Tag Archives: Water

Belize

Water Everywhere!!

When it rains, it pours!!  Especially if you live down here in Toledo, Belize.  These are actually pictures from last week!  Surprisingly, it has dried up again(!) and it hasn’t rained for about 6 days now. Well, there was a lot of  water everywhere!!  Here are some pictures to show you  what we mean by a lot of water…

The duckie pond in the Zen coop is full again…we were supposed to re-do this one this year but did not find the time to get to it.  It is lined with thick construction plastic (which the duckies have scratched up) and then it has been lined with rocks.  When it rains everyday (which happens at this time of the year) it will get completely filled up like this.  As it gets drier, the water does leak out of the holes in the construction plastic so it doesn’t hold water perfectly.  We’ll have to sort this one out next year.

Duckie Pond.

This year the big pond did not dry up.  The water is high again…but the silly geese have forgotten that it exists again…we will have to lure them here with a corn trail…

Oh, and this year it has been re-stocked with tilapia thanks to Panda.  We can go fishin’ in the new year!!  (Panda’s doing okay by the way…last time we talked to him (which was a few days ago) he said that he felt fresh and ready to get on with things on the farm).

Pond.

These are puddles that are more like little ponds…so you can understand why we wear wellies all the time.

Puddle 1.
Puddle 2.

Okay, so we are still up to our ears in trying to finish last minute construction and the wood that we had bought (tambran) has got black mold growing on it already.  We still have to keep on going…rain or shine!!

Amusing, Belize, Farming, Plants

Munchkin and Gnome’s Cesspool.

Hello Everyone and it feels like the start of dry season again.  That means (for us, anyway) that it is very, very hot and the plants need to be watered.  The secret of Gnome and Munchkin’s success, this year, in keeping a little vegetable garden going at this time of the year is because of our  little cesspool.

Nice vegetables growing healthily and happily:

Mini Garden.

Because of our little cesspool:

Grey Water Pond.

Gnome has fixed things in such a way (with an uncomplicated system of drainage pipes and siphons) to drain all our grey water into this pool.  Right now, this includes mostly washing-up and laundry water.  He will be working on a new shower location in the dry season which will drain water directly into this pool.   The duckies also swim about poop in it adding further wonderful nutrients to the bubbling chaos.  In other words, this is our very own home-made “plant food”; this provides  all the plant nutrient requirements to make our vegetables grow with vigour and lushness.

When I asked Gnome to read this blog post, he said it was “okay.”  I asked him why he thought it was just “okay.”  He replied by saying that the title of my post did not evoke thoughts of Munchkin and Gnome being “cool and exciting.”

Well, I asked him, “what should I say instead?” 

Gnome said, cheekily, “howz about ‘M & G’s Organic Electrolyte Balanced Maximum Velocity Irrigation Water??!!!”

I said, “yes of course, darling.”

…stared blankly at the computer screen, blinked once, didn’t even think twice about changing the title, and pressed the “publish” button.

Amusing, Belize, Construction, Farming

Munchkin And Gnome Update.

So Hot!!
So Hot!!

We are still here!  Lately the daily RealFeel of 50C (115F) has been absolutely awful.  We have been up at 3am doing our stuff in the cool of the morning (still RealFeel 30C/86F).  The heat has frazzled my brain and the inspiration to write just wasn’t there!

Gnome has been charging on full speed and managed to set up the water tank for the imminent (well, we hope) rains.  This is the new look tank in Belize called Best Tank:

New Water Tank.
New Water Tank.

I think that these tanks are made within the country so they have stopped importing the Rotoplast type.

Rotoplast Water Tank.
Rotoplast Water Tank.

I mentioned to Gnome:

“Hmmmm…I don’t really like the colour of these new tanks.  Quite bland.”

Munchkin.Sitting.Down

Gnome replied with:

“My dear, are you going back to your Ikea days when you wanted everything in spring green stripes or pastel blue?  I’m afraid that we don’t live like that anymore.”

Gnome.Embarassed

Belize

Big Rain!

Gnome.Siaking.Wet

We had an unexpected big rain on Saturday evening; it was great to see the new guttering work well with none of the usual leaks.  I have found that lately, since we have been actively looking at the weather forecast, we have got nothing right!  Two weeks ago, when there was a forecast of rains we quickly put our guttering up.  Not a drop of rain.  This time round: forecasts of endless bright sunny days so we didn’t bother emptying the big tank to put underneath the new guttering.  What happens…big rain…with no available tank to fill.  Gnome quickly ran out to shove a 55 gallon barrel underneath the gushing water.

