Tags
ecuador butterflies, google map where are the images in google maps, Lisa Brunetti art, Museo Portoviejo

Google Earth has sent ‘congratulations’ notices to say that a few of my images – like this one of Poza Honda – were very popular.
Poza Honda/ManabiProvince Ecuador – Have any of you ever added images to Google Earth-Maps? It’s always been interesting to peruse those images and explore areas that we know well or to ‘cyber travel’ to new destinations without leaving home! The Satellite Image option helped me fine-tune my search for a new place to live, and reference images were very helpful.
This past week on Google Earth, I entered some GPS points for where I live – before passing them along for scientific reasons; almost immediately I hit a glitch. I could not find a place to type the coordinates. Perhaps that option is somewhere on the page, but I did not find it. Next I looked for my pinned images, and they were gone! In fact, there were no pinned images to anything on the map. Towns and places of interest were marked by name only. The letters were small and difficult to see – and my laptop has a large screen!

Google Chrome browser… note how tiny the bottom right options appear. That’s where one finds the photo options.
Eventually I found the image option, which on my windows browser showed in a long horizontal strip at the bottom of the page. There were photos from different areas, and mine could not be accessed until scrolling east on the map, leaving the house site out of view. After I selected and enlarged one of my ‘popular’ images, a little arrow-type bar zipped from the photo and pointed into the middle of the lake! Ha, I had to laugh – it was several kilometers from the right location and was obviously submerged at the bottom of the reservoir!

Opera browser provided slightly-easier to view options.

The Dec 3rd earthquake, which rattled the house for almost a minute, must have nudged this particular GPS point into the lake!
Unable to drag it back in place via the old system that worked well, I opened a new window and did a search which took me to a Google Earth/Maps forum. Oh my, demons must have firmly attached themselves to those who make decisions for Google Earth/Maps, and they have made a lovely mess of what was once a well-managed site.
I moved to another quadrant that I know well – the area around Jama, and I remembered that someone had posted a picture of a Royal Poinciana/Flamboyant. I was curious to see if it still marked the correct spot. In real life, the tree was within view of where I once lived near the mouth of Rio Jama.

Royal Poinciana (Delonix regia)still stands, though the nearby farmhouse was destroyed in the April 16, 2016 earthquake.

Flamboyant/Royal Poinciana paired with the Green Kingfisher for a great photo op – The rear balcony of Casa Loca. 2013
There were zero photos of that area, but there were new ones from 2018 of the community of La Division. Checking various photos in the town a few kilometers inland, I discovered that the lovely flaming Poinciana tree had been magically transplanted to Jama! (Jama, still recovering from the earthquake, could actually use several dozen of those lovely trees!)
Check out the Google-maps forum thread and be prepared to be amused at some of the comments. Most of the comments are in good taste with proper respect – just stating what a shame it is – and a loss to all – that these images are no longer available to use as tools for travel plans. I did not see one comment in support of this new system! “WHAT HAPPENED TO GOOGLE EARTH…THAT USERS UPLOADED?”
I was consulting Google Maps to review images I’d uploaded of the Poza Honda area to be sure that the pins were still in the right place. This was to share that GPS location with Keith Willmott, whose title is “Associate Curator of Lepidoptera – McGuire Center for Lepidoptera & Biodiversity – Florida Museum of Natural History” His bio on the website mentions, “Our research includes field work throughout the Neotropics with a focus on the tropical Ande… ”
He has very kindly offered to help with identification of butterfly species that are presently decorating the landscape around Poza Honda. This was the butterfly that prompted my identification search that led me to the museum’s webpage:

Start with one dead buttefly… but oh! look at those amazing colors that change according to the light!
His feedback? “…The brown species is Marpesia berania (female), the other (dead one) is a species of Archaeoprepona, I’d need to see the underside to identify it to species. I’d be happy to help identify any butterfly photos, especially if you can give me the approximate latitude and longitude (e.g., from Google Earth) where they were taken, so I can include the locality information in our books on butterflies of Ecuador “
Here are some of those lovely butterflies that often distract me from watching the birds!

