THE GREENHOUSE GETS A VISITOR

Monte Azul’s greenhouse and gardens have been producing a bounty of organic vegetables, herbs and fruits lately. Our chefs at Café Blue have also been quite productive in turning this bounty into delicious, fresh, organic, seasonal dishes for our guests who are quite happy.

We have even developed a “Salad Safari” where the guests can hike to the greenhouse and pick their own lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and other fresh items. They then hike back to Café Blue where our chefs turn these items into a delicious salad. Our guests really seem to enjoy this experience. This was the result that we hoped for when we began experimenting with the greenhouse and gardens a few years ago.

One result that we didn’t anticipate was the abundance of wildlife that also enjoys the harvest. The greenhouse has attracted rabbits, squirrels, armadillos, coati mundis, birds , lizards and butterflies. Our goats have also broken into the garden for a meal or two. It has attracted predators that prey on these creatures too.

A few weeks ago one of these predators made and appearance inside the greenhouse. This visitor was an 8+ foot long boa constrictor. It was a beautiful snake that was sunning itself in the heat of the day. It looked like it had had a meal recently. There was a distinct bulk in the body a few feet behind its head.

The gardeners carefully removed the snake from the greenhouse. We then took several photos before sending it on its way down the hillside. Maybe we will see it again someday.

MY, MY, MY DELILAH

Tom Jones might have sung about his love for the woman Delilah but here at Monte Azul, we sing for our Delilah - Dog #5. Yes, we have adopted another dog. This little girl was living on the street in San Isidro in front of the restaurant Delji. Unlike the other dogs that we have rescued, Delilah was not starving. She looked sad enough and cute enough to get restaurant patrons to feed her as she begged for scraps. She was however, in a sad state. Her white fur was matted from dirt, cement, burrs, and stickers. She also was covered in fleas and ticks.

At the end of our meal as we got ready to depart, Carlos looked at me and said that he was going to go get the car and pull it up to the restaurant. I was supposed to coax the dog over to me with food then pick her up and put her in the car. I wasn´t sure if she would let me get that close or pick her up but before I knew it we were all in the car on the way to the veterinarian.

At the veterinarian´s office, Delilah was cleaned up, given a haircut and received all the necessary shots. She has been at home at the studio for a few weeks now and has completely won over our hearts. She has also become the leader of the pack and keeps the other 4 dogs in line.

So much for our limit of 3 dogs. Maybe it was suppose to be no more that 3 inside dogs. We should have been more specific.