Garden Critters and House Plans

iguannaThere was some excitement in the garden this week. I went into the fenced area to harvest our daily salad and was surprised to see a large iguana trying desperately to get out. I’m pretty sure he lives in the large trees surrounding the garden area and has probably been waiting for the right moment to eat my veggies. I had a chat with him and asked that he never returns to eat from my garden.plant eaten by iguanna He replied with his mouth wide open and hissed at me. He probably snuck in under the fence and couldn’t find an opening to get out. I was able to get him to move into a different corner of the garden but that was it. Finally, I left the garden with the gate open and came back in about 10 minutes and he was gone. I’m lucky to have found him when I did. The only damage was a half eaten cabbage plant.

four baby ratsMario was turning the compost piles and called me over to see the “babies”. A rat had recently given birth to four babies. Mario told me the mom ran off as soon as he removed the plastic and left her offspring behind. He gently left them where he found them and continued with his work.

toucansToucans visit the tree just outside our window almost daily. They come at pretty much the same time every day so one day I was waiting, ready with the camera. This spectacular bird is our favorite.

toucanWe continue to go on walks on the property and explore new areas. This morning we went into a new lovely area with several springs and large trees. It’s on a trail that I consider easy, so this area will be visited frequently. We have been working with an architect and think we have decided on house plans for an ideal spot on the property. The next step is to take soil tests. They will drill down several meters to determine the soil type and if it can sustain the weight of the house and what type of foundation needs to be made. I’m looking forward to the day we can live in a “normal” size house again. The novelty of living in the small cabina has just about worn off. Our saving grace is the good weather which allows us to spend most of our time outside.