Development Diary April, 2005 – We’ve been exploring our land to find sites that permit us to build a lodge and cabañas without destroying healthy trees. Today, not too far from the road, we found a perfect hill that provides natural spaces under the forest canopy. We can build good-sized cabañas that offer a view of the Maya Mountains or our own piece of dense jungle. Nearby, nestled in the trees, is the site for the lodge. We’re excited!
May, 2006 – Our workers cleared the underbrush on the hill where we intend to erect cabañas. To our delight, they discovered a pattern of rocks that indicate the earlier residence of Mayans. We will build around and above these rocks to preserve the site.
November, 2006 – We’ve returned to our jungle paradise after a year in the States and some European travel. It’s wonderful to listen to the symphony of local birds, and to sleep to the peaceful night sounds of the jungle. I’m learning to distinguish between the sounds of frogs and geckos. December, 2006 – The monkeys are howling today. January 16, 2007 – More exciting news, our workers found a 5”x 2” fragment of Mayan pottery when clearing an area today. It’s rather amazing. Something you see in museums. A local expert believes one of the ‘rock piles’ is actually a Mayan burial mound. With minimal effort we found lots of relics there. We will treat it with appropriate respect. February, 2007– We finally made it to Tikal and I’m glad we did. We thought Caracol was impressive but Tikal is even more awesome because of its magnitude. I found myself writing an article to compare the two. Read: "Caracol vs. Tikal" Then we spent a night near Flores, Guatemala so we could visit the local markets. I captured that experience in writing too. Read: "When in Guatemala..."
April, 2007 – The thatched roofs are complete. It’s starting to look like a resort. May, 2007 – What made me think gardening would be easy in the jungle? First I overlooked the drowning of cucumber and melon roots during rainy season. Then I overlooked the effect on my flowers and shrubs of dry season and water shortages. The good news is that pineapples are drought resistant so my 100-plant pineapple patch is surviving. The bad news is, the parrots and possums get to the fruits before I do. Belize produces a variety of rums and other alcoholic products and it’s time to prepare our cocktail menu. Research reveals that making rum punch is similar to making homemade tomato sauce. Everyone’s is a little different and reflects the personal taste of the cook. Inasmuch as I have a long-established approach to tomato sauce, I thought I’d experiment with rum punch recipes. Then I compared my favorite to the popular local choice, the “Panty Ripper.” The tasting process made me feel quite eloquent. Read: "Panty Rippers or Mariposa Magic" June, 2007 – I’m beginning to feel like a curator in an archaeological museum. Workers have found so many pieces of pottery; I’ll have to build a special display table to share these relics with guests. The highlights of the collection are not pottery. We've also found an arrowhead and a piece of carved obsidian. July, 2007 – A flock of parrots tells me when it’s time to get up and when it’s time for workers to go home. We found a parrot nest in one of our mango trees. Mangoes are in season. August, 2007 – It’s a pity that travelers are discouraged from visiting Belize in the summer because of ‘rainy season.’ July was magnificent. August has been sunny, although humid. We’re lucky to be on an elevated forest site where the breezes make the hot or sticky days tolerable. October, 2007 – Dear Sharyn & Jim, We want to thank you for your outstanding hospitality and for the memories we will keep of our week at your new Lodge. We weren't sure what to expect when you told us we were your first guests. As you know, we are mature travelers who enjoy new experiences and adventure, but we like our creature comfort too. All our standards were met. The cabaņa was spacious and the bed was great. Our only regret is, we were so busy with explorations, we had no time to use our private hammock. Thanks, Sharyn, for the great food and the lovely picnic lunch. We enjoyed the ruins, caves and natural beauty of the area, but the highlight of the trip was the unique "Village Culture Tour". Actually visiting the homes of local people gave us a new insight into life in Belize and similar countries. All your guides were courteous, informative and sometimes even entertaining. We'd suggest you warn future guests about rainy season mud.
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June, 2006 - We planted a grove of 35 dwarf coconut trees in front of the resort. We’ll offer our guests the opportunity to ‘sponsor’ a tree and receive a certificate of recognition.
January, 2007 – We took our neighbors on an outing for a picnic and visit to the Belize Zoo. After our first trip to Africa, we haven’t usually liked zoos, but this one is very well-designed to create a natural environment for the animals in spite of the cages and fences. Writing an article was a must. 
March, 2007 – We found a talented local carver and commissioned a beautiful mahogany jungle mural. We plan to have him make our lodge doors and other items to add Belizean creativity to the beauty of the natural environment.
