“… Shovel them under and let me work. Two years, ten years, and passengers ask the conductor: What place is this? Where are we now? I am the grass. Let me work.” – excerpt for “Grass,” Carl Sandberg I wanted…
While peeling potatoes, in preparation for yesterday’s St. Patrick’s Day dinner, I contemplated how these Andean tubers had affected the course of several generations in my family, and the irony of moving to the land of their origin. My thoughts…
One of the most pleasurable indulges during our stay in Mulchen was the opportunity to photograph nature and to capture otherwise unnoticed gems of farm life. So, rather than carry on with a drawn-out tale of what we did, I…
Dear friends, who own a farm in the rural area of Mulchen, invited us to participate in the cutting of the wheat and to enjoy a little Chilean country living. Although the trip was wrought with mishaps from beginning to…
Summer is almost over in Chile, and to squeeze every last bit of enjoyment from the season, we embarked on two memorable trips. One introduced us to the pleasures and hardships of country living in Mulchen, and the other, to…
Sunday marked the passing of one year since the 8.8 earthquake and tsunamis, and we spent the morning watching news programs that captured the events from beginning to end. We sat on the couch, holding one another, crying. We cried…
Chile is a country where people really know how to enjoy nature and life itself. This is particularly true on a sunny Sunday. Excursions are taken along the coast to savor the smells, sounds and tastes of the ocean, as…
Yesterday, while preparing to post my story about the trip to Dichato, a violent earthquake rocked the university building. The bookcases began to sway, spilling surface contents to the floor. I screamed, paused for the major shaking to stop, and…
Years ago, a family physician told me that I hid personal problems behind my humor. In Chile, I find that people fight personal problems with humor. This indomitable spirit is most currently apparent in Dichato. Residents have taken what little…
Summer is in full swing, and two of our favorite vegetables have come into season, the humble corn and the lowly bean. Among Chileans, nothing can make the mouth salivate faster than the smell of freshly prepared humitas. Although often…