The house is coming together pretty well and I getting a head start on some secondary projects. The first one is gross and wonderful because it turns gross stuff into wonderful stuff. Let me explain. Vermiculture is the process of using earthworms to eat organic matter and turn it into humus, which is worm castings or dookie. This value added soil greatly improves soil it is added to and will reduce the need for fertilizers. The additional worms that come about through reproduction can be fed to livestock, especially chickens. The literature says that if fed a worm (high in protein) every day, a chicken will eventually go from laying an egg every three days to every day. That is huge if we are talking about self sustainance farming. That could be the tipping point between breaking even and having a surplus to sell.
The second project is small gardens which I will try to put into the school and (possible) the military garrison up the road. Hopefully by growing vegetables some variation can be introduced into a diet of just rice, beans, and cuajada. God knows my diet could use some sweet, green, delicious, variation.
With that short introduction, I want everyone to start thinking about gardens. I know, I know. You want to say “Hey asshole, you realize its snowing here? I can even see the ground under the slush and black ice!” So I apologize in advance, but if you think of any good plants to put it a garden with unrelenting sun and absurd levels of heat, and the possibility of heavy drought, you just go ahead and let me know. I am SO open to suggestions. I am in the initial planning stages for the garden which is cool because I can´t actually plant until I have the compost worked into the soil from the worms which havent been installed yet.
I hope that all those who have been complaining about short posts are happy. I know there isnt alot of personal information, but thats just how I roll, son. I am always open to email and regular mail so if you have the time just send something my way. And please, please, please send me your thoughts on these projects or if you have any other project ideas! Peace to all and if I dont post before, Have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays (up yours Bill O´Reilly)!
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Wow, Lucian, vermiculture — amazing! I’ve heard of these worm gardens, so to speak — as a matter of fact my college roommate and I said that if we ended up unmarried at retirement age we’d go in together and open a worm farm on the prairie. No, honestly, we said that very thing (in jest of course, but we still said it). And she had to go ruin it by getting hitched!
Now as absurd as the idea is of me running anything remotely like a worm farm, what is not absurd is all the good you are about to do by creating humus from castings and encouraging new veggie growth — hey, I bet the horticulture classes at HHS would be able to assist you with ideas for tropical plants that would thrive in your garden. Want me to ask???? Okay, I’ll do it anyway and let you know what they say.
I’m so proud of you — have I told you that? Yeah? Well, there it is again! We are heading into Christmas break here next week (1/2 day on the 21st and back on Jan. 3). SOL testing is in full swing and everyone’s a bit nuts. Like always. I’ve got a letter to you in the works from the kids — amazing how long that process can take…hope you have a marvelous holiday in your new digs — different as it may be from Christmas Past! Take care and I enjoyed your longer opus!!!! Leigh-Ann
Great to hear all is going well in the new location, we will also be on top of assisting with your projects as you request. Keep those worms happy and healthy…more eggs…more eggs. This is great stuff you are doing to assist the people have a better life. So proud of you son, talk to you soon, love ya. Pops
Hey Lucian,
I read your entry and was so impressed with not only what you are up to now, but with the fact that you had paragraphs (ha Ha). Anyway, back to the worms, so very interesting. I made contact with many seed companys and the catalogs are on the way. I hope to get them to you sometime in January. I’m wondering with the approach of Christmas what it is like in Nicaragua or even the Department of Chnandega. Perhaps you could write a little more about that. I do thank you for the wonderful update; letting us know more about your daily life.
I will talk to you soon. I send you much love and lots of hugs and kisses.
Mommy
XXXOOO
Hi Luchie Woochie,
I just read your blog and it looks like you are going to be a farmer. I like your talk about worms. They sound important. I am depositing a Christmas gift into your checking account for you to use for your travels or whatever you may need. I’m off to Uncle Johnny’s on December 20th and visit for awhile.
I’m going to miss you this Christmas and hope you get to spend yours with a nice family.
Take care and be happy.
Love you lots and lots,
Grandma
XXXOOOO
hey lu… mommy and pops booked our tickets today… very exciting!!! i cant wait to come see you… just think your worms will be an amazing compost by then!!! maybe i can get a sponsor of sorts and bring toothbrushes or something… i know we have hygeine instructions en espanol… just a thought!!! I cant wait to see you… i am sure the time will fly by… keep up the good work, and give that turkey hell!
