La vida

Argentina! The life in the backcountry of Patagonia...wow, I love saying that. I need that reminder sometimes..Hey! Sarah! Those mountains that you are looking at...those are the Andes. Hey, Sarah! Wake up...you are in Patagonia...amazing.

We hiked down to this gorge where the clear waters of the Rio Azul flow...amazing. We sat and stared for hours.

so clear, so cold, so blue

a favorite- Rio Blanco

I'm really getting used to life here on the farm. The work days are long, hard, and rewarding. The experience has definitely changed since Julia and I arrived. For one, I make a killer fire now in the mornings. We now have a full house. Marlon from Australia arrived a week ago, Michael from Oklahoma arrived last night and Lauren and Emily one from Miami the other NY arrived today! I like everyone..this is going to be interesting in such close quarters. We are going to adjust though, and have a great time I suspect.

footbridge over the Rio Azul

I wake up early in the mornings and 'charge the hill' to get my blood flowing and to warm me up. Charlie the dog has really gotten used to me, so she is extra frisky in the mornings and we play. I feed her treats and she runs around like crazy all excited to have new friends.

Rio Azul..view from the lodge

The Rio Blanco and the Rio Azul are our favorite relaxing spots. It's so nice to chill on the rocky banks, listen to the water flow, and breath in the mountain air.

I've become the translator for Julia, although Michael that just arrived speaks Spanish pretty well. My Spanish has improved immensly. We laugh quite a bit, and take on a new 'inside joke' every day it seems.

The days are really beginning to warm up. When the sun is out, we shed our layers and basque in her rays. It's sonice while working to glance up every now and then to see the gorgeous peaks of Cerro Piltriquitron towering over us. Today, Julia and I hiked up an adjacent mountain and got to the top for an incredible mirador (viewpoint)...I'll post pictures in a little bit.

A lot of the seeds that we've planted in the greenhouse are already sprouting. Lettuce, onions, lots of different varieties of flowers, beets, cabbage. Out in the gardens we are weeding, pruning and silting compost...basically making preparations for Springtime. Life for a new season here, oxygen, sunlight, love.

Sunday (tomorrow)...because we now have a full house of WWOOFers, we are going to have a fiesta at the lodge with everyone. Potluck! I think tonight, we will have a bonfire outside of our little mountain house, take the mega bean bag and stare at the brilliant stars. It's so dark here at night, the stars light your path, and it's such a different sky than I'm used to. If my Dad were here he could name every constellation. Since he isn't here to tell me, I create my own.

MMM, we had a delicious dinner last night. Rice with a tomato base sauce, bell peppers, carrots, onions, eggplant, potatoes, and cheese all baked to perfection.

So..2 weeks down, 6 to go. Everyday I think about my future in Japan with my new husband. What's next? After this? who knows...A beautiful new life will finally begin, with someone that I love more than anyone in the world. Everything about Argentina is wonderful...except this aching loneliness I feel when I think about Adam. Even though I'm constantly surrounded by new and interesting people, things to do, and friendly faces, I miss him so much it hurts. That is the only hard part really. So when I think of him, I just go outside, stare into the mountains and think about how much there is to look forward to...and when Adam and I will be back to Argentina together to scale the Andes. :)