Pronatura Peninsula de Yucatan (PPY), and a sustainable future

 

On Thursday evening, I had another opportunity to visit the home of Joann Andrews, Honorary President of Pronatura Peninsula de Yucatan (PPY) to hear her speak on Biodiversity in the Yucatán.

Thanks to the International Women's Club Gardening Group President, Ileana Acevedo Vega, 

for arranging this incredible opportunity.

The evening started, as do most encounters with Joann, in a ‘quick’ tour of her orchids;

Always fascinating.  Several interesting new developments were discussed; one that I found particularly interesting is the recent re-classification of a group of orchids that I know as Schombergkia (sp) to the classification Myrmecophila.  I found this particularly interesting because I happen to have several Schombergkia/Myrmecophila orchids; several of which I have blogged while they were in bloom. (to see pictures of some of my orchids, the Schomburgkias included just type orchids in to Search bar)

ProNatura (PPY) is a non profit organization whose mission is to conserve the flora, fauna and vital ecosystems of Mexico.  They are doing this by, among other things, promoting community development in harmony with nature.

 PPY has been working on priority areas of Yucatan Peninsula since 1981.

What makes Mexico Special?

It is the Incredible Diversity of both our Terrestrial and

Marine Eco-Regions!

PPY has programs along the Coastal Regions where they protect and preserve turtles, whale sharks, flamingos, and the delicate habitats and ecosystems that are being compromised by excessive and unregulated use.

The Private Reserve of El Zapotal, where they now have proof that 5 of the 6 types of Mexican wild cats exist. Also in El Zapotal they are monitoring and recording a large variety of birds, as well as working to educate and inform the local populations on the need and benefits of protecting the unique environment there.

ProNatura is training Mayan men and women to be Conservators of the Yucatan by teaching them to Guides in many areas; from Bird Guides, to Archaeology Guides, to Guides of the History and Lore of the Maya Culture.  They are also helping women to learn to keep bees for honey production, to improve their embroidery skills to create sustainable income.  They are advising farmers on new ideas and methods of agriculture that are less damaging and that can help conserve wildlife habitat.

A few facts you might find interesting, and perhaps surprising.

Mexico is #4 in the World in varieties of plant species. The Yucatan alone has 182 families, 992 genera, 2,477 species and 98 varieties/subspecies of plants.  This is 10.47% of all mexican species, just here in the Yucatán.

Mexico is also #4 in the World in diversity of Amphibians.  The Yucatán alone can boast 43 species, with 4 of them being endemic and unfortunately 1 is already an endangered species.

Mexico tops the rest of the World as  being #1 in reptile diversity.

The Yucatán alone can boast over 25% of the total Mexican species by claiming 139 species.  Add to that there are 19 endemic species here in the Yucatán, and sadly 25 species are endangered; that is lamentable 17.9% of the Mexican species.

So you can see why Pronatura Peninsula de Yucatan’s work is so important.

In the Yucatán alone you can find 513 species, a full 46.6% of all Mexican species of birds.   We have 67 endemic species, and sadly 157 species are endangered.

Mexico is #2 in the world in  Mammals, with Yucatan containing 103 species, 16 species of which are endangered, and we have 21 that are endemic.

So what can you do?   Well of course you can support PPY programs!

http://www.pronatura-ppy.org.mx/?idioma=_ing

OR you can become more involved in other ecology minded and sustainability focused groups where you live.  You can develop a more sustainable approach in your home and life; Recycle, Reduce, Reuse, Compost, Create Animal Habits in your space; a bird feeder or bird bath, put up a butterfly box or a bat box, plant things that are tasty to birds, bees, butterflies, hummingbirds….

If you are here in Merida and want to get involved in a more sustainable future there are a number of options:  PPY of course,  and also MeridaVerde.   I know there are more, but this is what I have at the moment.

Ceniza

There is yet another Oaxaca fair at Parque de la Paz, which if you don't know quite where it is,  it is on Avenida Itzaes across from Parque del Centennario (aka the zoo).   These fairs used to always be at Parque Santa Ana.  At some point in the last year and a half they were moved to Parque de la Paz, we don't know why.  Parking is especially difficult on the weekends when the ample parking normally available is chock full of cars for sale.  If you are looking for a used car this where you go on Saturday night or all day Sunday!

Back to my story - Tom and I decided to go over to the fair last night, after the evening started to cool things down a bit.  We walked around, looked at all the stuff, the same stuff they have every year and that you can buy cheaper in Centro it seems to me.   There was a time when these fairs were a great adventure and you good wrangle a good deal on some stuff.

We bought a ball of fresh Oaxaca cheese for Tom, and a bag of pan de nata cakes for breakfast.  If you haven't tried pan de nata I highly recommend you try it.  The texture is a bit like a scone, and the flavor is slightly sweet with hints of vanilla and something else...Nata by the way is the heavy film that forms over the top of whole milk when it sets up, so sort of like a condensed milk???   Well anyway, we bought cheese and pan de nata.    Then on the way home we stopped in at Chedraui to pick up a few things, we were both hungry and there was nothing really quick(not needing cooking, prepping, thinking about) to eat at home.  Now why we didn't just go out for something is one of those mysteries of 'US'.   We'd rather eat a bag of chips at home than go out most times!   Weird!

