JANUARY - NO SNOW IN CUENCA

I have been reading posts on Facebook and getting emails from friends and family back in "the old country" telling me all about the horrible weather, and unusually cold or rainy days. So I thought I would give them all a view of some of the pretty stuff  in our yard. We have been having some successes and some failures, but all in all we are learning about the flora and fauna here in our "new country".

Amaryllis? I think these come in a box around Christmas time in the US

Gardenia

I love how they start out orange and end up pink

Such a frilly little lady..

Always have to have a yellow rose

 We have had another bout of furniture delivery. Our fellow who does the "rustico" type furniture has been busy and with the holidays that never end around here, he was even more behind. Our facilitator and friend Arturo, returned from his business in the Amazon and Macara just in time to "remind" our carpenter that we were still waiting on the large bench and queen bed frame.  Well last nite at 6:00 pm, Arturo and the carpenter arrived with the bench and bed. Again all very heavy and very large.

Seats about 4 large gentlemen, with room to spare

 Randy had asked the carpenter to build a very basic bed, queen size, no fancy stuff on it, but sturdy. To prove how sturdy it was, the carpenter stood on the slats so I could see it would hold up. I didn't get a picture, I was laughing too hard.

I cut off the assistants head on purpose; he did not like his picture taken

 While they were assembling the bed, I said to Arturo, well now we just have to get a mattress, He immediately got out his phone, called the mattress company, and got us the exact same queen mattress for our guest room bed, delivered the very next day..Please note, most beds in this country do not have a box spring. I suppose you can get them, we just went with what the norm was here for beds.

Basic Queen bed, $220, Queen pillow top firm  $215 -Delivery & Assembly Included

 

 I said we had some failures, well I did. I bought some seeds at a seed store. They were supposed to be for this area. But I did not follow the directions on when to plant. Most everyone told me I could plant them anytime. Well they did come up, but they are not moving along as fast as we/I would like so Randy and I have decided to just put in already growing flowers.. and give up on these poor seedlings.

If you look real close you can see the seedlings... about 6 weeks old!

These are in our bedroom window box..

And these

And these.. see the difference?

I wish you all a better February, and on those days that get too dreary.. just go out and buy yourself some flowers! That will cheer you up!