Motilón Tree -tear drop

In seven years that we own our finca YANAPANA, we have never cut a tree. We bought this property to preserve it and to allow all living beings that exist there to have there home undisturbed. In order to built all the 3 cabins we added to the land since we bought this place, we always purchased wood already cut. I could not bear the thought of cutting a tree.  Well, last week we had to hire some guys to cut few trees from the area of YANAPANA that will be under water once the hydro project is finished. The land is still in our hands (while the government processes our compensation) so we decided to cut two Chanul and one Motilón trees and save all the wood for our new house and to make furniture. We know that it takes at least 1 year before we can use the wood for construction, so we will put it to dry. It was a sad moment to see the tree fall. It is so strange to be in the position to decide to cut a tree - a tree that has been there long before us, we calculate that the tree was 300 years old. As a sign from the universe the Motilón tree has a tear drop shape or a water shape. I will always remember this tree and I will try to plant  and preserve many more in my life time.

Guy cutting the Motilón tree

Tear drop shape

Boards for tables

Nature is abundant

Here we go again!

Yep! We are back in Ecuador AGAIN!!! Lot's of adventures we have had in the past year, I will write about them little by little. The important thing now is that we are living here and enjoying our time together. We are dividing our time between city life and country life. We spend one week in YANAPANA and one week in Quito. I am taking a painting class on Saturdays so we make sure we are always here on Saturdays. Mateo is a 3 year old now and he is so fun to be around. He is a chatty box mainly in English with us and in Spanish with family and friends. Pat is applying for his resident visa and feeling good about our life. We will loose several acres of land in Yanapana and all the cabins we have due to a Hydroelectric project proposed by the Ecuadorian Government.  So I am glad to be back and post in this blog. For now few photos.

Mateo enjoying the Guaycuyacu river

Friendly bird seen in our land (Motmot) 

Enjoying the hummock 

One of my paintings

Family bike ride in Quito 

Grandma's 90th birthday - my family!

Our Neighborhood

We live in La Loma Grande a very traditional neighborhood of the Centro Histórico. When we bought our apartment we did not think much of the neigborhood and we paid more attention to the building where our place is set and the beautiful view we have from our apartment. At first I was a bit afraid of walking in the street outside our apartment building. So many people come and go all the time and we learn that in part of the neighborhood some people sell drugs. That made us feel uncomfortable. However, with time I have come to like very much this neighborhood and it is because I have come to know the people who live here. It is a very friendly place, everywhere I walk I see someone to say hi " hola vecino" and sometimes I stop and chit chat about anything.
I don't know if other neighborhoods in Quito have all we have here. In just one street of about 1/2 mile you can find: A historic church, a fire station, a police station, bakeries, farmacies, several little groceries stores, restaurants, medical center and dentists, fresh fruit and veggies stores, tailor, chinese food, electronic repair places, shoe repair places, hair salons, kindergarten, elementary schools, high schools, internet services, a cultural center in restoration, a hidden park, clothing and shoes stores, and other places that I am sure I'm forgetting. You just need to decide what you want or need and go out the door, walk few minutes and find it!
Living here makes me feel like we are part of a community and that people are friendly. It is also a great contrast with our lives in Yanapana where nature is our community.

View of the street we live on seen from another hill in the city

The street we live on

Another street in the center of Quito

Views from our roof top

Life in another dimension

If there are other dimensions Yanapana is probably in a different one than the one we are used to. It is difficult to explain the change we experience there but it is real. You need to go there and be there for few days to see what happens. For example, when I am in the city I worry a lot and I always want to be in the next moment, doing the next thing, thinking of another project but when I am in Yanapana everything is still, quiet, you are more in the present, no hurries and worries. The overwhelming but organized sounds of nature keeps your mind busy. There is the never ending sound of the river, the birds here and there, the insects, the rain when present, etc. Life is rich and we become part of it. We feel rich and happy. The air is fresh, the water is clean (from our own spring) and all is green around. There is always something new to see.
We go to bed as it gets dark and read quietly in our tents but soon fall sleep only to be awaken buy the sounds of the morning birds and rooster.
Make plans to come to visit Yanapana sometime in the future, you will feel in another world.

Getting you updated

As always many things have happened in our lives here in Ecuador, it seems like there is so much to do and I do not post as often as I would like.

Mateo and I spent 5 days during in Semana Santa with my grandmother in Puellaro, my home town. I wanted to show my son the place I grew up and all the traditions we follow there. He had a great time with family.

We rode in the gusanito

played with water many times

played with other children in the family

Had his 2nd birthday! and celebrated with all the family. Pat made a yummy chocolate cake.

Since it was raining so much in Quito and it was cold, we decided to escape to the coast. We stayed in a nice hotel with swimming pool and a nice view of the ocean. Like always we ate only seafood and enjoyed ourselves in the warm climate.

View from our hotel room

Ice cream for Mateo, he now recognizes the ice cream man!

First time playing in the sand, he did not want to come out.

Fishermen arriving to the beach

We bought fresh fish and shrimp to take home. Mateo wanted to hold the fish

Tea with honey

Tea with honey is Mateo's new favorite drink and he asks it all the time to his new favorite parent - Pat! My husband of course is so happy for this. We also have a chatty 2 year old child who is repeating many words and it is fascinating to hear him. Here are some of his words: papaya, banana, bubble bath, bubbles, all the things he likes.

Last week we went to check out a day care center and we liked it very much but Mateo wasn't that convinced. Since we don't need him to be away from us yet we will wait until August. He will be in day care from 8:30 to 12:30 and then he will spend the afternoons with Pat while I go to school. I am going to miss him so much.

Checking out Rocotin - the day care center

Mateo got his first guitar this week. It will be nice to see him someday play one of Pat's 4 guitars.

Another first experience Mateo had this week was to play with dough. First I made it with flour and water and then we got the play-doh at the store. He LOVE it!

He is getting so tall!

This is one of the animals we saw today at the Zoo. It was our first time and we all had a great time. I think we will be coming back to this place again.

Going to see the President

On Mondays at 11:00 a.m. the President of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, comes out to the balcony of his palace (house) and greets people as the change of guards takes place. We have attended this event few times in the past, and we like to go whenever we can especially because it is ten minutes away from home.

The President was not present today but we all enjoyed very much the presence of a lot of people, the nicely dressed guards, music and the horses.