A new year starts

After a long trek across the Americas we arrived safely home in Bolivia. We are always grateful for the ease at which we can traverse the globe. After a couple of days in Santa Cruz we headed back to Patuju with the truck and the quad, thinking that we if the roads were flooded we would be able to get home. However, we were shocked by the lack of rain and lack of moisture for the crops. No water – no flooding!

There had been very little rain since we left five weeks ago. The rice is showing stress but the weeds are growing well. Although there was some rain it wasn’t sufficient for the rice. The impact that this will have on the economy of this area is uncertain.

But things have changed and the rain has come. Again, we wonder if there is enough. 2 ¾ inches in North America would last for quite some time but not so in Bolivia. However, it has been raining off and on for the past week and the rain has soaked in. For our rice, which is just flowering, this rain has been a blessing.

Being farmers, there is much complaining! Although the rice price is much lower than it was last year, it is still higher than it was the first year we lived here. Like everyone else, they get used to the higher price and feel that they are in a bad situation when the prices lower.

In spite of the lack of rain the weeds continued to grow, and I have a couple of weeks of work cleaning the flower gardens in front of the house. Grass is the dominant weed and each one needs to be taken out by the root and since the ground is moist, the roots come out easily. The problem is not the weeds but the ants. They attack anything that disturbs their home so feet and hands are easy targets.

Jake tried to hook up the solar panels again but again something blew so we will have to send both controls back to USA for repair. Frustrating!!! Hopefully someday everything will be hooked up and working. For now, when the sun shines, we have enough for lights and for the computer. It is sufficient and we are thankful for what we have.