“Lisa, Are You OK?”

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Friendship, lluvia 2019 manabi, poza honda manabi ecuador, Timeout for Art

Neotropic Cormorants /Poza Honda/Ecuador

“The friend is the man who knows all about you, and still likes you.” ~Elbert Hubbard, The Notebook, 1927

Our friend Hugh Curtler wrote this week about Friendship, a post worth pondering.  Reading off line, I wrote a reply to send when on line (now) but circumstances  dictate responding via a just-received example of friendship.

In my unhurried off-line reply, I mentioned one dear friend who emails about twice a month.  She always asks, “Lisa, How are you?  How’s your back?   Do you need anything?   Are you OK?”

Dady inspecting the Squirrel Cuckoo watercolor at Museo Portoviejo

This past Tuesday I dropped a music CD at her house after visiting the nearby Portoviejo Museo.  Stocked with ‘survival’ groceries in case the heavy rains provoked more mud slides, I needed to get home before dark.

At sunset I photographed the reservoir, which lacked about a sneeze worth’s of water to send the excess over the spillway.

That night and last night we received more heavy rains.     The waters now reach the high-water level, and the surplus is surely generating enough electricity to illuminate the planet!

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Water hyacinths cascade over the spillway, and chocolate-colored water marks the beginning of Rio Portoviejo.  After taking photos, I drove to Ayacucho to make progress on neglected cyber tasks.

Waiting in the inbox was an email from my friend Dady.  The subject read “Lisa Are You OK?”

“Hmmm,” I thought, “she must know more about something than I!”

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Inside – Construction in Reverse

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Friendship, memories, tearing down property, tramites, Weekly Photo Challenge Inside

Removing palm thatch roof – peering inside

This week’s WordPress Photo Challenge showed an image of rebar – called ‘varillas’ in Latin America, and it reminded me of a project from the past two weeks.  Last week I was given a great lesson in construction in reverse fashion.

Because of pending regulations in the maritime zone of Nandayure Costa Rica, I had to tear down the thatched-roof rancho in order to move forward with a concession for new construction.   In four days, workers demolished a property that held almost ten years of Zeebra memories.

With A Little Help From My Friends – Part One

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friends, Friendship, hard work, i get by with a little help from my friends, old hammers, wordpress daily prompt i am a rok

Today’s Daily WordPress Prompt is I Am a Rock , and my immediate response was the classic line from the Beatles’ song, “Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends…”

The past week has been quite demanding of my time and energies – physical as well as emotional, and as soon as this merry-go-round slows long enough for a longer post, I’ll expand on this theme.

All’s fine, but it’s been a full few weeks.   I am especially grateful for the support of many of my friends who have pitched in to help turn lemons into lemonades.  Have you missed me?!!!!

(Are you curious?!!!)

More soon,

Z

Car54 – Where Are You?

Tags

Bob Ramsak, Friendship, PiranCafe

Bob “PiranCafe” and Miguelito/Galapagos Turtle/Ecuador

(Oops! Slow internet and power outages can frustrate one’s day, and both contributed to this post that was anxious to leap from the starting gate. The Preview and Publish buttons are too close together when one is working on a mini laptop! After the false start, it took another half hour to return to the edit page! For the next hour, I failed at uploading any new images. I resumed, worked with archive photos, and then the ‘Publish’ function would not work!  And then the page wouldn’t open.  And the email wouldn’t work.  Hobbling along, I”m hopeful to send this now! . . . Shall we continue?)

My father once stated, “Imagine how empty your life would be if no one called or came by.”

Every so often those words of wisdom echo back during specific moments, usually when society interrupts my day one time too many, and then I remember his words and am honored to have people in my life who care. On rare occasions my antennae tweak toward others when their usual habits suddenly change, which is what’s happened with Bob.

Bob Ramsak, our WP globe-trotting reporter, started his 18-month round-the-world journey in January 2013.  Working his way north north north from the tip of Argentina to the equator, (@Week 18!) he is now somewhere in Central America between Boquete Panama and Costa Rica.

Bob meeting Miguelito, a Galapagos turtle in Bahia de Caraquez.

I’m talking about Bob, who schedules drafts to publish when he is in transit… Bob, who has been publishing shots of daily newspaper stands. Bob, who updates his location more promptly than a Timex!  Bob, who was supposed to leave Boquete last week and is still ‘pending’ (Top right on his homepage.) there in Boquete!

Inquiring minds want to know: Bob, are you going to choke me for my concern, or will you remind yourself that I care and hope that you’re ok?!!  Hopefully you’re out there and enjoyed the selection of music…

Bob at lookout – Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador

Sisters Vania and ‘Silvana escort Bob via trek to the petite village of Amacora Ecuador.

