The benefits of the rain have been profound all over the area, including the Quinta. Some place have their Royal Poncianas putting on a second bloom, which is somewhat of a rarity. Our Royal Poncianas have only busied themselves with putting on as much greenery as possible, which is better than nothing, I suppose. Green seems to be the main operative colour for the Quinta, although the powder puffs, the duranta, and the shrimp plants have all been busy with their blooming chores. There are lots of bees, lots of birds, and other natural activity.
The mountains are also greened out and it is good to look out to the west and not see any of the smokey haze associated with the Spring forest fires. During the past nights of the full moon we were treated to the setting of Earth's largest satellite on the mountains. In spite of the absolute dullness of the process.....what else can the Moon do?.....what else can the mountains do? really doesn't matter so much as just enjoying the magnificence of it all. I usually am up around four o'clock, so it is possible to see three or four of these moon-sets during each lunar cycle.
Alvaro was quick to advise me upon my arrival that the Army had been down our road.....several times during my absence. The first time they had come in the "back way" , approaching the Quinta from the Rio Corona. This meant that they had had to been doing considerable scouting and using considerable "community input" along with the overhead surviellance photographic reasources. On this first visit by this particular patrol they stopped to talk at some length with Alvaro. They were given a tour of the Quinta, but only a couple of officers and a couple of non-commissioned officers went in. This left what seems to have been two platoons of heavy infantry out in the shaded areas. They visited our neighbours, made friends with the dogs, and generally went about their "community outreach". Various military elements have been back and forth during the past weeks.
This has resulted in a considerable outpouring of people heading down to the Rio Corona as they had done before, enjoying the high waters and conviviating with friends and family as they have done traditionally for generations. It was, in a way, good to hear children squealing and other such family noises again.
All the animals are fine. Alvaro's Labrador has doubled in size, and has become a bit better disciplined. I have endeavoured to impart what little training I can give. Everyone can send money to pay what will necessarily be a gargantuan food bill by the time Bibi is fully grown.
There will be more later. Thanks for your time and attention.
The Old Gringo