See those lovely spots of blue? Ah, I wonder what it’s name will be!
I keep forgetting to mention to all of you that the Portoviejo Museum will feature my paintings of ‘Birds, Butterflies and Botanicals’ in October of this year. You’ve earned another peek:
* I’ll be with ‘the family’ when this goes out but will be online late tonight. The patient shows slight improvement, and they are hopeful he will pull through this. Thanks again for your prayers and concerns.
For more information about my art, go here: LISA BRUNETTI ART – you’ll find a few new items in Flora and in Fauna!
I can’t help you with Google Earth, which I have used maybe once or twice, not sure. But I admire you for doing what you’re doing! And I want t pass along an email about Ecuador birds, but privately…I can’t find your email address. Thought I had it, maybe not. If you can get it to me, do. 🙂
Hola Amiga
Thanks as always for your support and feedback, and now – almost two weeks later – I’m going back through the comments. I hope that your own two weeks have gone well. I’ll be online tonight, and then offline til next week.
Congratulations on the show! That’s fantastic, and well deserved. I found your email, no worries….
Butterflies are still rare at this time of year. We just had a wee bit of rain yesterday.
Our official raining season will start sometime in June. Congratulations on your accomplishments.
Google maps (phone app) quickly finds it and even brings up your posts! Amazing
Wow; I did not realize that your rainy season starts so late; of course, it most likely coincides with the hurricane season… I hope that this upcoming season is a calm one.
Today I reached the coast after that 3-week vigil; I’m about four hours from home base, but was surprised that this area – (Jama, where the earthquake devastation is still in-your-face sobering) received little rainfall. The Poza Honda area received a good bit, though it too was ‘down’ from other years. The skies have cried and cried in Mindo,the cloud forest area where I’ve been for three weeks.
There’s a balance, but each section has had some strange variances from the norm.
Your ‘Spring’ image for today was a lovely one – nice and delicate and soothing.
As always, beautiful photos…and what a lovely painting! What a treat to walk in to a gallery and have the walls adorned with your glorious images! I’m continuing to keep your friends in my thoughts, and hoping for the best outcome!
Hi Cindy! I hope that you’re having/have had a great ‘Timeout’ for your own Timeout and that the drive went well.
Thank you for that positive and visual ‘best wishes’ for the upcoming show. I hope to have lots of vivid florals/butterfly paintings by the time October rolls around!
Thank you as always for your support!
Always so nice to hear from you, Lisa! My road trip went well, as did my plane ride to Florida…and the week with my sisters was wonderful! I’ve got lots to catch up on now, but it will all come together. Hope all’s well with you!
I also love spending time on Google Maps (Earth), especially when we are planning a visit to one of South Africa’s wild places, but I too have found it more and more frustrating to “navigate”…
Because I expressed my disappointment on that forum, new comments arrive to the inbox.. it’s been interesting to follow the feedback – they are also respectful yet share their disappointments… guides and people who go to remote areas are the ones who seem to be discouraged the most…
Congratulations on the show. Can’t help with Google Earth, but I loved the shots of residents of that earth that you shared. 🙂
janet
Thanks! With the rains and rank growth, the butterflies seem to pop when the sun shows its face… what an easy way for inspiration for new paintings!
I had no idea one could be so interactive with Google Earth. I hope it is put back to rights soon as it is obviously very useful when it is providing correct information. Your paintings for the exhibition look superb.
yes, the guides and people who go to remote locations are the ones who seem to be most discouraged and disappointed.. the maps team continues to work on solutions to the mess they created!
The exhibition looks wonderful. Both your photos and paintings continue to delight — what a world you live in!
As for Google Earth, I can’t use it because it’s not supported by my browser. When I try to log it, I get a snippy little page that says, essentially, “Peasant! Change your browser to Chrome, and you can see your Earth.” That’s not happening.
OOOh! Horrible that they prompt you to switch to Chrome! I use Opera, which works, but I also use Chrome.. some sites just work better on one or the other, depending on the sites.
The feedback continues to roll in from the google-maps forum, guides and people who go to remote places are the ones most disenchanted (and disgusted)
thanks Linda; I reached Jama last night and will be back in Poza Honda tomorrow; it’s been a long three weeks…
Hi shoreacres. The desktop version of Google Earth is free to use as well – https://www.google.com/earth/desktop/
It’s a normal computer program that you download and install (PC/Mac/Linux) and it doesn’t use a web browser. It has been around much longer than the web version that requires Chrome browser. Once you get down the controls for flying around, it is a lot of fun to explore. And it has a ton of features if you get more involved in it.
Thanks, Mike, and I agree – it’s fun to take a cyber journey (esp when the old images were there) – and it certainly helped me to be a voyeur and explore the area where I now live – and when I saw that big reservoir of water, I was like, “Serious? This has been here all these years and I never knew it was there?” Then I looked in all directions via that platform and knew it well before taking that first road trip.
Thanks again, Mike, for taking the time to share your experience.
Thanks for the tip!
Congratulations on you exhibit in the Portovieho Museum! That is wonderful and must feel gratifying. Google Earth? Nyet….I’ve never really loved the site/app.
