Solar Hot Water

1. Select a location with at least 5 hours of direct sun, preferably between 11am and 4pm. 2. Build a sloping framework to support the weight of cement, rigid insulation and water-filled 1″ coiled black PVC hose. We used steel C-channel, well sealed and painted, to...

TASTES LIKE CHICKEN by BOB HORNBACK, 2015

I found Iz in her “office”. That was our name for her catch-all room off the main kitchen. She was seated with her back to the doorway, her grey curls haloed by the light from her computer screen. She was checking her email, and had probably been at it for hours. Iz...

ISABEL: THE ONE, THE ONLY by BOB HORNBACK, 2016

I first met Isabel in 1977. That was when she found out that I would be leading a garden tour – down from Santa Rosa California to Puerto Vallarta – in November. The tour was to conclude with a day trip to Yelapa, so she wrote to invite me to stay on at her place,...

Chewing the Fat

Welcome to the details behind the scene, the optional-extras of vacation planning, the tasty tidbits that tell you more about life in the Yelapa jungle.  It’s not always easy navigating our quickly changing world, and time-outs for refreshment make such a...