(Above: A Dalia flower in the dawn of 5/30/2023. Un flor de Dalia en el amanecer de 30/5/2023.)
5/28/2023: Today began in the high 50s and warmed into the mid 80s. Sunny, blue skies.
Dawn of 5/28/2023. El amanecer de 28/5/2023. 
The morning of 5/28/2023: This was the first herd that Padre and I fed. La mañana de 28/5/2023: Este fue el primero rebaño que mi padre y yo lo alimentamos. Note: If I use the word “Primer” instead of “Primero”, it means, “This is the first herd that Padre and I ever fed.” 
This new dahlia flower was showing its beautiful colors. Esta nueva flor de dahlia estaba mostrando sus colores bonitos. 
This morning, Padre and I fed almost all the cows on the ranch. Esta mañana, mi padre y yo alimentamos casi todas las vacas en el rancho. 
Lunch of 5/28/2023 consisted of a fried mixture of eggs and beef that was accopmanied by a green salad that was made by my parents. El almuerzo de 28/5/2023 consistía de una mezcla frita de huevos y res que estaba acompañada de una ensalada verde que fue hecho por mis papás. 
These are the ribs that I prepared for the dinner of 5/28/2023. Estas son las costillas de res que yo preparé para la cena de 28/5/2023. 
Dinner consisted of the previously mentioned ribs with a salad of cucumber, red cabbage, summer squash, and olives in a tangy dressing. Also, there was a bowl of BBQ sauce and a glass of wine to accompany the meal. La cena consistía de las costillas ya mencionadas con una ensalada de pepino, repollo rojo, calabacita de verano, y aceitunas en un aliño ácido. También, había un bol de salsa barbacoa y una copa de vino para acompanar la comida. 
A sliced apple sprinkled with cinnamon and accompanied by halved strawberries. El postre: Una manzana que estaba en rodajas, espolvoreada con canela y acompañada de dos fresas en mitadas.
5/29/2023: Today began in the low 60s and warmed into the mid 80s. Sunny morning, cloudy afternoon.
An early morning scene on 5/29/2023: A snail on a blade of ginger. Una escena de la madrugada de 29/5/2023: Un caracol en una brizna de jengibre. 
Morning in the Jacobhouse office. La mañana en la oficina de la Casa de Jacobo. 
Today Madre and I got food from Sushi Bistra for lunch. This is the miso soup that was garnished with red cabbage, spinach, and some purslane flowers. Hoy, mi madre y yo conseguimos alguna comida de Sushi Bistro para almorzar. Esta es la sopa de miso que estaba adornada con repollo rojo, espinaca, y unas flores de verdolaga. 
The mentioned soup was accompanied by a beautiful tray of sushi. La sopa mencionada estaba acompañada de una bandeja bonita de sushi. 
Last night, I supped on a fried mixture of eggs, beef, and cheese. This was accompanied by a green salad that was made by Padre. Anoche, yo cené un mezcla frita de huevos, res, y queso. Esa estaba acompañada de una ensalada verde que fue hecho por mi papá. 
The dessert consisted of some slices of Granny Smith apple and some halved strawberries sprinkled with cinnamon and accompanied by a dollop of Greek yogurt. El postre consistía de unas rodajas de manzana de Abuela Smith y unas mitadas de fresa, espolvoreadas con canela y acompañadas de una cucharada de yogur Griego.
5/30/2023: Today began in the high 60s and warmed into the mid 80s. Cloud cover in the afternoon reduced temperatures into the low 80s.
Early morning of 5/30/2023: This is Blue, the Belgian Blue cow. La madrugada de 30/5/2023: Esta es Blue, la vaca Azul Belga. 
A Dalia flower in the dawn of 5/30/2023. Un flor de Dalia en el amanecer de 30/5/2023. 
This is the new shade that I installed in front of my house. Esta es la sombra nueva que yo instalé enfrente de mi casita. 
Lunch of 5/30/2023: A taco salad topped with ground Wagyu beef, some avocado, some tomato, sour cream, and taquera salsa. El almuerzo de 30/5/2023: Una ensalada de taco que estaba cubierta con res molida de Wagyu, algún aguacate en rodajas, algún tomate, una cucharada de crema ácida, y un poco de salsa taquera. 
These are the seeds that I planted on the afternoon of 5/30/2023. Estas son las semillas que yo planté en la tarde de 30/5/2023. 
Because of the size of our lunch, I was not very hungry last night. So, I only ate two apples, some walnuts, and a large dollop of Greek yogurt. Por la talla de nuestro almuerzo, yo no tenía hambre anoche. Así, yo solamente comí dos manzanas, unas nueces, y una cucharada grande de yogur griego.
5/31/2023: Today began in the high 60s and warmed into the mid 80s. Partly cloudy throughout.
