Home again, home again, jiggety jog; Russ and I are back in our comfort zone. Costa Rica is a lush and majestic laid-back country. The people are friendly and the culture easy-going. I have developed a dislike for monkeys, especially the little spider monkeys that tend to invade my son’s house. They are cute as can be but very destructive. I am sure that the roof of the house is heavily damaged thanks to these little monsters. They bang the cashew husks, orange size exteriors, on the roof to break them open. If they are unhappy with you, they slam branches on the roof or throw them at you. For little guys, they have some nasty looking teeth. Those things make them unattractive to me.
The Macaws, Toucans, and other critters are beautiful, and the ability to pick a coconut, banana, or plantain from a tree in the front yard is awesome. The colors are so rich and vibrant. My son and his wife, Earnie, are in a good place.
We went to a chocolate farm that also grew coffee and vanilla. It was not a large enterprise, just a smaller family farm. I found out why vanilla is so expensive. It is pollinated by a mosquito and no other critter. The blossom comes out once a year for a few hours, so it must be pollinated immediately. The farmer watches the blossoms every day and hand pollinates them. We also found out that mangoes have three colors. Green when they are just growing from a miniature little bud, yellow as they grow and mature, and red when they are ripe.
The jungle animals know that when they turn red, they are edible. My son, Shane, has proof of that. He had a single mango on his tree that he watched for months. Right before he was to pick it, the monkeys took chunks out of it and spoiled the rest. Things grow well in the jungle, but there are pests around to prevent humans from harvesting. It’s really the same issues we have here in Texas; it’s just different pests to attack our crops.
Work on the variety store downtown is continuing. There is still much to be done, but from the pictures Chrissy sent me, it looks so good.
Generous citizens have donated money to replace the broken windows.
Mann Glass will be providing the glass for this project.
Don’t forget there will be a Preservation Society meeting next week to make decisions for this project. Now that I’m back, I can get to work again.
Kid’s Church at the Baptist church is going to move to Wednesday after school. That means the kids will come immediately after school and work with the teachers from the time they arrive until about 5:45-6:00 p.m. There will be a supper meal before they are returned home. A form will be sent home to determine transportation needs. If you want to volunteer for this weekly event, please come to the meeting next Sunday at 6:00 p.m. or contact Kristy Perry or Sue Ransom.
We will be signing up food preparers and teachers. I’m looking forward to seeing all my kids again.
Speaking of kids, Dylan and Devon came to visit relatives over the weekend and came to church. Devon would have been in my fifth grade had she and I stayed.
I hope many of you went by the school Sunday and picked up a chicken dinner to support the 8th graders. Sirr Beam greeted me at the door. Once upon a time he was a wee thing that I taught, and now he towers over me. I still consider him one of “mine.”
The volleyball girls won their games against Mullin. Congratulations, Coyotes. Prayers are needed for Shannon Norris, Kathy Brockman, Donna Hill, Barb Fisher, Jessie and Freddie Stewart, Bob Collins, Heather Lewis, Ashley Ware, and many others facing health issues.
Bernice Adams was given a homecoming party to replace her burned household items. She is glad to be back home in her own bed. It was also her birthday and that of Teresa Pearce and Mike Phelan.
Praise God for the wonderful rain; please pray for our country, world peace, and safety in our homeland. Most of all pray for our precious troops and their families. Have a wonderful week.