqSl26-WGHsDSoRC-S68enCzX7kpi7GS73EvAf5vDunMuyjAesiMkxH2uuXyxQE4Ua7I_8/s1600/IMG_0437_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWG8y-fuGqKZhqojfIjFYouXLGJs7Y7q6LhyphenhyphenzqVlYeuhmqyEAy2uegjDqAhY3bD7uLmRQ7dCJqSl26-WGHsDSoRC-S68enCzX7kpi7GS73EvAf5vDunMuyjAesiMkxH2uuXyxQE4Ua7I_8/s1600/IMG_0437_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702128376299152178" /></a>
<p>Above: The first day of field work we had some light rain, which is unusual this time of year and in this dry landscape. I was lucky and looked around to find this lovely scene.</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq0jIkK9eVyDfEhPwsDtnm-Axim1GZCV9SnK5WqYYd2-1b9uLDDt060b8XEMb2oECTwb4EpjP-XzFuPeY78EiF28D5XEqX94d5_WFtaMlsfQfpS33t2yQMtN97qCuaO4-I0WokMFKyv_Xg/s1600/IMG_0536_new.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq0jIkK9eVyDfEhPwsDtnm-Axim1GZCV9SnK5WqYYd2-1b9uLDDt060b8XEMb2oECTwb4EpjP-XzFuPeY78EiF28D5XEqX94d5_WFtaMlsfQfpS33t2yQMtN97qCuaO4-I0WokMFKyv_Xg/s1600/IMG_0536_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702128979421517810" /></a>
<p>Above: The field crew busy at work. We laid out a tape measure and cataloged plant species found in different grazing management areas.</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1OnLtzCpY1O9q9AXwvNMZxzo4wDIBJQzN66jOwLVWR8HNQAZV6NxX1kbIKUFMw4a3axO8uhgoqgbwf9X5ZU4OB9PuErYbmJE67MyS66Wifph1IDcsbjLkVtW9srippJxsLFJndEGwZQA6/s1600/IMG_0480_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1OnLtzCpY1O9q9AXwvNMZxzo4wDIBJQzN66jOwLVWR8HNQAZV6NxX1kbIKUFMw4a3axO8uhgoqgbwf9X5ZU4OB9PuErYbmJE67MyS66Wifph1IDcsbjLkVtW9srippJxsLFJndEGwZQA6/s1600/IMG_0480_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702129592112633586" /></a>
<p>Above: A cactus I found at one of our monitoring sites.</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjydrATbpNmwhNy3TgMwgQLCGDWI76DBV1zBR-rQpw44tGdkt8gVoXV_wWV2X4v7iH1qlU_Dh-vr5K31jYSokjV4Nu__X0D64S1c98xIXPU1CAWRNEjn-3665MgeHAPai77Ex-yaYf9gxHb/s1600/IMG_0506_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjydrATbpNmwhNy3TgMwgQLCGDWI76DBV1zBR-rQpw44tGdkt8gVoXV_wWV2X4v7iH1qlU_Dh-vr5K31jYSokjV4Nu__X0D64S1c98xIXPU1CAWRNEjn-3665MgeHAPai77Ex-yaYf9gxHb/s1600/IMG_0506_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702129949300992290" /></a>
<p>Above: A lizard who paused long enough for me to get up close enough to photograph.</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyG5vopN9uDDvShg_L34qjQyuVZC5dHswz-BH_mKo1CmdL5EfsiXbl7racKgMJvSlEXjcnUf2DqQ_meeQRn4a2Fdyh771IqDPb2e5SfPlyMqvr15Db1_LpEGH8VoX5ol0M1pXy4uC51GCq/s1600/IMG_0519_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyG5vopN9uDDvShg_L34qjQyuVZC5dHswz-BH_mKo1CmdL5EfsiXbl7racKgMJvSlEXjcnUf2DqQ_meeQRn4a2Fdyh771IqDPb2e5SfPlyMqvr15Db1_LpEGH8VoX5ol0M1pXy4uC51GCq/s1600/IMG_0519_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702130331425157298" /></a>
<p>Above: An afternoon lunch stop in the Patagonian grasslands.</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6xSp6vsutdZNF_3N4SSrRYp9C1saoPs7DwEMm0fvQMh-QL0jfrlU6PdIyxFwyvHt7BfFyoslIGLME8_x8uvULSD6CO_cLIir7FiEeNWQczaAcIS5euo9eriMlXpJZS6bWwc2-cwpAhuH2/s1600/IMG_0608_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6xSp6vsutdZNF_3N4SSrRYp9C1saoPs7DwEMm0fvQMh-QL0jfrlU6PdIyxFwyvHt7BfFyoslIGLME8_x8uvULSD6CO_cLIir7FiEeNWQczaAcIS5euo9eriMlXpJZS6bWwc2-cwpAhuH2/s1600/IMG_0608_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702132633698674386" /></a>
<p>Above: Horses left to roam on a forgotten estancia.</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS9U4b_zeUtXvAGXYy0xWjBylpmcwvkHLMpdXWTV2sQJXrFkBRLrrupdnniwx7CLRbLi1_eMTHY90_8EQqnmWHny1-9J76QOvqp56aJ9SlRPvGM90AgHd1os1EBAQroEBlG1c_CrjrP4L9/s1600/IMG_0635_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS9U4b_zeUtXvAGXYy0xWjBylpmcwvkHLMpdXWTV2sQJXrFkBRLrrupdnniwx7CLRbLi1_eMTHY90_8EQqnmWHny1-9J76QOvqp56aJ9SlRPvGM90AgHd1os1EBAQroEBlG1c_CrjrP4L9/s1600/IMG_0635_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702133165950267122" /></a>
<p>Above: A photograph of the Patagonia grassland and the ash suspended in the air by a nearby erupting volcano. The big eruption occurred last year, but it continues to spew ash.</p>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16289293347871485325noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631933644851721351.post-67754568509634258982012-01-22T17:39:00.000-08:002012-01-22T18:19:28.288-08:00Settling In<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggCI068mCTs8s6hHYrXuXBtJupNHDmcdIj5-UBhdARsmogf1e_dRh3ETaB5pZGcDcpXHDxKd53emW_CqGkQlHCJbUumbYcTtAGc1fSPAPHqeWbOdq-zgYSo-TNsYmTvCbEtamTr9gIz0W0/s1600/IMG_0401.JPG"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggCI068mCTs8s6hHYrXuXBtJupNHDmcdIj5-UBhdARsmogf1e_dRh3ETaB5pZGcDcpXHDxKd53emW_CqGkQlHCJbUumbYcTtAGc1fSPAPHqeWbOdq-zgYSo-TNsYmTvCbEtamTr9gIz0W0/s1600/IMG_0401.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5700642480558687026" /></a>
