Category: Atenas

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A Rare, Unique Jewel Hiding in My Garden

Hiding in the shadows of taller Red Ginger plants & their own tall stalks,
Cellphone photo of Zingiber zerumbet, also known as
Shampoo ginger, bitter ginger, and pinecone ginger
And my gardener calls it Moraca plant 
 Atenas, Costa Rica
CAN YOU SEE THEM?
Left of center behind and below Red Ginger
 (click photo for enlargement)
 Atenas, Costa Rica
FOR YOUR RESEARCH ASSISTANCE: 
A description in Wikipedia       A TripAdvisor photo post from Pura Vida Gardens visitors
My first post on this plant as a baby 2 years ago  –  I’ve given some to a neighbor who has about this many blooms this year also, all from my one little beginning plant. A hidden jewel for me!
Or a Google Search of images of this flower       A FloriData description
Use as an Alternative Medicine        Useful Tropical Plants  post
A ScienceDirect article on the plant        CABI scientific info & distribution maps
And Google gives many more information sites on this rare and unique plant.
Of course for all flowers I see here: my Photo Gallery Flora & Forest
Flowers… 
are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty 
outvalues all the utilities of the world. 

~Ralph Waldo Emerson


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Home Business Signs: Lawyers

There may be as many lawyers working from home as there are dentists. This is only two of many. FYI in Spanish two words are used for “lawyer” like English interchanges lawyer and attorney. They are abogado and bufete.   And you could guess that notario is a notary public. 
And if interested in Spanish, my Spanish blog today is about Hoy tengo mi nuevo libro.
And my photo gallery of Home Business Signs – Atenas
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Sewing Classes in Her Home – Home Business Signs

Clases Quilting y Costura = Classes In Quilting and Sewing
Confeccion a la Medida = Dressmaking to the Measurements or Tailor Made Dresses

I’m not needing my quilt here, but to some Ticos anything below 20° C which is 68° F is considered cold and we have most nights with that! Plus quilts are works of art! And of course homemade dresses are popular here.

Note of Interest: The Spanish word for quilt is el edredón but in Costa Rica they often prefer to use the English word for things like quilt, sandwich, jeans, and sometimes tennis shoes and more. And more specifically here with the -ing or “quilting” it would be la tela acolchada which would be worse! Easy names are pura vida!

This is a house across from the sports park that I pass nearly every day and just really paid attention to the sign today. Lots of home businesses here! 
You may remember me posting a photo of a little food stand the other day she called a  “Kioskito” or “Little Kiosk. ”  Today I noticed she has changed the name to “Soda de Maria” which is like saying “Maria’s Cafe.” AND she added picnic tables to her front yard which were full of people eating lunch! Even home businesses can make improvements!  🙂  This is a cool community! And sometimes it’s these little things that make it cool! 
And my photo gallery of Home Business Signs – Atenas  No other photo collection like this!  🙂

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Who Rules the Roost? Rufous-tailed!

For 2 years I refused to have feeders, only flowers.
But gave in when Anthony left me with this feeder.
I do see more hummingbirds, but only one species now.
Atenas, Costa Rica

Like this juvenile Rufous-tailed,
they do still eat from flowers, but not totally.
Atenas, Costa Rica

The Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds dominate the feeder.
I believe there is a large family of them that had many babies.
Atenas, Costa Rica

This is an elder who may be in charge.
Atenas, Costa Rica

They even chase each other off the feeder or a “Pecking Order?”
Atenas, Costa Rica

I still have mixed emotions about using a feeder, though it does seem to keep more birds here year around. Not sure why I’m not seeing other species now which may be the work of the Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds chasing them off. I’ve thought about another feeder or two which most of the lodges I visit have even more of and many varieties of hummingbirds. We will see. I don’t like the extra work of boiling water and adding sugar every few days!  🙂   I’m lazy in retirement! And more feeders would mean more sugar water!

For many different birds, see my Birds Photo Galleries

Today I restart my Spanish blog titled ¡Aprendo Español en Atenas! for those who want to see me struggle with español. My teacher requested it!




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Waiting in line – Esperando en la fila.

Through the front window of my Alajuela bus is the line of people getting on the San Jose bus.
Like I had earlier done for my Alajuela bus with all ages and all walks of life waiting patiently.
Waiting in line is a part of life in Costa Rica; buses, banks, post office, medical services, etc.
It builds patience and patience builds character. Pura Vida!   🙂
The bus broke down on the outskirts of Atenas today and in about 10 or 12 minutes another bus was there to collect us all and on to Alajuela. We arrived 15 minutes later than expected. Not bad! In more than 2.5 years this is only the second bus I’ve had to break down and both were replaced in minutes! Our buses are on time, efficient service, nice, large and modern equipment from different manufacturers. Some are labeled “Daewood” which I think is a South Korea company, but not sure. I think others are from Europe or other Latin American countries. Affordable and efficient transportation is necessary to get people to and from work, school, shopping, and in the case of one couple I met last Saturday on the bus, to go walk in the pilgrimage to the Cartago Church.
One of our Atenas buses leaving Alajuela.
Yeh, I just missed it! But there’s one every 30 minutes in afternoon.

On our Atenas Costa Rica Info Facebook Group the other day a retiree considering a move here asked the question, “Can you actually live as a retiree in Atenas without a car?” And of course a bunch of us responded that we are doing it! I’m pleased to be going on to nearly 3 years without owning a car! And the excellent bus systems in Costa Rica make it possible to visit anywhere in the country or to other countries by bus! Plus walking is good for me.

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Welder Working at Home

He is usually out here welding something from a gate to a truck part
and his little sign makes no sense in any language. Home business.
Atenas, Costa Rica

Funny thing is that he usually works out on the dirt foot path and into the street. The city is now building a sidewalk on his side of the street and he had to move some of his junk. But 10 to 1 he will set up his welding on the new sidewalk when finished and we will still have to walk in the street!  🙂

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Today’s Butterflies in Garden

Pale Spotted Swallowtail Maybe
Or could be Red Spotted Purple Or Female Tiger Swallowtail
Atenas, Costa Rica

 

Banded Peacock 
Atenas, Costa Rica

 

Chisos Banded Skipper 
Atenas, Costa Rica

AND a great big yellow one (maybe a Sulphur) who would never land for a photo!  🙂

See my photo gallery of Costa Rica Butterflies & Moths

And see my photo book:  My First 50 Butterflies in Costa Rica  Review for free.

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Happiness is a butterfly,

which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp,

but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.     

Nathaniel Hawthorne