Category: Flowers

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Bright Flowers & Happy People

A half block uphill from the Roca Verde main gate is one of the smallest and poorest houses in Boqueron Barrio.
But in front of the little house is this beautiful array of bougainvillea that blooms the most in dry season. 
 And behind it is the happy chatter and laughter of little children, some on summer vacation from school.
Atenas, Costa Rica 

See my photo gallery Flora & Forest for more flower photos.

Or my photo gallery People & Fiestas for more happy people.

And I just became aware of the new website for our Su Espacio Spanish Atenas Classes.  Nice!

-o-

Ship That Ran Aground in Manzanillo, near where I spent a week a year ago September.  It could have been weather or a sloppy boat captain (doesn’t say), but it looks like some heavy work will be needed to get it back out to sea. Click the photo in article to see it enlarged.

Paddling Across the Gulf of Nicoya is an interesting article about a group of all ages of Ticos who used paddle boards to paddle across the 17 mile wide Gulf of Nicoya near where I will be vacationing during Christmas. Here paddle boarding has become a popular substitute for  surfing, especially for novices or as surfers get older, though this trip was in the relatively calm waters of a bay in the morning, 5-11 am as opposed to the open Pacific Ocean where some people use them.

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ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT MOVING ABROAD?

Five Things People Will Say When You Tell Them You’re Moving Abroad   (Other than “You’re crazy.”)

As a non-member of “InterNations” it will take you to a join page where you just click “Maybe Later” and then it takes you to the article. Some of the 5 things you face in this article are more true for younger persons still employed and planning to work overseas, but generally what lots of Americans will ask/say to everyone moving. Somebody asked me every one of these questions before my move.  🙂  
And somewhere nearer the beginning of this blog, 2014-2015, I tried to answer every one of them. 
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Early Bloomers

Our “winter”  or el invierno (rainy season) generally goes through November with “summer” or el verano (dry season) starting in December, with some flowers like the yellow & orange below not blooming until January. Even though we still have some rain (less now) the flowers indicate summer. It has been a very wet rainy season, so I guess a very dry season coming!  🙂

Bougainvillea
 Atenas, Costa Rica

Yellow Bells 
 Atenas, Costa Rica

Triquitraque 
 Atenas, Costa Rica

Once de Abril 
 Atenas, Costa Rica
Flowers are restful to look at. 
They have neither emotions nor conflicts. 

~Sigmund Freud


All of the above flowers snapped on my cellphone in my personal garden yesterday. Love it!

And for more flowers, see my Flora & Forest photo galleries! Beauty year around here!


¡Pura Vida!
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Flora & Forest at Villa Blanca

I know! It’s just a dead leaf! But I think it is beautiful art!  🙂
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve
San Ramon, Costa Rica

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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My trip gallery: 2017 Villa Blanca
 
See also all of my Flora & Forest photo galleries or just this Villa Blanca Flora & Forest
 
 
 
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Bringing Flowers Inside

I haven’t been sharing the bouquets I pick for the house,
but this one was different than most, so thought I would share.
Atenas, Costa Rica

“A garden to walk in and immensity to dream in–what more could he ask? 

A few flowers at his feet and above him the stars.”

― Victor Hugo, Les Misérables

See also my photo gallery Flora & Forests
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Flowers at Rancho Naturalista

It is difficult for me to pass a flower without photographing it! So here’s a few without name labels.

At Rancho Naturalista or in a nearby forest
All near Turrialba, Costa Rica

At Rancho Naturalista or in a nearby forest
All near Turrialba, Costa Rica

At Rancho Naturalista or in a nearby forest
All near Turrialba, Costa Rica

At Rancho Naturalista or in a nearby forest
All near Turrialba, Costa Rica

At Rancho Naturalista or in a nearby forest
All near Turrialba, Costa Rica

At Rancho Naturalista or in a nearby forest
All near Turrialba, Costa Rica

At Rancho Naturalista or in a nearby forest
All near Turrialba, Costa Rica

At Rancho Naturalista or in a nearby forest
All near Turrialba, Costa Rica

At Rancho Naturalista or in a nearby forest
All near Turrialba, Costa Rica

At Rancho Naturalista or in a nearby forest
All near Turrialba, Costa Rica

At Rancho Naturalista or in a nearby forest
All near Turrialba, Costa Rica

At Rancho Naturalista or in a nearby forest
All near Turrialba, Costa Rica

At Rancho Naturalista or in a nearby forest
All near Turrialba, Costa Rica

See also my photo gallery called Rancho Naturalista Flowers which includes flower shots from my 2015 trip to Rancho Naturalista