<p>Lightning is rolling in as I write tonight. I can see it flashing in the night sky from my room! Last night I woke up several times because of lightning and heavy rain. I love lightning and thunder! During the day it has been really sunny and warm, but the afternoon brings this unstable weather. I am glad it is raining (at night) because it clears the air of ash. I had wonderful clear views when I walked to mass this morning along the lake! Isn't the lake in the above picture a gorgeous shade of blue!?</p>
<p>Today was largely a recovery day from the busy week and the travel day yesterday. Days like this are important. So, what did I do to fill my time since I arrived? Yesterday after I checked in (and took a nap), I was set on getting to the basics. I had to get cash because I did not have Argentinean pesos. After doing that, I know have three currencies in my wallet. I found out from my last trip back in September that is important to carry US money in case I run out of the local currency, or if there isn't an ATM around. Also, many currency exchange businesses only take cash. I withdrew 200 pesos from the ATM when I went to the bank in downtown Bariloche, which is around $50 US dollars. I could always get more, but I will mostly be using my credit card to buy meals and gifts. But to buy empanadas (little pastries filled with meat and cheese) at the store down the street, using a credit card would just be silly. They are only 5 pesos each!</p>
<p>I also stopped at the grocery store to buy water, soda, and snacks so I could have a few things in my room in case I got thirsty or hungry. After that, I came back to my room and watched episodes of the Daily Show and Stephen Colbert! Does that mean I am getting homesick already!?</p>
<p>Today I went to a Spanish mass in the cathedral by the lake. It was a beautiful setting. When the Priest said the Creed and the Our Father, I prayed in English. The rest of the time I prayed that whatever the Priest and church community were saying and praying, would also apply to me, even if I had no idea I would know it. It felt good being at a mass knowing everywhere else in the world Catholics were saying these prayers together and reading these same readings.</p>
<p>After mass I strolled down the main street in Bariloche window shopping. The stores downtown really know how to set up a window display. Every product they sell is practically in view and each one has a price tag. So you really can wonder and look at what you want to buy and think about it before ever walking in! I had my eye on a pair of leather boots that I may be coming back for later in the week.</p>
<p>This afternoon I met with the people that I will be doing field work with this week. Tomorrow we drive 100 kilometers east to the open shrub steppe landscape this region of Argentina is known for. The reason why it is going to take us several hours to get there is because it is mostly on dirt roads! The shrub and grasslands are where the sheep and cattle roam the wide open range of Patagonia! I'll be bringing my camera, so I will have plenty of pictures to share with you come Wednesday! Until then, my blog will be pretty quiet. Looking forward to sharing with you again this next adventure!</p>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16289293347871485325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631933644851721351.post-76870571079913856452012-01-21T15:54:00.000-08:002012-01-21T18:03:04.312-08:00Bienvenidos a Bariloche<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNfhVn61I9z_3qpEkxNMlZ0WIA1z3fH1Rl6np2DpU0LoGqlt_ujdQumv6OB_V-sisXfIuWN9O2NwYjHFsGrPY4WBvde79af8mJ4dz947bIz53yJdpdoUaD6gLf5cjVnYQ7q_1N-cW3q4f/s1600/IMG_0400_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNfhVn61I9z_3qpEkxNMlZ0WIA1z3fH1Rl6np2DpU0LoGqlt_ujdQumv6OB_V-sisXfIuWN9O2NwYjHFsGrPY4WBvde79af8mJ4dz947bIz53yJdpdoUaD6gLf5cjVnYQ7q_1N-cW3q4f/s400/IMG_01600_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5700243379486183986" /></a>
<p>Bienvenidos a Bariloche, Argentina to me! I made it and the journey was good.</p>
<p>I seriously could not be here right now because I just about missed the bus this morning. It wasn't because I didn't wake up on time or get to the bus station on time, it was because I couldn't find my bus! I kept walking up and down the place looking for the bus that said "Bariloche". I knew the bus company, but I didn't recognize it. Unlike the US, the buses in South America are popular and there are many companies. So put those two things together and you will see the problem I ran into. If it wasn't for an old man (thank goodness for helpful old men on my trips!) flagging down my bus as it was leaving the bus station (yes it was driving out), I would of missed it. Thank goodness I asked for help when I did!</p>
