City Born Girl in Panama Country Life

  I am awake. The sun is not yet up but I know it is 5:30a. How? Codi, our eldest dog and only boy, taps on the bedroom door to be let outside. Every morning exactly at 5:30a he does this. Tap, tap, tap. This is his time to make the rounds on the farm and bark at anything he deems out of place. Ever since Lilly, Lila's daughter, was born Codi prefers to sleep in the living room away from the tangle of female fur that occupies our bed. He is smart to do so. Gary and I are allotted a very small slice of our king size bed while the girls stretch out in leisure. Marta, Lila and Lilly each have their preferred spots. We acquiesce. I grab my cell phone and light the way to the front door for Codi's exit before starting the morning coffee. Flashes of lightning pop in the sky from a storm far out over the Pacific and a full moon lights the foreground. I inhale the intoxicating smell of freshly ground coffee and begin the brew. The sky now yields a pale light announcing the i...

Two weeks away from the farm is about my limit. Much more than that and my anxiety over what might be going on, or not, dominates my thoughts. The recent trip to NC for our annual medical exams was relaxed and enjoyable with my cousin and her family and we capped it off with a welcoming reunion in NY with Gary's family. As we arrived home all looked good from the lower gate as we drove up to the main house. Construction on the new villa we intend to rent had progressed as promised. The new rainwater drainage looked to be complete and the horses were all in their usual places. Then I saw it...the red light of warning...the dreaded signal...our farm water tanks were empty! No hot shower for a welcome home, no toilet flushing, no laundry. I grabbed the beam flashlight and headed out the upper gate hoping to locate the problem before the night obscured the landscape. Our water supply from up the mountain affords plenty of water to our entire area including all the new home constru...

  This morning started early...I am talking 4a early...as something crossed the farm and set off furious barking from our four dogs and the two 120 lb Brazilian Filas in residence for the weekend. If the dead weren't awake and cruising the darkness prior, they were certainly wide awake now... as I was. I hauled my sleep deprived carcass out of bed, grabbed my police strength spot light and stood sentry on the terrace scanning the darkness below. Nada. Whatever was there had quickly vacated to escape the noise. I retreated to the bed and shut my eyes. Sleep had also vacated. Once the coffee was started, I settled on the outside rocker to watch for the first rays of sun. And then I saw it...a new mare on the farm with her one month colt next to her! Both, a beautiful fawn color. The chorus of chirping birds began as the sun climbed into the sky and clouds caressed the flanks of Baru. Another beautiful morning to behold! I glanced at my phone to check the calendar for the day....

  Last night we had good friends come over for dinner. After the day's demands, it was a respite to just sit and savor a good meal with a good bottle of wine and talk. That was the plan, anyways. It has been rainy, it has been cool so I returned to my Jewish roots and made comfort food...a pot roast slow cooked with small potatos and root vegetable tossed in the slow cooker. By 5P, the wonderful smell of my grandma's recipe wafted through the house and was the exact ambience I wanted for my friend's dinner experience. They arrived with salad in hand and a Malbec from the Mendoza region of Argentina...the location of a five day horse ride I was to take with other friends about five years back but decided, instead, to go on a cruise where I met Gary. But, I digress... The wine uncorked, the salad eaten, and now the steaming pot roast served. My phone bings...our farm worker is attending to an emergency with his dad, could I feed the horses tonight? Well, sure...that can wa...

  On this cool and breezy morning...I am awake from a short night of sleep, wrapped in my warm robe and drinking coffee grown on our farm. From our upper terrace, the view of the valley and pacific ocean beyond never disappoints and I patiently watch the sun come up to shine light on a mixed bag of sky. I rub the remains of sleep from my eyes. One of the mares here was relocated to another farm earlier the day before and the remaining mare was screaming her lungs out, calling to her, as night fell. Not a restful start to the evening. Then, our Jack Russell had an allergy attack of some sort and itching and wheezing commenced at 3a. This coincided with my love snoring soundly beside me. So what is a good mom and partner supposed to do? I got out of bed and took the itchy dog with me. Wiped her down with a warm wet towel and decamped on the sofa for the duration. All was good. About 20 minutes later a cat fight outside ensued and the whole house was then awake, 4 dogs barking...