Rain in the Gutters.
Rain in the Gutters.

This makes me think of an article that I read in an old English magazine from the 1980’s.  The writer had mentioned that during World War 2, no weather reports were broadcasted from the United Kingdom in an effort to thwart possible enemy attack.  This resulted in people reverting back to the old traditions in  weather prediction including the study of the constellation of the stars, the sky colour at dusk and dawn, etc, etc.

Some people even listened to the different “moo’s” of cows to figure out the weather!

Now, I wouldn’t dismiss this as being too far fetched as…

We had for some time (when we didn’t have Internet) listened to certain bird calls which, in our personal observation, signified rain.  The “rain-hawk” cawing is one example.  We also noticed that the Wee Wee ants come out early if there are going to be evening rains.  The other more obvious one is the croaking of frogs…we found that they only do this is unison when there is a surety of rain.  Otherwise, they are deathly quiet apart from the random isolated croak.

There of course no absolutes but the observation of nature to help predict the weather is definitely worth looking at.  Especially when the super-duper hi-tec forecasts haven’t been very helpful!

Belize, Construction, Farming

Water Update!

The Magic of Mayor Gnome.
The Magic of Gnome.

This is a Friday night so I don’t suppose I need to write anything of great consequence.  However, this is important to us since we have managed to solve our water issues on the farm.  Hooray!!  The smaller tubing worked for the compressed air and the air-lift pump works great.  Thanks to Gnome for Belize Rigging…it helps to have brains on a farm…it makes all the difference in finding elegant solutions.

We Have Water!
We Have Water!
Amusing, Belize, Farming

In The Midst Of Dry Season.

Munchkin.FuryThe heat is Punishing; It’s stifling hot and we are suffering in the midst of dry season in Belize.  I’m not whining for nothing…it has been a real feel of 117F (47C)!  Phew!!  The Piggies are whining in Paradise too…with squeals, squawks and prolonged weeeeeeeeeees!  Mmmm…maybe we should do a Piggie Haircut Day…anyone for a mow-hawk!!  It’s not a joke by the way, we do shave their hair as an annual event..

The Heat Is Punishing!
Did You Say Mow-Hawk?!!

On the farm, we are having issues with water scarcity.  We haven’t had any rains for four weeks now.  We have a shallow well which is being pumped up by an air-compressor (using the air-lift method).  If you have any inclination to read about our Water Saga (actually quite an entertaining read!) then please click on the following pages: Pump Vs Frog and Gnome Premonitions.

Anyway, today Gnome decided to change the tubing which connects the compressor to the bottom of the well.  The air goes down the tubing and displaces the water which shoots up out of a PVC pipe.  The well hasn’t been filling up quick enough so we figured that we needed to draw up the water slower with a smaller tube.  So, today we both got hot and sweaty to pull all the piping up to make the necessary changes.

Pulling Up Pipe.
Pulling Up Pipe.

Our hope is that there will be a continuous draw of water rather that spits and spurts.  Anyway, let’s hope this will work otherwise there will be more Gnome tweaking.  😉

Amusing, Belize, Pets

More Rain Please!!

1 Comment

Munchkin.Back.ViewWe have been waiting for the “Iguana Rains” for two days now.  At 5pm today we had a slight drizzle but not enough to fill two large water tanks.  C’mon then…let’s have a downpour, if not for us, but for the sake of the iguana population; they need wet ground to lay their eggs:

Water!! Yes please!!
Water!! Yes please!!

The Zazen duckies are also calling for rains through space and time; they need clean water for daily ablutions in the Zen Garden…it is imperative that the dabbling duckies are cleansed for meditation…

Water For The Zen Pond.
Water For The Zen Pond.

And the Paradise Piggies (aka Jedi Piggies, aka Ewok piggies…not officially, mind you) have jumped on the band wagon and are weee-weee-ing for water too.

It’s all in the name of a good cause!

Water Please!!
Water Please!!

Anyone know a Rain Dance that is guaranteed to work…100% scientifically proven, double-blind trial?!

Amusing, Belize, Construction

Lining Up The Bananas For The Iguana Rains!

Munchkin.with.UmbrellaWe’ve been working all weekend to get our new gutters up to catch the rains tomorrow.

Working On Guttering.
Working On Guttering.

AccuWeather have forecasted rains for Monday and Tuesday.  Metaphorically speaking, we were lining up “bananas” because, if you are familiar with Belizean construction, nothing is straight.  Gnome used a laser level (yes, ha-ha…what a joke!) to line up the gutters but discovered that he had to strip it back down because the roof was not straight.  After much sweating and roof gymnastics, he lined the gutters  against the line of the roof which ended up having a slight downward angle to the right anyway.  This is actually quite amusing because the downward spout used to point towards the left!  That’s why the gutter leaked in so many places!

