Today during my morning walk I learned the names of my neighbor and her daughter with Down Syndrome. The mother’s name is Luz (which means light in Spanish) and her daughter is Noelia. I think Noelia is mute (or else extremely shy; I have never heard a sound out of her), but she smiles and gets along fine.

They were getting ready to walk toward Calle Los Angeles. I was headed that way, too, with a bag of wet garbage, so we linked up and exchanged as much Spanish as I was able to conjure up on the fly.

Luz and I talked about the golden orb arañas and she wondered, as I do, why they are only on one humungous web in the entire neighborhood.  I suggested that maybe it’s because they’re near the cattle corral and the dumpster — both of which draw abundant flies and other insects, making the spiders’ web location perfect for catching the insects they eat to survive and thrive.

I had to pantomime some of the words (stinky and manure), but I don’t think she bought the theory, or else she didn’t understand what I was trying to communicate, which is a distinct possibility! Manure and stink/odor are not on my Spanish bingo card yet, although basura (trash) and araña are. I learned those in junior high or high school  in Cle Elum in the 1960’s.

Update: Jon Graham Mitchell sent me the words I needed yesterday. I will commit them to memory!

Photos from today’s walk

Here in Costa Rica, life always finds a way.

Plants growing from a stone wall!

Coffee shrubs

Coffee shrub 

I got a short video of a butterfly, but no great stills of any. I’ll keep trying!

GROCERY DELIVERY DAY

My groceries were delivered today, so all is well here again.