Hey Lu ,
Well i cant type and i hte this computer but i love you so i am meandering through this e-mail … First i was so happy to hear your voice today ……I do have your number so i will be calling more than writing cause well i am reaLLY bad at this , heck i just learned to text on my phone and prior to learnign my text’a were pretty darn interesting ….. Second …… Ok how long have you known me? have i ever gardened ….. You forget how many times mom sent you over to thatch my yard . lay mulch? hmmmm ? so any tips on gardending from me would trully be worthless …. oh and the worm thingy ….you go sweetie …..making that difference …..I tryully don’t do bugs or creatures or stuff like that .. I can only monitor the elderly as of late … I am so exctied for you guys to get together in the spring i guess it is , that will be trully glorious …. we are sorly going to miss you this christmas but continue to hold your place in our hearts …..you have stuff you have to do . I will try calling you form my phone because i do not think i can understand the pc phone thing .. and now that i know i cont use my cell either i get to go back to what i know best the good ole land line ahhhh the simplicicty oif it all ( and plaease note i am not coreecting my typing ) have you noticed …well sweetie its late here and i am getting sleepy . I love you Lu . take care be safe and God Bless You …. and i am goifn to get that cover for you and get it out asap… love you Ellie
Hello Kid!
Man, was it great to hear your voice this evening! But the really best part [not including time with you] was standing back and watching your family talk with you, one at a time, getting to spend time with you. Watching their “Lucian gauge” go up a notch, still not near the full mark, but enough to get them thru to the next time they get to speak with you.
I was in h’burg this evening, finished my errands giving me time to pop in to see your family. I thought I’d take a chance that Jilli was there, so just my luck the little lady had just gotten back from an out of town venture. Oh, let me also add, that I was just in time for dinner. would you believe they had beans and rice?! … Just kidding. I did feel bad intruding on dinner, but they were almost finished, so it wasn’t that bad, I hope. Let me say here that they all look very good. Ms Millie looks very good, and she’s loaded with sparkling witt [which I just love]. I don’t know how to really explain it, but, she makes me feel lighter. Not in weight, but in spirit. You know how it feels when you’re on a plane and the plane just for a second drops a little bit and you’re up and then you feel like you float down? Well that’s how Ms. Millie makes me feel sometimes. Really cool feeling. It’s like she’s showing me its okay to breath. Slow down, don’t be so serious. Maybe she does the same for Jilli – she looked relaxed, guess she has the time to breathe in b/t semesters. She looks good Lucian. As I’ve said before, she is growing into herself with such grace.
I still love your mom’s new hair style; it really is a perfect fit for her. It’s a short, but sassy look, with soft curls. I almost reached out to touch the curl at her ear while we were sitting at the dinner table. Man, I bet she would have thought I was loosing it. But it looked so soft. She looks good, she doesn’t look as tired as she did the last time I saw her. I’m sure she’s looking forward to a little break from the school work routine. Your dad looks good too. I understand he’s taking better care of himself these days [which is every child’s wish for their parents]. According to Ms. Millie, he’s counting down each day to his retirement… she guessed he had 1000 plus or less days to go.
Jill had her lap top at the dinner table – so she set it up so I could read your latest update. And then they all lit up “Lets Call Lucian” Jill whipped out her cell phone and Irene [in the movement of a lady] ran to the computer. As you know the computer won. I felt guilty keeping you from them. With that written, I did enjoy taking with you. Sorry if I was out of the rhythm. I was confused as to if there was lag time b/t you talk and then I talk. I kept stepping on ya, sorry ‘bout that.
Kim [ my best friend since we were very little] returned a book I let her look at… get this.. It’s called “Lasagna Gardening” no it’s not how to plant and grow lasagna.
It’s a way of planting for a garden. They use a layer effect.
THIS IS FROM THE BOOK:
Once you have an established lasagna garden bed, growing vegetables can’t be easier. After planting, all you need is a little smart mulch management, and your chores are nearly finished. There is no such thing as a no-work garden, but this is close.