Early morning of 5/31/2023: The cows were grazing the growing grass. La madrugada de 31/5/2023: Las vacas estaban pastando el césped creciente. 
This morning, I baked an apple pie for Madre. It was her birthday. Esta mañana, yo cociné una torta de manzana para mi madre. Fue su cumpleaños. 
The central field at midday. El campo central en el mediodía. 
For lunch, my parents and I went to Lorito’s restaurant. There, we first enjoyed a fresh salad. Para almorzar, mis padres y yo fuimos al restaurante de Lorito’s. Allí, primero disfrutamos una ensalda fresca. 
This is a piece of the pizza that arrived after the salad. Billy had it cooked perfectly. The crust was golden brown, and the sauce was full of flavor. Esta es un pedazo de la pizza que llegó después de la ensalada. Billy la hubo cocinada perfectamente. La corteza estaba doradita, y la salsa estaba llena de sabor. 
I found this spotted moth on a tree that is directly west of my house. Yo encontré esta palomilla manchada en un árbol que está directamente oeste de mi casa. 
Dinner of 5/31/2023 consisted of an Angus roast that was accompanied by a salad of cucumbers, red cabbage, carrot, tomato, and olives. For dunking the beef, there was a bowl of barbecue sauce that was made by me. La cena de 31/5/2023 consistía de una asada de Angus que estaba acompañada de una ensalada de pepinos, repollo rojo, zanahoria, tomate, y aceitunas. Para mojar la carne, habia un bol de salsa barbacoa que fue hecho por yo. 
This is a piece of apple pie that I made for Madre’s birthday. It was topped with whipped cream. Este es un pedazo de torta de manzana que yo hice para el cumpleaños de mi mamá. Estaba cubierta con crema batida.
6/1/2023: Today began in the low 60s and warmed into the mid 80s.
A gaur hefier (to the left) and her mother (to the right) in the early morning of 6/1/2023. Una ternera Gaur (a la izquierda) y su mamá (a la derecha) en la madrugada de 1/6/2023. 
One flower of the thousands of sunflowers that are growing in a field south of Jacobhouse. Una flor de los miles de girasoles que están creciendo en un campo sur de me casita. 
Lunch of 6/1/2023: A taco salad. There was a bed of greens topped with ground Wagyu beef, slices of avocado, a little bit of fresh tomato, some sour cream, and some taquera salsa. El almuerzo de 1/6/2023: Una ensalada de taco. Había un lecho de verduras cubierto con res molida de Wagyu, rodajas de aguacate, un poco de tomate fresco, alguna crema ácida, y alguna salsa taquera. 
The dinner of 6/1/2023 consisted of a small slice of pizza that was made by Padre. This was accompanied by a plate of fruit and yogurt. La cena de 1/6/2023 consistía de un pedazo pequeño de pizze que fue hecho por mi padre. Este estaba acompañado de un plato de fruta y yogur. 
This is a closer photo of the plate of apple, walnuts, and Greek yogurt, all of which were sprinkled with cinnamon. Esta es una foto más cercana del plato de manzana, nueces, y yogur griego, todos los cuales estaban espolvoreados con canela.
6/2/2023: Today began in the high 60s and warmed into the low 80s. Oddly cool weather for June.
Dawn of 6/2/2023: The moss was bright with the morning sun. El amanecer de 2/6/2023: El musgo estaba brillante con el sol matutino. 
This morning I found a large buzzard feather in the central pasture. Esta mañana, yo encontré una pluma grande de un zopilote en el campo central. 
The lunch of 6/2/2023 consisted of some fried eggs topped with taquera salsa accompanied by a fresh salad made by Padre and Madre. El almuerzo de 2/6/2023 consistía de unos huevos fritos cubiertos con salsa taquera acompañados de una ensalada fresca que fue hecha por mis padres. 
Dessert: A sliced Granny Smith apple that was sprinkled with cinnamon. El postre: Una manzana de Abuela Smith que estaba en rodajas y espolvoreada con canela. 
The most southeastern field on the afternoon of 6/2/2023. El campo más sureste en la tarde de 2/6/2023. 
This is a Belgian Blue tritip roast that I seasoned with salt, pepper, and olive oil in preparation of this evening’s dinner. Para preparar la asada para la cena, yo la cubrí con sal, pimienta negra, y aceite de oliva. 
Dinner of 6/2/2023 consisted of a Belgian Blue roast that was oven-cooked and accompanied by a salad of cucumber, red cabbage, carrot from my garden, and tomato from the farm, all of which were tossed in a tangy vinaigrette. La cena de 2/6/2023 consistía de una asada de Azul Belga que estaba cocinada por horno y acompañada de una ensalada de pepino, repollo rojo, zanahoria de mi jardín, y tomate del rancho, todos de cuales estaban cubiertos con una vinagreta ácida. 
