Charles Bowden on Mexico

On June 30, 2011 Bowden sat down for a video interview while in San Francisco for a speaking engagement. In his responses he argues the extreme violence seen in Mexico is a sign of a deeper societal disintegration resulting from governmental corruption, failed economic policies, and the War on Drugs.

Truthout article - The Real War on Drugs: Veteran Border Journalist Charles Bowden Speaks

I'm trying bamboo

There's a large clump of bamboo in the vacant lot next door that I've admired for the last couple of years. A month ago it looked like it was dead. With our month long rains it suddenly sprang back to life, all the brown turned green and a few side shoots were popping out.

I've been warned about bamboo that "runs" rather than staying around a central clump. This bamboo has not moved from it's center more than a couple of feet in four years. A few of the new sprouts were relatively easy to separate with what looked to me like a good root ball. We'll see and I actually have three started to cover losses.

Mystery Clock

Or what time is it really?

This five foot pedestal clock came with the house I am sitting here in Melaque. One of the last things the owner said as she walked out the door was - "you get the puzzle of setting this clock".

Since I really don't care what time it is the challenge means very little except I keep seeing this not inexpensive time piece sitting around waiting for 'day light savings time' to either come or go.

This is neither a plug-in or solar clock .. so I assume batteries. How will we ever re-start time if those batteries go. Why do people buy things they have no idea how they work

Gardenia and Coffee

Fresh brewed coffee that is ... both have great aromas, are in the same family ... but luckily smell nothing alike.

Gardenia is a genus of 142 species of flowering plants in the coffee family

People have been giving me plants over the last year and I've had no idea what some of them are. Some died of natural causes, some the dog dug up and some were just plain ugly and I pulled them up. When the rain and humidity starts here they all begin to do what they are supposed to do.

My best survivor is this Gardenia bush ... at least I think Gardenia. The one flower smells wonderful. It just bloomed today but has about 20 more blossoms on it. My sixth year in Mexico but the first where I get to watch my plants do what they do over the whole year. I'll be able to make more educated choices next year

Gardenia the flower

Gardenia the plant

Another flower/plant

This plant/flower came along with a vine that I really like. Actually there were three plants in the same pot but the third faded when I tranplanted it. The red centers are part of the leaves but it does look like there may be blossoms coming in the middle. This is another that I have no idea what it is.

Adios Ryobi

I bought a Ryobi weed wacker just like this about three years ago to clear my lots. It has a metal blade to cut bigger stuff but soon found out it wasn't strong enough for anything but small stuff. Shortly after the pull start froze up. In the last year two tuneups were required including a carburetor rebuild.

Last week after the rebuild I was ready to cut my out of control grass and after 5 pulls the start cable jambed in the out position. I took it back to the rental/rebuild guys and asked if they wanted to buy it. I got 500 pesos and a free rental of one of theirs. One less headache for me and I'll continue to rent ... but not that Ryobi!

The Monsoon Trough

Mainly this is just new terminology for me, never heard of it before. Does this happen every year, is it different this year, I don't know. I ran into the term and the map on a message board in a weather conversation. It looks ominous for the west coast of Mexico but this could be a yearly occurrence? Will it move next week? Sorry but you'll have to Google the subject if you want to learn more about this phenomenon

The Monsoon Trough is a favored place for tropical cyclones to develop, while this generally does not occur with the ITCZ (Intertropical Convergence Zone) due to its proximity to the equator where the Coriolis effect is zero, and thus rotary motion around a low-pressure center cannot be supported. Thus people should be aware that a tropical depression or tropical storm could form in the vicinity of the Monsoon trough.

Two washers, no dryer and no sun

I have two of these nice little Whirlpool washers at the house but no dryer. In Mexico hardly anyone has dryers except the laundry's (lavanderias). I've done my own laundry for the last three years but what are you going to do when it rains for two weeks. Indoor clotheslines kinda work but they get in the way and the clothes take forever to dry. A perfect time to have my laundry done and a pillow case full only cost 35 pesos (about $3)

Local lavanderia

Speaking of rain, I have a hose running to the street to keep the pool from overflowing into the patio, the palapa leaks, the roof leaks and crabs find their way into the house regularly. That's just the house that I am house sitting. The roof leaks on my house as well so am waiting for a dry spell, that by the looks of it will never come.   This rain is from the remnants of tropical storm Arlene that crossed Mexico from the Gulf.