Sunday, July 8, 2012

The Barefoot Jungle Gardener

Ola mi amigos!  My how time does fly by living here on Playa Zancudo and I still as of yet  have not put up the hammock, or purchased the blender for those " frozen concotions that helps me hang on ".  Why you ask ?   Daily life for those of us who live here  still don ' t know where Tuesday went of last week .  Sooooo ,  just like life anywhere you lay your hat or slip out of your flip flops ,  days pass  quickly .  As many of you enjoy the long sunlit evenings of summer in the states our sunlit evenings always fade away around  5 : 45 leaving many things for tomorrow .


Now you have my justification for slacking off on the Blog.........Mas Trabajo Aqui ! (Much Work Here ) and no I am certainly not going to complain as mi esposa continually states year after year for the past 36 years ,  " Cj you do it to your self "  and that now brings me to my title of the blog " The Barefoot Jungle Gardener "  and I do have the scars on my feet to prove it  from all of the fire ants that have savagely attacked me defending their jungle property as I lay claim to my jungle home . 

Certainly there is still much work to be done on our casa but for now my focus is getting a good portion of the landscaping done with the help of the afternoon rains .  It is now the perfect time to put in sticks ( a cutting ) from any plant or shrub such as crotons , hibiscus , or pretty much any plant you want in your garden and just watch them grow .  I have been very busy creating a large garden on the north side of our casa with plants such a Heleconias , Gingers , Birds of Paradise , Crotons and Hibiscus that like filtered sun light ,  all in bare feet.........Loco Gringo !   


Hanging Heleconia


Hanging Fuzzy Heleconia Rojo

Hanging Fuzzy Heleconia Amarillo


Upright Heleconia Amarillo

Rosetta Torch Ginger
Bird of Paradise
and even though there is always mucho trabajo aqui en casa we do get a chance to head out every now and then , so on June 17 th Sherry and I along with our friend Marilyn headed to Boquete Panama for our 3 days out of the country to renew our tourist visa .  Mi esposa got to enjoy the cool mountain temps along with great restaurants and window shopping .  You always have to remember there are very few windows here in Zancudo and none for window shopping .  We enjoyed a ride up the northwest loop towards Volcan Baru and several water falls and  fields and fields of onions , lettuce , tomatoes , and COFFEE .  

Solo Falls

Sream by Casa Dracula ( so says the cabby )

Cj and Sherry Solo Falls Boquete , Panama

Boquete Panama Center Square


Mi Jardin es Su Jardin Boquete Panama
Vaca Pintada  ( Painted Cow )
We have said good-bye to many friends for this season and those  who have left for short vacations in the states visiting their family and friends and we anxiously await their return .  Mi esposa will soon join in with her own trip back to our home in Delaware for the month of August to see our grandson , family and friends .   Me........well I will keep on building our dream on this bumpy dirt road with more drama than Peyton Place at times but I would not want to be in any other place today in my life .   What great friends we have made here and we are especially going to miss our dear friend Mango Mendoza and his esposa Mrs. Mango .  Why you ask ?  No more Mango Juice and Rum ,  Mangos n Rice , Mango Pizza ,  Mango Shrimp ,  Mango on the Barbie , Mango Mustard , Mango Tofu , Mango Mush ,  Mango on a Stick ,  Mango Toothpaste , Mango Soap and finally his specialty..........Sun Dried Mangos .  Have a great vacation in the states Mango and Mrs. Mango ! 

Until the next blog , Salud ( insert clinking of cerveza bottles )
Her with a Pilsen and Me with an Imperial,  Pura Vida