New Skipper in Garden

There are hundreds of species of Skippers and many are similar, but I thought I had narrowed this one down to two in the book and favored as first choice the Gold-costa Skipper but none of online maps nor the book show it as far south as Costa Rica. My second choice from book was Chiapas Groundskipper, but the book shows it only in Mexico and it is not even online. So, I guess this is another of my many “Unidentified” butterflies.” And I want so much to identify all my nature photos! Oh well . . . ¡Es la vida! — It’s life!   🙂

¡Pura Vida!

See also my Gallery: Butterflies & Moths of Costa Rica  (80+ species)

Two Hours in Bank Today – Lessons Learned

After waiting  only a short time for a teller, she could not help with my problem, I was therefore sent to “la platforma” or set of desks with persons supposedly more knowledgeable than a teller. My problem was that I got an email, in Spanish of course, that told me the auto-debit of my TV/Internet Service monthly bill failed. Well, it was because they used my local bank debit card to get their money and this month my card was replaced with a new one to include “a chip” which also meant a new number. The teller did pay my TV/Internet bill with a transfer, so at least no disconnect for now! 🙂

After waiting nearly an hour (15th in line) for one of the three “specialists,” she worked and worked on her computer and called the cable company talking at least 10 minutes to someone there and finally used a translator on her computer to tell me in English that the only way CableTica would correct it was for me personally to respond to the email (in Spanish of course) with my new card number. They are not allowed to let the bank or anyone else speak for me! I came straight home and did that. Hope it works!   🙂   Just another little irritation of living in a modern society in any country! 🙂

But this is also another lesson in the importance of learning the local language! I’m doing much better and communicated with all in the bank in Spanish though understanding what they say back to me is more difficult!   🙂  To make me feel a little better, a French couple was at the next desk to mine and the man was going on and on about something in the French language, raising his voice and I felt sorry for the banker helping him. She too used her computer translator and a cell phone. It is disrespectful to not learn and use the local language and that was part of the reason our waits were so long at the bank!

“You live a new life for every language you speak. If you know only one language, you live only once.”     – Czech proverb

¡Pura Vida!

A Red-headed Visitor

If you are afraid of bugs then Costa Rica might not be the best place for you. We supposedly have one of the largest number of insect species of any country our size in the world – more than U.S. & Canada combined in a country the size of West Virginia! But if you see the beauty, adventure or just novelty of different kinds of weird bugs, then you will love it here! See my other insects gallery!

This guy was on a plastic drinking glass waiting for my dish-washing chore yesterday evening. I’m showing two shots because one was with only the overhead light and the other with my flashlight added for brightness. Yeah, flashlight photography is common here! We don’t worry about sophistication! 🙂   ¡Pura vida!

Unknown Insect

Overhead light only.

 

With flashlight added to overhead light.

 

“Those who find beauty in all of nature will find themselves at one with the secrets of life itself.”       ~L. Wolfe Gilbert

 

See my photo galleries:  Butterflies & Moths of Costa Rica   (80+)  –and–   Other Insects CR   (65+)

 

¡Pura Vida!

Park Renovation – Poco a Poco

Well, this morning they seem to be burying large pipes all around the circular concrete base for the Central Park Kiosk or stage. It could be for electrical and sound wiring underground or simply storm sewer drainage from the roof. No sé! I don’t know! And “poco a poco” means “little by little” they are completing the work. Pura vida! No rush here!    🙂   Without deadline stress you live longer and happier! Hey! We’re one of the happiest countries in the world for a reason!   🙂

See the gallery:  Remodeling Central Park inside my Atenas Gallery (my contribution to local history)   🙂

Or the city’s architect drawings   (can be seen as slide show)

¡Pura Vida!

Through-the-Fence Beauty

One advantage of walking everywhere (I still do not have a car) is you see more! Walking to town I noticed this orchid through a metal bars fence and used my cell phone to snap between black bars this shot of unanticipated beauty!

