Rain is a beautiful thing

It's amazing what a little fresh water can do for an ecosystem. What is supposed to be arid suddenly appears lush and almost trop
ical. Life abounds.

Each day since my arrival we've had a gentle morning rain and have been cooled off in the afternoon by showers. I'm not talking rain like back home (that seems to last for days) but quick refreshing rains that seem to last for a half hour at most.

When we first started coming to Bonaire the landscape was very different than it appears now. Sure the topography is the same, but now EVERY

THING is covered in green and is growing. Roads feel a bit narrower as plants start to compete for space. The hillsides are a bit reminiscent of Ireland (if Ireland were to have cactus that is), as what was once brown and rocky is a solid blanket of plant life. Inland, where there was sand and coral, there are succulents and even... grass. The most fascinating element of all this, there is no dirt or soil just clay and rock. Making the life that currently exists fragile and all the more beautiful.

And from all this water comes more animal life. Sure, maybe it's the time of year that we've decided to travel here or maybe it's that some of the stresses of reproduction and survival have been reduced (i.e., access to water and food) that has helped the various animal populations to flourish. I've never seen so many wild donkeys and goats on this island, and beyond that I've never had the privilege to be so close to so many of their babies. Have you ever seen the way baby goats are cared for in their pack? Or how loving and dependent upon each other, pairs of donkeys can be. I've had a front row seat, each day.

And don't get me started on the rainbows... :)