Adventure. Anyone who knows me well would smirk then look in my direction when that word (adventure) was spoken outloud! Most would wonder what adventurous story I would share next!
They know about the jaguar that escorted me home one full-moon night!
Some know my story of being skunked! (We startled each other; I screamed, and he reacted!)
There are too many monkey stories to list, though I can usually call them down to lower heights!
Puma or jaguar? A big cat’s raspy grunts sound quite fierce in the middle of the night!
My dear sister Kate wasn’t sure about asking the policeman for a photo op!
This Man’s Journey/Island Traveler presented the fun theme of ‘Adventure’ for this week’s image of life challenge. My friend Stephen once stated that I approached life “full throttle.” Another friend, Westley, lovingly questions if I’m on crack! (Sorry everyone, but I never – NUNCA- danced in a drug high – not even pot!) I am lucky that my parents raised me with a loose rein, and my childhood prepped me for a life off the beaten path in Latin America! Who needs drugs when there’s so much to experience with all senses on full alert?!
How my friend Barb won the Stunt-Driving Queen title while driving my 5-door pickup!
Yes, full throttle seems to be my choice when I disconnect from seriousness and squeeze the essence from that grand world of ours!
“Only Lisa could coax a guard from an armored truck!” (Bobbe Gates)
After driving the trooper-converted pickup around the edge of a mudslide to get to the airport in time, I told my friend Marie, “I need a tank!” The next week I crossed paths with the perfect photo opportunity!
Surely the man didn’t just say, “You can use it as the airport courtesy car”!!! (in Mississippi)
After the competition – No one had a clue that I once followed the barrel-racing circuits!
How could someone who boats 150-pound tarpons…..
…allow tiny little sardines to frighten her?!!! (Ja! They felt like piranha!)
Flooding claimed a landmark ceiba tree.. (Wouldn’t YOU want to explore it?)
For every quiet zen moment in my life, there’s a equal and powerful one of adventure! I hope that you’ve enjoyed the images that reflect some of the fun times in Latin America! The next two weeks have my dance card filled. You might be relieved that the Zeebra’s about to go back into silent mode!!!
(Now I’ll slow down and behave myself!)
(…or not!)
Z
Boy did you bring back a lot of fantastic memories!!!! And of course a chuckle or two along the way. And, adventures you have had. I am blessed to have been a part of several of them!! Hugs, Barb
I decided to give you a break this time and not show off the most beautiful stunt-driving queen with the equally-most beautiful tierra of golden flowers! II’ll save those trump cards for a special post about you! Z
Wow!! What a bunch of wild adventures you’ve had. My life is so tame next to yours!! 🙂
Ha! I don’t think so! You live a very brave life, my new friend, and each day that you step through your door and into that foreign life, you are stepping on adventure’s stage! The geckos count as well; look through my eyes, and you might see many opportunities for adventure! z
Wow! Someone needs to put all these great stories in a book..I’d love to hear more about each one…thanks for sharing !
I suspect that we’ll have plenty of chances to swap interesting stories! I’ just returned from having a bowl of encebollado and then watched the ‘san pedro san pablo’ boats parade to this end of the beach. I’m told they were in San Clemente earlier today! You could have ridden here via boat, but the landing would have been rough! z
My life pales compared to this. What fun…living life at full throttle in a country that seems to beckon you into these “experiences.” I do see a book….eventually….
The closest I can come to trying to equal your adventurous life is a few close encounters with grizzly bears and a couple of bad falls while hiking and climbing.
An encounter with a grizzly sounds adventurous enough to me! Those falls sound like they could have been dangerous. I think we all have the opportunity for adventure; life’s highway sometimes seems more practical, but the trails offer a much-more interesting alternative! 😀
Really full of adventure. That was really cool! I hope you’ll enjoy more adventures coming up. God bless! 🙂
For sure there are daily adventures awaiting all of us if we’ll slow down and embrace them! I just had a back-room visit/tour of antiguas in a museum where the last stop on this museum exhibit opens in ten days. ah, to see all of those incredible works of art, many of them fragments, but all so full of personality and soul.. i smiled and said, ‘hello! hey there! look at you! oh! aren’t you precious?’ as my eyes drank in row after row of artifacts. i could stay in that room for a month and draw constantly and never run out of inspiration! life is so great!
thanks!
z
Love the photo on the army vehicle! Now that takes guts!
It’s actually a funny story.. They were in a parade, and I asked if I could take their photo.. and the next thing I knew, another volunteered to take the photo! They were great guys! Z
Wonderful! Looks like you’ve had a lot of adventures. By the way, I love your Gravator. Where did you find it and what does it mean? What does “playamart” mean as well? Curious minds want to know!
Hey! Thanks for the feedback!
The Gravator is from one of my paintings from “The Mola Series” and is based on a PreColumbian relic from the area where I live in Ecuador. The painting is shown here:
http://zeebramolas.wordpress.com/fusion-the-paintings/00-mola-5-jama-coaque-hand/
The Mola Series is touring the museums of Manabi Province in Ecuador – one more week in Portoviejo, then the final show opens July 26 in Bahia de Caraquez.
This page explains “Playamart,” though I should dedicate a special post to that! When the exhibition has finished making the rounds, I’ll take a few days to corral and organize the posts!
https://playamart.wordpress.com/about/
Thanks, Lisa/Z
Wow, really cool! How long have you lived in Ecuador? Sounds like a fascinating place to live! Loving your blog!
Thanks! When I was living in Costa Rica, most everything that I bought for the house was made in Ecuador. I wanted to visit the country that was producing so many beautiful items. My first visit was in 2003, and the country and its people captured my heart! Over the years I visited different areas; the warmer but not brutally hot area f the coast suits me best! Z
How wonderful! Sounds like a very inspiring life! 🙂
SI! It certainly is! Z
I’m lost for words! I’m like thinking, “Oh, wow, she did all!” Indeed, you celebrated life with “full throttle” that most of us only dream about. Excitement down to last image in this post. Your parents shared with you a world that is all open to adventures. Truly admirable. May you never stop facing life and the world around you with a generous adventurous spirit. Through your eyes and experiences, we all get to see and feel life’s thrill. And they are awesome. As for walking close to a jaguar, I may passed out from fear. Don’t they bite? Have a beautiful day!
I walked home one full-moon night after the rains had stopped. i rarely turned on my flashlight, and i was walking down a lone dairy road between pastures that led to where i lived. i cut through the gates, across an area of regrowth (all muddy!) through the woods then up the ladder and across a little bridge that went straight into my studio. the next morning when i walked across the field, i saw the cat tracks and spent the next ten minutes ‘tracking the tracks,’ which echoed my trail from the night before. i went back into the house and out the other door, as i thought ‘if it was following me, it would not have stopped at the stream..’ and it didn’t.. it left one grand calling card footprint near the steps then waltzed back down the ‘formal’ path to the parking area then across the stream, down the road and out the gate.. i’m told that most likely it was escorting me through its territory, one we had shared for years most likely so it saw me as part of its ecosystem and not a threat.
aside from worrying at night when i walked, ‘where is the cat?’ i was comforted knowing that it was watching over me! so much more to share, perhaps in a post one of these days!
thanks for your comments and genuine interest!
i’m off to the museum soon!
z
Wow! That is an amazing list of thrilling experiences! But your Jaguar story tops it all! Look forward to details of all of these Z. Loved your your idea of slowing down 😀
Thank you! Yes, there is more to the jaguar story, all good! My time at that spot was magical! Z