Fish, Pigs, and Cats,

Large scales make easier cleaning. . .

Friday afternoon Papa Waltes visited the market and returned with fish.  Our host mom, Maryanna (Waltes’s daughter) carried them up to our porch to clean them. 

Pohnpei displays a wealth of blues and greens so it may not surprise some that such hues are reflected in the fish (Mwamw).  

Maryanna  deftly scaled and gutted the reef catch and served them for dinner.  Delicious!

 

   

Saturday morning -- no school!

Morning  is usually a rush to prepare for classes, but this is Saturday,  so Laurie and I decide to visit the pigs (pwihk) and walk the road below our house. It wraps in a circle that is about a quarter mile.   

We must first navigate past our trusty guardians, promising them treats later. 

 

 

Chickens (malek) roam free, some with chicks following their hen.  Every morning, half a dozen roosters let us know that morning is coming -- starting at 3 a.m.

Just behind our house is the pig house (Imwen Pwihk).  Here are housed over 20 hoofed pwihk, at various stages of growth.  Some are pregnant, some are feeders.

Two pwihk are due to deliver in another week or so.

The young ones are dinner any time after 4 months. . .

 This is the retaining wall at the back of the Imwen Pwihk.


Stepping down from the pig shed we look back to see our porch, but the trees obscure most of it.

 You can see the roof our 2 story house behind the trees.  Our apartment is on the 2nd floor.















Our apartment is above the stream which  runs high most days. 

All along the dirt road, which wraps around our neighborhood block and back to our house, are fruit trees.  Papayas, banana, mangoes, and breadfruit are everywhere.

We rarely walk anywhere without being greeted with curious looks and shy smiles by the neighborhood children (seri).  

 Back at our apartment, Laurie, who must tolerate my obnoxiousness, has little tolerance for our  resident “Mamma Cat.” 

 

 Momma Cat has one baby whom she has carried to 5 different locations in its short 2.5 weeks of life.  Her latest move is back into our apartment.  This is the second time she has moved into the apartment while we were busy with distractions.  I have tried to explain to Momma Cat that so much moving at such a delicate age might  stress and possibly lead to maladjustment  in her baby.  Momma Cat merely rubs against my leg, reassuring me that I am mistaken.  

Laurie is adamant, on the other hand, that Momma Cat and baby need to seek shelter elsewhere.  This may become a contest of wills and wiles.  Right now I think Momma Cat has the upper paw.  She has hidden her baby in a deep cubby, into which we can not follow. . .