“If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.”

~Vincent Van Gogh

¡Pura Vida!

New Youth Art

The wall on the back side of Colegio Liceo (College Prep High School) had all its graffiti painted over with black paint and new graffiti-style art painted – I assume by the high school art class students, though they signed each piece like a street artist (possibly wannabes).   🙂    Freshness is always good and though not my favorite style of art, it seems to be typical of teenagers today around the world.

It is important to me because I walk down this street almost every day and have to look at it.    🙂

New High School Graffiti

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”       ~Pablo Picasso

 

For more of my photos of such art here in Atenas, Costa Rica, see my gallery:  Public Art & Graffiti – Atenas 

or  for a broader look at Costa Rica Art, my gallery People, Fiestas & Art.

¡Pura Vida!

Cock-A-Doodle-Doo

Yes – I wake up each morning to the crowing of multiple roosters in the neighborhood, though so used to it that I hardly notice now.

This one is across the street from our Roca Verde Entrance Gate (about 2 blocks away) plus we have two roosters at the gate along with chickens that give our guards some eggs.

I know of no one inside Roca Verde with chickens but many of the homes in our adjacent neighborhood of Boquerón outside our gate have chickens. The roosters will not allow me to get close enough for a good photo with my cell phone which is all I have when walking through Boquerón, thus these grainy shots I cropped in tight. Fun color in the ‘hood!

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Rooster across the street from Roca Verde Entrance Gate – one of many!

The children’s nursery rhyme use of “Cock-A-Doodle-Doo” to describe a rooster crowing started in 1606 in this archaic poem says “the Web”:

“Cock a Doodle Doo”
Original Version

Cock a doodle do!
What is my dame to do?
Till master’s found his fiddling-stick,
She’ll dance without her shoe.

Cock a doodle do!
My dame has found her shoe,
And master’s found his fiddling-stick,
Sing cock a doodle do!

Cock a doodle do!
My dame will dance with you,
While master fiddles his fiddling-stick,
And knows not what to do!

https://allnurseryrhymes.com/cock-a-doodle-doo/

🙂

  Or see the Wikipedia Version of Cock-A-Doodle-Doo

And for more of my culture photography: My Atenas galleries or the People, Fiestas & Arts galleries – photos from where I live.

¡Pura Vida!

Tranquilo Banana Azul

The latest trip book is completed, a short & simple photo book of 36 pages for only $19 which is low price for a photo book + order by 10 September and get 40% off with discount code:   SEPTEMBER4T

Banana Azul is maybe my most relaxing hotel in Costa Rica or certainly the Caribbean, thus I focused on the tranquility of nature there with several sunrise photos along with birds and other nature!   🙂   Click this link or the cover image below to see a FREE PREVIEW electronically of all pages of the book. As always, full screen mode is better for photos!   🙂

https://www.blurb.com/b/9637630-tranquilo-banana-azul

Tranquilo Banana Azul

 

“Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.”   ~ Henry David Thoreau

¡Pura Vida!

Farewell to these trees . . .

A most relaxing time in nature, that top, end/corner room was mine this week, looking through these trees to the ocean daily – – – and now back to my Cecropia and Fig Trees for the surprises of nature there for awhile. Life is great “Retired in Costa Rica” and . . .

“In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.”

~Aristotle

🙂

¡Pura Vida!

IMG_8447-A-WEB
My last shot here.

Trip Gallery:  2019 Banana Azul

Green & Black Poison Dart Frog

We seem to have a lot of these neat tropical frogs here at Banana Azul, one of 7 different species of “Poison Dart Frogs” in Costa Rica. Read about them on Wikipedia.  Or see my other photos of them at Poison Dart Frogs: Green & Black. or my whole Amphibians gallery.

 

Why are frogs so happy? They eat whatever bugs them! 

¡Pura Vida!

 

See also my TRIP GALLERY:   2019 Banana Azul, Puerto Viejo