Almost a year ago, when it seemed that my visa would be renewed, I used the Satellite View to ‘comb’ large areas in search of green – to find a place where deforestation wasn’t such a horrible reality,and to find clear springs – so if another horrible earthquake hit, one wouldn’t be desperate for basics like pure water – or any form of water… It was while ‘cyber flying’ over the Poza Hondareservoir that I knew it was there – and populated! It was a huge ‘Eureka!’ moment that led me to take a road trip there… The rest is history….
I wish my mother could have met you. I think you and she are kindred spirits. 😉
Firstly Lisa as I worked backwards to this post.. My sincere condolences for the loss of your loved one..
And I can not believe another year has gone as another anniversary of the earthquake is here again.
As for Google Earth, I followed your link and read the explanation of to why things are not running smoothly .. As they change everything over from one system to another. Not very many happy bunnies over there ..
I think we are all getting to know too much of what is happening in the world and one has to question motives at times. during times such as these..
Your Butterfly pictures are amazing and I now will be going over to visit more of your links And a great BIG Congratulations upon your exhibition . Just Wonderful..
Now going to click a few more of your links..
Love and Blessings Lisa.. ❤
Thank you for your beautiful comment! Yes, it’s been a hard three weeks with the hospital vigil for my ‘surrogate family’… Now one week after the funeral, everyone is adjusting and learning to cope with the reality of his death. As they say, it’s easier to move on than to be left behind.’ He died on the 2nd anniversary of the earthquake, and also on the new moon – and five or ten minutes after his death, a new baby was born. Yes, Life goes on…
Now I am in Jama, which is still in earthquake recovery. Things are moving forward, but something in very slow mode. They still smile – and through those smiles, they inspire all of us who have more…. There are examples everywhere if we remember to see the larger picture and not just what’s in our own little gps spot for the day!
It will be a joy to work on paintings for the Ocotober exposition! Too bad you’re not in this GPS spot to paint with me!!! Your work is going well!
My thoughts are with you Lisa as you recover from your sad loss my friend, And oh how I wish you were my mentor in painting, I would learn such a lot from you I know.. I am trying my hand at a portrait.. not very well, but practice makes perfect as they say.. So I keep on practising 😀 Wishing you well for your exhibition 🙂 Sending lots of love to you in Jama.. and Yes those smiles can teach us all a thing or two.. ❤
I look forward to knowing how you enjoyed the portrait challenge. I did some portraits years ago but got such an intense feeling of the essence of the person, that if felt as if i were a voyeur. I didn’t like that feeling.. I suspect that you too will have a very strong unspoken connection with the subject of your portrait… the deeper your attention to the nuances of the skin, features, the more you ‘know.’
I am using an old photo of my daughter, I wish I had one with her eyes open, but she is looking down.. I am trying to be true to the photo while capturing her essence in her smile. The process is not like my Tiger.. And the skin tones, well, that has been the hardest light and shade etc.. Its a learning curve as I learn as I go, by my mistakes.. 🙂
Beautiful shots, as always.
Thank you!
wow, that’s going to be fantastic. we will of course go to the museum in Portoviejo for your show, hugs
I’m just realizing I’ve not seen any recent posts from you.. will check soon – presently trying to catch up…
i hope to write you soon, internet options permitting!
love, lisa
Your art and insights are amazing Lisa! I apologize for not visiting more, I sure need too! Some blogs just feel so empty and lifeless in posts, like they post just to go through the motions but I can really feel your words, it’s a nice connection! Well, I have some reading to do … and I love your butterflies!!!
Thank you for your kind words, Donna, and I understand.. we only have x amount of time for sundry reading, and that time should be quality time.. I’m honored that you find my posts worthy!
The butterflies are still abundant in the area where I live, but the vanishing habitat is a concern everywhere. As you know, by studying something in detail, we know much more about it, even without knowing why.
Have you ever read Elliot Cowan’s Plant Spirit Medicine? If not, you’d enjoy it..
Are you aware that comments are closed on your April 16 post?
Good morning Steve! Thanks for that note, and yes, when I wrote that it had been a very-long few days with about four hours sleep in about 48 or more hours.. I was exhausted, but surely the family was even more exhausted.
I will be writing a short update hopefully today, and the post about bluebonnets and chocos is almost finished!
reclaiming that sleep deficit has demanded impromptu naps, and now it’s nice to get back to a normal rhythm..
Hi Lisa, I’m glad you wrote about the changes in Google Earth also, in this blog post and in the support forum. We need as much attention to this as we can get I think, so that we get Google to make the right changes! I made several posts in my blog also since this began. Here is the latest one – http://www.hikingmike.com/blog/google-working-problems-migration-photos-panoramio-maps/
And you probably saw my posts in the Google forum also. Let’s keep up the pressure.
By the way nice photos 🙂 and great job including the screenshots.
Hey! Thanks for adding your feedback here, but your comment on the Google Forum was especially important… Unlike a few of the frustrated people on the forum, you stated the facts clearly and with respect to everyone – but also addressed good points – like staying home and being able to see the world thru the old maps/earth options.
I’m glad that you wrote about it as well; am heading there now!
Wow Google is really amazing
Just take a look on my blog I also talk about high tech
It’s sad that so many people are expressing disappointment, and so far nothing new – but we can hope! Thank you for your comment, and I’m heading to your site as soon as i wade thru the comments!
I always liked those 25 cent sized butterflies with the translucent wings. I dubbed them Saran Wrapperflies.