Tis the season "el pelo del gato"

It's the rainy season, in all its forms right now!  When it is just misting, they call it "el pelo del gato" (the hair of the cat), and in the afternoons, when it's really coming down, they say " está cayendo unos baldazos" (it's dropping buckets!).  Costa Ricans don't complain about the rain though, they are very grateful and in San Marcos specifically, "Es rico para el cafe" (it's great for the coffee)!  It reminds me of Northern Coloradoans who don't complain about the smell from the feedlots in Greeley, because they say 'it smells like green' ($).
Friends and family back home ask me if I miss the seasons.  There really are only 2 seasons here, the dry season and the rainy season, while the temps are fairly steady year-round (ave. 70 in San Marcos).
  We recently enjoyed the rainy season of Hacienda Baru, a Reserva for Wildlife and Nature on the Pacific Coast.

I love these dense jungles,

tall, strong trees,

these cool fungi look like steps,

and these draping vines sometimes swinging in the breeze...

or with the jungle animals.

I don't know the name of this flower, but it has a real velvety appearance, and falls over with its heavy weight

The calabash tree is a favorite of many types of orchids.

This plant almost looks like it belongs underwater!  Que raro!

We saw wild peacocks in the jungle; they guided us for part of the trail, though they kept their distance!

We hiked up to one high lookout point for a view of the Reserva and the Pacific Ocean.

Things grow so easily here.  People cut branches and limbs off trees and plants and stick them in the ground during this season, and before you know it, there are beautiful new plants! Those plants on the left were just planted in this way along the side of the road.  So 'vamos a ver' (we'll see how they do)! On the right, here, is a garden we started in front of the house.  We are growing basil, cilantro, thyme, lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers.

"Comida Tipica"(typical food which we literally eat almost every day, resulting from the temperate climate and abundant rain: rice and one of the many varieties of frijoles they grow, called "cubaces", cooked over a wood stove all day (so tasty!).  There's a real, starchy looking vegetable on this plate, called a 'chayote blanco'(not a favorite of mine).  And the small banana is called a 'guineos', cooked in water and salt. (I prefer platanos, much sweeter, also cooked in water or fried).  The pork was cooked in a pan in the oven of the wood burning stove and is super flavorful and 'suave'.  When meat is cooked only with garlic and salt, it is called, chicharrones (don't pass up an opportunity to eat chicharrones!)  Salad is a specialty of mine, so when invited to someone's house for a meal, we often contribute a salad, but I've been told that my Apple crisp cooked in a crockpot is also a favorite.  Avocados abound here, so we can afford to indulge more frequently than when in the Colorado.

Anona fruit.  Very soft and a little grainy like a pear, and oh so delicious!

Chorreadas are my new favorite food.  If I could eat them everyday I would, but they are very labor intensive when made from scratch.  They are like crepes, but made from fresh, young corn off the cob, with milk, eggs, sugar and a little flour.  Serve with mermelada and you're in heaven!  I was invited to the house of our friend, Diego's parents (his mom is on the left), to enjoy the chorreadas.  Nori, (on the right) is their housekeeper and cook.

Rain or Shine, a favorite Friday night activity for many people is BINGO at the school or church.

This is Bingo night at Santa Marta school where Vilma teaches.  I was the lucky winner of one BINGO prize: 2 bottles of diesel fuel injector cleaner and a bottle of Rum!  Francis cashed in on a raffle ticket by winning a big, yummy, rich cake!

I tried to keep a few young boys at the BINGO night entertained as well, by asking them to catch moths for me.  Here are a few of their finds:

Getting back to the reason why we're in Costa Rica...after facilitating lessons on empathy and the impact of bullying, one of our 10th grade classes made posters to put up around the school about Bullying.  We can only hope that it made an impact at least on the students who were involved in this activity.  They are a very thoughtful and participative group!

Last weekend, we were invited to lead and participate in some Guias and Scouts activities.  It was a fun way to get to know more kids in the community, though some of them are students of ours in the elementary and highschool.  We're going to continue working with them on different topics: next month: compass and map use, and later, the older girls said they'd like activities on leadership, self esteem and managing stress.

These boy and girl scouts of different ages get together every weekend.  They are very easy going and don't mind getting down and dirty!

Last weekend we hiked with Diego and his daughter, Andrea.  We walked on primative roads passing rushing streams and colorful houses.

  So, do I miss the seasons here?  Yes! and I definitely miss the Colorado landscape (Ticos say we don't have trees in our mountains, but I say they don't have mountains in their trees)!  The trails and hikes here are nice, but not what I'm used to.  I miss the fall colors (except for raking the leaves) and I miss the snow (in the mountains), and the fun of xc skiing and snowshoeing.  It's the lifestyle that we had created around our seasons that I miss.  But at the same time,  it's not really a sacrifice to live in the "mountains" of Costa Rica for the 2+ years that we are here.  We'll suffer through the abundance of local fresh fruits and vegetables, gorgeous, year round flowers, lush green jungles and beaches, beautiful birds and mild temperatures, for as long as we are given the opportunity to do so!
    I hope you get the opportunity to enjoy this spectacular country as well, (maybe on a visit to some PCVs you might know?) !