One year ago – my closest neighbor Melissa
Poza Honda/Manabi Province/Ecuador – One year ago I first visited this little coffee farm, inhabited by one family of five, one young married couple, the owner, three dogs, two cats, an always-changing number of free-range chickens, several squirrels, a micro-community of Howler monkeys – and thousands of birds. Rosa, a single ‘older lady,’ lives in her authentic campo house on several acres which this property surrounds. These lovely inhabitants of this ultra-petite community graciously allowed one artist to wean into their neighborhood.
July 22, one year ago – I booked for one night and stayed ‘forever!’
Rosa
Birthdays are quiet events, shared with the immediate neighbors. Period. No aunts, uncles, grandparents or friends from nearby towns are present for these lovely and quiet gatherings. Lovingly-prepared luncheons are served, and then the cake is presented to the person of honor. Conversations easily roll from random subject to random subject, and I always remark on how fast the pre-teens/teens are growing. The first gathering was for Melissa’s birthday in October.
Please leave your shoes at the bottom of the steps! Come inside!
The banana-leaf wrapped tongas provide a lovely presentation, a delicious chicken and rice meal, and an easy-cleanup!
Lovely cake!
Neighbors Valentina and Daniela enjoy celebrating Melissa’s birthday.
January brought us another lovely gathering for TWO birthdays: Joselo and Jurg – aka Jorge to the locals.
In February, Valentina celebrated her 15th birthday, also shared with her younger (“baby’) sister Daniela whose birthday is a day later. #15 is a special number in Ecuador, and Valentina received a special gift – a telephone! She was delighted to be connected to her social circles!
A Gartered Trogon dropped in for Happy Birthday wishes!
Alexander reached age 14 last month. It’s been a joy to watch them evolve and to be a part of the community birthday gatherings.
Last Friday Jorge stopped by and asked, ‘What are your plans for this weekend?‘
Having delivered 19 paintings to the museum the day before, I planned to rest and do little over the weekend. I shrugged, “No plans at all; what can I do for you?”
He smiled and said they were going to cook chicken; then via the art of verbal fishing, he asked about the date of my birthday.
Clarity… – I smiled, “It’s tomorrow…”
Since attention on my birthdate often re-opens old wounds, I shared a bit of that history, and we reached a compromise. ‘Sunday! We’ll have an unbirthday gathering! – but please, no cake.’
He said that Soraida hoped to prepare the chocolate cake that I raved about at Alex’s birthday. “Ok,” I agreed, “It’s time for me to get past this…”
Cacao before it reaches the world in the form of chocolate.
The day went well – absolutely no hint of repressed grief – we enjoyed a relaxed outdoor luncheon with the finale of a cake made from just-harvested pods of cacao – a process I’ve yet to witness…. Perhaps she’ll allow me to watch the next time she makes this amazing dessert!
This dose of sugar was worth every bite!
Zeebra Designs & Destinations 
Where is a picture of you?
Happiest of birthdays Lisa!
Happy Birthday Lisa!
Sent from my iPad
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Clearly such happy and loving people that you shared your birthday with, Lisa. Happy birthday!
What a wonderful and loving community you have found. As for the cake, I am so curious as to how it is made!
always fun to see and read these posts of yours Gloria and Johnny Shivers are here visiting us and were asking about you…I thought it fortuitous that you posted tonight…and I could show her!! ❤ love
Gorgeous photos
What a joy and privilege to spend a birthday with such wonderful people in such a lovely place! Both those cakes look amazing and the Trogon is lovely, even though I’ve never of one. 🙂 Happy belated birthday!
janet
Finally getting on here and catching up on your posts. I first want to wish you a HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY, BABY sister !! I didn’t forget, just never got on here to send you well wishes. My bad !!I love seeing all these great photos and your beautiful art work. I’m still dying to come see you. Need to know where to search as to where to fly to in Ecuador, nearest place for airport then by what means I search for as means of transportation once the plane has landed. What town/city do you reside in??? Love you, Pat
Beautiful photos! I’m so happy that you’ve “landed” in a place where you are surrounded by such thoughtful, kind people! Best wishes for the art show, too!
Happy belated Birthday, dear Liza! I can see you had the best of birthdays in a lovely family and with good friends. ♥
Happy UN- Birthday dearest Lisa. What a fabulous family unit to be invited into, and what a great gesture from them to you in honour of your Un-Birthday.. I hope you do get past the memories surround that date my friend, This is the year of letting go in many ways..
Also congrats upon delivering your paintings to the museum.. That is wonderful in its self.
I so loved the happy smiles and grins and those cakes! wow, mouth-wateringly good.
What a wonderful way to spend such a special day, and I have twice made real chocolate from the raw state with the help of my daughter sourcing the ingredients and instructions.. I loved tempering the chocolate too..
And so much better than the dairy milk chocolate .. So I can only image the taste of that chocolate cake..
I am gradually working my way back through to visit, and so pleased to see alls well in your world.. I did a bit of painting both on canvas and on fences.. lol..
Sending
Much LOVE dear friend.. ❤ ❤
Happy Birthday, Lisa. May you enjoy many, many more. I miss you but know you are in a beautiful place to celebrate. Good luck with the museum showing….expect lots of pictures from it.
I am so glad that I could join this marvelous celebration. I felt the warmth of a family gathering, the aroma of a cake, the friendship of kindred spirits. Looking forward to sharing the next year with you – we have many adventures waiting for our arrival. Hugs and love coming your way.
Happy birthday! It is wonderful that you are so fully a part of the community that they have a birthday party for you. And the cake looks fabulous!
Thank you for sharing these heart-warming gatherings and celebrations. Happy Un-Birthday, dear Lisa! I am glad you did not mind the cake 😉
I’m sure we are all envious of this wonderful community you have found Lisa. But where is your photo? happiest of birthdays. I’m glad you enjoyed that marvelous cake.
You attract wonderful people wherever you go 🙂 Happiest of birthday wishes to you Amiga, wish I was there to uncelebrate it with you!! Warm hugs, Pat
Happy un-birthday Lisa. What a lovely post – a real glimpse into the wonderful community you’ve landed in. I get why you went one night and then moved in! What lovely people.
Alison
Happy belated un-birthday Lisa, what a lovely community you have found. Their love and happiness shines through this post. It was lovely to have a glimpse of your life with them wishing you joy and peace in the coming year.
Sounds like a lovely bday! Love you, Karen
A birthday is special, whoever you spend it with, but being surrounded by the warmth of these smiles would make any day special, Lisa. 🙂 🙂 Belated happy birthday!
Lisa! I hope all is going very well and nicely busy….happy belated birthday, but it sounds like belated is good. This post brings out all the warmth and deep goodness that you’re experiencing in Poza Honda. The faces, the cakes, the gentle light….again I’m happy for you.
I don’t recall a tradition in Latin America of leaving shoes outside the living area, as people in eastern Asia do.
It makes me so happy to see you surrounded with such love and care in your new community, Lisa. Of course, it never hurts to have such cakes around, either! I’ve always said that we should have birthday seasons instead of days. After all, we have a Christmas season and an Easter season — why not? With birthday “seasons,” there are not belated wishes — only loving ones for another year filled with blessings and beauty!