Reading my latest book in the rocking chair on the terrace . . .
And when I look up from the book, one of these two views . . .
Continue reading “Rocking Chair + Book + Terrace”Rocking Chair + Book + Terrace
Flowers on Walk
Just 4 flowers that I liked on my walk this morning down “Shady Lane.” This flatter walk doesn’t have the vistas of the hill yesterday, but some nice close-ups! 🙂
Morning Hill Walk
This morning ( 2 weeks ago today, as I’m really writing posts way ahead now) I took the difficult steep route up to the top of the hill I live on the side of and completed the circle drive back around to my house. I’ve done this only 2 or 3 times since radiation therapy and I’m okay with it, just slow going uphill. 🙂 Because of dogs on this route I walk with my walking stick and not the big camera, only cell phone, which I regretted today, seeing a Keel-billed Toucan in a distant tree and unable to photograph it well.
I will include two cellphone photos of the tree, one crop-zoomed in on the bird, but not good resolution. Then I tried to do a selfie with the village of Atenas in the background below the hill but the sun was too bright to catch the town in photo and it is before breakfast or even me shaving, so I’m “unkempt” but I’m showing the photo anyway! 🙂
For those concerned about my health, you can see that the left cheek is still swollen from the surgery and radiation (can take more than a year to go down) but the left side of smile has moved up a little bit and the eye is good uncovered for 2 to 4 hours in the morning before it hurts/burns and I then wear the black patch. I remove patch again for short times in afternoon and evening (easier reading with 2 eyes). And my Covid Mask is on my wrist here with no people around! 🙂
The Covid mask, 2 meter distancing & hand-washing is still required everywhere in Costa Rica and come January 8 the proof of vaccination will also be required to enter all public places, including supermarkets and restaurants. But remember, Costa Rica has a lower percentage of Covid cases than the U.S. with their stupid Republican Anti-vaxxers! 🙂 And if you want to visit this healthy country, you will need proof of vax just like the rest of us! By December we will have a vaccination app for cell phones here that will show some code for electronic readers at the entrance to all businesses, etc. Interesting! We’re pretty “high-tech” to be a “developing country.” 🙂
¡Pura Vida!
Tree Ornaments?
Or Palm Berries? The row of various little palms I planted nearly 7 years ago as a privacy shield by my bedroom & office windows have created their own Christmas Ornaments just in time for the holidays! 🙂
Merry Christmas!
Mall Christmas Trees
City Mall, Alajuela, Alajuela, Costa Rica at San Jose Airport — Photos of two of their Christmas Trees that have been up for weeks!
Chisos Banded Skipper
The last of the butterflies it seems, this common skipper is still flitting about my garden. 🙂
¡Pura Vida!
TWO GALLERIES to check out:
All My Costa Rica Butterflies
Cachicama or Carton Wasp Nest
The other morning after breakfast on my terrace I discovered this wasp nest on a limb of my Cecropia or Guarumo Tree. After a lengthy bit of research on the web I discovered this ID on the “What’s That Bug?” website. It’s a really interesting and well-built nest! I think it might be a type of the more generic “Paper Wasp.” The curls on top are just dead leaves from my Guarumo tree.
¡Pura Vida!
And check out all My More Insects CR Gallery.
Grackle for Breakfast
Well, not to eat! 🙂 But this male Great-tailed Grackle (eBird description) stopped by and stayed awhile during my breakfast (I always eat outside) where I could see him while other birds are going higher in the tree above the roof line and my line of sight. 🙂
This common bird is found from the Western U.S. south throughout Central America and into northern South America. In my Great-tailed Grackle Gallery I have photos of both the male and female from 11 different locations in Costa Rica.
Anthurium
“Anthurium, (genus Anthurium), genus of about 825 species of herbaceous plants in the arum family (Araceae) native to tropical America. Several species are popular foliage plants, and a few species are widely grown for the florist trade for their showy long-lasting floral structures.”
~https://www.britannica.com/plant/Anthurium
Bright red Tropical Charmer
Read about the
Symbolism and Meaning of the Anthurium.
¡Pura Vida!
Check out my Flora & Forest Gallery.