Stepping back in time. Amacora Ecuador

Here’s Bob’s weekly recap from the time he spent along the line of the equator: Bootleg Barbies, Inauguration, Monsanto, Coolest Floor in the World.

Bob’s visit to the Riverhouse and the Magic Carpet Hand-painted Floor!

Bob had plans to meet friends and family in Costa Rica, so I hope he’s tied up with reunions; it still seems odd that he hasn’t posted an update.

Have any of you heard from him this past week? A tweet, a like, a reply to a comment?   I’m considering firing up the flying carpet and starting a search party.

Z

Surprise, Surprise!

Tags

Friendship, Hacienda Guachala Ecuador, Laughter, Surprise, WordPress Photo Challenge Surprise

Resident llamas at Hacienda Guachala, Ecuador

The WordPress Challenge for this week is Surprise, and I have a short and sweet one to share.

While taking early-morning photos with my friend Marie, I totally ignored my friend while focusing on the llamas that were grazing on the other side of the fence.   Marie snapped my photo and started laughing, and I turned and quickly snapped one of her (laughing at her photo luck!)

Walking In Pilgrims’ Shoes – Cultural Immersion in Ecuador

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culture, Friendship, Giving Back, jama ecuador, Thanksgiving

I am thankful for dear, dear Maria, who ALWAYS smiles, reaches out, takes my hand, strokes my arm and showers her childlike love whenever I stop by her stand. I always visit her, even if fresh produce is not on my list!

Pilgrim:  A wanderer, a traveler, a stranger.   Someone who travels a great distance in strange lands to a holy shrine or site. A  person traveling to a place of particular personal interest...

My neighbor

Ecuador captured my heart years ago, and there is an emotional comfort here that is a balm to my soul.  Like the pilgrims that arrived on the Mayflower, I have experienced times of great joy and also faced personal challenges.   Through the good and the bad, I have learned to respect the unselfish displays of love that I receive from the locals.   There have been times when someone stops me, “Gringa! Gringa!” and then hands me a plantain or a piece of peanut candy.   Other times I hear, “Gringita!” and they might share a handful of mandarin oranges or a stick of frozen yogurt!   They all enjoy practicing their English.. “One, two, three, six, eight, seven.”

What’s cooking at the street cafe?!  (Photo by Marie Groff) 

They were all concerned when their normally-healthy gringita suffered from a month-long illness, and I received suggestions of medicinal cures that ranged from honey mixed with rum to a recommendation of ‘manteca de pescado.’   The latter did not sound like a soothing cure – I was sick, but not sick enough to go in search of fish fat from the fishing village!

All I Wanna Do – Daily Prompt

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Daily Prompt Song Title, Daily Prompt This IS Your Song, Friendship, Having Fun, News of the Times Tunes Tuesday, Smiles

Today’s Daily Prompt asks us to write a post influenced by a favorite song.   Sheryl Crow’s “All I Wanna Do” triggers images of fun times with good friends.    This song also fits into News of the Time’s  Tunes Tuesday, although my teen years predate this song!    I am blessed to witness pure joy from people I meet as I travel through Latin America.  Had I stayed “home,” I would have missed meeting amazing people and some incredible experiences!

Enjoy the photos and Sheryl Crow’s classic song!

Weekly Photo Challenge: Friendship

Tags

Friendship, It Started with one Light Pole, PHOTO CHALLENGES, Travel Latin America

Coming out of my painting fog, I am attempting to reclaim my normal routine, which is never normal or routine!   Anyone new to the blogging world realizes the vast options that are patiently waiting to be explored.  One must first explore the shallows before plunging into the ocean!  This morning I kicked off my swimmies and explored a few blogs.

Every so often a “Weekly Photo Challenge” crossed my field of vision, though I never paused long enough to research what that challenge was about.  This morning – my first day back to normal after taking down the show yesterday – the OH MY!-light bulb instantly cleared the painting fog from my eyes!

Each week Word Press throws a new theme to those who are interested in participating in that challenge!    Friendship?  This past month so many dear friends have stepped forward to help ‘before, during and after’ my exhibition.  Wow, do I ever have material to contribute to the Friendship theme!

Since I’m about to dash to nearby El Matal’s Phase Two chapter of  It Started with One Light Pole, I will post images that have been patiently awaiting my attention in a folder marked, “One Friend” – inspired by Keb Mo’s song by the same title.   After this weekend’s painting marathon at El Matal, I hope to emerge with several posts;  one of the competition and another to thank my dear friends who offered tireless support during The Mola Series exposition.

I leave you with images from Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Ecuador that best reflect this week’s photo challenge of friendship!