Blog 13: Bye-Bye Summer
We have been in the Dry Season and have had month after month of warm sunshine, gentle breezes, and dry weather…and no mosquitoes. Just gorgeous. Yes, a little warm now and then—this is the tropics!
From our peaceful (calm but not quiet) patio there is a constant purr of the river, and every now and then, the sounds and movements of critters.
Here is a good-looking Hoffman’s woodpecker, a sophisticated monkey, a trump-colored lizard, a giant crab spider on the hunt, and a patient hawk awaiting some action.
Here is a curious coatimundi exploring our deck, a palm tanager ready for flight, a playful squirrel, and a bare-throat heron on the prowl for lunch.
Here is an almost tame motmot being fed lunch by Jan. Now is mating season and this summer tanager is becoming more vibrant every day.
Having nothing to do with mating season, here is Toby charging his batteries for another walk.
Here is a pic of a colorful store that we frequent when looking for the perfect gift.
Of course no matter what the season, things would be out of balance without one of Jan’s flower displays.
Now we welcome the Rainy Season.
It’s a great time to be in Costa Rica!
Blog 12: Pierella Ecological Gardens
Our good friend Donna flew down for a few days and we started off with a bang, taking an overnight trip to Pierella Ecological Gardens. We made the two-hour trip in four-and-a-half hours (remember, this is Costa Rica), in time for a hearty lunch and a small parade of show off birds.
Just a beautiful place with nature abundant in all shapes and sizes.
For two half-days we shared a very knowledgeable tour guide with another visitor.
Here is a walking stick and poison dart frog to start things off.
Lots of birds of all shapes, sizes, and colors. Here are a spectacled owl and a red-crowned woodpecker.
Several howler monkeys (I guess he’s a male) kept an eye on us.
All of this was wonderful, but what I found most captivating was the butterflies. Here is an orange spot butterfly, a malachite butterfly, a blue common morpho butterfly, a tropical blue wave butterfly, a wearable butterfly, and Donna with a hitchhiker. Finally, even my camera lens proved attractive to one of these beauties.
I highly recommend adding this stop to your must-see visits when touring the country.
It’s a great time to be in Costa Rica!
Just a beautiful place with nature abundant in all shapes and sizes.
For two half-days we shared a very knowledgeable tour guide with another visitor.
Here is a walking stick and poison dart frog to start things off.
Lots of birds of all shapes, sizes, and colors. Here are a spectacled owl and a red-crowned woodpecker.
Several howler monkeys (I guess he’s a male) kept an eye on us.
All of this was wonderful, but what I found most captivating was the butterflies. Here is an orange spot butterfly, a malachite butterfly, a blue common morpho butterfly, a tropical blue wave butterfly, a wearable butterfly, and Donna with a hitchhiker. Finally, even my camera lens proved attractive to one of these beauties.
I highly recommend adding this stop to your must-see visits when touring the country.
It’s a great time to be in Costa Rica!
Blog 10: From Critical Political to Practical Classical
Blog Title Explanation
My guess is that some of you have, or have in the past, been inflicted with the felt need (maybe your duty as a citizen) to stay top of all things political. I was infected with this malady for years.
During my morning walks, I would listen to multiple news shows, getting more depressed with each step. On “good” mornings I would become skeptical, disheartened, and ornery. On “bad” mornings…(you get the gist).
So out of desperation, I decided to drop the drama and build up the beautiful…leaning on classical Classics and throwing in other fun tunes. For example, this morning, I listened to some Bocelli, a little Bach, a touch of Vivaldi, and then threw in Bonnie Raitt, Bad Bunny, Sting, and ending with the Spinners belting out their classic, “Rubber Band Man.” It is hard not to be pumped after juicy fruit that sweet!
Listen here and see how you feel.
Old Friends
We had old friends dating back to our volunteer days come visit us, and we had a great time enjoying the family! The weather cooperated, and they got a taste of the country, but most importantly we had the chance to reconnect. One trip we took together was to the Recate Wildlife Refuge that has a huge critter assortment.
