Rainiest Rainy Season in the Rainforest Evuh!

Yeah, it’s still raining. And raining. And raining. Record amounts of lluvia this season, with no relief in sight. It has something to do with La Niña, or so they say. The infrastructure of the whole southern Osa peninsula is disintegrating before our very eyes. Suffice it to say, we’ve already had over 9 meters of rain this season. And it’s not over yet. Roads are washing out. Rivers are flooding. Trees are toppling. Last week K got stuck on the highway driving from Atenas to Uvita for seven hours, then had to turn back. Two days ago we couldn’t drive to the market. Roads are eroding, sliding, and washing away. We’re stuck at home in Covid-like conditions. We have to yell to talk to each other and wear headphones to watch TV because of the noise the rain makes.

So instead of complaining about the excessive amounts of rainwater disrupting our lives, I decided to focus on the beauty that surrounds us. 🦜🌴🐒 In those rare moments between downpours, that is. This lovely little hummer was flitting around our heliconias this morning, bingeing on the nectar before the next wave of rain hit. And the parrots! OMG. They’re even louder than the rain pounding on the metal roof! As soon as there is a lull in the storms, they fly in pandemoniums (yes, that’s what they call a flock) from tree to nut-bearing tree. Thirty to forty of them, all squawking up a cacophonous ruckus. And then the clouds roll in, enveloping everything, including us, in a smoky, misty haze. Followed by yet another pelting rain.

This is our first full-on rainy season. Which the locals call the green season, probably because it sounds much better for the tourists, and is quite accurate. There are a million shades of green out there in the forest outside our door. We’ve got algae growing on the effing cars, for heaven’s sake, as well as on everything else.

So the silver lining? It’s good writing weather. When I’m not too soggy and mopey. Sent out Rising Action pages to fifteen agents this week, and continue to work on the editing treadmill. So even tho it feels like a kidney stone at the moment, I have faith that this, too, shall pass.

Pura Vida

Oct. 28, 2022