Getting started:
The process of making a lasagna garden to grow vegetables is the same as for any other lasagna garden. When you lay down paper to kill sod, you also create the perfect habitat for earthworms: darkness, dampness, and food. [they used wet newspaper]. Then you cover the paper with layers of organic mulch [not sure you can get that] so it won’t look like paper lying on the grass, and you make more food for your earthworms. They’ll work even harder, tunneling through and loosening the soil while breaking down the organic matter into nutrients your vegetables need to produce generous yields.
There’s more, like 230 pages more. But my hand is starting to make it’s existences known. I had 5 needles in it today. So I think I’ll just mail you the book.
So I’m going to call it a night. Please remember You are very much loved and respected. Keep writing in the journal! And if you’re homesick – See it as a gift. A gift of having people you love so much that it makes you more aware of your heart. I would worry more about you if you weren’t homesick.
Love ya kid – to the moon and back, we all do!
Lucian, I called your folks the other day and got the house voice-mail…and your posting reminded me of the greeting you and Jillian left. I think it’s about 10 years old now but it still cracks me up.
Suggestion: mead the soil with your toes daily to ensure proper aeration
Have you read Guns, Germs & Steel? It’s a long one but a good one that might be a good read for you now. If you have time, let me know and I’ll send you a copy.
How’s the weight? I hear your dietary choices are a bit limited but it sounds like you are getting the core goods for your body to make everything it needs…and you’re still young and strong!!! so I’m not worried.
We’ll miss seeing you this holiday season but I’m still very happy that you are helping those in greater need than us. Love you and miss you. Take care, Todd
Ciao Luciano! How I wish I could hang out with you and the worms… And you know me, I may just drop it all and come join you (once you get your room cleaned out that is…ha ha!)
I sent you a long winded letter which will arrive by post. On the back there is a sticker with a smiley face… I haven’t had many opportunities to give out as many gold stars as you deserve. Bravo!
I have absolutely no gardening advice, what can I say… In a funny way, even though you are far away, it seems like you’re closer (okay, maybe not to the Virginia folk, but certainly to me) because I get to read and hear about you so much more… It’s really neat feeling a part of your great experience.
I’m curious about the people you meet, the personal stories (if you don’t feel uncomfortable sharing them). I know, I know, you’re busy doing important things like helping people learn how to better care for themselves, but if you find the time, I’m quite curious about this part of your experience as well.
Baci (kisses) to you, my cousin!
Love, Marena
P.S. The next time I get into the city I will try to find you some dried japanese seaweed to break up onto your food for extra vitamins to tide you over until your garden is in full swing. Naturally, I can’t send enough for the whole village, but if the main man is nourished, he can look after the rest, eh? Let me know if you can receive dried foods and if you want it. Smiles.
Baci,
Marena
Lucian
This is a step in technology for me!!! I have thought of you often and have kept up with you through Mom and Dad!! We are officially on vacation and I am taking a few quiet moments here. I have not read all of these but I am going to try, you are awesome & the work you are doing is amazing.Not so sure about the worms and farming but sounds interesting. I can not give any gardening advice, unless it comes from Kroger or better yet a TJ Maxx store I dont know much about it!!! We miss you here and will have you in our thoughts and prayers during this holiday season. I am going to try to keep in touch. Love to you Beth
Luciano, the best looking man in the house, so how are you? After reading your intro I don’t know that I will ever look at chicken the same, you said one worm here in the valley they probably feed them multiple worms a day. I know nothing about gardening, growing the food has not been in my area of expertise however when you need a new recipe for preapering let me know, that I can handle, one of those down home dishes:) Things here are going well we’re just waiting on that snow but not until we come back from break (don’t tell your mom I said that, though she is probably thinking the same thing). I just wanted to say hey, and good job good job.
Take care, shelia banks
Luciano Bello, Hi I’m not at all surprised at all you’re accomplishing in such a short time. You allways were pretty amazing. Sorry I don’t know much about gardening or worms but as you know plants can’t grow without water, it being the most important nutrient. I read that day water shortages in the plant are ideally corrected at night. Night water uptake can be 40 percent of all the water a plant needs. So if your having a drought during planting time watering at night should be helpful.
Chrismas is going to be by Lisa and Glenns this year and I am really looking forward to it. The kids are at a really fun age and they are all so adorable. Uncle Roy, Marena and I are going to sleep there on Christmas Eve so we can be there when the kids open their gifts from Santa. We’re going to try calling you on Christmas day so you can share part of our day and we yours.
