Saturday, March 6, 2010
New Blog
Please join us over at our new blog: www.donaldsonsinkentucky.blogspot.com . It is still under construction, but we hope to have a post up soon!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Hydroelectric Turbine and Highlifter Pump Pictures
We are still connected this morning and decided to download pictures before we disconnected and packed up the computers.
Here are some pictures of the hydroelectric turbine and highlifter pump in action. In the first pictures, Dane is checking the pressure gauge on the inlet pump.
The turbine is inside the white part below the blue motor which generates 380 volt, 3-phase electricity. The highlifter pump is the long skinny thing with the white hose attached to it on the right.
This picture shows water entering the 1000 liter tank here at the house. It used to take 2-3 days for us to use all the water in the tank for our daily use and the highlifter fills it completely in about 15 hours. With the continuous water being pumped up now, the tank is almost always full.
Here are some pictures of the hydroelectric turbine and highlifter pump in action. In the first pictures, Dane is checking the pressure gauge on the inlet pump.
The turbine is inside the white part below the blue motor which generates 380 volt, 3-phase electricity. The highlifter pump is the long skinny thing with the white hose attached to it on the right. 
This picture shows water entering the 1000 liter tank here at the house. It used to take 2-3 days for us to use all the water in the tank for our daily use and the highlifter fills it completely in about 15 hours. With the continuous water being pumped up now, the tank is almost always full.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Final Update
We have been running on hydroelectric power since last Thursday or Friday. Yipee!! It works great. We can run both computers, the lights, the internet tower and all the internet equipment on it and the equipment here at the house all at the same time and still the batteries are charging. We can only run the clothes agitator intermittently, but more batteries would take care of that. It has been a lot more quiet around here without having to start the motor to charge the batteries. We are very thankful that the Lord allowed Dane to see this project through, and up and running well, before we left! Dane also was able to get the highlifter pump installed and so water is pumping continuously to the house from the creek 300 meters below us. It is so awesome having electricity and water all powered by the running water on the property. No more gasoline expenses for having those things at the house. I do have some pictures of the turbine and pump working, but they will have to wait until a later time.
Time here is getting short and we still have so much to do to get ready to leave. We will be shutting everything down either tonight or tomorrow morning. That means no more phone or email for a while.
Lord willing, I will post again when time allows after we arrive in the states on October 22nd. Hopefully then I can include the turbine and pump pictures.
Please pray for us as we travel to Paraguay, Bolivia, Florida, and then onward to Kentucky.
Have a blessed day,
Jessica
Time here is getting short and we still have so much to do to get ready to leave. We will be shutting everything down either tonight or tomorrow morning. That means no more phone or email for a while.
Lord willing, I will post again when time allows after we arrive in the states on October 22nd. Hopefully then I can include the turbine and pump pictures.
Please pray for us as we travel to Paraguay, Bolivia, Florida, and then onward to Kentucky.
Have a blessed day,
Jessica
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Saying Goodbye to the Animals
Hector Dos Santos, the man who made the yoke for our oxen, agreed to keep all the cows and goats for Ralph until he can find a caretaker for the farm, so yesterday, we said goodbye to them.
In the morning, Dos Santos came on his horse and took the oxen. Elijah, David, and Abigail accompanied him the two miles to his farm.
Goodbye Broncito and Hierrito.
In the afternoon, Dos Santos and his sons, David and Maxi, Elijah, David, and Abigail returned with Dos Santos's oxen and a cart in which to carry the goats.
In the morning, Dos Santos came on his horse and took the oxen. Elijah, David, and Abigail accompanied him the two miles to his farm.
Goodbye Broncito and Hierrito.
In the afternoon, Dos Santos and his sons, David and Maxi, Elijah, David, and Abigail returned with Dos Santos's oxen and a cart in which to carry the goats.
They loaded up the goats and tied the remaining cows and little bull behind it. All the children and Dane accompanied the caravan up to the main road to help and to say goodbye.
Goodbye brown kid, white kid, Pintada, Paloma, Teri, and Tito.
Sabbath Day
On the Sabbath, we took some pictures around the farm.
This is a passion flower vine that the children found.
View from the upper field.
After lunch, we made what will probably be our final trip down to the river. We went on the road that Dane had been making during the drought and that he had hoped to get a bulldozer down. Abigail took some pictures along the way.
The path had grown up some, so Dane and Ralph led the way with their machetes.
At the river. Much to the children's dismay, the water was too cold to swim, but they did get wet up to their waists.