So, Gnome had to climb on the roof and perform all manner of gymnastics to get the gutters up…

Gnome On The Roof.
Gnome On The Roof.

At one point he said,

“It’s scary up here!!”

It's Scary Up On The Roof!
It’s Scary Up On The Roof!

And I replied,

“Yeah, it’s scary looking up at you!”

All the hard work has been done…now we just have to wait to see if it actually rains!  This rain which usually occurs once during the dry season is known locally as the “Iguana Rains” because it is supposed to soften the ground for iguanas to lay their eggs.

Go on then…time to lay eggs!

Iguana.
Iguana.
Amusing, Belize, Construction, Farming

Celebrating With Vernaccia!

New.Munchkin.Gnome.Yellow.BootsWe had our usual town day today and then stopped off at the hardware store to purchase one connector and a roll of teflon tape.  These were two crucial pieces that were missing in the air-lift pump construction that stopped us from completing the full Gnome-Rig yesterday.

Gnome put the missing piece in and switched on the air-compressor.  There was a moment of silence as we stared at the pipe coming out of the well.  All of a sudden there was the glorious sound of water shooting out of the pipe…YAY!!!  Hip Hip Hooray!!  Respect To The Gnome.  He Gnome-Rigged an air-lift pump all by himself!

We Have Water!
We Have Water!

And then at Gnome’s finest moment, the clouds gathered together above our house with the inevitable Sod’s Law rain.  Ha-Ha!!

Rain Clouds.
Rain Clouds.

We celebrated with a glass of vernaccia; Gnome says that this particular wine that he has made tastes like local (vernacular) Sardinian wine which has a sherry like quality.

Vernaccia in Glasses.
Vernaccia in Glasses.

Mmmm…what a lovely way to celebrate. A little bit of sunshine in a glass.

Amusing, Belize, Construction, Farming

Gnome Premonitions.

Gnome.Another.Glasses.Shot

This morning Gnome woke up with a start.  He had a furtive look about him like a squirrel and his eyes were kinda bulging as he said,

“I know it!  We will find the air-compressor in PG!”

I processed his statement in with a pinch of salt as I tried to shake myself out of my sleepy state.  I yawned and then cheekily replied with,

“Oh, Neo Gnome…has the oracle spoken?”

In the back of my mind I was thinking that he was just trying to find any excuse not to take the three hour drive to the city to procure this contraption for our well-pump.

He said it again,

“I know it!  It’s at Mac’s!”

I yawned and patiently said slowly,

“How do you know that?  Where?  We’ve never set foot in that shop before…”

With conviction in his words, Gnome said,

“I can feel it…”

I rolled my eyes with my usual derisive Chinese woman look and thought to myself…oh to live with a sensitive Italian Gnome who can “feel” things…what next.  I didn’t believe him but I thought it best to humour him.

And so off we went into town and enroute, I made him go into every hardware store to look for a portable air compressor.  I wanted to delay the inevitable…the disappointment and then the long tedious journey to Belmopan.  None to be found and the last place was Mac’s Shop which is a little run-down shop selling mostly second-hard hardware.  The road was blocked so we had to make it on foot.  Guess what we saw as soon as we entered…

Portable Air Compressor.
Portable Air Compressor.

Gnome rushed over the machine and said out loud,

“There it is!  I told you!”

Well, there it was and there was no denying that he was right.  Gnome’s premonition was correct.  I laughed to myself and thought…all this solitary time in the bush must be activating secret Gnome powers…Ha-Ha.  I’ve been watching too many crappy Super-hero movies!!  If Hollywood ever make a film about Munchkin and Gnome, in the bush, developing special powers, I want Maggie Q to play me!  Too Funny.

Anyway back to reality…

We now have a portable air-compressor and Gnome is putting together all the bits to make the Air-lift pump..

Gnome Rigging Bits.
Gnome Rigging Bits.

He has been messing around with PVC pipe, hoses, bits and pieces and stuff (oh, how technical of me) all afternoon:

Getting The Pipe Down.
Getting The Pipe Down.

Nearly accomplished but we are missing a connector.  So, watch this space for the next thrilling installment!  Will Munchkin and Gnome get their well-pump working again?  Will they be able to do it before all the water runs out?  Oh the thrills and spills of living on a farm!!  Oh, and what if Gnome really has super-hero powers??