<p>Most of the ride I listened to music (Gillian Welch, Justine Townes Earle, and Rosanne Cash). For awhile I was watching the Latin music videos they had up, but they just made me laugh. All the songs were about unrequited love and the singers danced and motioned like the backstreet boys like pointing into the sky as they sing, tugging on their shirt, and motioning their hands over their heart. Too cliche for my taste, yet entertaining enough to occupy some of my time!</p>
<p>On the bus we were served hot tea or Nescafe. Chileans drink terrible coffee. I couldn't bring myself to drink instant coffee, so I had tea, which was nice. Actually, I don't know what is worse, instant coffee or the powder creamer. I met a guy at a coffee shop in Valdivia who heard me talking about grinding beans and asked if I had brought my own from the US because coffee is so bad in Chile. I said no of course, but that would of been a great idea! Even a couple packets of Starbucks Via (decent instant coffee on backpacks) would of been smart.</p>
<p>The scenery was lovely. We drove through farming country. I saw cows, sheep, and raspberry fields. I saw big freshwater lakes and mountains. The summer landscape was lush, green, and full! As we began climbing the mountains, conditions started to get very hazy because of ash in the air from an erupting volcano. In fact, by the time we got to the summit of the pass, big piles of ash appeared on the side of the road from trucks clearing it off the road. Trees were coated and didn't look green anymore. Many of the trees looked like they had died, they lost all their leaves. But it was still pretty.</p>
<p>The bus had to stop twice. Once so everyone could go through immigration on the way out of Chile and one time again over the pass to enter into Argentina. It was a fairly easy process and it was sort of nice to break up the seven hour trip with a couple of stops. I met a couple from Oregon. The bus was a double decker bus and they had been sitting on the top level (same as me) but in the very front. They had a nice view during the drive straight out the front window. The first thing they said to me was, "You almost missed the bus!". </p>
<p>There are so many tourists in Bariloche right now as compared to when I was here last winter (our summer). This evening I took a walk and it was fun to hear everyone speaking in Spanish, English, German, etc. It got me thinking about the world and how we are all so different, yet really the same. At one of the bus stations we stopped at today, a whole family gathered to see someone off on the bus. Grandparents, kids, parents, children, grandchildren, they all waved us off. I was so happy to see such a loving family (with all generations). I think also of the people I met in Chaihuin, at the Valdivian Coastal Reserve, who are living with very modest means, but are rich in community and in the marine resources around them (delicious seafood every meal!). When it comes down to it, our lives and customs are different, but what we want is the same; a happy home, loving family and friends, and enough to meet our needs.<p>
<p>The photo in this blogpost was taken at my hosteria. Flowers are in full bloom at the entrance to this quaint Austrian style house on the hill.</p>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16289293347871485325noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631933644851721351.post-46821057471323608442012-01-20T17:35:00.001-08:002012-01-20T17:57:37.512-08:00Seafood Pie<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguhlY5iSwUxN9RcWDcIThYlKZE_DcbkyWPS9XGKaaxrsKQLKZQhXcwy9g7Nut6GpdVQZBFGPjDZOSqn_66DS9QeunrqdiHN3eDBN1vnddJivGai5lpfVQ2NrmvPtzknGXfPeTLBdLqG_MU/s1600/IMG_0309_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguhlY5iSwUxN9RcWDcIThYlKZE_DcbkyWPS9XGKaaxrsKQLKZQhXcwy9g7Nut6GpdVQZBFGPjDZOSqn_66DS9QeunrqdiHN3eDBN1vnddJivGai5lpfVQ2NrmvPtzknGXfPeTLBdLqG_MU/s1600/IMG_0309_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699897322474495490" /></a>
<p>On my last full day at the Valdivian Coastal Reserve, we drove to a small restuarant in a tribal community on a bluff just above the ocean. Everywhere I looked I saw the horizon meeting the sea. Just another ordinary view in this region of Chile!</p>
<p>I'm not able to write much tonight, but I wanted to share with you a culinary treat I had at this small cafe, because it was so delicious. I had seafood pie. Think shephard's pie, but with layers of mashed potatoes and a seafood filling of white fish and abalone. It also had hard boiled egg. It was very hearty and delicious! There is no excuse, we should be making this back at home!</p>