Again, the dessert consisted of a sliced apple sprinkled with cinnamon and accompanied by a little bit of sour cream for dipping. Otra vez, el postre consistía de una manzana en rodajas, espolvoreada con canela, y acompañada de un poco de crema ácida para mojar.
6/3/2023: Today began in the high 60s and warmed into the mid 80s. Partly cloudy throughout.
This morning of 6/3/2023, I took a photo of a dahlia in the Jacobhouse garden. It is pink. Esta mañana de 3/6/2023, yo tomé una foto de una dalia en mi jardín. Es rosa. 
The central pasture at midday. El campo central en el mediodía. 
Lunch consisted of leftover beef and eggs, both of which were sautéed in the skillet. They were accompanied by a green salad that was made by Padre and Madre. El almuerzo consistía de res sobrante y huevos, ambos de cuales estaban salteados en una sartén. Estaban acompañados de una ensalada verde que fue hecho por mis padres. 
This is a photo of the chiltepin garden a little bit after this afternoon’s rain. Esta es una foto del jardín de los chiltepines un poco después de la lluvia de esta tarde. 
Dinner of 6/3/2023: A few pieces of cheese pizza with garlic-butter sauce, accompanied by a fresh salad of spinach, avocado, and Romaine. La cena de 3/6/2023: Unos pedazos de pizza de queso con una salsa de ajo y mantequilla, acompañados de una ensalada fresca de espinaca, aguacate, y Romaine. 
Dessert consisted of a sliced Granny Smith apple sprinkled with cinnamon and accompanied by a couple spoonfuls of Greek yogurt. El postre consistía de una manzana de Abuela Smith espolvoreada con canela y acompañada de unas cucharadas de yogur Griego.
Final Note: Epigraph draft from Bakkan – P1 S2 C12:
“Ah, really… what from? Lost where now? The Hakuunai River Basin? …across the East Sea? Good.
“…No, no, Ras, I don’t mean it that way. You know, I once helped the Count?
“…You didn’t? Well, there’s a story you’ll appreciate. As you know, Berd was one of the most brilliant minds in the Empire. He could solve near any mathematical problem in that big head of his, and he could memorize alchemical formulae that even I struggle with on paper. He composed music of incredible detail, he painted murals of such reality it felt like one could just walk right in… And what a cook! He could take the vilest ingredients – duck droppings being one fine example – and transform them into a repast suitable for even the most discerning palates. It was as if he’d stepped right out of the Era of Cretencia.
“One day, though, the Count began studying the human body, all its parts, and the ailments that could afflict them. With that newfound knowledge, his mind – so fecund, so active – turned its attentions to all that could go wrong instead of all that did go right. The potency and the joy that had inhabited his works began to corrode under that pall of potentialities he had not before known, and fear infected his every waking hour.
“He began to wear goggles of such a tint he could barely see – ‘to protect my eyes,’ he said – and he wore clothing of such weight that he could no longer go outdoors without nearly suffocating in the springtime sun… the sun from which he was hiding his skin. His hands became cracked with the constant washing, he ate some awful mélange of eggs and pinebark that was supposed to contain a perfect array of calorie and micronutrient, and he lived in almost complete isolation in hopes of not contracting some ailment or ague from visitors.
“Being a doctor of sorts, I was one of the only ones the Count permitted himself to see during that time, and on noting what was happening, I spoke bluntly to him; ‘Greg, I think you are ill’.
“To this, he became upset, stating that it could not possibly be. He had taken every measure to prevent it, after all, and he had tested all the humors himself – ‘Blood, bile, phlegm… BOTH biles: all are at proper levels,’ he said.
“But I persisted in my attack, saying; Look at yourself, Greg. Before, you were creating marvelous works of art, you enjoyed society and they enjoyed you. You enjoyed living! …but now look. Look at this decrepit existence you’ve adopted. Think of the quality of your life, of all the time and the joy – think of the joy you have lost. What makes this any different than a disease in its own right, and a terrible one at that?
“I must have chosen the right words, for the Count returned to himself within moments. He shed off those extra layers of clothes, tossed his lenses aside, and threw his arms about me in an embrace.
“He’d been locked in his own mind, Ras, locked in a vicious cycle of worry. He’d worry and worry, and when things went well – when the humors were all at their proper levels – his mind couldn’t help but think ‘worry got me this far, so let me keep on with it.’ Meanwhile, he had that pall growing in his head that was doing worse for him than any tumer ever could… and that’s the insidious thing about worry. It distracts the victim. It makes every threat all-too-visible. Every threat, excepting itself.”
– Court Alchemist Auriel to Raswald Streeph on the disappearance of Count Gregory Berd and the origination of his first medical pamphlet: “Hypochondriasis & Generalized Anxiety – Consciousness is Cure”
Consciousness, a cure no doubt, but also a burden at times for some. Much enjoyed the glimpse of the book and all the pictures