Anniversary Time
We have been here already a year! For us, it has been a great move. Here are just a few of the things we like:
Gorgeous scenery all over the place.
Most people are very nice and very helpful.
Wonderful food. For example, great beans, eggs, bananas, and much more. Lots of excellent pizza here. Jan has mastered pizza delivery and has a telephone relationship with three pizzerias.
Cool critters most places you look.
Shifting Seasons
Costa Rica has two seasons, the Rainy Season and the Non-Rainy Season (well, technically it is the Dry Season). The Rainy Season is nice: less traffic, a little less expensive, and you can watch vegetation grow several feet in one day (well it seems that way). However, we are ready for a change, the Rainy Season officially ends November 30. We are already seeing creatures return that we have not seen for weeks or months.
Here is a male and female scarlet tanager.
Here are some handsome butterflies.
Here is one of my favorite butterflies, the malachite butterfly.
And here is a butterfly threesome: dirce beauties on each end with Blomfiild’s beauty in the middle!
The changing season has had a major impact on our backyard feeding stations. We are seeing old friends returning after several months and newbies now and then. A pair of motmots have taken over ownership and are awaiting Jan’s feeding long before sunrise. They eat fruit from her hands and from me now and then.
It’s a great time to be in Costa Rica!
Blog 9: Butterflies!
26/08/25 10:39 Filed in: Central America | Photography
Here is a test to start things off…can you find the stony butterfly in this photo?
For many of us (including me) it takes a while…what a master magician!
Speaking of butterflies, here are other beauties to view in order: One-spotted prepona, another one-spotted prepona, dirce butterfly, gray cracker butterfly, red postman butterfly, split-banded owl butterfly.
Just to add a little variety to this blog on butterflies, here are some plants from our deck; not great growth so far but fingers crossed.
Almost every day after their park walk, we perform a ritual with windows down and excitement up. We drive to the top of a nearby hill searching for Jack’s Lizard. This reptile lives in a tube that exits by the road and comes out to see Jack on about half of our trips. Tell me you have more excitement than these two.
We are fortunate to see this bird pretty much every day.
Here are other good-looking birds: the Hoffmann's woodpecker, the plain-capped starthroat, and the rufous-tailed hummingbird.
Finally, after scouting critters all day, here is our handsome Toby taking a rest.
See you next time. Pura vida!
For many of us (including me) it takes a while…what a master magician!
Speaking of butterflies, here are other beauties to view in order: One-spotted prepona, another one-spotted prepona, dirce butterfly, gray cracker butterfly, red postman butterfly, split-banded owl butterfly.
Just to add a little variety to this blog on butterflies, here are some plants from our deck; not great growth so far but fingers crossed.
Almost every day after their park walk, we perform a ritual with windows down and excitement up. We drive to the top of a nearby hill searching for Jack’s Lizard. This reptile lives in a tube that exits by the road and comes out to see Jack on about half of our trips. Tell me you have more excitement than these two.
We are fortunate to see this bird pretty much every day.
Here are other good-looking birds: the Hoffmann's woodpecker, the plain-capped starthroat, and the rufous-tailed hummingbird.
Finally, after scouting critters all day, here is our handsome Toby taking a rest.
See you next time. Pura vida!
Blog 8: Let it Rain
31/05/25 13:27 Filed in: Central America | Photography
“Officially” May 1 is the start of the Rainy Season in Costa Rica. It got off to a slow start this time, but now it is rain, rain, and rain. There is no normal pattern, but often the day starts with a mix of sunny and wispy clouds, then about noonish the clouds deepen, thunder makes a booming entrance, and the rain comes down for a few hours every now and then.
Like the weather forecaster in Honolulu, the one serving Atenas has the same issue—boredom! Take a look:
Mango Magic
The Rainy Season means it is mango time, especially in May. Every morning during my early walk, I would find dozens of ripe (or almost ripe) mangos asking me to pick them up and have them for breakfast—what a treat! FYI, I am eating one now.
