March 2019

After 102 days without rain, except for one ½ hour drizzle, we were parched and eager for a respite from the summer drought. “We” includes my entire Casa de Corazon family or all the beings who live here. Inside or Outside. On March 20 it happened. A 3 – 4 hour mid summer tropical downpour swept through. Gutters overflowed and puddles formed on the hard packed soil. Every live being (plant or animal) rejoiced and I think we paused for a bit to just focus on Being.

My indoor animal family rested as the steady sound of the rain lulled them to sleep.

Seurat, at nearly 17 seemed to simply enjoy even more his lengthening nap time from the rug next to my bed. These days I am focusing on making the end of his life as comfortable and reassuring as possible. His faculties are failing but his tail still wags. I told him that he’ll need to let me know when it is time.

Frida, my sweet Shepherd/Collie mix dove for her favorite refuge under my bed as soon as the first drops fell, anticipating lightening and thunder. There she remained until the storm moved on. Such a steadfast sweet soul – who reads my mind. I can even ‘call’ her in from outside by mentally imaging her walking through the door to me. And suddenly, there she is.

I miss Sage, my African Grey parrot. Because of my Interstitial lung disease (ILD) that was diagnosed through a lung biopsy 9 months ago, I was told I needed to stay away from birds. My particular ILD is a hypersensitivity pneumonitis called “Bird Keeper’s Lung” that makes me particularly sensitive to the proteins present in the dry dust of birds. https://janhart.com/index.php/2018/10/30/recovery-more-than-healing-the-wound-part-2/   It was devastating to have to find a new home for Sage but I was also grateful that he was now cared for by my Orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Mario Hernandez. I visit frequently with walnuts and unshelled peanuts always in my pocket. Sage always assures me that he is well with his low pitched “Ohs” and lowering his head for a thorough head scratch. I’m grateful that he lives with a family that loves him. And that I can be his extended family.

And then there are the consistent presences of my outdoor family members – representatives from all but one (Fish) of the six main groups of animals. Invertebrates, Mammals, Birds, Amphibians and Reptiles. Some I don’t see often – like Rosy the tarantula and the very shy coral snake who peeked out from under the deck just twice in the ten years I’ve been here. But many others are part of my nearly every day life. And several have, because of their frequency and behaviors become ‘like family’ as I sit on my porch to be near. Some I have even named.

Mr. and Mrs. Green honeycreeper generally appear together – the vivid chartreuse feathers of Mrs. contrasted with the almost unbelievable brilliant turquoise greens of Mr.

The sweet and barely visible Banaquit who lets me come with 3 feet of the feeder without alarm.

The raucous cry of Jimmy the Great Kiskadee that is even louder if I don’t have bananas in the feeder by 6 a.m.

Always the reassurance of the Golden Hooded Tanager that was Frank’s favorite bird. This bird never fails to appear when I am missing Frank or thinking about something he once said. And I always understand that Frank is near. Also known as Siete Colores.

The lovely and gracious Baltimore Oriole that is here seasonally (November – May) and seems to get along well with all the other birds at the feeder. If it is too crowded, he waits his turn on a particular branch in the mango tree.

The flock of wildly flapping White fronted parakeets that fly over my house to the trees just below while carrying on a spirited conversation as they fly. I usually hear them coming before I see them.

The beautiful fliers that catch the updrafts just below my yard – several kinds of Vultures as well as the black and white Swallow-tail Kites. The vultures are the invaluable scavengers, ridding the landscape of small animal corpses. The Kites soar and search for the living ones.

Barney the black squirrel is now a favorite visitor to the bird feeder because he has figured out how to get to it. I kept the hibiscus branches nearby cut low hoping to discourage the inquisitive rodent. But one day I watched him climb up the post and perform an acrobatic back-bending leap to the edge of the feeder and then pull himself up. I decided he deserved anything I put out and now that I know he loves mangoes I make sure there is always a piece for him.

Armie the Amadillo. Now during the dry season I see evidence each morning that the armadillo that lives in a cave under a long ago fallen log. Son Tim has actually seen him or her. I generally see the fresh patches of earth in my lawn where the armored mammal has dug beneath the grass to find various bugs and earth creatures. This is a daily occurrence after I water the grass and gardens in the evening. I try to keep some of the areas near his/her burrow damp too in the hopes of confining the nocturnal search to areas away from the lawn. To no avail. So, I have accepted that the corner of my yard is Armadillo hunting territory with its raggedy patchwork appearance.

The ubiquitous Clay colored Robin or more recently re-named, Clay-colored Thrush, that thrills more with its sound than its appearance. Its melodic song is said to be the reason it was selected as Costa Rica’s National bird. I once heard from a Tico friend that it was selected because it represents the Costa Rican people who, like this common bird are not flashy and are good participants in their communities. They call to the farmers when it is time to plant. They do not rob other bird’s nests. And they find joy in everyday life. I always smile when I hear or see this bird.

My list goes on and on and includes glimpses of so many others.

• Red legged Honeycreeper
• Scarlet Rumped Tanager
• Speckled Tanager
• Fiery Billed Aracaris
• Chestnut-Mandibled Toucans
• Three toed Sloth (Diurnal)
• Blue Morpho Butterfly
• Owl Butterfly
• Saltator
• Pine Tanager
• Summer Tanager
• Hummingbirds (several different species of the 53 found in Costa Rica)
• Laughing Falcon
• Bats (1/2 of all CR mammals are bats)

As a woman who lives ‘alone’, I depend a lot on others. My Tico neighbors are my day to day reassurances. Two in particular stand out: Anita and Billy.

Anita, my surrogate daughter comes twice a week to clean my house and cheer me with her always ready magnificent smile and her equally important reminder about the Tico response to something worrisome: “Poco a poco”. Little by little. It will all come together, little by little. I’ve tried to adopt it as my own life motto along with the other perfect Tico greeting for hello or goodbye, “Pura Vida”. Literally, “Pure Life” but it is more like a statement of a way of life. Generally “Everything is great!”

I met Billy ten years ago when I moved to Costa Rica and accidentally backed my car into a ditch. He’s pulled me out of at least six more over the years and has steadfastly been there when I needed him for all of life’s emergencies: emergency pump repair, medical Emergency room visits, doctor appointments. He has the ability to remain calm when everything feels most chaotic, especially from my perspective as an immigrant in a foreign land. Very close in age to my own sons, it is as if he is my fourth son.

So very grateful for all my family members.