Sadly, little progress toward this seems to be the current state of affairs in the world.
Costa Rican Adventure–Rio Perdido
Rio Perdido is both the name of a hotel and a river. We stayed several days here in the middle of a reserve in the dry tropical forest (definitely not a rain forest) about 1 1/2 hours from Liberia. The hotel gets all its electricity from the Miravalles Geothermal Power Plant which we actually passed on our way to the cacao plantation (see the last two Costa Rican posts). They use their own water and do not chlorinate it. The name comes from a river which flows through the reserve. Their goal includes protection of the forest and sustainability.
Rio Perdido itself is a hot springs river.
We hiked up and down small cliffs on the river sides to get here.
This river is famous for its volcanic mud. To obtain its benefits those who wanted dug the mud from the bottom of the river and painted it on faces, arms, etc. with the provided brushes. Here one of the group paints mud on the guide’s face and neck. Some attached leaves above their ears.
I wandered on another path down river to watch for wildlife and take photos.
The reserve contains numerous hiking and bike trails some of which are as long as six or more miles. This bridge crosses the river and leads to several hiking trails. The main building in the background houses a reception area, restaurant, bar, spa and gift shop with three swimming pools. They provide bicycles for those who want to try the trails, some of which are quite long and difficult. Rooms are separate cabins scattered throughout the forest. A shuttle provides transportation from cabins to the main area for those who choose not to walk. The staff is welcoming, chatty, and creative. When the staff cleaned our room, made beds, etc, we came back to find my grandson’s stuffed sloth sitting on his pillow, reading a book. For those who want to relax, escape the world, this provides a perfect place.
The Nine Maidens by Deanne Quarrie
In my quest to learn something new daily, this fulfilled today’s goal. I thought I knew quite a bit about the ancient goddess religion but apparently not.
Many years ago, in the group of women I work with, we all had a marvelous epiphany. It was spontaneous combustion that fueled our collective desire to learn about the “Nine Maidens.” It was as though some unknown force was driving all of us to seek out and to know.
I would like to share what we collected:
“… My poetry, from the cauldron it was uttered. From the breath of nine maidens it was kindled….”
“… ygkynneir or peir pan leferit. O anadylnawmorwyngochyneuit.”
(Preiddeu Annwn or The Spoils of Annwyn from ‘Llyfr Taliesin’ 9th to 12th c. CE.)
Anadyl = breath
Naw= nine
Morwen= maiden
These lines are from the poem, the Spoils of Annwyn, where Arthur and seven knights raid the rotating island fortress of Caer Sidi in the Otherworld for possession of the Cauldron of the Head.
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A Theology of Indifference – What Have We Become? by Karen Hernandez
Costa Rica Adventure, Day Five–Hidden Treasures in the Rainforest
After we left the little village of Colonia Liberatad, we headed down another unpaved road to a tiny little building in a large garden for coffee and dessert. Costa Rica is heaven for flower and plant lovers, a true botanists’ paradise.
A pebbled path led from the road to the “restaurant”. No one rushed; we were too enthralled with the flowers, the humidity, the total intenseness of the surroundings and atmosphere.
Although I have been to Costa Rica twice now, ten days each time, and love flowers, still I can only recall the names of a few.
Hundreds, sometimes, thousands, of species reside within only a few square yards.
Everyone stopped along the way to look. Some of the children wanted to hunt for reptiles. They were warned because the deadly fear-de-lance lives here. A few assured everyone they knew exactly what they look like. Knowing them, it was probably true.
A wood building is a rare sight anywhere I have been there–too much rain. All roofs are either metal or tile for the same reason. Other types of roofing rot. Some have totally given up trying to add color because it disappears quickly apparently. This area of Costa Rica on the Caribbean side of the mountains receives rain daily. It rained off and on all day.
I have no idea the name of the dessert they served us with coffee. It resembled Indian Fry Bread (from New Mexico and Arizona–I love the stuff), super crispy, soaked in honey.
The road just outside this hidden gem.