Rainy Season Critters
We mainly see the same critters as in the Dry Season, however, some of them very much enjoy the greener/lusher vegetation.
Daily, we see a variety of birds. Here is a keel-billed toucan and a male tanager.
And humming birds are always a visit of joy.
Here are some pretty flowers on my walk.
One of my favorite birds that we see quite often is the Montezuma.
When it is warm, the iguanas make their appearance, with the males often putting on a strutting show for any females willing to watch.
Atenas Farmers Market
Every weekend there is a farmers market in Atenas. It is not very big, but it has quality items for sale and is quite the social event. Here is a photo of a lady we just bought a “guaranteed to attract butterflies” plant (and yes, I think it works!).
Across the river we often see, agouti, a large brown rodent. They are a challenge to photograph because where they like to hang out is quite a-ways away, they are shy, and they are often on the move.
If you have an interest to learn more about this cute little creature, here is a link:
https://www.google.com/search?q=Agouti&oq=Agouti&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIGCAEQRRg70gEIMzI0MGowajeoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&sei=hj47aM2oJdT5wbkPuM32qQQ
This and That
At first, we thought this might be an exotic bird, but it turned out to be an exotic plant! Here is the Queen of the Night flowering cactus. We will keep an eye on it.
Even though we live in a very safe neighborhood, it always helps to have backup on the ready. Here are our two guard dogs, each in one of their attack positions. Now you understand why we sleep easy.
Once Upon a Truck
Need a unique Father’s Day present for the macho male in your family? Visit my gallery on Fine Art America. My photos of old trucks can be purchased in a variety of sizes and formats, both framed and unframed. It’s a one-of-a-kind gift that is sure to please.
That’s it for now. Join me again soon for the latest action in my part of Costa Rica.
Pura vida!
Like the weather forecaster in Honolulu, the one serving Atenas has the same issue—boredom! Take a look:
Mango Magic
The Rainy Season means it is mango time, especially in May. Every morning during my early walk, I would find dozens of ripe (or almost ripe) mangos asking me to pick them up and have them for breakfast—what a treat! FYI, I am eating one now.
Rainy Season Critters
We mainly see the same critters as in the Dry Season, however, some of them very much enjoy the greener/lusher vegetation.
Daily, we see a variety of birds. Here is a keel-billed toucan and a male tanager.
And humming birds are always a visit of joy.
Here are some pretty flowers on my walk.
One of my favorite birds that we see quite often is the Montezuma.
When it is warm, the iguanas make their appearance, with the males often putting on a strutting show for any females willing to watch.
Atenas Farmers Market
Every weekend there is a farmers market in Atenas. It is not very big, but it has quality items for sale and is quite the social event. Here is a photo of a lady we just bought a “guaranteed to attract butterflies” plant (and yes, I think it works!).
Across the river we often see, agouti, a large brown rodent. They are a challenge to photograph because where they like to hang out is quite a-ways away, they are shy, and they are often on the move.
If you have an interest to learn more about this cute little creature, here is a link:
https://www.google.com/search?q=Agouti&oq=Agouti&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIGCAEQRRg70gEIMzI0MGowajeoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&sei=hj47aM2oJdT5wbkPuM32qQQ
This and That
At first, we thought this might be an exotic bird, but it turned out to be an exotic plant! Here is the Queen of the Night flowering cactus. We will keep an eye on it.
Even though we live in a very safe neighborhood, it always helps to have backup on the ready. Here are our two guard dogs, each in one of their attack positions. Now you understand why we sleep easy.
Once Upon a Truck
Need a unique Father’s Day present for the macho male in your family? Visit my gallery on Fine Art America. My photos of old trucks can be purchased in a variety of sizes and formats, both framed and unframed. It’s a one-of-a-kind gift that is sure to please.
That’s it for now. Join me again soon for the latest action in my part of Costa Rica.
Pura vida!