22311: Kathleen: Winding down at Bassin Zim (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: kathleen burke <kathleenburke704@hotmail.com>

I finally got to swim again at Bassin Zim on Sunday.  Non-swimmer friends
had told me that the water was "dirty," there is simply the wooded debris
one finds after heavy rain at one side, no dirt at all.  The same two little
girls I swam with in 1999, 2000, 01, and 02 were there,not grown much
taller.  They live near the Bassin.  I was impressed (not to mention
relieved) with Lavoissier's skill in maneuvering the steep ravines and
gullies on the 7 miles to and fro, and happy that my back is still young
enough to feel no aftereffects.
This will be my last full week in Papay.  Yesterday, I did a long-promised
translation into English on a proposed increase in apiculture for Fre Lama.
I was interested to read his pitch for educating people on the importance of
flowering trees - they are not just ornamental. but foundations for honey.
The flamboyants are so vivid and - well, er - flamboyant around my house,
replete with hummingbirds and other species.  I saw a beautiful little green
bird with a red head that I'm pretty sure is a colobri.   Bigger birds, too.
While I'm on animal life, my momma cat is teaching her kittens to hunt,
which is good for reality but a bit heavy on the sensibilities.  It took
several tries for me to move the teaching arena complete with dead mouse out
of my bedroom and onto the porch.   Even so, the mouse head greeted me the
next am on my doorstep.