Flora

Byron is Making New Friends

Saturday night a band of kids and dogs came looking for Kaya, who wasn't vising ther grandparents at the time. Byron was quite unhappy about the dogs, but all stayed calm. Devlin is sharp as a tack, a Dog Whisperer extraordinaire and Tico cum South Carolinian. He lives in the states, his Tica mom who has a Southern accent.

Byron is feeling much better. So well that he visited Sarah Foster a couple of nights ago and returned without us even knowing.

She wormed him again. His appetite is improving, especially as he has trained us to serve him 90% human food.



The bald spot in the middle of Byron's nose is disappearing. Wish those ribs would also.

Byron followed Andy this morning for the first time. When he arrived at the Farmers' Market, he jumped up on me to greet me, Byron, not Andy.

Please Help the Howler Monkeys

You can help these poor monkeys, nearly 2/3 of which have been killed by electric wires in the last few years.

You can make a U.S. tax-deductible contribution by sending a check to:

Friends of Nosara

c/o Mike Olson

2 Louisiana Ave.

Bronxville, NY 10708

Be sure to put the donation is for the Howler Monkeys in the memo section.

The Howlers

Here is one of the 5 babies I got to visit in Brenda's bedroom before I started my duty. Love at first sight. The one I am holding is one of two tiniest babies. The one on this lady's shoulder is an in-between size.

Several amazing physical attributes: their smile was very human like. I mean the teeth formation was human looking, so the smile was very wide. No canines to distinguish them as apes.

Their tails are prehensile, which is amazing once you touch it. The under side feels a little like the underside of a snake. No hair, but a calloused skin, with strong muscles gripping. And their hands and feet are attached to their shins and upper arms a very peculiar angle.

I worked the sign-in table and got to greet everyone. Some thought I was Bobbi from a distance. And everyone perked up when they learned I am her sister. Very fun to be related to a celebrity.

Lily Adams arrived with Don Maris and her beautiful daughter (remember them all from the fiesta, fried chicken booth?)

Chicy, the guy on the left, was my co-worker. Paula, on the right, is one of Bobbi's best friends and lives up the mountain a house or two.

A golf cart offered rides up and down the very steep driveway. I took it down a couple of times so I wouldn't slip on the loose stones.

Bobbi was one the big bidders, her first acquisition being this acrylic. I love the fish. The boy not so much. Don't know what she'll do with it other than stack it against all her other un-hung artwork.

I wore this monkey (Bobbi found it in a box from Mom and Dad's attic) hanging off my shoulder. Squeaky or somebody with a similar name said he'd pay $50 if I auctioned it off. So I did. No one was bidding any higher, so I told the crowd that Bobbi had slept with it and got a great laugh, including Bobbi, but no more money.

Birds I Have Seen

They call this one a magpie, but looks more like a blue jay with plumes on the top of his head

This is the first I was able to capture well. An owl asleep in some bamboo. So cute!

Marlin Bill's

This is Marlin Bills. Andy and I met Bill and Pam years ago. Andy reconnected with Bill the first weekend at their restaurant. I with Pam, at duplicate bridge.
Many of us reconvened at Marlin Bill's for regular bridge. My partner was Falcon, the guy dealing the cards. He is a very talented card player, who was patient with my mistakes. He taught me much about the game, both bidding and playing. I had heard that anyone playing with Falcon wins, which was true. Despite my bad bids and rotten play in a couple of hands. The worst was playing in hearts,when it was no trump, losing the King and Ace, not to mention a bunch of other tricks.
We played for about 3 hours taking a break for lunch. Next duplicate day I am playing with Linda's husband, cause she plays with Falcon for duplicate. Hope Jim and I can practice a little before then.

Gilded Iguana

In years past, we spent some time at the Gilded Iguana. It was the closest and nearly the only watering hole near Bobbi's house. And her best friend owned it. As I mentioned earlier, it is now owned by Jungle Jim. But that isn't his name, it's Jungle Joe.

I went there to watch a little news and get a better internet connection.

Who should be there, but Bobbi and a friend. Sat at my own table so as not to interrupt their business and to access the internet, which was not cooperating.

Butch walked up to me asked where Bobbi was, saw her and tried to get away. I stopped him and told her I got him first and asked him to try to solve my internet problem. He found that a switch on my computer was off and needed to be on.