Uncle Roy wanted me to tell you about his recent fishing trips for black fish. He and a friend of his, (someone who keeps his boat at the same marina} went out on a charter. There was an oriental man who was catching 4 fish to their 1. He was using a more flexible pole than they were but the key was he was using two hooks instead of one. Black fish live on the bottom of the ocean thus the flexible pole so one could keep on snapping the pole back and forth easily. The bait is crab and when using two hooks you don’t lose the fish since you have a better chance of hitting one of the hooks. Using this new tecnique was much more productive and a lot of fun. The weather has really been exceptionally warm for this time of year allowing them to go quite often since they’re both obsessed now.
I look forward to speaking to you on Christmas. We all miss you and are so proud of all the good things your doing for so many people that truly need your help so much. That really is the true meaning of Christmas.
Love you lots, Aunt Cathy
Lu,
Hope all is well por Navidad. Listening to Bing Crosby singing Jingle Bells. WE made it another calendar year in school. Waiting for Will to get back from BAton ROuge watching My Name is Earl.
Glad you are a worm dealer now. Ate a worm once for five dollars. I turned out all right. Merry Merry.
TM
Hi Lou! Good luck with the garden. I’m sure Teddy will be looking over you and helping to guide! Maybe you need a little salt water or something! Everything you’re doing sounds so awesome—what a way to live your life. Marena wasn’t kidding when she said she may just show up one day!! Keep up the good work- you are making the whole family very proud! We all love you very much. Enjoy your Christmas (spending it like it was meant to be- helping out others!) We are very excited for Christmas here-Payton should be alot fun opening up his gifts. He caught on quick to the whole concept of Santa and what he does!! He had his first school concert the other day- would have made you proud Lou how he stood up in front of all the parents and sang his Christmas songs. It was adorable!! He is growing fast! He now has a big boy bed, which he uses to put his stuff animals on. He has learned how to climb into our bed and that is where he now sleeps every night!! Any advice Nene??? Well again have a Merry Christmas and I understand we are going to get to call you on Christmas day so I will talk to you then. Love ya!!
It’s almost 530 a.m. I woke this morning to the thought of “gifts”. I last remember the end of a dream where a gift was being handed to someone. The object, which I don’t remember it’s identity, was hanging on the end of something like a broom handle. As if they couldn’t reach the person and this was a means to do so. I woke with the thought of “presents” not as in being in the moment but as in gifts. Thoughts carried me to you. I found myself thinking that presents and gifts weren’t always in packages and bows. They’re wrapped in moments and enlightenment. So my friend, I am going to take this as Emmett’s way of reaching you thru me.
We all do it, we all look back at the ways people and moments have touched our lives. Even and uneventful moment carries a gift. It’s our choice to be aware of them, to listen, to open our hearts to be able to see the hidden gift, sometimes so deep in the packaging that we sometimes miss it.
It’s not always about the gifts one receives; let’s not forget the gifts we give each day. Like giving your umbrella to a woman and child caught in the rain. The gift of laughter, oh what a great gift this one is. Gifts are different for every person. Those given and received. What one takes for granted can be a gift to another. A clean glass of water, food, being shown that they aren’t invisible. Think of the gifts you are giving everyday. What you are doing is a gift for those people that “touch” your life at the time. You have become an important part of their lives, and the lives of their future generations. You were sent there to show them better choices of survival, ways to enrich their land. Along the way, you will give other gifts, as they will give to you. What you do now – counts. This goes for all of us. What we do everyday – matters.
Remember that being home sick is also a gift. The gift of having people you love so much that you miss them so when you are apart. This gift is love, wrapped in memories of respect and admiration, you give to each other. I feel sorry for those without this gift.
Keep your head up, your heart open and remember to listen. Your absence is missed here, but your presents is in every breath we take.
Love you Lucian – to the moon and back!
Tonight I shall tell the tale of the early days of Hogmenay. An old Scots custom, a reflection from the days of pagan celebrations during winter solstice. Hogmenay was indeed not the only ancient celebration in days of old. Rome had their Saturnalia festival, named after the Roman god of agriculture. This was the sixth planet from the sun and the seventh day of the week. The Saturnalia was a public festival, where slaves were excused from punishment. Many slaves used this time to treat their masters with disrespect. Slaves celebrated a banquet before their masters, some served by their masters, some dined with their masters. A seven-day festival of Saturn, which began on December 17. It was a time to eat, drink, and be merry – this lead to much tomfoolery. Saturnalia was one of the most popular Roman festivals.
