It's Been Raining, It's Been Pouring

It's the "Rainy Season" and this is a very good thing. All the countryside is alive with Emerald lushness and crops are being planted (or have been already) green, green, green (green/all greens is/are my favorite color-s)....I feel very privileged living so close to the source of fresh food ...all of Central America is pretty much a "vegetable basket" ...but, even here at the point of origin for much produce/fruit, the prices for food in the open markets is climbing quickly because of transportation costs (gasoline)...it's not easy for some folks who make about $3.00 U.S. a day, have families (which translates to more help and more long term security for the family) to absorb the cost-of-fuel increases at retail.

I go to the open markets about twice a week. We take huge woven shopping bags and fill-em-up. Recently, tomatos are more expensive than usual and are about .25 (cents/U.S.) a pound, lettuce (all types) around .20 a head, carrots (big sweet) .50 dozen, .25 Green Beans (about three handfuls), Broccoli .30 (big head). Pineapples at the moment are in abudance and we buy 2 medium sized ones for about .30....when there are oversized Ruby Grapefruit when available the price is around three-five for $1.00 and Cantalope can be around the same price when they are plentiful. Black Beans are up to about .60 a pound from around .40 two weeks ago. On our recent trip to the "highlands" we purchased a 50 lb bag of big/gorgeous yellow onions (it's the season) for $10.00...they made great gifts, next time we'll buy more!