<p>I am on my way to Bariloche, Argentina Saturday. I will be making the trek over the Andes mountains by bus. I leave Valdivia in the morning. Pray for me I have a relaxing trip! I plan on taking in the views as the scenery flashes by. Chao!</p>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16289293347871485325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631933644851721351.post-72822220648684656222012-01-19T05:49:00.000-08:002012-01-19T07:58:21.792-08:00Exploring Colún<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvyOTnAumwB8poqOAFzM8DJryo95aDx7TYzbMeorOGatSxmwEI3ullrF3CkidAB8QUj7T37_31PGA4FENHmEy71pMtMoYyGCtEJ4u_zOvJUQgeHq2QD9MafEXSY1eMX1li-2nZYwWHStx/s1600/IMG_0256_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvyOTnAumwB8poqOAFzM8DJryo95aDx7TYzbMeorOGatSxmwEI3ullrF3CkidAB8QUj7T37_31PGA4FENHmEy71pMtMoYyGCtEJ4u_zOvJUQgeHq2QD9MafEXSY1eMX1li-2nZYwWHStx/s1600/IMG_0256_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699355771711275762" /></a>
<p>Yesterday I saw sand dunes so tall they were taking over a forest. My guess is they must have been at least 500 feet in elevation, bordering the majestic Pacific Ocean. I wasn’t standing on them, just looking from afar. I could see the shadows of clouds dance on their surface. It was quite a site to see. I was standing near the Colún River in the Valdivian Coastal Reserve. I was brought there by four park guards who were doing their daily work activities on the Reserve.</p>
<p>The truck climbed from our beginnings at the mouth of the Chaihuin River, the place I have been calling home this week, up an ever winding forest road. It was quite the bumpy ride. A portion of the road was gravel and in nice shape and other portions deeply eroded from the constant rain the other ten months of the year get when this area of Chile is wet. After all, it is a coastal forest and is similar to places in Washington I think of that get lots of rain and are constantly cloudy like Astoria and Forks. Today, however, was another sunny day. It was also a day to practice my Spanish. The park guards do not speak English. Most of the car ride I was listening to them chatter back and forth without any idea as to what they were saying. For all I know they were probably talking about me! Occasionally, when I could figure out a complete sentence in my head to speak, I would ask about the forest. I asked where their favorite areas of the Reserve were. One guard answered exactly where we soon would be visiting, the beaches of Colún.</p>
<p>Of course getting out of the truck each time brought a barrage of horseflies (or tábanos in Spanish), but it was worth it to see what I would see. "Muchas tábanos!" the guards would say as they shook their heads. On our first stop, we looked at old <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fitzroya">alerce</a> trees, which were quite tall and mossy. One of the rangers patted the moss at the base of the tree and said it would make a comfortable bed, as if he was fluffing a pillow. Vines draped around and up the trees and had beautiful red tube-shaped flowers dangling from green leaves, which looked very much like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copihue">Copihue</a>, the Chilean national flower. </p>
<p>As we continued in the truck, we would occasionally cross old rickety bridges. It didn’t seem safe to cross them, but the trucks went straight ahead anyway crossing over ponds and small creeks. We eventually made our way to a grand view of rolling coastal mountains thick with forest. This expansive view of the Reserve was impressive! It was huge and entirely owned by The Nature Conservancy. I was in awe not only of my employer, but of my colleagues who are stewarding this special place. We made our way to another viewpoint where the Colún River met the Pacific Ocean. All along I wasn't completely sure what were were doing or where we would be going besides this destination. I tried asking, but I would get a response in Spanish and have no idea what it meant! I had to laugh to myself. Part of me wanted to stay in the truck to avoid the tábanos, but I wasn't going to let them stop me and I am really glad I did. I was in for a couple of real treats ahead!</p>
<p>Earlier in the day we picked up a small raft with a motor and the guards now waved me over to go in the boat that had been placed by the river. It appeared we were about to pack some supplies across. The crossing was short and once on the other side we began hiking up a trail. As we turned the last corner, I saw a small cabin and a few other staff inside. I was soaking in the scenery the whole time including the lush forest and blue skies. When we made it to the top we entered the cabin, which had a panoramic view of the coast including the sand dunes I saw earlier, the river we just crossed, and a beautiful freshwater lake in the distance. This was the kind of place poets go to be inspired. We didn't stay long, just long enough for me to walk around inside, gaze at the view, and say hello to the staff.</p>
<p>Once back to the river, we crossed again and I was signaled to stay in the boat. The two of us were going to meet the others after a short ride up the river. It was so exciting being able to join the park guard for this brief tour. The air was cool and the sun was shining. My hair was blowing every which way. I saw a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ringed_Kingfisher">ringed kingfisher</a> and a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowy_Egret">Snowy Egret</a>. I told the park guard he was muy suerte, very lucky. Hey told me in the most English he muster, "This is my office". I loved that.</p>
