Peace and Serenity in Uruguay (June 16, 2026)
Sometimes, all we need to do is slow down.
My new friends, Mechthild and Danny, invited me to visit them in their slice of heaven on earth in Uruguay. Over the past 15 years they have painstakingly developed what was essentially grassland into this:
The lake, forest, farm, houses and animals weren’t here 15 years ago.
Watching the sun set and the dappled light paint across the clouds and forest was truly magical. Similar to Forest Bathing, I could feel my entire body relax. I wasn’t aware that I was tense until I took a seat on a bench Danny made across the lake Danny also cultivated and sat in silence next to Danny. Listening to the birds, the rustle of the wind and trees, and the occasional fish breaching in the lake. I found a new depth of inner peace and serenity. Ahhh.
Together, Danny and Mechthild created this environment. When they bought this land, it was truly grassland. They dug out the natural pools of water to create the lake that currently exists. They planted various trees to create the forest that surrounds their property. I asked Danny if he stocked the lake with fish.
“No need,” he replied, “The birds did that for me.” What? I had no idea. Once the lake had been created with a shallow section just for the native birds, the birds dropped fish eggs into the water. Within just 3 months small fish appeared. Now there are fish about two feet long.
Before today, I had never witnessed a sheep that thinks it is a dog. If you watch the 30 second video above you’ll see what I mean. This beautiful sheep, Lulee, bounces around, runs and jumps just like an excited dog. And she does really well with the beautiful white horse on the property.
Together, we went foraging for mushrooms — the “delicious” variety. Specifically, the Saffron Milk Cap (Lactarius deliciosus). They are famous for their bright orange-to-red coloring and mild, nutty taste. Apparently, it is highly prized in Mediterranean and Eastern European cuisines for grilling, sautéing, and pickling. They look like this:
My first “Delicious” mushroom hand picked in the forest. Yum!
I would need to consult a mushroom book to know if the purple version is poisonous to eat or just not worth the effort. There is something like more than 100 varieties of edible mushrooms with quite a range of flavor and taste. Some are edible, but not worth the effort given how bitter they taste. In other words, sure you can eat them, they won’t kill you but it’s a bit like eating the bark off a tree. You won’t enjoy doing it.
Lulee “helps” in that she immediately eats whatever mushrooms she finds. Like humans, she prefers the “delicious” variety so if you see her munching on a mushroom, chances are you just missed a big one that Lulee found and helped … herself. I can’t blame her. If most of your day is chewing on various types of grass, finding a delicious mushroom is like eating a sweet treat like chocolate cake for us.
This is the water well that welcomed Danny to this land.
One of the stories I enjoyed most was Danny recounting how he invested in the drilling of a water well to make sure he could live off this land. “People need drinking water to survive. Sure you can capture rain water, but it really helps to have a water well providing what you need.” Danny explained that he hired an experienced water well driller who was sure there was water in this spot. But after many deep drills, Danny was beginning to give up hope until they finally got a small trickle — right as he was considering giving up.
Once the water well was complete, it would generate more than 2,000 liters of water PER DAY. That’s not enough for a large farm irrigation, but it’s more than enough for a single family to thrive. Danny took it as a sign of the land welcoming him and Mechthild to this particular spot. They use the natural flow of water to the lake for plant irrigation and have created a sustainable ecosystem — living with the land.
The first house Danny built with the help of his wife Mechthild
I am throughly impressed with any person who can build a house from scratch. This is Danny’s third house. In the previous two, he worked with highly skilled contractors and learned what he needed to know in order to build this one himself. He designed the house as any architect would. He has large North-facing windows to help heat the home in the winter. The house block much of the east-west winds and the other buildings he’s built create a micro-climate away from all the winds and maximize the heat of the sun during the winter and cool of the open windows in the summer.
Danny is working on his dream home and is ready to place the roof on which is the next major milestone and will mark the near completion of his next home here — the dream home for the foreseeable future.
The dream home is ready for its roof and the next major mile stone
Amazing. Inspiring. I’m in awe. Danny designed and built two bridges to navigate the water. He’s created benches to sit and admire the landscape. He and Mechthild have planted trees for the forest as well as fruit trees and vegetables. For the most part, they are able to live off the land in a very eco-friendly and sustainable way.
And, lucky for me, they both love to cook! The lunch they prepared was spectacular. Sitting outside enjoying the sun, the lake views, the quiet rustle of the wind and the surrounding nature, the only thing better than the delicious food was the incredible surrounding environment where I could take it all in.
Danny introduced me to Stephen Mitchell and his powerful books
After a wonderful meal, playing with the animals, foraging for mushrooms, and taking a stroll around the property, Danny and I settled in for a beautiful heart-felt exchange. My heart was already overflowing with the peace and serenity I was experiencing from this location. Danny went further sharing some of the books that have helped shape his life — many of which were from the late 80 and 90s and at a time I wasn’t as avid a reader as I am today.
Before tonight, I had not heard of Stephen Mitchell. Now I’m ready!
What an incredible tribute and fabulous introduction to this author!
When Jill recommended that I spend some time in La Paloma (see related post), I had no idea what I was saying yes to. Sure, I knew that Danny and Mechthild were good friends of Jill’s and they they were willing to take time out of their schedules to be with me. What I’m experiencing is the best possible conclusion to an already epic trip around the world.
I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to spend quality time here in La Paloma, Uruguay with new friends I’m thrilled to know. I’m doing what I love most: deeply connecting with other amazing humans. For me, this is what it’s all about (hokey pokey be damned ;-)
