How does your garden grow?

Currently there is so much available here in Soyo that it is almost unbelievable that there are months of nothing......  We have had 2 weeks of Bok Choi, Cabbage is back, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Sweet Peppers, Potatoes, Onions, Garlic.....only the carrots are mildewed and I'm not sure why.  Also, at this time our garden is growing so well......we have had two times to harvest the spinach....and it is so delicious.......and fresh......without pesticides.....and the 'parsley' turns out to be carrots......but I don't know when you know it is time to harvest those.....any help?  The lettuce the gardener planted is growing as are the watermelons and pumpkins, squash, something that looks like eggplant, I think....The Winged beans are slow to produce....I see 4 new ones....can't quite make a meal out of that and the green beans are still producing but some of the vines are really yellow.....don't know why.....it is all so exciting and changes every day.....It is quite amazing and the gardener is as excited as we are.  He doesn't know all the veggies and so is awaiting the harvest to see what they are.

The orchids are living......not exciting with any appearance of flowers yet....and one looks like I over watered it and it is yellow.....I am hoping it will not die......Cindy, one of the ladies, is returning on Friday and will bring orchid food.....so hopefully this will allow them to grow and the yellow one to revive......  It's funny, when we lived in Thailand, if any of our numerous orchids died, we just threw it away and found another.....they were cheap and plentiful.....Here in Soyo, we are the only ones who have orchids and I want them to grow so we can share them with the neighbors......A different attitude in me.

Bryan has found a place that will allow him to buy imported meats and vegetables.  This is very exciting since the meat that he brought from Cabinda last year is running out.  We are so thankful for the freezers.....and we chuckle that we eat meat that has been frozen for a year.....something we wouldn't do elsewhere.....life on the raft mentality.....anyway, he was able to find lettuce twice...now this is grown locally but we are not able to buy it from the grower.....don't know why......and eggs.....so far only one has been spoiled....not like the days of 15 our of 20 spoiled and stinky.....so as I say, we are in a land of plenty this month......

I find it interesting that even tho we are not going to the schools now, I am still quite busy.  Everything takes a little longer here to do.....but still my days are full and I find I am really content.  

As I was going to the stores today.....milk at one, crackers at another and fruit, if you can find it, somewhere else......anyway, a car stopped suddenly in the middle of the road to talk to a driver in another car and my driver, Adolfo, said......"Africa, no good".....I replied..."Not Africa.....just not a good driver".....he smiled.  Then I said, "I'm glad I am in Soyo".  "I prayed to God to come to Angola and He sent me to Soyo".  He continued to smile and shake his head.  This driver is a resident of Soyo. Sadly, many people when they leave have a speech that says something about how difficult it is here and how much they hated it......and most people laugh......I am really hoping that no one will say that about me when I leave.....that I just put in time and waited to escape......that would be sad...and frankly, not true......

So what am I learning now here?  Well, I am watching myself change in many attitudes....accepting things on such a different level and being so much more thankful for what we have.  I am finding that even tho I have not realized the dream for working in the medical field here and especially in palliative care, I am not fretting about it and am waiting with a peaceful state of mind.....and continuing keep busy with other enjoyable and worthwhile tasks like.... teaching English, quilting, blogging, and making a home that is a place of peace for Bryan after his long and stress filled days.....

Now if I could just find the fabric I need........and learn to enjoy doing the ironing.......and if our shipment that was sent 7 months ago would be released..........sigh.......