And like with most of the young everywhere it seems, the grass appears greener on the other side of the fence! 🙂
¡Pura Vida!
New Calf in the Meadow
Living for the Unremarkable Moments
My life has been cram-packed with “remarkable moments” and experiences, both good and bad. One of the many reasons for moving to Costa Rica was to slow down with nature and sort of let my final years of life just “fade away.” A quote in a blog that I read said . . .
“Busyness and fear constrict us in youth; fresh air and nature free us in old age.” ~Anne Lamott
And so I yearn for days with nothing planned or no where I have to go. A leisurely breakfast and coffee with the online newspaper is a perfect morning, followed by a walk in the garden. Even with all the wind right now, meaning few or no birds or butterflies, there are always plants and flowers or buds like I shared yesterday or a gaze at the surrounding hills, a cow across the street, or another amazing palm frond contrasting with the evergreens as it just fades away. And so today I rejoice in the unremarkable! 🙂
¡Pura Vida!
Brahman Portrait
Almost all cows in Costa Rica are Brahman Mixed Breeds with a European breed that gives better meat than Indian Brahmans and similar to but a little different from the North American Mixed Breed Brahmans. Brahmans are used because they are heat-tolerant and do better in the tropics than any other cow. A lot of American tourists ask “Why are Costa Rica cows skinnier than ours up north?” Simple reason, they are all grass-fed here while most in the States are grain-fed to fatten them up for more more profit when sold. Costa Rica’s are healthier. 🙂
This is one of three in the field across the street from my house and owned by a developer living here who intends to develop that cow pasture into a bunch of houses someday. I may want to move then! 🙂
“Cows are gentle, interesting animals.”
– Ingrid Newkirk
¡Pura Vida!
And YES! I have a Costa Rica Cows Photo Gallery! 🙂
With a few interesting photos – really! 🙂
Only the Cow Knows!
One of my closest neighbors, across the street, seems to look at me and say “How can I help you?” Or is that just my good imagination? Only the cow knows! 🙂
Moo may represent an idea, but only the cow knows.
~Mason Cooley
¡Pura Vida!
Costa Rica’s ‘La Sele’ unveils uniforms inspired by biodiversity:
¡Pura Vida!
Cow
My big meal was Thanksgiving Eve and I ate too much and had some stomach problems yesterday, not leaving the house, thus my only photo was this one of a cow in the field across the street. 🙂
“The cow is of the bovine ilk; one end is moo, the other milk.”
~ Ogden Nash
¡Pura Vida!
Meadow Haiku
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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 Vistas
My photo gallery of Haiku
“Mountains are the beginning and the end of all natural scenery.“
~John Ruskin
Cows Munching on Neighbor’s Hibiscus
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| Cow Eating Hibiscus Shrubs 1 of 3 cows in a neighbor’s yard from the cow pasture near me. They get out frequently! Someone comes and rounds them up. 🙂 |
Just another day in the neighborhood! And most of us are glad that this is the most exciting thing to happen in Roca Verde! Another neighborhood, possibly richer, does not have a community gate and guard like us. They have had a couple of break-ins recently. We have had none! I feel very safe.
Cows!
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| Walking out my compound gate. |
Not sure if I have ever mentioned that across the street from my house is a cow pasture with about a dozen cows keeping the grass trimmed until the developers slap houses on it. (Without vistas!)
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| I’m not sure of the breed, maybe Brahma? Whatever, they have big ears! |
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| And a cowboy riding the fence line! Just one wire, electrified! But the cows still get out some. Grass is always greener . . . |
Starting New House with a Bang!
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| Blue-tailed Hummingbird |
I was concerned that with not as many old growth trees next to my house there would not be as many birds, but not so! Shot this hummingbird from my balcony on my neighbor’s Powderpuff or Mimosa Tree (9 varieties of Powderpuff & 22 varieties of Mimosas in Costa Rica!) Two Kiskadees landed on my balcony railing yesterday but I didn’t have my camera ready! And today I was up the hill talking with my wonderful landlord when two Chestnut Mandibled Toucans landed in a neighbor’s tree and me again without a camera! I should have tried the cell phone but didn’t.
Moved in Thursday morning. That afternoon a rep from Cable Tica came out and did the contract for internet & TV package. Today the techs came out and connected it and have it operating! That was quick for Costa Rica! I was expecting to wait a week or longer. I think I may like this company better that the bigger one used at the apartments and if my 8 mg of internet is not enough, I can pay to get even faster. So far so good.
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| Woodcraft Paper Towel Holder From Atenas Climate Fair |
Last week I missed the horse show in Atenas and was determined to see at least part of the Climate Fair in downtown Atenas this weekend for Earth Week and the Annual Recognition of the historic Boyeros, oxcart drivers. Only walked through the vendors and arts and crafts yesterday (Friday). Today I spent a couple of hours there with minimum entertainment, but I had been looking for two days for a paper towel rack I could install under a kitchen cabinet and could not find one anywhere in town. Well, one of the craft booths had this cute cow paper towel holder which looks pretty good on my granite counter!
The good music and big bands are all tonight downtown, but I’m just too tired to go back, but I can hear it since all my windows are open! And it is a big party with lots of music, dancing, and noise! Ticos know how to party and make music! All I got during the day was the usual Marimba music which is big among the older adults here and children dancing from a local dance studio. But I do have my cow paper towel holder and watched a lot of interesting people including the family with a pet pig. Here are a few of my cell phone photos from this afternoon:
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| Central Park is a Fair this Weekend with rides, food, ice cream, artists & music |
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| Like fairs back home, they attract young families here with even bouncy things. |
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| Both children and youth represented a local dance studio. |
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| A disk jockey provided dance music for all. |
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| And the ever-present Marimba Music for the older crowd! |
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| Family with a pet pig watching the children dance. |
Tomorrow is the big day for daytime activities with Musica Cimarrona where dancers wear masks as an old traditional celebration which will be followed by the annual Oxcart Parade with oxcarts from all over the country parading through Atenas, home of the National Oxcart Driver Monument. I expect to get a lot of photographs!
Tarcoles Trees
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| Palms and a Tour Boat like the one we were on |
In case you are tired of birds, here’s some trees! But I do have more bird photos to share if nothing exciting happens around home the next few days. 🙂 Here are 5 trees photographed from our boat and I’m sorry I haven’t researched the proper names of any except the one already photographed in Atenas. I just like looking at trees regardless what they are called! 🙂 Always, you can click a photo to see it larger.
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| The shapes, the designs, the colors, the strength, all awe me! |
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| Pink Trumpet Tree or Roble de Sabana See earlier posts: one from balcony and one up close. It seems to be this month’s blooming tree, like Poro last month. |
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| Lone Wolf! |
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| “Umbrella Tree” said our guide. Look close for cow under it on left, avoiding the sun. |
My Trip Advisor Review of this trip with photos!