Last Day in El Yunque

 This lay out of food is after everyone ate their fill.  Every night a group of two workers will prepare food for everyone else.  All the food has been delicious.  Everyone here is really great about making sure the vegans get fed :).

 They have this game here called BananaGrams and it is almost like Scrabble except you don't need a board.  It is a lot of fun and this guy Mark in the white shirt kicks everyone's ass at this game every single time he plays.  I was very impressed.

 Everyone playing BananaGrams

Every night everyone gathers to eat... again, I caught everyone at the end of the meal.  But imagine this whole table full of people making eating sounds and having conversations about their adventures collecting data out in the jungle.  This group of people is also particularly nice and wonderful so it has been a pleasure to make everyone's acquaintance.  I am sad to leave them but really excited to have Mike all to myself.

We leave for Luquillo Beach today and we will be renting a car as well.  I am hoping that we get to see the Old part of San Juan and take a day trip visiting small towns and beaches along the coast.  There is also a mangrove swamp that everyone recommends we go and see.

you might not here from me for a couple days because I am not sure if we will have a computer where we are staying but I will do my best to update the blog with pictures and stories from my blackberry.

Until then, Buenos Dias!

Welcome to the Jungle

Today I went out into the field with Mike and his team.  I had a great time taking these pictures and looking for wildlife that was willing to pose.  My camera actually got humidity caught in the lens at one point it was so humid.  There are so many spiders and bugs.  I only stayed out there for about two hours and I was exhausted so knowing Mike does that everyday for 8 hours... it is very hard work! 

The hike was not too long and it was enjoyable.  The forest is truly a magical place.  I can't wait to explore PR some more once we get a car and can visit other parts.  This island has so much to offer.

Day two and three

 The beautiful palm tree is in a courtyard right next to the girls' dorm room.

This comfortable sleeping/reading apparatus is located right next to that palm tree.



























 On Saturday the whole group decided to go to the beach.  On the way there it was raining and this made mike cry a lot.











Fortunately, the rain stopped and we spent the day at the beach.

Aaron and Kevin burying Ed

 Yesterday we went to a swimming hole with Danni and Josselyn. 

It is basically a waterfall.  There is a small opening in the rocks leading to another water hole.  We climbed up into the opening to get there.  I don't think I ever would have attempted to do something like that on my own.  Everyone here is really nice and adventurous. 
At the end of the day we all gathered for dinner and Danni had baked me Monkey Bread for my birthday!  She brought it out and everyone sang happy birthday to me.  It was so amazingly sweet.  Then we had rum drinks and I danced with Josselyn and Seth while Mike debated about government issues with Kevin and Rachel. 

Today they are all out working in the field so I am hanging close to the station reading in the hammock and eating leftovers.
There is still so much to see and do.  I'll post more as it all happens.

Puerto Rico!!!! (so far)

So, Life here is beautiful and sunny and relaxed and filled with new people!  I actually take back the relaxed part just a little bit because my mind is swarming with thoughts and feelings seeing as I am surrounded by new people and my husband who I have not seen since September.


I really really like it here and today we are going to the beach so I will have lots more to show later. 

adventures in the kitchen

Lately I have found myself itching to cook and bake.  Here are a few of my most recent kitchen projects:

This is a vegan greenbean casserole.  I was thrilled with how easy it was to make.  I got the recipe from http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=27126.0

These chocolate cherry cupcakes I made were really tasty and I got the recipe from the book Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World.  It was a wedding gift.  It was my first time making cupcakes and I of course did make a few mistakes like forgetting to let the frosting cool a bit before adding it to the cupcakes....  But they were still very delicious.

I made these samosas using wheat flour and the crust was just too hard.  I recommend following the crust recipe to the T or getting your own when making this.  The recipe is from http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=4743.0
The insides were delicious and they were fun to make.

This next picture is a bunch of ingredients that went into some brownies I made.  Who would think to make brownies with black beans but let me tell you, this is my favorite brownie recipe ever!  These were extremely easy and quick to make and they tasted great.  Plus you can make them using honey instead of sugar which definitely makes one feel more healthy while indulging in chocolate goodness.

Of course I forgot to take a picture of the finished project but they look just like regular brownies, even with the same consistency.  Here is the recipe: 

Black Bean Brownies Recipe
Servings: 9
Description:

Dense, fudge-y and ultra-healthy, these brownies are a great alternative to traditional brownies! It's amazing how they taste like chocolate and fudge and not beans! Chef's Notes: Rolled oats run through the food processor may substituted for the instant oats. Use optional sugar if your bananas are still green and not very ripe.
Ingredients:
15 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
2 whole bananas
⅓ cup agave nectar
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup raw sugar (optional)
¼ cup instant oats
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8x8" pan and set aside. Combine all ingredients, except oats, in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth, scrapping sides as needed. Stir in the oats and pour batter into the pan. Bake approximately 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool before slicing. Chef's Note: if you find these brownies are too soft or too fudge-y, add another 1/4 cup oats or flour.

from: http://happyherbivore.com/2009/05/vegan-blackbean-brownies/

Also you should know I found the link for these brownies while looking at this blog:
http://vegandad.blogspot.com/   - its a great blog with lots of inspiring projects.

Well, I am taking a trip to Puerto Rico this Friday so my next post should be filled with pictures of the landscape and stories of the jungle.

Last night

Last night I had a lot of fun making a little purse for a friend.  I experimented a lot with different designs.
at first I was thinking I would do this: 

 I also tried this out:

 This is the back:

 Finished project front:

 finished project back:

 Inside is lined with some nice material:

 I was so inspired but the completion of the first project that I started another one.  I made this shirt out of two old shirts.  Its not done just yet but it is coming along nicely.  The bottom part is one of Mike's old shirts.

 I want to print something on it and a long time ago I made this print of a baby dear.  I'm not sure how I will incorporate it just yet....

Stay tuned and I will post pictures of the shirt once its done!