Quote for the Day
“Women are not allowed open access to their fury.” Lauren Groff
I Am Queen by Vibha Shetiya
I am always looking for ways to expand my mental and cultural horizons. Here is a movie to watch.
I started this post just after getting back from an India trip, always very challenging because of memories that haunt me not only through their high negative recall value, but also in that I often find myself reverting to the diffident, fearful person I used to be while living there. In fact, palpitation is the first to greet me at Bombay airport even now after nearly seventeen years of being an expat. But with every trip, I also find myself evolving as a person, as a woman. And of course, it is always fun to meet up with family and old friends, all of whom I hold very dear. But the highlight of this trip was Queen.
Queen is a Bollywood movie unlike any other I’ve seen. As mentioned in a previous post, B-wood cinema if you can call it that, is made mostly of predictable, formulaic themes centering…
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The Haunting of the Mexican Border
If you have any interest whatsoever as to how times have changed along the border, the culture of the people of Sonora and Chihuahua, this is a must read. I need to go visit my friends who live there.
Cowboy and flowers on grave © Tim Fuller
The Haunting of the Mexican Border
I had no idea the blessing I was about to receive when I was asked to review The Haunting of the Mexican Border: A Woman’s Journey by Kathryn Ferguson for Story Circle Book Reviews. I said yes, since how could I possible resist that title? I spent the next few weeks savoring the experiences, ideas, and prose of this book. This is not a book that I read fast. I found myself re-reading sentences for the sheer beauty of the prose and scenes for the powerful experiences conveyed.
Mostly, I was taken with the melding of past and present, as my own experiences growing up on a ranch along the San Pedro River, a vein for Mexican migrants coming to the US, sent me reeling between the intimate familiarity of the rhythms of migration in this region…
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Costa Rica Adventure, Day Five-Part Three, Colonia Libertad
The small village of Colonia Libertad, a short distance down the road from La Anita Rain Forest Ranch, contains a small Catholic Church where I watched an early afternoon Christmas Eve ceremony and held a toddler dressed in her Christmas finery. Meanwhile a short distance away my grandson, other tourist children, and locals played soccer in this field.
It alternated between dark and rainy and periods when the clouds zoomed away and everything lightened up a bit. When the game ended, everyone was a muddy mess.
The village contains the small church, this soccer field, a school–in green on the left, and a recycling center.
They recycle nearly everything. You can see the sign for plastic above. I could hardly believe it. Here I am in the middle of nowhere in Costa Rica and they recycle; yet where I live in the Panhandle of Texas, recycling remains extremely limited.
Several of us walked down the road from the soccer field and found the neighborhood bar. A local couple joined us.
To the right, behind the bar, a stream ran rapidly along. The local couple happily posed.
Besides these buildings and the soccer field, we visited a shop where local women make and sell necklaces, bracelets, and earrings to supplement their less than lavish income. Many of the people in the town work for La Anita Rain Forest Ranch.
Tips for a Healthier You-2
Given the response I received from the last set of tips, it seems a good cause to periodically add more. Essential oils hold a special place in my health routine. I use them for so many things. I have found several especially useful to diffuse at night for prevention of allergy symptoms and to facilitate better sleep. Although I generally prefer doTerra, I use other brands as well. However, I have found that since I started using doTerra Breathe at night in a diffuser, my allergy symptoms remain minimal compared to what they were before.
Here are two formula I use at night. I suggest individuals experiment to see what works for them. I combine Breathe with other oils. One formula is approximately 7 drops Breathe and seven drops Cedarwood. Cedarwood is particularly good to facilitate deep, relaxing sleep. It helps prevent sinusitis and reduces stress. I have a large diffuser so you may want to experiment to see what works for you.
The other formula I use at night is Breathe as above combined with equal amounts of lavender and melaleuca (tea tree). Melaleuca has so many others uses, it seems nearly limitless. It is especially good for teenage acne and treating infections. However, I myself have never used it for those purposes. It is one of those “cure all” oils and reduces inflammation and boosts the immune system.
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