This morning I had been out to visit Elia, the journey isn’t particularly far, but it’s difficult. The main Pan American Highway is being turned into a four-laner and much of it for my journey today is easily passable, once I’ve turned off it, though, to head to the village where Elia lives it is a track that every year gets washed away in the rainy season. Once the rains have stopped it turns into a very rutted lane, steep in parts and exceptionally bumpy.

One thing I like about Nicaragua is the early start to the day. Most people are up and about at five or six in the morning and you can hear the neighbours doing the washing by hand and sweeping their patios. An early start also means you can visit someone at 7:30/8:00 and they are ready and waiting.

An early start meant I was home for coffee-time, Carla was busy roasting some of the beans from our own harvest and the house smelt delicious. The sun was shining and the high winds we have had lately had abated somewhat. As I pulled up in front of the house the sun caught the petals of the Sulphur Cosmos in the next door neighbours garden. I had a brief chat with Helen and snapped a picture of her flowers then over my coffee I painted the above picture as a gift for her.

So, for all you poor people who are struggling with a cold, grey winter, here is a ray of sunshine to remind you of sunny days past and ones to come. Until next time x