<p>Today is my last day at the Reserve before I head back to Valdivia on Friday. More to come soon!</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiFk5ay5VHvpjHuKg7luH1eZ8-Vfw_TQMSl69-T1P-k8tsP7VyKdBmYN69xj5Mhm1kp-YpfoV-vyK_43wi9s4D3Ay-Ew1x-KYB6FKR82l_03CVXpnHJSlhNEN1iaHi1rJs7s2Nb5o6djsx/s1600/IMG_0266_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiFk5ay5VHvpjHuKg7luH1eZ8-Vfw_TQMSl69-T1P-k8tsP7VyKdBmYN69xj5Mhm1kp-YpfoV-vyK_43wi9s4D3Ay-Ew1x-KYB6FKR82l_03CVXpnHJSlhNEN1iaHi1rJs7s2Nb5o6djsx/s1600/IMG_0266_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699358217859961682" /></a>
<p>Above: Sand dunes along the beach of Colún. The view from the cabin.</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcRSW6rj5BpRbfepOJt8eKE2txIGUuPLwaUgzoWlOBe5IkXP7zRJBiB5xasqMO9ujurg_vVNeEKgLAfkgMWMN_OqjIUjnPQT5Bk47XSXMIEJ598K72xGLSiR6ZtXkJoc1nj3nIUDP_8bWk/s1600/IMG_0255_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcRSW6rj5BpRbfepOJt8eKE2txIGUuPLwaUgzoWlOBe5IkXP7zRJBiB5xasqMO9ujurg_vVNeEKgLAfkgMWMN_OqjIUjnPQT5Bk47XSXMIEJ598K72xGLSiR6ZtXkJoc1nj3nIUDP_8bWk/s1600/IMG_0255_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699364116181624066" /></a>
<p>Above: The Colún River, a park guard and I took a boat up this river.</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIURfcc9AvRRHAlHIsd2oevjBLMLxqh5Rs4-M_rQW11s0jLmtotHDxY_yTtEmf16gfaPzRaU2MNUcyZ3ShvKQCadDlbp-JXeWm1w5j2SNp063liVhHdPJyL-XruVxsRWgr5gRojSMGmrKp/s1600/IMG_0248.JPG"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIURfcc9AvRRHAlHIsd2oevjBLMLxqh5Rs4-M_rQW11s0jLmtotHDxY_yTtEmf16gfaPzRaU2MNUcyZ3ShvKQCadDlbp-JXeWm1w5j2SNp063liVhHdPJyL-XruVxsRWgr5gRojSMGmrKp/s1600/IMG_0248.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699367697297942706" /></a>
<p>Above: An example of one of the bridges we crossed on the forest roads.</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIeemxx0DbSvPrBsWeNQsLGJWvjwRhLyqQ8ECAazmY4SfIOmeajpzYQlhKTYeiAyZ_nBuE2nZpcui1XXQHBsOq1Da0zAnqYNMNtD39oG80EG7mUEuc2hhFyqKcqRPJh3XtUIW5p5RfKpRW/s1600/IMG_0242_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIeemxx0DbSvPrBsWeNQsLGJWvjwRhLyqQ8ECAazmY4SfIOmeajpzYQlhKTYeiAyZ_nBuE2nZpcui1XXQHBsOq1Da0zAnqYNMNtD39oG80EG7mUEuc2hhFyqKcqRPJh3XtUIW5p5RfKpRW/s1600/IMG_0242_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699368743407963186" /></a>
<p>Above: A lizard I found on the trail when we visited the alerce forest.</p>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16289293347871485325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631933644851721351.post-47102147278873681352012-01-17T10:19:00.000-08:002012-01-18T04:56:05.278-08:00Exploring Chaihuin<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDbCv11PYKr5z_sJk47mU_PGAIp5SO2blQdb8QT_A30kZUBIWUdzICnhEzUpX3v5cRCG4WzVx3DAcNK7DKubkqggU5nP28shxNGIPDO_K2GaQI-SsaCig7gsQnaUWMeinbJUe1PKxSeqDD/s1600/IMG_0233_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDbCv11PYKr5z_sJk47mU_PGAIp5SO2blQdb8QT_A30kZUBIWUdzICnhEzUpX3v5cRCG4WzVx3DAcNK7DKubkqggU5nP28shxNGIPDO_K2GaQI-SsaCig7gsQnaUWMeinbJUe1PKxSeqDD/s1600/IMG_0233_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698948116556416322" /></a>
<p>I woke up last night to a very strange noise. It was just outside my window. Clattering hooves and chewing noises. Every once in a while I heard a wail and then more clattering hooves and sounds of movement. At one point, I thought whatever thing it was outside my window was surely going to bust through my window, smell my food, and attack me. I think my fight and flight kicked in from years of back country backpacking, where I feared the scenario of a black bear invading camp wanting to eat the toothpaste I forgot in my tent. I wasn't alone in my bewilderment, however. My roommates also woke up. Luckily to our surprise what we were dealing with were only cows, which made for a good laugh later in the day! The cows around here roam everywhere. I see them walking across bridges, they hang out on the beach, and they are on islands in the middle of the river. Evidently, they also roam through camp at night.</p>
<p>So here I am on the lovely Valdivian Coast. During the first half of Tuesday (I wrote this blog post yesterday), I sat in on a workshop where the park rangers of the Valdivian Coastal Reserve talked about their hopes and dreams for conservation in Chile. It was a wonderful activity to be a part of. During the meeting, I acted like a horsefly on the wall as I listened and worked on a series of maps I am preparing for the Reserve. For lunch, we all drove about two miles down the road to a local restaurant called Fondo Marino. I was curious and did a quick translation. The name means seabed in English. I love that translation. It reflects the place and the people. Four women from the community formed a coop and now run the restaurant. Their husbands are local fisherman, practicing the artisanal fishing trade. Using their own small boats and the strength a few men, they are catching the freshest seafood as close to home as possible, which is really strengthening their community.</p>