Ralph, cooling his aching knee.
Enjoying the water and the views.
The dogs came down with us too.
This is a passion flower vine that the children found.
View from the upper field.
After lunch, we made what will probably be our final trip down to the river. We went on the road that Dane had been making during the drought and that he had hoped to get a bulldozer down. Abigail took some pictures along the way.
The path had grown up some, so Dane and Ralph led the way with their machetes.
At the river. Much to the children's dismay, the water was too cold to swim, but they did get wet up to their waists.
Ralph, cooling his aching knee. 
Enjoying the water and the views.
The dogs came down with us too.
Farm Projects
Dane, Ralph, and Javier have been working to get some projects wrapped up before we leave late next week.
They got all the columns set in concrete for the barn.
They got all the columns set in concrete for the barn.
The children thought the columns made nice climbing apparatuses. If you look closely, you can see that they are each perched on one.
Orlando Klein, the builder, and his crew came out yesterday to put up the beams. They will return on Friday to put the roof on.
And here is the "heart" of the hydroelectric plant, the turbine, that Dane hopes to have installed this week.
Today it is rainy, but the rain has let up some this afternoon so the guys are down at the spring trying to get the highlifter pump for pumping water up to the house installed.
Lord willing, these projects will be completed before we leave. Check back for an update later this week or next.
Jessica
Monday, September 28, 2009
It is hard to believe that our time in Argentina will soon be coming to an end and that we will be leaving our home here in less than 3 weeks. What a wonderful and blessed time it has been.
Our plans are coming along, we have been preparing, and we look forward to the upcoming move. Thankfully, John has his U.S. and Argentine passports and is ready to travel.
The weather continues to be cool and rainy with an occasional warm day sprinkled about. The storms have downed our internet for a week on two different occasions which only partly explains the delayed post.
In the last post I said I would post some pictures of the upstairs that Dane had completed before our house guests came from Paraguay. Here is the view from the entry door looking to the boys' room and attic stairs.
This is also looking from the entry area to the doors of the girls room and master bedroom (which was also going to be Dane's office).
Here you can see inside the girls' room.
This and That......
The children are taking a break from their schoolwork right now to help with the moving preparations. Some of their chores include helping with the baby. In the picture below, they made John a stroller from his carseat and the moving dolly.
Some bees have made themselves at home in some boxes Dane has stored in the attic. Yes, those are bees on the boxes and in the air, in the house! The boxes happen to be above the master bedroom so sometimes we can hear them; although, they have not been a nuisance at all up to this point. Dane plans to move the bees to a more appropriate location this week.
The Kiri trees have been in bloom which fills the air around here with a nice perfume and makes the ground underneath them appear to be snow covered from the fallen blooms. It has been fun watching the hummingbirds and bees that are attracted to the blossoms.
Meme (Dane's Mom) made and sent each of the girls a new dress to wear. She also sent some nice denim shirts for the boys that I didn't get a picture of. The children are saving their new outfits for their trip back to the States. Thank you Meme, they're beautiful!
Ralph and Judy Reed (the couple who are buying our farm) were here for a week and were much help around here. They have worked in Mexico as missionaries translating the New Testament into Aztec for the past 20 years. Mr. Reed has just started the publication process for his translation. Judy, a great example of someone who prays without ceasing, has been his assistant along the way.
The Reeds kindly brought with them from the U.S. many needed items for the children like shoes, socks, shoelaces, baby clothes and peanut butter :-)!
After a wonderful week of hard work and sweet fellowship, the Reeds left on the Sabbath to visit Iguazu falls. The children were all teary eyed after they said goodbye. Ralph will return here for another 3 weeks on Tuesday and Judy is headed back to Texas.
Ralph and Dane worked on several projects last week and Judy tirelessly helped around the house and ministered to the children and I.
Dane got our temporary (or maybe permanant) shower completed. He ended up cutting a hole in the wall from the kitchen to the shower area. It turned out very nicely and now taking showers is easier and more private than it has ever been here.
Dane and Ralph used the tractor to level the ground behind the house so that water wouldn't run under the back door during heavy rains. We have already had an opportunity to test it and it works great. No more free floor cleanings at inopportune times :-).
The guys are getting the new barn ready to erect by working on the footings (digging the holes), and perhaps the building guy can start the erection process before we leave.
The biggest project that Dane, Ralph, and Elijah, David, Joseph, and Javier are working on is installing the hydroelectric equipment and electric lines up to the house. The next several pictures show some of that process. Lord willing, the hydroelectric will be up and running before we leave.
