Greetings Friends! I hope that life as we know it is treating you very well. Here in the Riviera Maya, September has been true to the annual plan with a healthy amount of rain and the first annoying batch of mosquitos this year. There is still plenty of sunshine and my garden is loving it. I've had an excess of tomatos and chilis and am adjusting the garden mix as I learn more about the local conditions.

The local economy here has experienced the effects of the global malaise and, as a result, my business activities have been very slow this year. So all my house building has been on hold and I have shifted to plan B for a while. I have set up a provisional office, bedroom, well pump, and solar energy system in the unfinished structure which, although not elegant, is paid for. Now my neighbors and I are looking at the opportunities and adjusting to what looks like a future based on local sustainability.

I have nearly completed my brick wood fired oven and will start baking artisan bread and pizza soon. Here is the concept if you are interested: Pompeii Oven

I recently visited my other property out in the real jungle. It had been quite a long time since the last trip. We explored two of the caverns long enough to start talking about returning with pros to survey the length and depth of the system. And now that the neighbor Mayan village is being funded to increase eco tourism, my partners and I are looking at finding some investment partners to get our project moving in a good direction. Here is the website with a few new pics: Yumkaax

That is the status of things in my little Mexican village. How about you? Please keep in touch, and don't forget that when your weather cools down, the Caribbean beaches are here waiting for you.

Hasta la proxima,
Bill Barton