The Vikings celebrated Yule. The first day of Yule, began the night of December 25th ending on the night of January 6th. Yule later became the twelve days of Christmas. During Yule, the roles were also switched between master and slave. Masters waited on their servants. A “Lord of Misrule” was chosen to preside over the “feast of fools” during the Christmas season. The Scots also had such a lord, but called them “Abbot of Unreason” this lord was generally a peasant.
But before I lose my way, let us return to the days of the Scots Hogmenay. Hogmenay is the word the Scots used for the last day of the year. Through the years we have grown to fall it New Years Eve. Legion, as I shall tell it, has a clan known as Lang Syne’s. Not known as fairies or elves or those other magical creatures. Their work depends on the will power of the big people. Well, part of their work that is. The Synes’ are the ushers of the New Year. It’s their job to bring in the New Year and the old one passes. There are many grunts within this clan, and their job is to help the big people keep the new years resolutions they make every year. Not an easy task for these little people. You may ask yourself where the Auld comes in to play. This is the part of the clan that have become the ancestors of the Lang Synes’ They live to hundreds of years old, and pass down their wisdom to each generation, so that the each new year may continue to ring in. And they be known for their enjoyment of a pint or two as the song is written. “And surely you’ll buy your pint cup! And surely I’ll buy mine! And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for days of long ago.”
So, keep this in mind my dear friend, as the New Years’ promise approaches; with every wish we make and every promise we shall keep, we are the keepers of Auld Lang Synes. As the New Year breaks the horizon, it is our gift to make new friends, cherish loved ones and give thanks for another chance to shine. OH, and do watch were you step, and don’t brush your shoulders, just in case a Synes’ is trying to do their job. And don’t be surprized if one makes and appearance some day soon….
Hey Lucian,
Well christmas is now past and here we are at the office again. Not too busy with the phones, seems that many of the adjusters aren’t returning until tomorrow. So another short week for us.
I was up late last night with Kit. For some reason she couldn’t walk, but she was able to eat a frosty paws. Her doggie house isn’t made for one doggie and a human. Ha! But we made the best of it. D-O-G’s vet in Ga. suggested it could have been a spasm. I think she either hurt her spine when she came in the doggie door too fast or she had some type of charlie horse, like Ken said. Needless to say, I was very scared. I think that if I do get involoved with a guy again he should be the following: a veterinarian, chief [would prefer Italian] and have a sense of humor. Yep, in that order. Kit seems fine this morning, yet I really didn’t want to leave her.
Well, that’s more then you want to read. Ha!
Wait!
Hi Lucian, it’s me A. Sharon.
Still think of you everyday. Hope that things are going okay. I’m sure you miss everyone as much as they miss you. Do good take care and love you. Oh, hope you get something good to eat other than beans and rice. Remember to blend in.
Love ya, Sharon
Uncle Buck asks if you powder is still dry.
K, I need to look like I’m working for my pay check.
love ya lucian!
That is happiness: to be
disolved into something
complete and great.
WILLA CARTER
Goodiight stars.
Goodnight air.
MARGARET WISE BROWN
hello hello
ok so i tried calling/texting that number but IT DIDN’T WORK! aaaaaand my last coupla weeks were so hectic as well so I was doubly distraught that I couldn’t get through to talk to you. So..how about you e-mail me your REAL NUMBER or whatever will work to get through to you. Think of it as an late Christmas/graduation gift.
Belgium is fun…step cousins came to visit for Christmas and they have put me off having children. Their parents are blissfully ignorant of the fact that their children are the devil personified. My baby brother (Arthur) is ADORABLE – check out the pix on Fbook.
Anyways, expect a letter soon…it’s in the works!
much love
nadz
Happy New Year Lucian!
Just finished watching my yearly movie- When Harry met Sally. Billy thought it was funny when I told him that I watched that movie every new years eve.
I’m looking forward to the new year. I look at it as a begining, a fresh start kind a thing. Silly maybe, but how I feel.
k, just wanted to let you know I was thinking about you this evening.
love ya!