Dear Friends,

We harvested our first pineapple! We did it on one of our visits to the monastery while we were staying in Limon. Part of reclaiming our space. Then we took it back to town. When we were ready to return home definitively, we couldn't fit it into a backpack. We gave it to Gloria. It still needed to ripen a bit. We reminded ourselves that first fruits should be given to God. In this case, in the form of Gloria. None of the other pineapple plants have blossomed yet, so some time next year, I guess.

We harvested our first platanos. And they were very nice. We ate most green, gave some to Chito, who had given us the baby plant, and have saved three to try ripe--if they don't rot before ripening. We are very pleased. The same plant has four babies. We cut down and cut up for mulch the mother plant. The largest baby is already looking very much like an adolescent. We moved one of the babies and it is about knee high. Still at the original site are two other very little plants. Little by little, step by step.

Our sewing has gotten complicated. The sewing machine got messed up, but good, and we couldn't do anything about it. Well, the last sewing macine repairman was pretty costly, so we wanted to find a new one. We asked for informed advice. Each Monday, we would look for this guy. Each Monday, he wasn't home. Well, we each have four blouses. One of Prairie's has been patched a lot of times and each time that it is washed, we wonder if it will be its last. Finally, we decided that we had to move forward on the blouse making--by hand. And so we did.

Then, when we went to town this week, he was home. He agreed to come out. He came out yesterday morning and fixed the machine, teaching us alot at the same time. He recommended that we buy 5 bobbin holders (to have spares!). Well, today in Bonito, we were able to buy one (five??, good grief). So, now we are ready to finish the blouse with the sewing machine. It should be much easier. But we had made some progress. It just takes a long time.

Before the repairman had left, there was another male voice in the porch. It was Rigo, the guy who built Gloria's little cabin. His daughters were with him to visit. Well, we had already washed and hung up the clothing and had had most of our sewing machine lesson, so we entertained visitors.

It was a busy day.

A week ago, the young friend who helped me plant the two coconut trees showed up with another friend. They gave us a couple of cacao fruits and planted a couple of the seeds. The first seed has sprouted!! Stay tuned. We even made some pinol with ground cacao seeds in it. It doesn's quite taste like chocolate, but has all that cocoa butter in it--a good drink.

On our fateful robbery day, we had bought an orange seeding--grafted--in Tocoa. We got it planted in November, too, planting some pigeon peas around it to provide ongoing soil treatments. Looks pretty good. The guy who sold us the tree said that we should be eating oranges from it in two years. I told him that if we don't, I'll be there to eat his. He agreed. He would give us a sack (bushel) of oranges if ours doesn't bear that quickly. So, we are very optimistic.

Today, we bought 30 oranges in Bonito. The vendor was delighted. She sent her son (or grandson) to pick them. She charged us 15 lempiras (70cents) for 30 oranges. We will be feasting on oranges.

Well, time to go. A bus to catch.

be well,

beth