So anyway, again, Back to my story!    We get home, start putting our stuff away, and start assembling the stuff we bought to eat, now normally the first thing we do when we get home is open the back door and let the pups in - tonight however we well we just didn't, neither of us really know why.   So we assemble our sandwiches, Tom had deli meat with lettuce and tomato, and I had sliced roasted chicken with lettuce and tomato.   We take our sandwiches and drinks (iceWater) in to the TV and set up our trays; American Idol was already on so we wanted to see that.   THEN we finally open the door for the poopies!

OMG!    Now you've seen Ceniza and Tech - I blog about them a bit too much!  Well for some!

So here for your memory is Ceniza, - Normally

                                                  

Now look at this!

She got bitten/stung by something, we pried her mouth open to check her tongue and throat  which didn't seem to be blocked, then managed to get a Benadryl down her and held ice packs over her eyes and snout.  She really seemed to like the ice packs.   Or maybe it was the extra attention.  Tech was really concerned - it was very interesting to see the dynamic.  Tech hovered and prodded...at one point Tatie, the cat, walked in Tech herded him around and away from where Ceniza was laying.   Really interesting the dog dynamic.  Reminded me a bit of the video  going around and on the news about the dog in Japan that would not leave its wounded buddy.

Well anyway, Ceniza is much better today, she still has some swelling, but it is greatly diminished.

These photos don't quite capture what her face looked like, her lips and jowls were so thick and tight, her eyes were just slits, under her neck was all thick and lumpy...   but well what cha gonna do!

Open Mic night at Cafe el pendulo

photo from internet

So last night was the first 'Open Mic' night at Cafeteria El Pendulo.

It was great fun, lots of friends were there; there was comedy, poetry, singing and strumming, it was a very good 'Opening".  I can't believe`I didn't take a single picture.

And for as long as it lasts there will be an Open Mic night every Wednesday, come around 7/7:30, get yourself a seat, order some food and a drink and wait for the fun.  Open Mic starts at 8PM.

Cafe El Pendulo is on calle 66 between 73y75, Merida, Centro.

Most of my friends that are familiar with cafe el pendulo eat breakfast there, especially on Sunday's during bici-ruta, although I do know a couple that pretty much rely on the cafe for most of their daily food.  

I am embarrassed to say this was my first time there and I live quite close by.  

I will be there again, and hope to see some of you there!

reduce, reuse, recycle

A friend sent me this a short while back and I think it is a fabulous use of  'trash'.   The text is in Spanish but I don't think you need the text to understand.

Cómo sellar una bolsa y que sea hermética!

How to seal a plastic bag 

         


Cortar una botella de agua desechable (o similar) y mantener el cuello y parte superior, como en las fotos a continuación.

  
Inserte la bolsa de plástico a través de la boca y rosca

de la parte superior - para sellar.

La botella está hecha para ser hermética, de manera que
el agua no se escapará, el secreto está en la parte
superior y el tornillo!

  
Esta es una Gran Idea para compartir. 

Bueno para nosotros y el medio ambiente también.

Motul

Motul, or as the ancient maya called it “Zacmutul” is among other things, the birthplace of both Felipe Carrillo Puerto,

AND huevos motuleños.

Tom and I and friends recently went to Motul for breakfast. 

At about 40km from Merida it's a short drive, about an hour, in which time you get a little conversation going as the sights are typically a bit uninteresting - traffic is light, and the highway is good.  Since we have a car we drive, but you can easily choose to get there by bus/combi, which leave from calle 67x52 in Merida Centro; they make the trip with some degree of regularity and drop you right in Motul Centro at the main square.

We had our huevos motuleños, which were quite tasty and did a little walking around.  I always enjoy the little museum dedicated to Felipe Carrillo Puerto which is just next to the municipal market.  We went to the church, unfortunately it was closed.   There is also a lovely cenote there, lamentably we each had other plans that day and needed to return to Merida so didn't even attempt that sidetrip.  There's always tomorrow!.

The square is lovely - and clean - and look at these fabulous benches -

Motul is a lovely town quite large and rambling.  Quite low key. My cause for posting this breakfast trip is simply to comment a bit on some curiosities...

The other day, here in Merida, as I was attempting to cross a street on a pedestrian crosswalk, which is both elevated and painted bright yellow, a driver nearly ran over my foot, he came that close in his attempt to get by me without respecting either me or the crosswalk.  In Motul, as we crossed on crosswalks, heck even without crossing at a crosswalk, the drivers would slow, motion us across, or stop completely.  Imagine our shock, I mean walking here in Merida, although safe from most human threat, is a deathwish once confronted by drivers behind the wheels of a car which is coming in your direction.

So WHY do the drivers of Merida have neither respect, care, nor caution about pedestrians and drivers in other communities do?   What is up with drivers here?   Can anyone offer a plausible explanation?

