Costa Rican Turtles: Trials and Tributes

Well, I am quite delinquent in my posting schedule, with more than a week having gone by without a report here. But it’s hard to write when one is dealing with sad personal issues. For me that included the tragic news that a dear family member is facing terminal cancer and is now counting her weeks here on earth. She has good friends and family to help her and is still enjoying some of her favorite things but hers is a poor prognosis. My heart is heavy indeed when I think of losing her.

About the same time, I began facing a tough decision of my own: It may be time to put my elderly Morgan horse down. His aches and pains are much worse during the California winter when the cold wind, rain and sometimes snow add to his discomfort. In spite of all the expensive medicines he takes and the good care he receives in his retirement home, the truth is he is not as mobile as such a magnificent creature deserves to be. For an animal whose joy in life depends on mobility, it is unkind to keep him alive, only able to walk slowly, not trot or gallop around the pasture on strong legs. So I’m heading to California soon to make that hard decision in person. He deserves no less from me after all the wonderful miles we’ve shared and the more than 23 years he’s been a part of my life.

So forgive me if I’m less than my typical upbeat self. It’s a sad season in spite of the sunshine and the holiday cheer all around here.

But we have had some fun times, including the Atenas Art Show and Auction on December 4^th and 5^th. Part of the profits from sales of the artwork were to benefit a local Tortuga Leatherback conservation program, an important effort here in Costa Rica as development has intruded on turtle nesting areas and poachers and predators cut into the survival rate of newborns. Estacion Las Tortugas is located on an undeveloped stretch of the Caribbean Coast. There, under the guidance of founder Stanley Rodriguez, staff and volunteers work to prevent the extinction of these magnificent creatures, the largest reptiles remaining on earth. Scientists predict the species could be extinct in less than three decades if poaching, long-line fishing, development and pollution continue unabated. A local artist and art teacher, Mary Parks, had created a striking picture featuring an underwater scene with a large Leatherback in the center, which was to be auctioned off with proceeds to go to Estacion Las Tortugas.

Included on the event schedule was an artists’ reception for Saturday evening, featuring the wines of our favorite importer Shannon, whose delicious Argentinean products were offered at our own little wine-tasting event a few weeks ago. Layne and I had wanted to find some traditional-style Costa Rican art to liven up the décor in our apartment so the reception seemed like the perfect opportunity to shop for local art, enjoy some wine and cheese and do our part to help the Tortuga program.

Our beautiful painting, entitled "Atardecer" or "Sunset"

And we were not disappointed. Not only were there dozens of attractive watercolors, oils, sculptures, photographs, lampshades and garden art by local artists, many of them students of Ms. Parks, but also we met a local young artist whose vibrant colorful scenes of Costa Rican life were exactly what we had been hoping to find. And since Layne’s birthday was coming up the following Friday, we invested in a painting that adds so much to our home.

 "Casa Frente al Lago" or "House in Front of the Lake"  

Darwin and Kat

Only 19-years-old, with the unlikely name of Darwin Romero, this young artist should have a bright future. His work features the exotic wildlife and flora of Costa Rica, from macaws, parrots and chickens to orchids and coffee fields. The brushwork is meticulous in detail, stunning in deep rich colors and innovative in the use of local materials. Our upstairs neighbor Linda bought a large painting in which Darwin had utilized sand, coffee beans and even eggshells to create a three-dimensional effect. Just stunning! Darwin’s older brother Jose, who spoke good English and served as salesman for the collection, said the young man had only been painting for five years. If he enjoyed good sales at this event, proving he could make money with his art, Jose he felt that their mother would allow Darwin to attend an art school in San Jose. We hope our purchases encourage her to permit him to study art and we certainly wish him the best of luck!

(For larger images, click on the photo.)

A Few of Our Favorite Things -- in English!

When will I learn? Always, always carry the camera! Yesterday when Layne and I headed out for our walk, I realized I had forgotten to bring my Panasonic but it was a little too far to go back and since we’d walked that way several times before, I figured that it was unlikely we would see any new sights. And for most of the walk, that was true. But we needed eggs so we continued on a block beyond our street to the little neighborhood pulperia (small grocery store). As we were paying for our items, a group of school children queued up behind us, giggling as kids will do. When I smiled and greeted them with “Hola,” the five girls of eight or nine years old and one younger boy responded with shy “Hello’s” in English. They exited the store while we were rearranging our bags but when the Tica store clerk called out something to them in Spanish, apparently reminding them of their manners, they all turned back to say a polite “Goodbye” to us. Then as we followed them out, they struck up a conversation with us, obviously proud of their language skills and anxious to impress us Gringos.

“What is your name,” the friendliest and most confident little girl asked. We all shared names. Then it was, “What is your favorite color?” “What is your favorite subject?” “Your favorite animal?” They were quite exuberant in their questioning, the girls laughing, poking each other and answering all the questions in English, pushing the small boy to join in. They told us they were learning English in school, which they pointed out as the Catholic School across from the pulperia, and claimed to really like their teachers. When I said, “Vivimos en Calle Capre Verde,” explaining that we live on Capre Verde Street, the apparent leader of the group looked surprised and merrily said they did too. So we all strolled down our dirt road, continuing to converse in our two diverse languages. I think we have some new friends! If only I had had my camera, you could have seen what a charming and attractive group they were. Perhapsnext time.

But I have had my camera on duty recently learning to use the video function. We have a large resident lizard that comes to sun on our front steps occasionally, eyeing me suspiciously when I step too close. Here’s a short video clip of his antics on the rock wall along our parking space.

OK, it didn't work. I'll keep working on it. Bummer!

On yesterday’s walk, I spied a rather sizable cactus frond growing in the mossy ditch beside the road. It was just one of those determined plants that had sprouted from a fallen chunk shed from a larger cactus, possibly even pushed down the ditch by the recent hard rains from somewhere up the road. As Layne shook his head at my resolve, I managed to extract it from the muck and carry it home with nary a sticker prick. Now it’s happily planted alongside my robust vegetable collection, which is soon to be transplanted into our “community garden” up the hill behind our landlord’s house.

I also captured some images of a recent double rainbow, which stretched all across our eastern sky late in the afternoon following a heavy rain and during a still light misting of precipitation. It was amazing! These shots don’t really do it justice but at least you can get some idea just how grand it was.

And finally, here is a collection of butterflies and flowers - just a small sampling of the incredible array of flora and fauna in this beautiful country. Pura Vida!