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.)

Homeless but Happy!

Just about a week remains before Layne and I hit the road again, heading north to Oregon and Washington for final visits with family and friends. It makes for a bittersweet road trip as we realize just how long it may be before we see these loved ones again. With our residency papers now filed, giving us what our attorney calls “an active file,” the odds are good that we will be able to remain in Costa Rica until next summer’s rainy season sends us back to the States. So we will treasure the moments we have in the coming few weeks with the special friends and family members on our itinerary.

      One very special friend, my beautiful Morgan horse Indiana Mojave, remains behind here in Northern California. At twenty-four years of age - twenty-three years with me and Layne - he is now retired and living comfortably in a wonderful boarding facility nearby, Blue Star Boarding. Sadly, the increasingly painful arthritis he has developed in various parts of his body have slowed him down considerably, but most days he still seems to enjoy life, despite his discomfort. His “herd” consists of two mini-horses, Espresso and Joker, and they share a pasture next to a number of flashy Arabs and a Paint horse or two. It’s a great home for Mojave, run by a woman and her husband who are totally devoted to their horses, most of whom they bred themselves. Judy has emotionally adopted my boy and cares for him with great dedication, far beyond the boarding fees we pay. I feel incredibly lucky to have her as his custodian. Still, it’s sad to think that when I return, Mojave will be another year older and his condition will likely have worsened. At that point, I may face a very tough decision.

         Finding Blue Star Boarding last fall was one of several events that made our move to Costa Rica possible. It was almost as if all the stars aligned to make it feasible for us to pursue our dream of trying out the Pura Vida lifestyle in a tropical paradise. First, we lost our dearly beloved dogs, the black lab Whoopie and our Sharpei/Shepherd mix Emily. Although “the girls” were elderly, 12 and 13 respectively, we were still stunned and deeply saddened when Whoopie’s leg shattered beneath her one day (bone cancer probably, the vet said) and then three months later, sweet Emily just faded before our eyes. In her case, the vet guessed an internal bleeding tumor had made her very anemic and forced us to put her to sleep.

         With the loss of our girls, we realized that the three-month Costa Rican experiment was now possible - IF we could find the right home for Mojave. We had tried him in several situations, three different handicapped riding programs and as a lesson horse at another stable, but none of those worked out. Because of the arthritis, he just couldn’t do the work. Then as if by magic, we saw a flyer at the local post office advertising a new boarding stable just up the road. A visit to the facility and a chat with Judy was all we needed to know that this place was perfect. Instead of being alone in pasture, Mojave would have a field full of friends and a caretaker who was willing to give him his medicine morning and night. Hallelujah!

         The final piece of the puzzle was finding someone to rent our house while we spent time in Costa Rica. Yet even that challenge seemed predestined to be easily accomplished. One phone call to a local property manager was all it took: she “just happened” to have a couple moving down from Oregon with four horses. Our property, already set up for horses, was just what they needed. We signed the papers and suddenly, we faced a looming deadline to pack up and move out! How we managed that in just over a month, after 14 years in residence there, is a miracle. But that short timeframe also explains our jam-packed barn, filled with boxes, couches, futons, tables, chairs, mementoes and oh, so much more. So this summer has found us traipsing back and forth to the barn, considering what to pack and what to leave behind, selling a few things and giving a few things away.

         Although we’re officially “homeless,” good fortune has continued to shine on us as we have been able to house-sit for friends who themselves were traveling. Helping out by caring for their property, gardens and animals has certainly been a boon for us by providing us free housing. We hope to return the favor when they come to Costa Rica for a visit. Our little chalet in Atenas is well situated to serve as home base for visitors touring the countryside. So as we prepare to say goodbye to California and all its memories, we feel great anticipation for our return to Costa Rica and the fine new friends we have made there. Stay tuned for the further adventures of Kat and Layne, homeless but happy!