Weekly Observations
Jul 24 - Jul 30, 2005
This week started out like others since the rainy season
began, with thunderstorms most nights, but toward the end of the week
it began to dry out. There are still clouds around the mountains at dusk
and dawn, but fewer showers. If the pattern of the past few years repeats
itself, the rainy days will come in clusters from now to the end of the
rainy season, with three to seven rainless days followed by two to five
days of rain every night. The thunderstorms in August and September also
seem more intense than those of the early part of the rainy season.
The Guayaba trees (Psidium guajava) have small fruit
on them, but won't be ready for eating until September. The Capulin trees
(Prunus salicifolia) however have fruit ripening now. These wild
cherries are native to Mexico. The fruit is about 1/2 inch in diameter, but
the seed is larger in proportion to the size of the fruit than most cherries,
so there isn't a lot of fruit, but what there is has good flavor.
In the tourist market near the pier in Chapala we found a man
selling bark from Lignum Vitae (presumabley Guaiacum officinale) as
a cure for intestinal problems, colitis, menstrual cramps, etc. Called
'Palo Santo' locally, it is an evergreen tree with deep red wood. The wood
is burned for incense, and is so dense that it does not float in water.
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