<p>The meal was delicious. We had three courses. The first, a whole tomato carved out and served with sausage gravy and dill. The main course was seared white fish with baked potatoes. Accompanying the main dish, was a simple salad with cucumber, tomato, and lettuce. For dessert, a well-loved local treat, mote con huesillo! Of course, I had never heard of it, but a coworker described it as her favorite childhood Chilean dish. To prepare it, you take dried whole peaches and soak them overnight in water to rehydrate them. To the peach water in the morning you add sugar, cinnamon, and toasted wheat berries. The wheat berries become soft in the liquid and settle at the bottom. One peach is left in the center of this sugary soup that is fragrant and floral to the smell. And it tastes wonderfully unique. I loved discovering this special cultural method of preparing food. The restaurant interior was quaint and rustic. The tables were elegantly set with navy table cloths and white dishes. Wine glasses sparkled and waited to be filled with Chilean wine. The windows opened up to a view of the ocean. And just outside the windows, a view of the sea where fisherman hard at work had very recently caught our fish. What a lovely compliment to the culture, the community, and nature that so humbly served our table today. </p>
<p>After lunch, I worked until just after 6 pm and was then invited to join a small group about to go for a hike on the coast! This was my first opportunity to do so and I quickly got ready. We drove to a trail and hiked less than a mile down a windy pathway through bamboo, brush, and small trees. Occasional beach views opened up to a big ocean of waves and rocks. Pelicans and seabirds flew busily around them as kelp swayed gracefully back and forth with each passing wave. In the distance we were able to spot three dolphins! At first I saw their fins above the water and later would see them leaping from the crashing waves. In my head I was thinking, "I can't believe I am in South America. I can't believe I am in Chile. I can't believe I am standing by the Pacific Ocean half a world away!" I don't have to tell myself these things, but they flow freely and often because of my deep appreciation for visiting this place.</p>
<p>We walked and walked along the beach. I saw people fishing from the shore, playing in the waves, and laying in the sun. This is a small community and it’s off the beaten path for tourists. It’s quiet and peaceful. I took my shoes off and walked in the sand and waded in the water. Surprisingly, it wasn't all that cold! I enjoyed a solitary walk back to our cabins and later enjoyed a simple home cooked meal with my roommates for the week. We talked about Chilean culture, about the early days at The Nature Conservancy, and about music and cooking. It was very enjoyable. I even managed to forget about the horseflies swarming about like they were moons orbiting my head. It didn't matter. I looked out at the thin line where the sky meets the ocean and for a while decided simply just to be, leaving space only to wonder of the eternal and of the sand warm and rough beneath me feet.</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYGdJaOEJ2SfcQNyJ4HBHrxHTA_n22l1KtL_aTvg8m5CNK25dKhezbjgc8gsmfXEXrZFn2kUi2hXUTnWGeNf2o3D-FPWotyx1J5yAoyxlVSU-8GKK5e-8OKKBKlWENR24YZyMBWlnKVX8s/s1600/IMG_0222_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYGdJaOEJ2SfcQNyJ4HBHrxHTA_n22l1KtL_aTvg8m5CNK25dKhezbjgc8gsmfXEXrZFn2kUi2hXUTnWGeNf2o3D-FPWotyx1J5yAoyxlVSU-8GKK5e-8OKKBKlWENR24YZyMBWlnKVX8s/s1600/IMG_0222_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698948575521658226" /></a>
<p>Above: View walking down to Chauhuin beach.</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQZsFJdktcIvoYQGWVOyi6ExfG3XlbiOmlCDpeIKjOCspVscfaiBfHLKZQGpsXNHRdSqGlOldtRd95OPjYRLuKcMu6Mgeb0CLaVxHQ0BBS63N_GESY2WvjMQkimvLc3YkNxjJkbLEEha7/s1600/IMG_0193_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQZsFJdktcIvoYQGWVOyi6ExfG3XlbiOmlCDpeIKjOCspVscfaiBfHLKZQGpsXNHRdSqGlOldtRd95OPjYRLuKcMu6Mgeb0CLaVxHQ0BBS63N_GESY2WvjMQkimvLc3YkNxjJkbLEEha7/s1600/IMG_0193_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698949182689568242" /></a>
<p>Above: Sign at the entrance to Fondo Marino where I ate deliciosas comida!</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDAx2PNjv7LkY63C2Ufk7m3moPDreNoleIS7m6NuPTrpenyfVcsBtj6SPGeQJaUxY35xEEwUqQPXZsGkrYA2s3zuahwz0kVo35TUJ7YtNZRaXVir9HrrMr4oqkoobykgARp_ZyUB_VJhFh/s1600/IMG_0205_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDAx2PNjv7LkY63C2Ufk7m3moPDreNoleIS7m6NuPTrpenyfVcsBtj6SPGeQJaUxY35xEEwUqQPXZsGkrYA2s3zuahwz0kVo35TUJ7YtNZRaXVir9HrrMr4oqkoobykgARp_ZyUB_VJhFh/s1600/IMG_0205_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698950557162479090" /></a>
