Hello, Again

Cue the end of a three-month hiatus:

And three, two, one...

Welcome back to my occasionally idyllic life in sunny Nicaragua. It is marginally painful to admit that I seem to have run out of new things to share in these pages. Day to day, tranquility tends to be dull, I daresay. Not to mention two resolutions for the new year that are ,amazingly, still in force as I write: to save serious money for a planned trip to Spain with my son next year; and to lose some serious poundage to ensure that I will be energetic and healthy enough for same. These two goals conspire to eliminate most occasions for socializing, dining out, investing in my surroundings with various garden or livestock projects, and any number of elements that filled this blog heretofore.

A sprinkler on a hot day is a welcome spot for grackles!

Still, there are topics of interest. For example, just as North America enters its spring season (not that anyone would notice, with four nor'easters!), we here in Nicaragua observe the start of verano, summer, the hottest period in the calendar year. Arguably, there are two seasons here, dry and rainy. But people here also acknowledge a winter season - invierno - which occurs around August through December, as far as I can tell, characterized by cool nights and mornings, and lots of rain. It is never actually cold. Otoño is the word for autumn, but I'm damned if I know when it is. July, perhaps?

At the moment, in high dry season, the lawn is becoming crunchy, and the deciduous trees have shed their leaves. The rain should return in May, with new greenery and cooler temperatures. Blooming banks of bougainvillea occur year round, and just this week, trees in the central park of San Marcos burst into riotous flower. Well, two days ago it was riotous. After a windy spell, most of the blossoms ended up on the ground this morning.

My beautiful shepherd Mitzi proved able to escape the garden fence, and reluctantly, I bought a 6-meter chain. It was wretched, seeing her tethered to the porch, but I simply could not risk having her end up as road kill on the PanAmerican Highway. I looked for a solution, and found it in the home of a recently retired couple from California, great walkers both, who wanted a sturdy companion. It's still early days, but I hope she has taken to her new home. I miss her galumphing presence, and the house seems so much bigger without her.

And I miss my chickens. Despite my Christmas morning adventure, I am thinking of buying a new flock of laying hens. Will think on it a little longer...