charliedoggett.net
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| Heliconia & Blue Plumbago My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Red Ginger among the Maraca Plants My Home Garden, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| “Parrot Flower” or a type of Heliconia |
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| Fern My Home Garden, Atenas, Costa Rica |
See also my photo gallery of Flora & Forests
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| View Out My Kitchen Window Today It changes daily and above this is landlord’s fence covered in morning glories. |
See my photo gallery Flora & Forests
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| My Breakfast View this Morning It is summer here, school is out for summer break & more flowers are blooming. Jan-Feb are also the windy months, but at least the volcano has slowed issuing ash. |
What Our Costa Rica President Says about Immigration, an article in Tico Times today.
You guys in the U.S. feel free to share this article with your new president-elect. The quick summary is “If you want to get through a border, you’ll be able to sooner or later.” 🙂 And read about how CR deals with the flow of Cubans en-route to the U.S. through Costa Rica and the Nicaraguans and Colombians who come here to stay. Personal Disclosure: My maid is a Nica and my haircuts are at a Colombino peluquería and nobody seems to have a problem with that here. Everyone is welcome in Costa Rica, even arrogant Americans. Though there’s already enough in Atenas, so I’m not issuing an invitation! 🙂
Not the expensive one, just a simple Canon 100mm zoom, 1:28, Image Stabilizer (for hand-held) and auto focus. Here’s a few flowers with it and MY VERY FIRST HIBISCUS in my garden! I only recently got the plant which is slow-growing, but here’s the first bloom!
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| Hibiscus My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Once de Abril (haven’t found an English name yet) My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Heliconia My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Plumbago My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Red Ginger My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Porter Weed My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica |
I think I did okay on close-ups of flowers before with a telephoto lens from a distance, but this is suppose to be better! It has the capability of a 1:1 ratio if I get close enough. Insects will be more difficult because they scare off, so I’ll probably continue with my 300 mm for them. Though, note the little tiny ant on the Porter Weed above. 🙂 And it is so nice having flowers blooming year around!
My Flora & Forests photo gallery
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| Blue-crowned Motmot at breakfast this morning In Yellow Bell tree that will soon be blooming, Atenas, Costa Rica As usual, I said “Oh fuey! He’s not in the open for a good shot!” But this is a more common view! |
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| Tropical Kingbird (pretty sure, can’t see breast) From my terrace, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Maraca or Shampoo Ginger In jungle of my garden, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Heliconia behind Heliconia plants My garden, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Red Ginger amongst the ginger leave My garden, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Red Ginger amongst many plants My garden, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Layers of Leaves My garden, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Heliconia Overshadowed in my garden, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Between the leaves in my garden Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| What I see when standing at the kitchen sink looking out the window. My home, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Rain Makes the Garden Grow! Thicker & More Lush! Note that I replaced my Lantanas flowering border with red caladiums which will get fuller soon. The other taller plants shaded the Lantanas and they require sun to thrive and bloom. New color in the shade! |
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| The Maraca or Shampoo Ginger plant has multiplied and grown very tall with several blooms. |
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| Heliconia Across from the door I added a row of 20 of the small Heliconias with little bright red & orange flowers that will bloom constantly year-around when they mature. They help the “tropical look.” |
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| One of the little Helconia up close, like adding little jewels to my garden! |
I’m always trying to improve my garden and during the rainy season is the time for new plants as the rain helps them to take root and thrive. Life in the tropics just keeps getting better! 🙂
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| A team of 6 young men come every two weeks to cut grass, edge beds, weed, and trim shrubs, flowers or trees as needed. That’s Cristian above. 6 guys swooping over my yard in an hour. Neat! And at just $50! |
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| They save my back and other potential aches and pains as well as time, and they do it fast and very well. I am fortunate! And they are my friends! This is Alfredo above. |
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| My back garden is still the centerpiece, but the whole yard is a garden! I love living here among the tropical plants with doors/windows always open! |
I’m just starting my garden photo gallery but it has quite a few photos already!