Another curiosity upon which we each remarked was the cleanliness of Motul.   Merida is grimy and dirty.  There was a recent article in the Winnipeg FreePress,  where Merida is likened to "...an old, vain Hollywood movie star, best seen in the softer, kinder light of evening."    Oh, I love this phrase!

 The sheer volume of vehicles, their abysmal state of repair which contributes to oil and gas in the streets as well as the plumes of toxic fumes which contribute to the oil and grease all wash up on to the sides of buildings with every rain. Is it just the volume of vehicles????  Aided of course by the canyons created by the tall buildings facing both sides of most streets with no escape for rain water???

Does Motul, for example use some sort of de-greaser????   I remember once, In New Orleans, quite late at night, well it was more like quite early in the morning, returning to our hotel and coming upon huge trucks washing down the streets with a degreaser/clorine bleach combo.  FABULOUS!  By commuter time the streets were clean, and smelled good.

Now there's an idea - Merida has huge trucks that are used to water medians and streetside planted areas; these same trucks could pull double duty - and clean the streets by night while watering the verge during the day.

Just a thought!   It's a curiosity, how much I love Merida, yet how often I wonder about these little oddities.

An opportunity to learn about the 13th Bak'tun event

I've lifted this completely from Yucatan Living -

it's a fabulous opportunity for us 'english speakers' to learn a little bit more about the maya prophecies

The 2012 Issue – a lecture series by Guillermo Kantun Rivera

Epigrapher, archaeologist (UADY)

Maya creation myths and prophecies, the calendar, Maya conceptions of time and truth.

Aimed at: English-speaking general audiences



Location: Casa de Libros José González Beytia Calle 62-A #457 por Ave. Colón y 33-B, Colonia García Ginerés, Mérida, México (50 meters from the Drive Inn)

Dates: Every Thursday from March 17th to April 14th, 2011

Time: 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM,

Admission: $2,000 pesos Registration due date: March 5th, 2011 Limited to 15 participants

Dilemma

 

Tom and I have been together almost - well since 1973.   

It's always been us, never me, you, him, her - always us!    

It's worked, until now!

I want my own email.   Not 'our' email, but my own email.   We are so different in how we do things, arrange things, keep things......He keeps ALL the emails!  I want to read, then reply, delete, or file!  Things get lost, forgotten, buried.

So I am trying to decide which provider to use

I am not completely happy with our current Yahoo,  all those ads, unless you pay some small fee, I think about 20 usd per year, but that would then be times 2.  Plus it is impossible to use on our netbook which we use when we travel. 

Of course this is another good reason to get an iPad, oh I have such iPad envy, and I saw the new one being advertised, Yummy, Pink!

I have Google accounts for a couple volunteer projects I work with and I like that they keep messages together.  Although I must admit I am pondering a resurrection of Outlook and have MY emails come in to that.  I also have a VERY old Palm Zire, and if it still works I may start sync'ing to that so I have my extensive Social Schedule close at hand!

I found this link that rates email providers - Gmail came in 1st!    





Oh, What to do, What to do!  

Oh my gosh - what do I name it?

DebiinMerida?  too long
Debi? unavailable
Debi54? why do I want to advertise my year of birth
Anonymous?  NO!
QrZ6b(?   No, to hard to remember


AAAAAACCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCK

They're baaaaaaaaaaaaaack!

We had a lovely rain on Saturday night, and continued with some light showers on Sunday.  It's been quite a while,  but then we are coming up on the season!   Oh and the humidity level is rising.

We all know what that means!     

 They are relocating.  All that time during the dry season they established their colonies underground and we didn't see too many of them, but now, with the first rains, they are on the prowl and they are looking for you! 



They will find ways to get in and set up nest in any and everything, and they do it with great stealth, and oh so quickly....they are sneaky, wascally, and quite tricksy....

you shouldn't be reading this

Today (4 March 2011) is Digital Detox Day, well according to an article I was reading, Online, on my Online subscription to UTNE Reader. 

This National Day of Unplugging (NDU) is the effort by a group called Reboot to restablish, with a modern twist, Jewish traditions of Shabbat, or Day of Rest.  It has been modernized in another way to include all peoples. 

I applaud the tenents of this relatively new movement; This is their second year. 

The 25-hour period is guided by Reboot’s Sabbath Manifesto,

which encourages a weekly “time-out” following ten principles:

1) Avoid technology;

2) Connect with loved ones;

3) Nurture your health;

4) Get outside;

5) Avoid commerce;

6) Light candles;

7) Drink wine;

8) Eat bread;

9) Find silence;

and

10) Give back.

One humorous observation I make is all the ways you can be reminded to unplug that come to you through your digital technology devices.  They offer text messages to your cellphone, tweets,  facebook reminders....

Ah well I really do like the premise - the whole idea of connecting with people, getting back to basics, oufff, but avoiding technology,  um, errr, I don't think so....

Today is Digital Detox Day - you shouldn't be reading this - go outside, play with the dog, the kid, have lunch in the park with a friend, take a long walk and enjoy the day.

Or, like me, sit in front of your computer answering emails reading all your favorite blogs!