(Above: Today Mr. Grimace went to the bucking bull school. Hoy el señor Grimace fue a la escuela para toros de corcovear.)
3/30/2025: Today began in the low 70s and drizzly. It continued much the same throughout the day.
The morning of March 30, 2025, in the southeasternmost field of the ranch. There were many cows grazing. (1) La mañana del 30 de marzo de 2025 en el campo más sureste del rancho. Había muchas vacas pastando. (1) 
The morning of March 30, 2025, in the southeasternmost field of the ranch. There were many cows grazing. (2) La mañana del 30 de marzo de 2025 en el campo más sureste del rancho. Había muchas vacas pastando. (2) 
A tag we affixed to a center post in the hay barn (Darling’s Darling). Una etiqueta que fijamos a un poste central en el granero de heno (Darling’s Darling). 
Lunch consisted of a fried egg and beef sausage mixture, accompanied by a green salad made by Padre. El almuerzo consistía en una mezcla frita de huevos y salchicha de res. Esta estaba acompañada de una ensalada verde hecha por mi padre. 
This afternoon I made a Mississippi-style stew for dinner. Esta tarde preparé un guiso estilo mississippi para la cena. 
The slightly rainy afternoon of March 30, 2025. La tarde un poco lluviosa del 30 de marzo de 2025. 
Dinner was a Mississippi style stew. This stew was topped with avocado and green cabbage and was accompanied by a salad. La cena consistía en un guiso estilo Mississippi. Este guiso estaba coronado con aguacate y repollo verde y estaba acompañado de una ensalada. 
This is a sliced red apple sprinkled with cinnamon and accompanied by a dollop of Greek yogurt. Esta es una manzana roja en rodajas espolvoreada con canela y acompañada de una cucharada de yogur griego.
3/31/2025: Today began in the high 60s and warmed into the mid 80s. Partly sunny.
This morning, March 31, 2025, I made four loaves of sourdough bread. Esta mañana del 31 de marzo de 2025 hice cuatro hogazas de pan de masa madre. 
Lunch: A platter of sushi accompanied by a bowl of mizo soup garnished with avocado and cabbage. El almuerzo: Una bandeja de sushi acompañada de un tazón de sopa de mizo adornada con aguacate y repollo. 
A photo of Padre riding his Segway through the field on the afternoon of 3/31/2025. Una foto de mi padre conduciendo su Segway por el campo en la tarde del 31/3/2025. 
This afternoon my father, Victor and my uncle fixed an electric cable to the top of this pole. Esta tarde mi padre, Víctor y mi tío fijaron un cable eléctrico en lo alto de este poste. 
Dinner consisted of reverse-seared Belgian blue short ribs accompanied by a coleslaw made by Padre. There was also a horn of red wine to drink. La cena consistía en costillas de azul belga doradas al revés acompañadas de una ensalada de repollo hecha por mi padre. Además había un cuerno de vino tinto para beber. 
This is a sliced red apple sprinkled with cinnamon and accompanied by a dollop of Greek yogurt. Esta es una manzana roja en rodajas espolvoreada con canela y acompañada de una cucharada de yogur griego.
4/1/2025: Today began in the low 70s and warmed into the high 80s. Mostly cloudy.
The gray dawn of April 1, 2025 in the southeasternmost field of the ranch. La madrugada gris del 1 de abril de 2025 en el campo más sureste del rancho. 
The Salt Springs Office: I enjoyed an hour writing here. La oficina de los manantiales de sal: Disfruté una hora escribiendo aquí. 
A very large flowering air plant I found in an oak tree near the spring. Un planta de aire muy grande con flores que encontré en un roble cerca del manantial. 
The salt springs on the morning of April 1, 2025. Los manantiales de sal en la mañana del 1 de abril de 2025. 
While I was writing, I saw a duck surrounded by many vultures. I helped the duck by scaring the vultures away. Mientras estaba escribiendo, vi que un pato estaba rodeado de muchos zopilotes. Ayudé al pato ahuyentando a los zopilotes. 