<p>Above: Mote con huesillo, a Chilean dessert made from dried peaches and wheat.</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilsNs3gA6ku5lwjOdghAAdKGSIM2ytsEI-zsLCyu_N0k8DO52UdguCMaPOLUzmRxgEpnYIgwWZAibaRV1FK9X-OOiBxegBNSlH0FYvXAy2W8ejxSgQO0AOkrzMk2ZyoxXWgr6uY9EP-cUB/s1600/IMG_0230.JPG"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilsNs3gA6ku5lwjOdghAAdKGSIM2ytsEI-zsLCyu_N0k8DO52UdguCMaPOLUzmRxgEpnYIgwWZAibaRV1FK9X-OOiBxegBNSlH0FYvXAy2W8ejxSgQO0AOkrzMk2ZyoxXWgr6uY9EP-cUB/s1600/IMG_0230.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698952990955461010" /></a>
<p>Above: A photo of our evening beach walk.</p>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16289293347871485325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631933644851721351.post-1245161057380656402012-01-16T13:55:00.000-08:002012-01-17T10:18:48.871-08:00Valdivian Coastal Reserve and Horseflies<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBXWuzRhBTTnA39ynXpLD3MLHbYeN17zqYu0eWFtm7WbZKxQgtpwkS7h4NZpxIyo4NtJEwddAqBJ7tQ5suJT5Yep2FZaVuN1F6xALqt7lQZ1lBtC1YZkzml_hCCvrBh2U5uUnwGeseMUQA/s1600/IMG_0178_new.jpg"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBXWuzRhBTTnA39ynXpLD3MLHbYeN17zqYu0eWFtm7WbZKxQgtpwkS7h4NZpxIyo4NtJEwddAqBJ7tQ5suJT5Yep2FZaVuN1F6xALqt7lQZ1lBtC1YZkzml_hCCvrBh2U5uUnwGeseMUQA/s1600/IMG_0178_new.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698574640729706434" /></a>
<p>Today I made the journey to the <a href="http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/southamerica/chile/explore/valdivian-coastal-reserve.xml">Valdivian Coastal Reserve</a>. It was a beautiful one at that. We started off in Valdivia, drove to a small ferry, drove on the ferry, and then took a 15 minute ride across the Valdivian River. The skies were blue, the water was choppy, and colorful yellow boats dotted the shoreline. As we sailed along, we passed four old Spanish forts that use to protect the entrance of the river.</p>
<p>Once we made landfall the paved road turned to gravel. Small fishing communities prevailed for much of the time until the coast opened up to miles and miles of shoreline and hills thick with trees that quickly drop to an expanse of blue ocean. White waves were crashing into slabs of dark rock. Occasionally sheep or cattle would run across the roadway to continue their afternoon grazing. We stopped at one viewpoint to spend a few minutes looking for signs of blue whales. They had been spotted in the area. Unfortunately none were to be seen. What we did see were small fishing boats bobbing with the waves off in the far far distance. They looked lonely amongst such a grand scene.</p>
<p>I learned quite a bit about the 150,000 acre reserve during our trip. It had once been managed by a large timber company and now continues to be managed for timber, but in a sustainable way so that trees and the ecosystem that supports them can flourish together. Much of the property is covered by eucalyptus trees, which are not native, so an effort is underway to slowly replace the trees with native tree species. The timber operations here will hopefully raise money which will provide funding for the long term management and stewardship of the Reserve. It is very similar to an effort underway in Southwest Washington at <a href="http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/washington/placesweprotect/ellsworth-creek.xml">Ellsworth Creek Preserve</a>, where timber is being managed sustainably and is helping create an income for such a practice. Amazing!</p>
<p>The Reserve has a main administrative building and small cabins situated next to the mouth of a river. I am sharing a cabin with two other woman who are also participating in activities this week here. It is a lovely setting and I am looking forward to learning more, eating lots of seafood, and enjoying the people that live and work here.</p>
<p>Upon arriving, I also noticed something worth mentioning. Those who know me, know I am not a fan of buzzing and biting insects! I was warned ahead of time that horseflies would be a problem. However, the minute I stepped out of the truck and arrived at the Reserve, four were buzzing my head already. And it isn't simply a buzz by. They loop once, twice, three times, four times! Occasionally I see areas along the pathway were a dozen or so were swatted and lay there dead on the ground. Obviously a local passed by earlier and knows just how to handle these small annoyances. My thinking is, the horseflies like the neck area where it is nice and warm and they are just waiting to take a bite. Luckily, they are slow so I have a chance at getting them before they get me! There is also a roomer here, much known by the locals, that you can kill a horsefly, take off its head, and suck out its sweet juices. Not sure if the thought of that makes me sick or if it makes me smile? =)</p>
