Mauro Gibo

Hello everyone of the Banana Forum. First of all, Best Wishes for the coming New Year. I've been away from the forum for a while. A guy like me who was born in a warm country will never get used to the harsh Japanese winter. It chills my old bones and darkens my soul. The only thing that keeps me on going is the assurance of the beautiful coming spring to come. If I could kill General Frost I would. Well, to complain about everything is part of my Brazilian culture. So, please, don't tell me to go and jump in the lake. We've had some frost here in Mie, Japan, but fortunately no sign of snow, yet. Like most of you know, I am the weirdo who grafted the banana corms. My poor babies are outside in the open, resisting the cold. Of course, they're dormant and show no growth at all. I hope they'll survive the winter without any protection at all. As the saying "If we show the will, Nature will find the way !", I firmly believe banana shoots can be grafted, and something new will come out of my odd experiment. My philosophy is not to conquer nature but to follow the ancient concept of living harmoniously co-existing with nature. Here, in Japan, now, it is the time to prepare the soil for planting next spring. We plow the soil and mix a lot of organic material to make it fertile for our next crop. The Japanese are pretty good in preserving the soil. They even keep the dry weeds for mulching. I used to hate weeds, but now I think differently, everything organic is good for the soil. I only hate plastic stuff. I am planning of planting a lot of grains next year our economy is frozen. Money is running short. The less we go to the supermarket the better. Japan is only self-sufficient in rice. About 80% of our food is imported from outside the country, especially from China. In China they say the only thing with 4 legs they don't eat is the table, and the only thing with wings they don't eat is the airplane. But here in Japan we are more herbivorous. The only problem I find is that the Japanese use a lot of sugar in their food. But culture is culture. If by a chance you ever go to Brazil you will be surprised when you order a cup of coffee. You won't see any coffee. It's a cup of sugar with a little bit of coffee.
Hoping for a bright New Year's day for everyone of the forum and great success in all your endeavors I here send you all my Best Regards.

Chironex

My good buddy Mauro, it is so nice to have you grace our forum once again. It is my hope that one day we can sit together for tea and discuss Asian history and culture. Let our minds travel back in time and hear the sounds of warriors in battle, visualize bygone soldiers, Emperors and their steeds, smell the sweetness of the perfumes of the Geishas and taste freshly killed boar cooked over an open firepit.
The next day I would like to see all of the plant experiments you have made, talk bananas until we can talk no more.
Be well and prosper my friend! Happy New Year to you and your family.

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Scot

Mauro Gibo

Scot ! I think you are a mind reader. All that you have spoken is right here in my mind. It's my hope too that someday we could sit together and talk about everything you've mentioned. The enchantment of the old civilizations with its remarkable histories fascinates me more than anything in the world. To share the same taste and ideals is sublime. I hope someday we could sit together at the far end of The Great Wall of China and watch the caravans of camels cross the Taklamakan Desert carrying their loads of silk towards the center of Asia as it's still done since Marco Polo's days. That is after we visit the Geishas at the Japanese Tea Houses. Happy New Year to you, too, my friend.

Tog Tan

Happy New Year Mauro and may your grafted corms prosper! I love the idea of the past culture where rare plants were abundant before they had to make way for civilization. I can look at an antique wine cup for hours and wonder who had used it, what happiness and tragedy it had seen. Only if it could talk.
All the best and please keep us updated on your experiments.

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Tog Tan has sadly suddenly passed away 6/16/09. We will miss you Tog Tan.

Mauro Gibo

Thank you for your reply Tog Tan. I feel the same as you. To attain the luxuries of our present modern life we have sacrificed nature too much. We have destroyed the fauna and flora of so many rain forests around the world. We must change our concept and way of life. The future of our planet depends of our dedication to the preservation of our environment. I also like antiques, just like you. Each object has a beautiful story to tell. Especially the story of the hands who made it. Thank you again. And Happy New Year to you and your family. I wish the best for you. The world is going through a bad economic crisis but I'm sure next year things will get better. As the saying goes "No pain, no gain !". I'll be in touch. Bye.

damaclese

well Mauro my friend it is good to hear from you hope all is well with you and that Japan is not to cold for you this time of year. don't worry about your little Bananas they will be fine nature provides and never fir Spring is always eternal at least in the minds eye.

May the Wind blow gently at your back may the Sun glow warmly on your head and may you walk with God by your side all the days of your life (an Ancient Irish Prayer for parting Friends)

マウロは幸せなおよびprosperousの新年を過す

Your Felow Crasy Banana Friend Paulo

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Helping to foster understanding for the learning disabled

Mauro Gibo

May God be with you too, Damaclese, alone we are weak, but with God we should never be afraid. I hope we achieve all of our plans and goals for this new year. May it be a green year for all of us who live in different countries but same planet.
新年おめでとうございます。
今年も宜しくお願いします。

Mauro Gibo

Tog Tan! You will never be forgotten!