The lunch I enjoyed with my friend Shae: A beef sausage sandwich, cabbage salad, and some chips. El almuerzo que disfruté con mi amigo Shae: Un sándwich de salchicha de res, ensalada de repollo y algunos chips. 
A cow (#2503) with a black and white face. Una vaca (#2503) con cara negra y blanca. 
Dinner was leftover Mississippi stew topped with red cabbage and a slice of Swiss cheese. This was accompanied by a cabbage salad. La cena consistía en guiso estilo mississippi sobrante coronado con repollo rojo y una rodaja de queso suizo. Este estaba acompañado de una ensalada de repollo. 
This is a sliced red apple sprinkled with cinnamon and accompanied by a dollop of Greek yogurt. Esta es una manzana roja en rodajas espolvoreada con canela y acompañada de una cucharada de yogur griego.
4/2/2025: . Today began in the mid 60s and warmed into the high 80s. Mostly sunny.
Dawn of April 2, 2025 in the central field. El amanecer del 2 de abril de 2025 en el campo central. 
Lunch consisted of a fried (and then baked) mixture of bacon, red onion, eggs, and Gouda cheese. This mixture was accompanied by a green salad. El almuerzo consistía en una mezcla frita (y luego horneada) de tocino, cebolla roja, huevos y queso gouda. Esta mezcla estaba acompañada de una ensalada verde. 
This afternoon, Padre helped me measure the southernmost side for the Guesthouse roof. Esta tarde, mi papá me ayudó a medir el lado más al sur para el techo de Guesthouse. 
The central field on the sunny afternoon of April 2, 2025. El campo central en la tarde soleada del 2 de abril de 2025. 
Dinner consisted of a reverse-seared Belgian Blue sirloin tip roast. This roast was accompanied by a green salad topped with leftover slaw and toast topped with Swiss cheese. La cena consistía en un asado de punta de solomillo de azul belga dorado al revés. Este asado estaba acompañado de una ensalada verde coronada con sobras de ensalada de repollo y una tostada cubierta con queso suizo. 
A sliced green apple sprinkled with cinnamon and accompanied by a dollop of Greek yogurt. Una manzana verde en rodajas espolvoreada con canela y acompañada de una cucharada de yogur griego.
4/3/2025: Today began in the low 70s and warmed into the 80s.
The dawn of April 3, 2025 in the central field. El amanecer del 3 de abril de 2025 en el campo central. 
Lunch: A roast beef sandwich on sourdough bread with a green salad. Everything was absolutely delicious. El almuerzo: un sándwich de rosbif en pan de masa madre acompañado de una ensalada verde. Todo estaba absolutamente delicioso. 
This calf posed strangely during its treatment in the chute. Esta terneras posó de forma rara durante su tratamiento en la rampa de captura. 
This afternoon of April 3, 2025, there seemed to be a lot of cows in the field. Esta tarde del 3 de abril de 2025 parecía que había muchas vacas en el campo. 
Dinner was a romaine lettuce and green cabbage salad topped with seasoned ground beef, cottage cheese, salsa verde, hot sauce, and fried hard-baked egg. La cena consistía en una ensalada de lechuga romana y repollo verde cubierta con res molida sazonada, requesón, salsa verde, salsa picante y huevo duro frito. 
This is a huge sliced red apple sprinkled with cinnamon. Esta es una enorme manzana roja en rodajas espolvoreada con canela.
4/4/2025: Today began in the mid 60s and warmed into the 80s.
Dawn on April 4, 2025, in the southeasternmost field of the farm. El amanecer del 4 de abril de 2025 en el campo más sureste del rancho. 
This morning, Padre didn’t have any pistachios for breakfast. So I made sugar-free peanut butter cookies. Esta mañana, mi padre no tenía pistachos para el desayuno. Por eso, hice galletas de mantequilla de maní sin azúcar. 
