Category: Photography

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Not a Mummy – Me in a “Mask”

I promised somebody I would show what my daily process of a few minutes looks like, as pitiful as I look shirtless. One of the young technicians made these three (requested) shots of me screwed to the table for the radiation treatment. I show up each morning by 11:45 and I’m walking back to the hotel by 12 noon usually. Quick and mostly painless (though the mask is really tight on my face). It appears more scientific than human, but believe me, the staff are all so friendly and nice and do their various jobs very proficiently. And they all shift to English when I walk in, though not their native language. Amazing! And I use my elementary Spanish with them as I am able, though not necessary here like at the public clinics and hospitals.

One outside person told me that this clinic is equal to Mayo Clinic in the states for Radiotherapy. I feel like I’m in very good hands. My radio doctor will conference with me every Tuesday until finished and work with me on any side effects, etc. And a nurse is always there plus other doctors always in the building. A very professional place that in fact does remind me a little of being in the Mayo Clinic with my brother Jerry, just not as big! 🙂

Notice the Screws holding me down with the mask.
Feels like being a mummy! 🙂
Everything must be perfectly lined up for radiation in the right places.

Are we having fun yet? Sure!

3 Days Down and 30 More to Go!

🙂

¡Pura Vida!

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New Photo Book Ready

The second book in my “Faces of Nature” series is all birds or faces of birds with 265 photos. It’s an amazing up-close experience with nature and you can preview every page of the book in my online bookstore at:

https://www.blurb.com/b/10692886-faces-of-nature-2

For Free Preview Click Cover

Or browse through all 67 of my photo books.

¡Pura Vida!

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Big Tree & Tropical Gardens

I am so glad I chose this Best Western Plus San Jose over the two other options, if for no other reason, for the beautiful surroundings. I’m including two galleries below, one of landscapes and one of flowers, with more about the hotel itself in another post. The feature photo is the big tree from the breakfast dining patio (also seen from my room) and the shot below is from the Jacuzzi.

View from the Jacuzzi
Continue reading “Big Tree & Tropical Gardens”
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More Hide & Seek Birds

At breakfast the other morning the wind had stopped and these two birds came to my Cecropia Tree, though reluctantly showing themselves, hiding in the glare of morning sun.

Yigüirro or Clay-colored Thrush, My Garden, Atenas, Costa Rica
Red-billed Pigeon, My Garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

“Birds learn how to fly, never knowing where the flight will take them.”

-Mark Nepo

See also my Costa Rica Birds Gallery.

¡Pura Vida!

I will be doing separate posts concerning my radiotherapy, though I hope for more nature to share from my month-plus hotel nearby! 🙂

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Immature Bronzed Cowbird?

I’m having trouble identifying this bird, but with the Merlin App and Cornell online, the closest match seems to be a juvenile or immature male Bronzed Cowbird or possibly one of the other cowbirds, but for this location, most likely bronzed.

As the wind has settled down, I’m just now getting only a few birds in my close trees and those have been mostly the Yigüirro or Clay-colored Thrush (singing a lot!) and an occasional Rufous-naped Wren or one of the dove/pigeons. I see more birds flying over but not landing in my trees. 🙂

Maybe an Immature Bronzed Cowbird?

“A bird does not sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.”

-Maya Angelou

HEALTHCARE NOTE: Today is the day I am again scheduled to begin radiotherapy for my cancer and in the next few days I will share updates here while spending 4 nights a week in the big city of San Jose, Costa Rica every week for 6 weeks.

¡Pura Vida!

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Green Orchid Bee

Now that the wind is dying down a bit (we had an exceptional amount of wind Jan-Apr) the insects are more visible in my garden and I hope will be in the hotel garden this coming week! And here is just one of my favorite bees in Costa Rica . . . The Green Orchid Bee! (Link to my CR Bees Gallery)

Green Orchid Bee in My Garden

I have a huge belief in the importance of bees . . . the necessity of bee colonies that are vital to the health of the planet.

~Trudie Styler

¡Pura Vida!

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1st Dragonfly in Garden

The first in a long time for me and the first since the rainy season began early in April. Like many I’ve seen here, I cannot identify it yet, but just ordered a new book from Amazon, Dragonflies and Damselflies of Costa Rica: A Field Guide (Zona Tropical Publications / Antlion Media). I’m hoping it will help me in identifying the many dragonflies here. In the meantime, if you know this one for sure, leave a comment with the ID. 🙂

April Dragonfly in My Garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

And check out my Gallery: Dragonflies & Damselflies

“I love to see the sunshine on the wings of the Dragonflies… there is magic in it.”

― Ama H. Vanniarachchy

¡Pura Vida!

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More Raintrees

Looking out of my living room front window during a hard rain today (so glad rainy season is here!), the big tree is a Strangler Fig Tree with an unknown smaller one beside it plus a strangled one and then on this side is the tall, skinny Ylang-ylang Tree still growing up through the canopy of the larger trees. And all much wetter than the photo shows! 🙂 See also my May 11 “Rain Trees” post for a different look at wet trees! 🙂

My Front Window View in the Rain with the street a temporary river! 🙂

Plus I’m “A Marked Man” for Radiation

Continue reading “More Raintrees”
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People Reasons for Living in Costa Rica!

Both photos from Oxcart Parades in Atenas

Here are just some of the many reasons I love being “Retired in Costa Rica” and I thank Christopher Howard for first printing this “song” in his Live in Costa Rica Blog & Website. It was written by the late Lair Davis to express his love for this wonderful country. It lists many of the reasons that I live here and will continue to until I die. Though he does not emphasize my primary love of the country – NATURE – and all of the natural beauty found here, it expresses many of the “people reasons” for living here:

Continue reading “People Reasons for Living in Costa Rica!”
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Nature as Art

That was the name of my business during those few short years in Tennessee trying to sell nature photography. I was reminded of the many different kinds of “art” found in nature this morning at breakfast on my terrace, focusing on these two trees against the clear blue sky. Draw your own conclusions, but I liked what I saw in both the Cecropia Tree and Palm Tree.

Nature as Art

I am in a period of rest from medical procedures until Friday when I get both an MRI and CT Scan plus modeling for my radiation mask. Then next week a new phase of Radiotherapy will begin. Stay tuned! 🙂

¡Pura Vida!