GREETINGS FROM COSTA RICA: PART TWO

Wildlife

As I’m sitting here on the deck at sunrise, it’s a warm, peach colored dawn. Above me the local howler monkey family of about 10 individuals is in the tree directly above the container. For the past four days they have been camped out feasting on ping pong sized figs. Incredibly messy eaters, they take a bite, then discard the rest of the fruit, so we have a continual “rain” of noisy figs that bounce off the tin roof sounding more like baseballs hitting it. 

The well hung dominant male taking a siesta.....

Along with half eaten figs are branches, leaves, and monkey droppings! Watch Out!  They begin waking up and howling at 4;00am. They periodically snack at night as well as dawn and dusk. Then during the heat of the day they drape themselves over the branches and zzz out. It’s primarily the big adult male that makes the racket, but the young make continual cheeps and whines - probably as reassurance that their family is nearby. At least two babies are now feeding on their own, whereas last spring they were always clinging to their mom. It’s very, very cool.

Our usual flock of blue grey, and “red butt” tanagers still hang out in the nearby limon tree waiting for us to provide overripe bananas, papaya and pineapple skins. Sometimes they nearly fly into us on the deck if we sit still. In the thick of the limon tree are several babies that have recently fledged out. They perch quietly until Mom or Dad shows up, then they quiver and bleat until they get fed. 

Our little house wren wails away all day, and I recently spied her nest in the hollow metal supports of the carport. The huge orange tulip-like blossoms on the trees along our neighbor’s fence host flocks of squawking parrots and parakeets every morning. A pair of piratic flycatchers (well named) has aggressively driven away the woodpeckers who had nested in an old tree branch. Meanwhile, scarlet macaw pairs sporadically pass through noisily announcing their presence. By fine tuning my observation skills, I can usually spy a few tiny hummingbirds flitting through the plants in search of spiders and small insects, or sipping on nectar from the heliconia cups. I love it!

Free Meal

We cover the really ripe bananas  with a towel so the birds don’t peck at them. yesterday, I uncovered them to find a gecko happily munching on the captive fruit flies that were trapped under the towel. 

We recently visited a good friend, B from California, who has come to spruce up his Pavones home before renting it out again. Among his accomplishments: a hand dug, 15 foot well, removing loads of batshit in his  attic, and upon sorting out his bodega (shed) he discovered a 6 foot boa that he is now cohabiting with. I admire his concern for the snake as many people would automatically kill it. The snake sleeps its day away in a plastic shopping bag. I have a soft spot for snakes. You may recall my pet 10 ft. boa, Clyde, who lived in my classroom and home for almost 15 years.

Looking down the well

The opening to the well

small bridge comprised of old railroad ties from the banana company

Blossoms Everywhere

We’re at the height of CR summer (their winter is the rainy season - our summer). Huge trees full of pink flowers line the beaches and dot the hillsides this week. I was disappointed to learn that the “amarillo” trees - full of bright yellow blooms just finished their colorful display just before my return. Above the container another tree with tiny pink flowers fills the air with a light delicate fragrance. When you examine many trees with binoculars you discover many are full of flowers, too, but their blooms are much more subtle.

Updates: February 20

I’ve fallen right back into the rhythm of life here. Up at 4:30 with the first birds, from living room (deck) looking over the shimmering sunrise colors of the Golfo to the layers of purple mountains of the Osa Peninsula beyond.A cool breeze still slides down the mountainside behind us.  It’s as if the volume gets turned up as the bird calls become more varied and frequent and louder as the light brightens. A magical time of the day. The only time I can write with no interruptions and a cleared mind from resting al night.

Ray and I are getting back into doing yoga most mornings before breakfast. Between that,  swimming and walking the beach, and tackling a few projects here and there I’m feeling very healthy and well centered. I’ve been gradually catching up with friends and neighbors, too, which is  important. And, Mr. Ray seems to be pretty happy (and mellow, thank goodness!) to have me back home. Life is good, Sabah!

A Note About the Beach

I’ve recently added a morning swim and beachwalk to my repertoire. The 80 plus degree water is flat calm in the morning, very conducive for swimming, and as usual, there is no one on the beach. For sea creatures such as ourselves it can’t get too much better. We are usually watched over by not only our dogs, but the neighbors’ as well, who wait patiently at the water’s edge until we emerge refreshed. 

Ready to swim with no sun exposure
Dorky, but safe

Well Read

I’ve actually read two very good books since arriving. One, “Elephant Company,” is a true story of an Englishman who worked in the Burmese Teak forestry the early 1900’s. “Elephant Bill’s” knowledge, understanding and love for the elephants in his charge is set in the backdrop of Colonial times and the outbreak of WWII. 

The other outstanding read is entitled, “An Elegant Defense, the Immune System” by Matt Richtel.  Not only does he trace the advances in our understanding of our extremely complex immune system and the medical advances that are saving lives and relieving suffering, but he explains it in lay terms so it is (relatively) easy to understand. It is also a very personal story as he is drawn into relationships with researchers, patients and their doctors, with many whom he becomes close to. In particular, he chronicles the struggles of a childhood friend with Hodgkins  lymphoma. Richtel chronicles his own journey of examining the quality of life and death, from a human point of view, but also as a larger part of evolution of our species. After all, the immune system evolved as did we to combat diseases, injuries, even wild animal attacks and hardships that many of us can only think about. So, basically when we encounter dirt, fur, pollen, etc. - it’s building up our immune system. (Does that account for gecko, monkey and iguana poop, too?)

His wholistic view of the immune system is compared with human culture, and the importance of keeping a balance, and the many facets that must work together to make a healthy person, and culture. He stresses that to reach this point of knowledge involved researchers from all across the globe working and cooperating together for years - just as the many systems within the immune system do. Barriers, such as country borders, prejudices and ignorance stand in the way of a system working properly. Another important thread running through the book is the importance of good nutrition, plenty of exercise, keeping stress low and getting plenty of sleep (something I’ve been meditating on…) to keep the immune system thriving. Living a good life, in other words.

Another view

I’ve had a couple of days now to tackle the plantings around the two containers. The first step was cutting back the huge oregano. I’ve been trimming, replanting and moving, to create a semblance of order - to my liking, of course - which is tremendously satisfying.  Lots more to go!