Herramientas or tools is a mouthful for most English-speakers, but a necessary word to master for living in Mexico. In order to manage our lawns in the US we have mowers – riding, push, electric, gasoline, and human powered. Then there are edgers, hedge trimmers, clippers, rakes, blowers and you can probably think of more. In Mexico there is the all-purpose machete. Our half acre of property was cleared in half a day by two men wielding blades. There is historical kinship to the sword. Revolutions have been fought and roads built by armies swinging a machete.
This week I purchased my very own machete. I figured that it would come in handy working on our property. With the upper body strength of a flea, I bought the smallest and most light-weight machete I could find. I then turned to that trusty educational source YouTube. I learned more than I could have imagined about the usefulness of this handy survival, self-defense, multi-tool. I’m off today to get it sharpened and then will attempt to not cut off any limbs, mine or anyone else’s. Wish me luck.
Ain’t She Sweet?
Property Cleared
Monday’s Sunrise
Another Tool of La Jungla
the adventures of dos tortas 
You go girl! Carefully!
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I won’t be clearing any lots soon, but I can build shoulder strength. I mostly want to trim by the dock and keep the agave from taking over.
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We are constantly impressed with the average Mexicano’s ability to wield an edge, from your machete workers to the women at mercados doing things with a butcher’s knife that would cost me fingers.
Keep up the good work, Alex!
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I want to get a good edge on it and then learn how to sharpen it myself. I’m sure the trick is to keep it really sharp. yikes.
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A couple of weeks ago, Alex asked me if I wanted to take a first aid class. My first response was why would I want to do that. NOW I know. I wonder if they teach stitches?
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Thanks for your vote of confidence Honey. We won’t have a contest of who’s had the most stitches. ;@)
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Nice piece. I love going to your Facebook page to see the sunrise of the day. We are all envious. -alicia
Sent from my iPad
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Greetings to all my friends from the Department of State Health Services. I think of you often.
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Hey Alex, Ive been reading and thinking about you all. And machetes are the jungle tool! Way back when I was n peace corps in Congo, that was the essential tool . Not of choice but of reality.
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Hey Lori, Glad to know you’re a follower. Thanks for commenting. We are having so much fun. Hope you and Mike will come for a visit sometime. Hugs round to Cardea. xxx Alex
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I love that you’re learning to use your new machete via YouTube.
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