Lunch: A fried mixture of eggs, beef, green peppers, red onions, and Swiss cheese. All of this was accompanied by a salad drizzled with a tangy vinaigrette. El almuerzo: Una mezcla frita de huevos, carne de res, pimientos verdes, cebolla roja y queso suizo. Todo esto estaba acompañado de una ensalada rociada con una vinagreta picante. 
Part of the process of making puff pastry dough: I had to grate butter into semolina flour. Una parte del proceso de hacer masa para hojaldre: Tuve que rallar mantequilla en harina de sémola. 
Today Mr. Grimace went to the bucking bull school. Hoy el señor Grimace fue a la escuela para toros de corcovear. 
Dinner consisted of reverse-seared Belgian blue burger-steak, topped with Havarti cheese and accompanied by a green salad made by Padre. There was also a bowl of homemade barbecue sauce for dipping. La cena consistía en un bistec de carne molida de azul belga dorado al revés, cubierto con queso havarti y acompañado de una ensalada verde hecha por mi padre. Además, había un tazón de salsa barbacoa casera para mojar. 
This is a sliced red apple sprinkled with cinnamon and accompanied by a dollop of Greek yogurt. Esta es una manzana roja en rodajas espolvoreada con canela y acompañada de una cucharada de yogur griego.
4/5/2025: Today began in the mid 60s and warmed into the mid 80s. Mostly sunny.
Dawn on April 5, 2025, in the southeasternmost field of the ranch. El amanecer del 5 de abril de 2025 en el campo más sureste del rancho. 
Another photo of the sunrise on April 5, 2025. Otra foto del amanecer del 5 de abril de 2025. 
These are the puff pastry cookies I made for the store on the morning of April 5, 2025. Estas son las galletas de hojaldre que hice para la tienda en la mañana del 5 de abril de 2025. 
The center field at noon on April 5, 2025. El campo central al mediodía del 5 de abril de 2025. 
Lunch consisted of beef sausage, some bacon, and a green salad drizzled with a mustard vinaigrette. El almuerzo consistía en salchichas de res, un poco de tocino y una ensalada verde rociada con una vinagreta de mostaza. 
This afternoon I prepared three packages of beef to ship on Monday. Esta tarde preparé tres paquetes de res para enviar el lunes. 
The mostly sunny afternoon of April 5, 2025. La tarde mayormente soleada del 5 de abril de 2025. 
Dinner consisted of reverse-seared Belgian Blue short ribs accompanied by a slaw, a bowl of sour cream, and a horn of red wine. La cena consistía en costillas de res de azul belga doradas al revés acompañadas de una ensalada de repollo, un tazón de crema ácida y un cuerno de vino tinto.
Final Note: Epigraph for Grimorzak’s chapter 11 in Book 2 – TLB. It might swap places with the chapter 10 epigraph.
In my time here, I have come to appreciate the tranquility of solitude, and more, I have come to appreciate that appreciation which I did not previously believe or even conceive myself to possess. It has made me wonder if, like the body which is composed of myriad pieces and parts, if the Self, too, bears its own multitude of appendages. The difference with Self, though, is that you can’t see its eyeballs or feet or breasts or buttocks. Indeed, one cannot know of their incorporeal Self’s various components until those components are exhibited through action and experience.
This realization has helped me comprehend the depth of influence that the external realm has on the internal. How many individuals are akin to myself with facets that have never seen the light of the sun due merely to the tangle of circumstances into which they were born? How much splendor do we have squirreled away, only awaiting like some acorn the proper conditions to sprout? We can’t ever know for certain, but I do think there is one practice we can employ to help assure ourselves there isn’t an Auriel or Streeph – or Rhowena – trapped within us.
Travel. That is my singular advice to all, and especially to those, who like prior myself, are dissatisfied with their state of affairs. Not enough wealth to travel? Horse-dung. Use your bloody legs. Not enough time? Hog-bollocks. The sun passes no quicker for you than for anyone else.
Travel. Change your context. See what you find.
- from ‘Studies of Self & Silver’ written by Queen Rhowena Plompaytis
No doubt it was a great week of meals much enjoyed… Travel just over a month away, l’ll gladly put those thoughts to the test.