Seasons Change

The water is calm, and has been calm since the rainy season began on June 1^st. We’ve been observing lots of changes after the shift in the season. One of my favorites was the hatching of the fairies. I also love watching the black cat birds (although they were active before the season too). The flamboyant tree went into bloom right before the rains, and watching the storms pass is always a joy.

When the first big rain came, on the first day of rainy season, I had just started my walk with Tetra to the front bathroom. The rain had calmed quite a bit, and I took her into the bathroom with me. While inside, I noticed a few small flying creatures which I had never seen before.

When we exited, I noticed they were all around us! …tiny creatures with long narrow wings, fluttering around as if dancing, socializing, and enjoying a sense of freedom. I told Tetra they were fairies, but I don’t think she was nearly as moved as I was.

Soon after, Matt approached and said, “There are these awful bugs flying everywhere around the RV!” He looked them up, and consulted Luciano. Sources suggest that they are termite queens or ‘wood lice’ queens. Regardless, I think they’re beautiful to watch and insist they must be related to fairies.

The black cat birds are described in our 101 Birds of Belize book as “secretive,” yet, we see them daily in the clearing by the cabana. There have been as many as 4 females and one male. The dance the male performs is quite a sight. He poofs out his feathers and puffs them a few times. Eventually, he may jump into the air and hover over the female for a good length of time. Then he returns to the ground and makes one circle, pivoting from the female at about a 3’ radius. We never see any copulation after that, but it’s quite a fun dance!

Our Flamboyant tree has minimal leaves, which are thin and fernlike. It produces giant pods of seeds, and a gazillion persimmon colored flowers. It is one of the most flowery trees I have ever seen, and is quite a sight to see.

And, in regards to the weather… well, I’ve always enjoyed watching the weather. It gives me a sense of motion, of motivation. I may have mentioned that I feel I can see the Earth move at Honey Camp. The clouds and lightning roll past above, as the water flows below and the trees blow all around.

With all that, I’ve not even mentioned the butterflies, which are varied and frequent, or the house, which is coming along.

Yes – we are sleeping there now, and it feels sooooo nice.