In the meantime, Mark got to Bobbi and was consulting with her about fence, land and election issues. Butch finally got to ask her his important questions. That girl is in demand.

I am here again, using a reliable internet connection, updating this.

Byron is lying next to me.

Of course, we had to make a trip to one of the big grocery stores as long as we had a vehicle. We got all the necessities, beer and cigarettes.



No kidding, the cigarette in the ear really felt good.
I am not sure what is was supposed to do, but the heat and pressure soothed my infected ear. And, it seems nearly healed.



Another one of our most important stops was at Lily Adams' house, where she gave us a many wonderful books. That happened at night after going to find the best pizza in Nosara! We got a taste of her garden of Eden and can hardly wait to see in the day.

Byron has made a new friend named Gavin

Another Road Trip

Andy rented a three wheeled, covered vehicle for a day. Byron eventually got used to it and seemed to enjoy his adventures

What I especially liked about it was that I had to sit in the backseat and felt quite pampered.

He also rented a fishing rod and bounced our way down to the mouth of the Nosara River. On a few turns, we had to shift our weight to keep it from tumbling down into a ditch.

He cast a few times as we made our way down to the surf. We watched some Ticos cast nets into the waves catching some bait fish, which they then cast on hand lines into the waves. Though we didn't actually see it happen, one of them caught a snook, which he carried by us to store in a cave in the cliff nearby. The thing was well over 3' long and over 30 pounds. Hard to imagine using only a hand line.

Speaking of the Farmers' Market

Andy is talking to Iris' dad Ryan.









This photo of my butt includes Iris and her mother Carly.







Here is the Recycling booth sign which was jerryrigged temporarily. We must remember to do something more permanent this week. Also I have to make a display of BAD containers (between me and the sign is a clue to what I am talking). Most bottles are not returnable, so bad for the environment.
















Bobbi and I manning the booth. The bags for sale are made out of about 60 grocery bags, haven taken 30 hours to make. A women's cooperative made them.

Notice the necklace, made of rags and beer pop tops, by another women's cooperative, sold at our recycling booth. These little girls are the daughters of this yoga guru and the kid who sells coconut mile at the Market:These photos were taken by Francie. I asked her to take a few photos for me, which she graciously did. She and Ed brought them over Monday and joined me and 3 new Mah Jong students for lunch.

Byron

Byron quit eating after the last 2 sausages.
Saturday morning, he buried the 2 sausges we gave him.
We ran into Sara Foster at the Farmer's Market on Saturday and discussed antibiotics for the tick disease. The vet countered with worming him with a more full spectrum medicine than his last treatment.
Sarah came over Sunday afternoon and administered the liquid. Byron, who had leapt up on Sara with joy the day before, couldn't react anywhere near as enthusiastically. We were worried.
Sara got 2 more dogs yesterday from a Tico who can'tafford them anymore. The bitch has had a couple of litters already. Sara will spay and neuter them before giving them away. She also got 2 colts, which I can hardly wait to meet.
I love horseback riding, especially on a beach, but am not sure it is worth doing. My butt hurts with a burning pain for days after a good ride. Pam is of the same mind as I.
Monday morning Byron devoured 2 sausages in short order. He bounded after something in the garden. His spirits are rising as he feels better. This evening, he and I ran on the beach, a milestone in both our lives. I don't that any of you has ever seen me run.
I took my plastic mesh bag and collected some nice new shells.

Found a Way to the River

Sunday night we went to the Olsen's for a cocktail party. Being Bobbi's sister is a major perk. The Olsens are her good friends and were very nice to invite us.
We landed a ride with Howie, who Andy will have to ell you about. Quite a character.
It was good we got the ride because we were carrying a plate of bocas, proscuitto and melon on toothpicks, on a plate in an ice filled bowl, in a plastic bag. With the ride, they managed to survive. The toothpicks were decorated with silk flowers, which I brought for the defunct felting project.
I saw a lot of my new bridge buddies and received many hugs. Also met Gavin who was born the day before Iris (Pam and Ray's granddaughter) and in the same water birthing pool.
Andy's good news was that Beverly Kitson was there and gave him directions to the Nosara River mouth. He is plotting his upcoming fishing trip.

There were a couple of lovely white poodles at the party, which Byron didn't attend cause he didn't follow our ride to the party.
We had a great time with nice people and delicious bocas that meant no need for dinner.