Between Rains
(Mindo Ecuador) – The rainy season has definitely returned here in the cloud forest, and the rain guage has ‘caught’ at least 20 inches of rain since the new year began! The rains continue to purge the normally-tranquil Rio Cinto, that has lost its temper twice and roared as it passed (in its bounds) through the valley.
This past Sunday/Sunday night the Rio Cinto roared like the ocean, and I suspected there would be minor landslides in the area. I was right!
Monday morning brought clear skies, yet the road was eerily silent/void of traffic. While inspecting Rio Cinto, I met this one neighbor who was also inspecting the changes.
With two workers waiting for me to retrieve them at 8 sharp, I drove until this new roadblock changed my mind!
On Tuesday the sound of traffic returned, and I drove to town with no problems. A very large landslide had been cleared, and the municipality deserves recognition for their prompt action. I did not take my hands off the wheel in order to photograph the mud and muck!
Rio Cinto stayed angry for several days…
Between rains, the days are beautiful and the mornings often seem as if rain is the least-expected item on the day’s menu. By noon or one, the clouds return, and light showers prompt a change in plans.
My friend Cynthia invited me to participate in a guided tour of a private reserve, where we learned about the local plants and their medicinal uses. (Gilberto, our guide in the photo)
To me, there is nothing common about this ‘common potoo,’ which Gilberto showed us within the first five minutes of entering the reserve!
We also admired a pond of water lilies.
Two brothers are helping with outdoor tasks on the property/ https://https//alittlebluebirdtoldme.wordpress.com. It’s been an interesting few weeks as we exchange ideas, and they adapt to working not only with a woman as their boss, but also with an untra-sensitive ARTIST that cautions, “Please don’t cut this… or this… or amputate a limb or —-” They are learning a bit of English, and I am learning more Spanish.
The locals call the grass, “Pasto Miel” but I call it “Pasto Vinegar.” There is nothing sweet about this invasive grass that is rightfully called “Elephant Grass” in other parts of the world! (Pictured, Diego, who is working to save money to attend art school in Austria in June! This photo was taken along the public road near Rio Cinto.)
Sometimes there are accidental mishaps, and the plants (pictured: bromeliad) are transferred to the ever-expanding Plant Rescue Garden.
When they helped clear limbs that fell over/into a clear spring, I worked elsewhere so that they could do their job and do it well without my concern for the little plants!
All is going well, and there will be photos of the trails soon, camera willing. It’s great with closeups, yet requires creative manipulations to capture most of the work areas.
(From the public road) – The camera captured the landscape and waterfall with ease!
Between rains, it’s always great to have such precious distractions!
May the weekend go well for all. Until next time online, Z
Zeebra Designs & Destinations 
Finally! A report-of sorts?-from you. Been way too long, mi amiga. I was beginning to wonder if you left for faraway lands again. Cómo éstas? I missed you.
oh dear yayo! how are you and where are you? so sorry i am offline most of the time and so uninformed on what’s happening elsewhere. update me soon, por favor!
So long as i know you’re ok, Z. Are you fully recovered? If the stars align accordingly, i hope to go back there. That future time, however, i fully intend to see you. You’ve been warned, mi amiga :). Do take good care. Love you.
Until next time and time again Amiga. Hugs.
our dear queen! hope all is going well w/you.. you are definitely proactive and deserve good health and happiness!
The common patoo looks fascinating. I look forward to future excursions.
every day is an excursion – so many stories to tell and so little time online… presently i am listening to my musician friends perform, so i am being a bit rude by typing while they play… about to be offline til next week. thanks as always… z
Oh, wet, wet, wet! But nothing slows you down. I love this photo essay, but most of all, I love the UNcommon potoo and the water lily. That potoo looks like it’s praying for a break in the clouds to dry it’s damp feathers.
that was a wonderful start to that tour.. whhat a wonderful bird!
miss you dear friend, though we’re connected in spirit! thanks, as always!
What a precarious world you live in, Lisa! Take good care 🙂
i miss you and those walks! thank you dear friend!
Amazing world you live in!
si; i am the lucky one, especially when you all are enduring cold weather… hope your weekend is a good one..
Gorgeous! Miss your energy and good cheer Amiga! 🙂
thank yuou pat.. am there in spirit…
Lovely photographs of the birds. Be safe!
thank you.. we have had four days of sunshine, but the rains are back…
Lovely to see you back and taking us on a trip through beautifully named Cloudforest. The Potoo looks very much like our tawny frogmouth. Its feather are like the colour and texture of tree bark and it sits so still it is very hard to spot them.
surely they are first cousins.. this species perches on a tree or post and becomes almost invisitble.. it often looks straight up and is motionless and blends in with the environment..
Exactly what the tawny frogmouth does.
Thank you. Your post is really good.
thank you as well!
You stay in my prayers.
The last two photos of the delicate little birds are precious. It’s so strange — my friend Omar, in Panama, is distressed by lack of rain, and here you have torrents. Feast or famine, as they say.
We have sunshine now, and for several days to come. Temperatures over the weekend will hit 70. I hope your days are as lovely — it’s always good to see a post from you.
I was thinking the same thing, shoreacres, the rain and lack thereof in Panama.
news from mississippi said warm weather.. surely there will be many people sick with the extreme highs and lows.. the body doesn’t know what to do!
yes those are green thorntail hummingbirds… they are precious aren’t they?
Wow, that’s some serious water and the pootoo is wonderful.
Are those bee eaters in the last two pictures?
the bees and the hummingbirds often share the same area.. those are green thorntail hummingbirds!
Such magnificent sights and views in the Cloud Forest! What do you do with the Elephant grass? Does it have to be burned?
nice question.. if we have four or more days without rain, i truly ‘kick it around’ each day so that it can die… if it rains each day, each node roots and grows even more… it’s a monster… but if it dies, then it decomposes quite ffast and turns black, ha , like the plague it is.
A plague indeed!
Lovely photos of your beautiful world!
thank you barb.. you are such a beautiful and tireless supporter! sending you wishes for a great weekend.
z
Glad to hear from you amiga, 20 inches, just a bit more than what we have had here on the coast. But thankfully the last two days have been rain free , giving a chance for the mud to dry up a bit. The heavy rains have gifted us beautiful nightly serenades of the toads and frogs and extra beautiful sunsets. We won’t mention the nasty little buggers that also appear. Take care , be safe, love and hugs
we have had four days of sunshine, but the rains returned (light) today… hope all is ok there.. i read that there are zika cases in portoviejo? goodness, i want to stay clear and not risk a third mosquito virus in one year.. my immune system cannot handle much more!
How I would love a tour of medicinal plants! There is a “medicine trail” in Belize that I hope to get to one day.
Love your photos.
that is a great trail in belize.. if you don’t know the book re: 100 healing plants of belize’ and it’s companion “sastun” (?) they are wonderful books.. the latter has a great story….
Whoa, now that is a lot of rain. I look forward to your posts and I miss you mi amiga. Stay safe and adventurous.
misss you too.. all is going well, just very busy and very few options for internet. z
Rain is a blessing and a curse, too, isn’t it. But I enjoyed you post about life in the Cloud Forest – particularly since no serious incidents have happened due to rain and landslides. You live in a gorgeous part of the world! Hope everything is well with you, Lisa.
Pauline has already remarked about our Tawney Frogmouth it is a look-alike.