Vegetables fields forever

 Thursday, March 30, 2023

Somewhere between a click here and there, Thursday disappears on the website. How did that happen? It was in the initial subscription post. Oh well. Today I do my first hike since mid-February and I love it.

So do the dogs, who are clean before going off-leash into the bush. Juno's regained her post-pregnancy shape. She's a favorite with many people.

We take a group shot when we reach the first field. That's before we get sweaty and muddy.

There are steep descents through vegetable fields but few uphills, my ideal kind of trail. We stop for more pics as we come out of the woods. We post our pics in our WA group for thos members who travel or have moved. It's a vicarious pleasure to see the green woods and the people who become friends.

The view is spectacular, the company pleasant, and the weather good. There's almost no pollution because of the constant rain showers. We walk past locals who chop, weed, and harvest. The current crops include tomatoes, peppers, corn, and cucumbers. Much is left rotting in the fields.

Most farming is done by hand, often on terraces cut into the mountain slopes.

I wipe out on a slick part of the trail when my treads filled with mud and lose their grip. It's been a few years since that happened to me, but a tumble is not rare in the group, especially during rainy season. I'm undamaged but smeared with mud.

Lunch is at an organic mushroom farm. Hundreds of flies from the compost piles swarm our food. The candles blow out in the wind so we're kept busy trying to ward them off. Other than that, the food is tasty.

At home, we hop in the shower to wash off the muck. While W goes out to dinner with a care group, I edit newsletters and send off messages. Easter plans are being finalized, which means coordinating details, resources, and volunteers. A cup of peppermint tea sounds about right, along with cubes of fresh watermelon and papaya.

Friday

It's a quiet working day. Yesterday evening, I made overnight oats.

Recipe: In a cup or mug, layer 1 scoop of homemade yogurt, 2 scoops of raw oatmeal topped by a tsp of honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Layer 1 scoop of homemade yogurt, one of oatmeal,  honey, and a sprinkle of pumpkin spice. Cover. 

In the morning it's blended. A no-effort breakfast in the morning, accompanied by fresh papaya or apple slices.

During a work break, I clip and move the remaining 6 dozen roses into 4 more vases - they looked squished in my first bouquets. Such abundance!

The orange ones, set in my parents' wedding vase, practically glow on the entry table. (The vase is 13" high, for scale.)

My brain and heart slow down when I do menial chores or break for hobbies or a walk.

Saturday

IbuS the masseuse comes to grind on a tight hip muscle. Ouch. "Today you are all knots," she says. Maybe, because Thursday's hike was the first in a while. Helps though.

I walk our 2 miles in these wonderful ugly New Balance sandals. Their pavement grip, ridged insole, and solid base let me do a few miles in under 19:00 each. With the dogs, we're often pausing, which takes more like 21:00. I scoot quickly on downhills; half the walk is uphill, which is slower for me.

W's ant traps are swarming - this is a 3" piece of wax paper with tiny sugar ants on it. You can't see them until they move. Last night, the bathroom counter trap was dotted with black ants. The porch trap attracts columns of large brown ants, some with eggs attached. I don't see any decrease in numbers yet. Ants. They're everywhere.

I find Tuesday's homemade mango ice cream after lunch. Someone shoved it into the freezer without a lid so part has dried up. One scoop, along with handful of peanut-butter M&Ms (brought from the USA) = a nice dessert. It leaves a pretty pattern in the cup. I cover what's left of the ice cream and shove it back in the freezer.

Today I spot the yardman's work. I asked him Wednesday if the old durian tree by the gate has fruited lately. Many of our helpers and neighbors love durian. We have the tree - might as well get some fruit.

"No fruit lately, but I'll fix it," he says. He scrapes of the bark and scores the trunk with his machete. "This will encourage it to fruit," he says. The chops and scarred bark remind me of the scars each one of us acquires, which can make us more useful to God and others if we let them.

W comes back from meetings in town. The dehumidifier buzzes in our room as I opt for a nap.

Palm Sunday

I love the weekly Gathering with IES Bandung. The people are warm and friendly and there's always Good News.

W is speaking on a topic dear to his heart. I'm taking a mini-vacation in the pews. That's a good thing: I'm wearing Austrian shoes that have been stored during the pandemic. The heels are sticky when I walk into the hall and begin disintegrating as we sit down. Alice brings my casual sandals from the office.

Titik brings a beautiful bouquet, so I even have the day off from that.

We have lunch with friends at Miss Bee. My quesadilla is excellent. 

and come home to chat with our first Indonesian "son" from movie night. What a treat to see Agus!

Monday

Today's language class is postponed until Wednesday. Before lunch, I walk a few miles with my fastest pace to date. The mason is making great progress on the stone wall.

W sits on the terrace during his morning study.

I have several meetings online, record 5 videos for April, and go for coffee with a friend. Flowers drop onto the ground from the tree beside us, big as peonies.

We share an avocado toast. Delicious.

I visit a friend before W and I walk down the hill to Ethnic for a late lunch . Their Rendang (spicy roast) is excellent.

The afternoon is equally full. Walking through my office, I spot a an A3 canvas with some blue, green, and yellow smeared on it. (Yay for old credit cards to spread color.) 

Do I have a few minutes? I use some kids' markers to outline a few branches but I don't like it.

I turn it upside down and see if I can find something to work with. Maybe ... a few marker lines later, a shape begins to emerge. I find a hardware brush, some crackle paste, three acrylic tubes (white, yellow, crimson), and smear color on top of a notebook. Looks kinda flesh -colored so maybe a face?

After 10 minutes, I've gone as far as I can go today. It's back to work!

I don't mind it when I look at it later. Maybe I'll leave it as is. My watch records over 5 miles - it's been a day with a lot of walking.

Tuesday

Language school takes a few hours after the morning walk. At 11, W and I walk down the hill for an early lunch at OBC, a student food court. That, with prayers for passing young people, rounds out the morning.

My yakisoba is excellent, very spicy and a bit sweet. The breaded chicken is crisp and hot.

I visit a friend while W goes shopping. When he comes back, we walk up the hill again. Back to work! By late afternoon, we're a bit peckish. I make some soup and modify my mom's recipe for cucumber salad. 1/2 Miracle Whip, 1/2 sour cream, salt and pepper turn into 1/2 homemade yoghurt and 1/2 W's preferred mayonnaise. Still delicious.

W does paperwork for the organization; I check the Easter talks from past years in preparation for the coming week. By early evening, the next batch of homemade yogurt is ready. I scoop it into a jar and put it in the fridge.

Read more:

*Praise the Lord, all you nations! Extol him, all you peoples! Psalm 117:1

On the Day of Pentecost the people said, “We hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” Acts 2:11

Moravian Prayer: Holy Spirit, on Pentecost, you demonstrated your desire to bring together all nations. Yet we humans seem intent on growing divisions and hate. May we, who bear the name of Jesus, so live that we show the world your love for all and your desire for harmony among people. Amen.