Peaceful Days

Part of peaceful days for a nomadic family is not being nomadic. When we settle down in a place for  while, we reap the rewards of routine and inner calmness. We've found the quiet spot in Alto Boquete, Panama in the little cabana the size of our living room back home. It is here that we have the time to look at clouds, dance around in rain ponchos, invest in our family's health, and cut coconuts reflectively. Just normal, every day great family material- be it in our own backyard, or half way across the world.
Panamanian Clouds

I’ve never in my entire life seen clouds so vocal, bold, and active. You can actually witness them in celestial motion here. They hug Volcan Baru; they actually dance with her. The clouds form their bold white walls and go charging through the clear sky, closer to the volcano, farther away. 

They sway, swing, and leap around the volcano; they skip, trot, strut, and skirt around the volcano.  Several times a day, I catch myself just staring at the volcano and wondering how it is possible that she looks so dramatic, so glowing in this moments cloud drama, while just a few minutes ago, she was so vividly different. So vividly different.  And then, the Panamanian clouds look at Volcan Baru, do another little twist and turn in the air, and take a bow.

Swiftly Moving Clouds
Unlike Panamanian Clouds which I spoke of as hugging Volcan Baru in all their dramatic, bold splendor; in this clip, the clouds are rushing by, creating another form of dramatic motion. And of course, in addition, to my fascinating commentary about the weather (which, for a change, is actually really cool this time!) the kids add their own special spice. Solai takes us from oranges to her injured pet, while the remaining kids and Ilana almost kill each other in the background. It's all good and normal around here!

Almost Meeting the Neighbors

Maybe because our neighbors in La Lucha de la Tigra in Costa Rica were so significant to us; maybe cuz we're not ready to expose ourselves and fall in love again with people, and then have to leave them. (One of the huge unanticipated down sides of being a nomadic family). Maybe cuz we just needed to have our 'Week Within' , but for whatever reason we have yet to met any neighbors or made any real connections thus far in Boquete and Alto Boquete. I think, as usual, the Universe is giving us the time to, slowly, at her own pace, allow us to experience what our souls are ready to.

Here, the kids for the first time are having real contact with one of the neighbor's two boys. Up until now, whenever the boys see us, they scram. And even when we call them, "Hola" or "Quieres Jugar?" (wanna play?) they run. So, here, for about twenty minutes, our kids actually played with the one with the longer hair. They ran around hiding and peeking at him; and he, from the other side of the fence, did the same. I couldn't quite catch him on film (can I still say “film” anymore? It sounds good) cuz he kept moving. Mine, though fuzzy, I was able to get some great shots of. You can really see their excitement- I love it.

 

Cutting Coconuts

It’s a new pastime of mine. I sit there on the second step with a knife, Kobi’s machete from Don Jose Ramon when we were a newly nomadic family in Costa Rica and a coconut.

Part one is very Zena-like.  I get to play with really big knives and feel powerful for a moment. Whack! It cracks some. Whack! Whack!  and I collect as much of the coconut milk as I can. Whack!  I get it all the way open and move on to phase two, the really calming part.

Part two is very Zen-like.  I sit there, either alone or with our nomadic kids enthusiastically catching and eating every piece as it flies through the air. It’s meditative and requires great concentration. If you don’t, I believe every member of our family has cuts to show for it. 

You have three ways to get your edible parts out. The first one rarely works but it’s so cool, we still try for from time to time.

1-      Sometimes, if you whack your coconut just right, the machete loosens the tough outer skins’ hold on the white meat, and you get great big chunks of coconut. I keep trying, but, to date, only Kobi’s managed to work that magic.

2-      The next largest pieces, and the coolest feeling of an accomplished coconut carver, is when you wedge Orazi's knife from David the artist just between the layers and pop! you fling out pretty impressive pieces of fruit. It’s nice and calming, just sitting there, with nothing in particular on my mind, nothing else I need to run off to do, and just clean my coconut.

3-      The last method, which I find myself using the most, makes the most mess, injures you the most, and gets you the smallest pieces of them all. And still, it’s dependable. You know that almost every time your knife touches the white meat, you will have something to munch on. Of course, sometimes it flies into the mud to my right, into the shrubbery to my left, or straight up into my eye. Still, if you can find it, and clean it, it’s good coconut.

Today, I’m carving a coconut upon Solai’s request. As I sit there and do my art, I’m thinking about my newly-honed coconut carving skills. I’m quite proud of myself. I’m using method three so I’m dodging flying bits in the air or trying to catch them against my chest. She walks by says, “I’m good at cutting them too”.

Gabi, in shock: “What did you say?” ( I hadn’t said a word. This entire discussion was going on in my mind).

Solai: “I’m good at cutting them too?”

Gabi: “Did I say something aloud just now?”

Solai: “No, but I’m good at cutting coconuts too”. She smiles.

Woah. Did she get this from me? It must be my DNA. Still, double woah.

 Chicken Soup and God

 

Yup! We're at it again, but this time in just 32 seconds we prove the existence of God and reveal our not-so-genius parenting skills. See what happens when we let the men into the kitchen.

It's total disaster, and totally cheap, and yummy! Actually, this week, we've gotten quite carried away by the addictive flavor of too much yellow food coloring, food additives, and sodium.

$8

One of those great things that Kobi and I fought over (with venom) before we left was packing. Kobi did all the work: he made all the lists, he did all the online research, he went out from store to store (or site to site) to compare prices and such, he purchased things, packed them. My job was to be the critical nag who would waltz in and give her two cents. It wasn't pretty.

So, one of the many items we disagreed upon as necessary gear for a nomadic family was umbrellas. He bought five compact umbrellas ready for the Central American rainy season. To make a long story short, I was right (go Gabi!) and I'd love for this to go down for the record that I get at least three points here. Here is the $8 solution we paid for while in month 5 1/2 on the road.

Our kids, and Ilana (my father's daughter, my half sister, and my kids' aunt!) put on a poncho fashion show for us. Since that sunny and since rain shower we have gotten stuck in; we have still not used them once. But hey, it only cost $8 and at least we didn't have to carry it all the way from Israel in our backpacks. 

 

Posted in: Discovering Cool Places, Discovering Humanity, Discovering Ourselves, Nomadic Parenting