Last minute clean up before trip home

This week I will be traveling to Accra for a mid-service medical checkup and then MY FLIGHT HOME TO SEE FAMILY AND FRIENDS and MY DAUGHTER'S WEDDING!!!! So this past week I have been doing last minute clean up things and packing.


I needed to move my earthworms from the temporary location by my front door to their new home under the rabbit cages. However, as I attempted to dig them up the ground was woven with teak roots from the trees close by. Teak trees have a way of stunting the germination of seeds and the growth of other roots so I had a problem.

I ended up digging a trench around the flowerbed so I could cut the major roots and hopefully be able to use the flower beds for my original long term purpose – an herb garden. I cut through four fairly large roots so hopefully that helps the growing herbs.
One of the larger roots that I needed to cut.  My cutlass and pick ax in the background

Spearmint on the right and basil and oregano on the left in front of my place

I also transplanted the rest of my plants to my garden. The soil that I am using, laterite, is not very good and the two types of corn that I tried are stunted as are the green bean seeds that I got from Accra. Those that did manage to germinate and sprout were quickly eaten by bugs.

The black eye peas that I planted from local seeds as well as the local peanuts are doing much better. I'm trying a few other things to help improve the soil. I'll report back with anything useful.

The zia pit experiment is likely not going to be very definitive. It does look like the 20 centimeter trenches may be too deep for this site and the 15 and 10 centimeter trenches are better than ground level. But I'll keep watching Most of the problem has been that the corn and bean seeds that I used for two of the sets of zia pits (20, 15, 10 cm deep) did not sprout. Well, since I will be in the states for a month – so I will not be watching. I will report back on my return.
Some blank spaces that hopefully will be filled in when I return.
The big section of green in the middle are black eye peas.
The staked plant in the foreground is one of three mango trees I'm nursing.
I've also been doing some cleaning up of thing inside my place and getting things organized for packing.

We've had lights out for several days for I have to keep the short to conserve battery power.


School update


I met with the community leaders last week and they assured me that the Junior High School will be getting the new school next school year. It is a good sign, but something like what I've heard before so I'll wait to see. This also means that I needed to work with the headmaster to move forward on a grant to improve the library and computer room – something that could have already been funded will now have to wait until I return. I will be returning on the second week of school – hopefully to the new school.


Health update


I must have eaten something that disagreed with my system as I had a upset stomach and other things farther down the line for a few days. It was bad enough that I would not be able to easily, comfortably travel so I took some medicine on Friday. Hopefully things are back to somewhat normal by the time I need to get on the 16 hour bus trip.

My cough is still around and annoying at night. I got some liquid cough medicine from a friend and I prefer the cough keeping me up to the taste of the medicine.



Love always,
John

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