Hail in Nepal

Not sure how well this turned out in the photo, but we got hail in Nepal the other day! It was quite a talking point for a while. The monsoon season doesn't start until mid June, but we are feeling a bit of it early. I need to buy some Wellies I think.

Pink Rock Salt

In Nepal there is an area up in the Himals, that produces a pink salt rock. I have heard about it for awhile but never seen any. Well.... I have now. I was walking through the market the other day and came across this stall with rocks. He has about four or five different kinds. There was an Alum rock and some volcanic looking rock, and then I saw it -  Pink Salt Rock. So I asked for the price in Nepali, and he answered me in Nepali. So I had no clue how much it was..still working on my numbers. I believe he said about 80 rupyee for a kilo (which would be about a dollar). So I picked up a rock and gave it to him. He weighed it and quoted me a price of 70 rupyee. I said, " I'll take it."  Now I just need to find someone to drill a hole in it big enough to put a tea candle in. and Wah La! I can have a nice night light.
     
                   By the way, I did lick it and it IS salty!

Since writing this blog, I have asked around for someone to drill a hole in it so as to fit a tea candle in it. Everyone says they are afraid to crack it into pieces. Oh well. Now I have a lump of pink salt!

Fish Out of Water

I know that I live in a landlock country, but the other day I really felt like a fish out of water. Some friends invited me to a reggae concert at a local coffee shop. The music group was good, but I definitely felt a bit ...out of my comfort zone. I often forget that there is another world outside of my bubble of work and survival. I am so in my zone most of the time that the rest of the world seems so disconnected. But they need the Lord too.   It was a good reminder that Jesus came and hung out with the tax collectors and the "others".  He took grief for it, but he knew they needed His light too!  So I am glad that I went and had a quick lesson.  I pray that I can remember to be a fisher of men in all and every occasion!

Cool Chair

This weekend has been our mid-term break, so a friend and I went to eat breakfast at a new place as part of an adventure. The restaruant was called Mike's Breakfast and it advertises American breakfasts and they advertize correctly! It was real good.

 The restaurant is in an old converted Rani house. The Rani were the family that historically held the position of Prime Minister during the monarchy. It was a very beautiful house and I enjoyed the architecture as much as the food.

There was a small gallery that sold things in  the upstairs part of the house/restaurant. One of the things on sale was this cute little chair. The chair actually comes apart for easy transport. But at a price of $250 I was not really interested. I was more fasinated with the woven seat and the craved elephants. But still  wasn't going to buy it. I  didn't think it would hold me for one, and I don't need another place to pile clothes and papers on in my house.
Oh yeah, and the price tag!

A Study in Copper

 The other day while I was looking around the 'gift' shop at Mike's Restuarant, I saw this collection of Buddhas in copper. I wasn't  interested in the image, per se, but the art process was of interest to me. Not sure if it is because I am teaching art now.. or hanging out with people who are art teachers. But to see how one creates copper plates was photo-worthy. I was thinking of trying my hand at it.. and see if I could create an aardvark. Might have to give it a try.

Ever Changing

Today as I was walking down the road... I looked up and saw this...I just had to take a photo. I wish I could have picked up one of those rocks and taken it to school for my collection.That pile is covering half the road. The house in the foreground is the proper distance from  where the new road will be.
Every day it is a new terrain.

Overbooked

Today is one of those days when you have tons of things to do, but you are waiting fo other people or events to happen so that you can actually begin working on your to-do list. Then when you finally say, " I can't wait...I need to start." everything else that you were waiting for begins to happen: people show up, the paper you were waiting for appears, and you get the emails you were expecting...ALL at the same time. That sense of being overwhelmed hits and you are scrambling to cover all your bases, when just five minutes prior, you were twittling your thumbs.
What a crazy world we live in!