Table for Six

16°33'12.39N
98°49'41.13W 

After finishing up our work in Santa Cruz, El Rincon (see Misty Mountains and a Goat), we decided to head to the coast for lunch and a bit of beach time. What a great idea. Lunch was "camarones al mojo de ajo" (grilled shrimp with garlic, lime juice, cilantro, chipotle chili). I actually didn't get in the water. Spent some time in the hammock shown in the foreground reading Bring Me the Rhinoceros by John Tarrant. I miss living in Mexico. 

Current Situation in Guerrero

Things are a bit complicated in Guerrero at the moment. There are divisions between communities about the CRAC-PC (community police), the teachers are on strike in response to educational reform, the violence from the war against drugs continues to escalate, and the recent Campaign Against Hunger is sending the army into rural villages to cook food. There are roadblocks and checkpoints on many roads and trucks loaded with soldiers are circulating all over the state.

The image above, from Chilpancingo, shows heavily-armed soldiers in battle gear and says (loosely translated): Did you know? Guerrero has created a military force to guarantee your security.

Community-based resoure management loses some of its relevance with all of this going on in the background. [NOTE: Nestle and PepsiCo are major corporate sponsors of the National Crusade Against Hunger (Cruzada Nacional Contra el Hambre or CNCH) in Mexico].

Acateyahualco Landscape

This is what the landscape looks like around Acateyahualco, Guerrero in the late afternoon when you come out of a community meeting with a plastic cup of mescal in your hand (which you try not to spill, but studiously avoid drinking). Great to work in a place where the locals ride burros. [NOTE: I'm off to Guerrero again early next week. Back to Santa Cruz, El Rincon (see What I Do)].

Parade in Chilapa

Earlier this year when I was in Guerrero, Mexico (see Other Side of the Camera and What I Do), I had the opportunity to watch a boisterous parade stream through the streets of Chilapa. Really great with lots of drums, and costumes, and honking horns, and groups of young school kids in uniforms exhibiting a type of Brownian motion as they moved along under the supervision of their teachers. Any idea from the photo above of what the parade was celebrating? [Hint: I took the picture on May 10, 2013]. [Another hint: Mother's Day was celebrated in Mexico on May 10 of this year].

Dog at El Rincon

This guy was waiting for us every morning in Santa Cruz, El Rincon (see What I Do) when we would walk over to the kitchen for breakfast. Never barked. Never looked at us. Occasionally a slight wag of the tail. Wonder how often he receives a random act of kindness? 

First Rains

After the first rains, the dry forests in Guerrero look a bit like something that was created by Claude Monet. So many different shades of green. 

GPS+Two-Way Radio

A group of mescaleros from the village of Acateyahualco in Guerrero, Mexico (see Meeting in Acateyahualco) getting their equipment ready to start the annaul agave inventories. They got new GSP receivers, and the new devices have a 22 channel two-way radio built in. Will be a great help in the field once everyone figures out how they work. [NOTE: Love the collection of sombreros].  

Counting Agaves

Locating a transect for counting Agave cupreata Trel & Burger in Chilapa, Guerrero, Mexico (see Mescal). Beautiful piece of oak forest on the slopes.  I wasn't convinced that it was a good idea to take a rifle on the inventory transects...but I was voted down. [NOTE: That's a large Agave to the upper left of the cowboy hat].