<p>Of course I was welcomed with a couple good tips already about how to handles these insects because, yes, I am that girl. It is my natural reaction to swat and run away or as others would say, freak out! But the tips were good. Wear long pants, don't swat because they like movement, don't wear black or red (colors they are attracted to), to avoid them go out for hikes and walks before 9 am and after 7 pm, and above all (perhaps my favorite tip among them), practice going to your place of Zen. I don't think that will be too hard here.</p>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16289293347871485325noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631933644851721351.post-56836290333123689002012-01-15T17:05:00.000-08:002012-01-15T18:01:28.964-08:00Ten Volcano Day<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4xXqKtlRZ5mhhPYq9QRNa7NCGwfZEFjmWNygTfq429AqPAHCeJzeyZpvVagVgzLCGmDv-ZKIJtVMgwOhYYmjmO7h7Jk0VX6ec9SmAA1rav8_7fJ3nAcPfOuMK-wP2AyEsgJ5oeeO-Exs9/s1600/113.JPG"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4xXqKtlRZ5mhhPYq9QRNa7NCGwfZEFjmWNygTfq429AqPAHCeJzeyZpvVagVgzLCGmDv-ZKIJtVMgwOhYYmjmO7h7Jk0VX6ec9SmAA1rav8_7fJ3nAcPfOuMK-wP2AyEsgJ5oeeO-Exs9/s1600/113.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698032365287149394" /></a>
<p>Hello all from Valdivia, Chile! I arrived to a cloudy, but warm day on the Pacific coast. It has been a time warp. That is the only way I can explain traveling over 10,000 miles to the other side of the world in a hemisphere celebrating the glories of summer by enjoying long daylight hours, shorts (the shear pleasure of wind on bare legs), and hopefully by also keeping the sunscreen and sunglasses close at hand. I already got sunburned.</p>
<p>Luckily, I have no dramatic travel stories to share with you this time. Thank goodness I didn't have to battle through that turmoil again. Although, I do have some airport improvements in mind for LAX and the airport in Santiago. All my flights were on time and arrived safely. Not much more I could ask for! I even got to watch nine episodes of Mad Men on the plane in addition to counting at least ten volcanoes from my window seat on the flight between Santiago and Valdivia. The Andes Mountains are a site to see! I had a ten volcano day. My best record yet.</p>
<p>I spent the afternoon settling into my hotel situated by a lovely river boardwalk that goes into the central district of the town. Valdivia has about 240,000 residents, which makes its quaint charm that much more appealing. A coworker and I walked all throughout the town, including the university where about 10,000 students study. It has wonderful gardens and an arboretum next to the river. It was a lovely walk and a lovely day.</p>
<p>Tomorrow I will venture off to the Valdivian Coastal Reserve, a 150,000 acre coastal rainforest bordering the Pacific Ocean. I can't wait to tell you more about my adventures there. Until then, here are a few more pictures from my day!</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHS_JniyDa9vWHXTbNwjSH3iVpmhfg6ljVed8mjkLvM1YOgpUm5JKKJQmfa4M8UZ_Sz4dN7p8HMX53pBBOikmJhQ6CwD0SZPldGTrDgMPHfDR5jHESl7qnjvpNwvnRsiAdZJ6o8Wmw4jPQ/s1600/111.JPG"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHS_JniyDa9vWHXTbNwjSH3iVpmhfg6ljVed8mjkLvM1YOgpUm5JKKJQmfa4M8UZ_Sz4dN7p8HMX53pBBOikmJhQ6CwD0SZPldGTrDgMPHfDR5jHESl7qnjvpNwvnRsiAdZJ6o8Wmw4jPQ/s1600/111.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698038782356606402" /></a>
<p>Above: A Picture of the river in Valdivia taken from the Pedro de Valdivia Bridge.</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0O6KaPMwldeXOseqNJD_eREZFG8AdvG9CijcTFEQ4JRM8BpoaUx3-TMPiMLKOOYMnvV4tC_JwlV9tgfy-I_r_6cyQLlBg7jngYJ3R5OCa-QaBVC_Udkz3fDWE9z0ZUz06hmJ2bGRGucTB/s1600/139.JPG"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0O6KaPMwldeXOseqNJD_eREZFG8AdvG9CijcTFEQ4JRM8BpoaUx3-TMPiMLKOOYMnvV4tC_JwlV9tgfy-I_r_6cyQLlBg7jngYJ3R5OCa-QaBVC_Udkz3fDWE9z0ZUz06hmJ2bGRGucTB/s1600/139.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698041695536416114" /></a>
<p>Above: Kayaks ready to be rented by eager people ready to get out on the river!</p>
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2VtdPl_X3NcrMFEqbhBiArB3ixQDSImEoniOuk20k4Xmez6JhoxA9_7CFFBQ0nMwxUcsxTM0CQGWCfuvf9x8DfEOrCpAlEfaLnNYLIKktC29xiTI2rxebNneR7_uph_Su9cvfyShfP6lw/s1600/129.JPG"><img style="float:middle; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2VtdPl_X3NcrMFEqbhBiArB3ixQDSImEoniOuk20k4Xmez6JhoxA9_7CFFBQ0nMwxUcsxTM0CQGWCfuvf9x8DfEOrCpAlEfaLnNYLIKktC29xiTI2rxebNneR7_uph_Su9cvfyShfP6lw/s1600/129.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698042693335186306" /></a>
<p>Above: Sea Lions basking on warm rocks by the river.</p>Ericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16289293347871485325noreply@blogger.com0