Quiet Evening

I walked down to the river to see if I could find a bird to photograph and couldn’t, so a little shot of the stream running along the southern border of our property.

Rio Cajon just above the waterfall, 5:00 PM
Hacienda La Jacaranda, Atenas, Costa Rica

I did capture this Red-billed Pigeon in flight yesterday, though not good focus
Hacienda La Jacaranda, Atenas, Costa Rica
And tonight’s sunset clouds make a giant in the sky!
Hacienda La Jacaranda, Atenas, Costa Rica

We are now harvesting the first mangos from our property trees – hope they will be good!

Howler Monkeys Arrive!

Male Mantled Howler Monkey
Hacienda La Jacaranda, Atenas, Costa Rica

And yes, that is his testicles showing above. Sorry! The Howlers arrived this morning early with their distinctive howl, like an African Lion’s growl – seriously! But I did not go out to photograph them until this evening’s howl which means shooting into the sun – not smart! Maybe I’ll get up early one morning when they start howling and get some better photos. They come on the apartments’ property every year about this time when some of the fruit starts getting ripe, though they were eating leaves this evening. We saw only two males and the female with her baby tonight.

Female and Baby Mantled Howler Monkeys
Hacienda La Jacaranda, Atenas, Costa Rica

I did not photograph these from my balcony like the birds because they are down along the river in those trees which I will have to start watching more. I’ve been too busy to do as much nature photography as I thought I would do, but having fun with everything else too! I got my first tennis lesson yesterday and that might become a new activity.  🙂  Healthy!

Click to Hear the Howler Monkeys Howl.

Waterfalls, Great Kiskadee, and Sickness

This morning’s veranda tea included watching two Great Kiskadees land in the tree next to my neighbor’s apartment along with hearing a flock of parakeets and many other birds, most small and hard to see, plus speed will make it difficult at times as with the speeding toucans yesterday.

I’m staying in bed 9 to 11 hours each night and trying to rest. There was surely a public clinic open over the holidays, but the English-speaking doctor my neighbor knows about is not open until tomorrow morning  (Monday), when I will take a cab to see him.

The first three days I walked up the steep hill to town for groceries and to eat. I did not yesterday nor today, though the fresh air and sunshine might have helped. I did walk across the big yard in front of the apartments to the Rio Cajon, our southern boundary, and photographed some of the waterfalls in our yard.

The first two photos are inside the property and the third just outside the gate on the landmark Rio Cajon Bridge in Barrio Fatima, our neighborhood name, which helps taxi drivers find us. There are not house numbers here, no street addresses, no home delivery of mail. And oh yes, I know better than to photograph in midday sun, but did anyway.  🙂

This is upper part of the one below,
seen from a different angle.

Plunge pool view of above double falls.

The double falls at our entrance gate by the public bridge over Rio Cajon
Last night the Quebec couple invited me to go to dinner with them and then invited to local girls who of course had a big SUV, one being a doctor’s wife, the other her twin sister. The place they wanted to take us was not open (they take holidays seriously here!) so we ended up at Antano just off the main plaza downtown which is where I had eaten lunch the previous day, but well worth a repeat! 
A fun evening even if I don’t feel well. I did not try to go to church this morning because I was feeling worse at the time and pretty lousy right now. It is sore throat, some coughing, some sneezing, runny nose, and achy body all over. It started before I left Nashville. I’m taking Tylenol and two kinds of throat lozenges Millie Goodson got for me the night before leaving. Thanks Millie! They help!
Today I met another resident from Switzerland who is married to the girl from Spain. We are a pretty international group in these apartments! And oh yes, last night in the restaurant an American looking woman came over to our table and said, “I just must find out where this southern drawl is from!” I smiled and said “Nashville” and then learned her and her husband are from North Carolina and have lived here for 9 years. She still works as a photographer, doing weddings and children portraits. Got their phone numbers to call if I ever need help. So it is starting to happen like I expected even without going to church yet. 
Well, this first long post just wore me out. Pray for a quick resolution of my cold, allergies, flu or whatever!