charliedoggett.net
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| Homemade Tortillas by Ana that I pass every day walking. She sells them out a window of her house. People walk or ride a bike to her house to get morning or evening bread. Atenas, Costa Rica |
For first-timers, this is the second in a new series of posts with photos of interesting signs people in Atenas hang outside their homes for their home business. With two photos now, I have also started a new photo gallery: Home Business Signs
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This is a first sighting of this butterfly for me. He was on the screen in my kitchen, obviously near the end of his short life. I went for my camera and when I returned he had fallen onto the kitchen counter next to the sink. Not great shots! I prefer to find them on flowers! 🙂 This is usually the best time of year for butterflies (May-June) but not as many this year. Is it because of more rain?
It is my second clearwing or glasswing butterfly to see or photograph. The other was near Chirripo, Costa Rica in Cloudbridge Nature Reserve and called a Greta Oto or by the guide, just “Glasswing Butterfly.” It was in a tree which is a little better background than a kitchen counter. 🙂 But with my doors wide open during the day, I sorta live outdoors! And I like having nature come to me!
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| Greta Morgane or Thick-tipped Greta Atenas, Costa Rica |
I hope you realize that it is common to find dead or dying butterflies here, since most have very short lives, sometimes only hours! (Yes! Less than one day!) The Monarch is a big exception who migrates to Mexico from as far away as Canada but then dies after giving birth! And we do have some Monarchs here and our famous Blue Morpho Butterfly lives 115 days or about 4 months. So all are different! And you are worried about how long you will live?
See DESCRIPTION of Greta Morgane on Wikipedia – It is one of several sometimes called “Glasswings” or “Clearwings” and in the smaller category of “Greta” butterflies. Note the link in my opening paragraph to the other Greta I have photographed.
And of course my Butterflies & Moths Photo Gallery has many other interesting creatures! Enjoy!
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| Every other Wednesday they come work my yard & eat lunch on my terrace. Last time William brought ceviche. This coming Wednesday it’s Sopa Azteca. I’ll eat the soup with them this time, but I don’t eat ceviche (raw fish soup). I provide the drinks! La conversación es en español. Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Every day I have bigger flocks of parakeets than this flying over my house, more this year for some reason. But I haven’t gotten a photo over my house. This is one I shot at Rancho Naturalista, Turrialba, Costa Rica. |
See also my Birds Gallery
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| In Atenas you can sell anything from your house. So, maybe I will start sharing interesting signs like this. They are all over town, many on my daily walk. |
Now a new photo gallery: Home Business Signs – Atenas
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| “Roca Verde” literally translates to “Green Rock” – Is this it? Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| This big rock is just inside our community entrance gate. Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Our Entrance Gate Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica |
I have no Roca Verde gallery per se, but these include shots in Roca Verde:
“What are men to rocks and mountains?”
― Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
Nearly three years ago I started this blog to publicly discuss and seek guidance in what I then called my “Costa Rica Decision Process.” I just went back and read one of those early posts that really sums up my 16 reasons for leaving the U.S. and choosing Costa Rica for retirement written on June 28, 2014:
Click the above title and read the reasons I listed three years ago and you have my answer for today! Oh sure, I could add some things I’ve learned since that make it even better and some things that are more negative than in that list, but overall it sums up pretty well why I came and why I stay. And the list is totally mine, not from some website on retiring in Costa Rica. And yes, I’m really glad I did it! No regrets and I expect to stay here the rest of my life.
A few readers of this blog have written with specific questions and contact me when they come here to check it out. I am happy to help! Nothing in it for me. I’m retired and not selling services. 🙂
Now, I have wondered at what point we get too many Americans, Canadians and Europeans here!? There are a few “Ugly Americans” (Remember the 1960’s book?) already here and they are the ones constantly complaining about something that is not right here in their eyes. When an earlier neighbor was complaining about the relaxed atmosphere and infrastructure and said, “You know how these people are!” I thought to myself, “You need to go back to the states.” In three months he did. This culture and atmosphere is not for everyone! So check it out thoroughly for a good while before you decide to move here! But be sure that many of us love it here!
And for more reasons, just go back and read all the entries in this blog or see my Costa Rica Photo Gallery that I call: Charlie Doggett’s COSTA RICA and you will visually see why I love it here!
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| Cellphone shot in Roca Verde Neighborhood, Atenas, Costa Rica |
This is the view that a few houses up the hill from me have. It is one of the views I have when I walk the kilometer circle through my neighborhood. Peaceful and rural.
My photo gallery of Haiku
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| Rufous-tailed Hummingbird Rancho Naturalista, Turrialba, Costa Rica Photo by Charlie Doggett |
These guys have been feeding a lot in my garden and at the hummingbird feeder I inherited from Anthony.
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| Rain dripping off my Guarumo or Cecropia Tree |