Here is one of my little helpers, Miss Elisabeth, helping to make tortillas in the kitchen.
Also, we have been getting and enjoying a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables lately. John has been enjoying them too but in a different way.
And as usual we keep finding interesting critters around here. This is a big earthworm that Joseph found. Anyone want to go fishing?
These two large moths (they are about 8 inches wide as they sit) were attracted to the light in the kitchen.
Our plans are coming along, we have been preparing, and we look forward to the upcoming move. Thankfully, John has his U.S. and Argentine passports and is ready to travel.
The weather continues to be cool and rainy with an occasional warm day sprinkled about. The storms have downed our internet for a week on two different occasions which only partly explains the delayed post.
In the last post I said I would post some pictures of the upstairs that Dane had completed before our house guests came from Paraguay. Here is the view from the entry door looking to the boys' room and attic stairs.
This is also looking from the entry area to the doors of the girls room and master bedroom (which was also going to be Dane's office).
Here you can see inside the girls' room.
This and That......
The children are taking a break from their schoolwork right now to help with the moving preparations. Some of their chores include helping with the baby. In the picture below, they made John a stroller from his carseat and the moving dolly.
Some bees have made themselves at home in some boxes Dane has stored in the attic. Yes, those are bees on the boxes and in the air, in the house! The boxes happen to be above the master bedroom so sometimes we can hear them; although, they have not been a nuisance at all up to this point. Dane plans to move the bees to a more appropriate location this week.
The Kiri trees have been in bloom which fills the air around here with a nice perfume and makes the ground underneath them appear to be snow covered from the fallen blooms. It has been fun watching the hummingbirds and bees that are attracted to the blossoms.
Meme (Dane's Mom) made and sent each of the girls a new dress to wear. She also sent some nice denim shirts for the boys that I didn't get a picture of. The children are saving their new outfits for their trip back to the States. Thank you Meme, they're beautiful!
Ralph and Judy Reed (the couple who are buying our farm) were here for a week and were much help around here. They have worked in Mexico as missionaries translating the New Testament into Aztec for the past 20 years. Mr. Reed has just started the publication process for his translation. Judy, a great example of someone who prays without ceasing, has been his assistant along the way.
The Reeds kindly brought with them from the U.S. many needed items for the children like shoes, socks, shoelaces, baby clothes and peanut butter :-)!
After a wonderful week of hard work and sweet fellowship, the Reeds left on the Sabbath to visit Iguazu falls. The children were all teary eyed after they said goodbye. Ralph will return here for another 3 weeks on Tuesday and Judy is headed back to Texas.
Ralph and Dane worked on several projects last week and Judy tirelessly helped around the house and ministered to the children and I.
Dane got our temporary (or maybe permanant) shower completed. He ended up cutting a hole in the wall from the kitchen to the shower area. It turned out very nicely and now taking showers is easier and more private than it has ever been here.
Dane and Ralph used the tractor to level the ground behind the house so that water wouldn't run under the back door during heavy rains. We have already had an opportunity to test it and it works great. No more free floor cleanings at inopportune times :-).
The guys are getting the new barn ready to erect by working on the footings (digging the holes), and perhaps the building guy can start the erection process before we leave.
The biggest project that Dane, Ralph, and Elijah, David, Joseph, and Javier are working on is installing the hydroelectric equipment and electric lines up to the house. The next several pictures show some of that process. Lord willing, the hydroelectric will be up and running before we leave.
Here is one of my little helpers, Miss Elisabeth, helping to make tortillas in the kitchen.
Also, we have been getting and enjoying a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables lately. John has been enjoying them too but in a different way.
And as usual we keep finding interesting critters around here. This is a big earthworm that Joseph found. Anyone want to go fishing? These two large moths (they are about 8 inches wide as they sit) were attracted to the light in the kitchen.Abby took a picture of this very interesting butterfly with clear wings. She got it to sit on a fallen Kiri flower for this picture.
The Reeds stayed the night in town before their early bus to Iguazu and so we took some group pictures in their hotel room. We enjoyed their visit tremendously.
Judy Reed taught the girls and Elijah to do some crocheting. These are some of the pot holders, coasters, hot pads, etc. that they have enjoyed making.
Well, I would like to think that I will have another post up before we leave, but if not, I hope to update as soon as possible when we reach the states. Thank you for your patience with me and for all your prayers as we embark on our new adventure. Until next time....
Have a blessed evening,
Jessica
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