Or for more flowers, the parent gallery Flora & Forests of Costa Rica includes the above plus other locations in Costa Rica and even my home garden!   🙂
The earth laughs in flowers. 
Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Old Man’s Joy: Having Gardeners!

A team of 6 young men come every two weeks to cut grass, edge beds,
weed, and trim shrubs, flowers or trees as needed.
6 guys swooping over my yard in two hours. Neat! And just $50!
This is Cristian in my garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

 

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 in my garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

 

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!
Atenas, Costa Rica

My gardeners were here today and halfway through their work we sat down together on my terraza as they call it (my tiled deck) or patio for water, root beer and cookies, chatting in Spanish with my limited understanding but great enjoyment! In addition to the regular chores, they climbed up my Nance Tree and trimmed out the top with a machete. It had grown so much that I had lost nearly half my vista which is now opened up. They had already done that to the Yellow Bells Trees on the left and they too will need it again soon it appears. And in two weeks they are going to plant an Elephant Ears plant in my back garden where something else died. What a joy to have gardeners!

Tree-trimming opened up a view that was decreasing  rapidly. Probably an annual chore now.
Atenas, Costa rica (on a cloudy day)
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Surprises in the Garden

Blue-winged Sheenmark, Eurybia lycisca
In my garden yesterday. Only the 2nd one I’ve ever seen.
See last year’s sighting inside my house! Better photo! This is cellphone.
Atenas, Costa Rica
Maraca Plant or Shampoo Ginger
Is spreading like wildfire! Each flower will be a new plant!
Atenas, Costa Rica
Caladium Lily
Not expecting flowers from my caladiums!
Atenas, Costa Rica
Guardian Mom! 
She sits on top of hummingbird feeder, chasing adults off so
her children can freely feed when they wish. See below.
Atenas, Costa Rica
Guardian Mom!
Atenas, Costa Rica
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Orange Yellow Haiku & Next Week Plans

Still playing around with Haiku!  And my garden!   🙂  
-o-
Tomorrow is the annual oxcart parade in Atenas. I plan to be there again and post a few photos from it tomorrow night.

-o-

http://www.greentiquehotels.com/

NEXT WEEK:
Then Monday morning I plan to take off for Corcovado National Park (largest rainforest preserve in Central America) & Drake Bay for 6 days of nature adventure & photography. I will have three trips into the park and one to an island out in this bay of the Pacific. I’m ready!

And I’m staying in what looks like a really nice lodge, Aguila de Osa Rainforest Lodge with all meals included and all trips/guides pre-scheduled. This is going to be one of my better trips!  🙂  Boat & hiking in the rainforest, explore a little tropical island, snorkle in the Pacific, and hopefully photograph a lot of birds!   🙂  I fly down.

http://www.aguiladeosa.com/
¡Pura Vida!
Charlie Doggett
Retired in Costa Rica!
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This Morning in the Garden

White-winged Dove
In My Garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

Blue-gray Tanager 
 In My Garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

In My Garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

In My Garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

In My Garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

In My Garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

In My Garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

In My Garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

In My Garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

One of my favorite things to do is to sleep until I wake up, shower, eat a liesurely breakfast on my terrace admiring flowers and the visiting birds. So, after a busy, early, hard day hiking yesterday, I had one of my relaxed mornings today (23rd) and recorded part of it in the above photos. There were other birds and more flowers, but this is a good sample for today.

Enjoying Retirement in Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!