When I Grow Up…

Tags

central america, childhood dreams, costa rica, daily prompt, Ecuador

Nandayure/Guanacaste/ COSTA RICA

“Everyone on earth has a treasure that awaits him. We, people’s hearts, seldom say much about those treasures, because people no longer want to go in search of them. We speak of them only to children.   Later, we simply let life proceed, in its own direction, toward its own fate.” Paulo Coelho – The Alchemist

Years ago while I was visiting with expat friends and their on-vacation friends in Costa Rica, someone asked, “Did you ever dream when you were growing up that you’d live somewhere like this?”

Turning back time: Costa Rica – After the Competition

My mind peddled backwards, and within seconds I recalled a wanderlust dream from grammar school. I smiled wistfully and answered, “When I was in 5th grade, I wanted to live in Argentina and raise quarter horses.”

Pacific-Coast Ecuador: Booby Count

Tags

Backyard Bird Count, Peruvian Boobies

Peruvian Boobies – References list the Peruvian Booby ‘as far as SW Ecuador,” but they now populate many areas up the coastline.

Last week I helped my Ecuador Expat Journeys friends on their Coastal Tour.  Near Salinas, we spotted flamingos and black-necked stilts wading the shallows of the salt ponds.  Upriver from Bahia de Caraquez, we toured Isla Corazon and marveled at thousands of magnificent frigates that shared the unique island with great egrets, snowy egrets, cattle egrets, tricolored herons, cormorants and cocoi herons.  Cute little saffron finches decorated Canoa Beach Hotel’s tropical gardens.

Isla Corazon – Rio Chone

On my way home on Thursday, I said, “Hello” to the Peruvian boobies in San Vicente and reached Casa Loca in time for the late-afternoon finale on the river.

Gasp! How does one count so many birds?!

This morning while reporting a thirty-minute bird-watching session on the Backyard Bird Count stats page, I scanned the online queue of species for Ecuador.   The Peruvian Boobies! Their presence along the Ecuadorian coast should be reported, but they are not in my backyard!

“What are you waiting for?” Please let the world know we’re alive and ready for Carnival!”

If any of you have boobies in your neighborhood, please take time to add them to the online form! BACKYARD BIRD COUNT/Get Started.

Let’s decorate that BirdCount map!   Thanks for speaking up for the birds!

Z

Backyard Bird Count! Ready… Set…

Tags

Backyard bird count 2015, counting birds, Egrets, Herons, magnificent frigate

OK; Not everyone can peer outside and see hundreds of Magnificent Frigates, one of 70 or more species that decorate the landscape around Casa Loca.  Whether you know our feathered neighbors by name or just refer to them as little brown birds, they are our neighbors, and we should acknowledge their presence in our lives.

Take half an hour or half a day or an entire day or the entire period (February 13 – 16) of this bird count, and share your  inventory with the world!  Learn more HERE: THE GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT 2015.

Magnificent Frigate – “Don’t you think I’m sexy?”

I’m not quite sure how to count all of the birds in my back yard, so excuse me please, while I go back to counting the birds!

Z

How many birds?

How many birds?

Street Photography on a Rainy Day

Tags

life on ecuador's coast, rain showers, street photography, weather in ecuador

Jama (Manabi Province) Ecuador — Yippee! Almost two months overdue, the rains are finally quenching Manabi’s thirst! Dodging lagoons of water at every corner this morning, I assumed that the gray skies would offer few opportunities for good photos.  I was wrong.

Jaime, the fisherman, ignored the sprinkles.

The rains fell during the night then resumed again mid morning; there are countless music options for these images, but I’ll nudge Eddie Rabbit a bit closer to the equator to kick off these images:

No one seemed discouraged by the mud and water, though without boots, I skirted around mud and leaped across swollen pools of water throughout town.  While enjoying a cup of coffee and an extra sour lemonade “sin azucar” (without sugar – to chase away an allergy)  I was well entertained by Silvana’s nephew who sported a new pair of boots.  He pranced past my table, climbed aboard his cousin’s new motorcycle and stole the show!

World Wetlands Day – February 2

Tags

Friday the 13th., ground hog day, wetlands, world wetlands day

“Catch of the Day!”
(They call this a chamy fish.)

Headlines of winter storms make me grateful to live along Ecuador’s Pacific coast.  Those of you who are enduring brutal weather, stay warm and safe and well.   I wish I could send some of this climate in your direction.    Yesterday I pondered how we fell trees for timber or we leave deep scars on Mother Earth so that we can produce concrete – how does one build homes without impacting our planet’s struggling health?

..S.ometimes Mother Nature bites back!!!!

As we peer over the groundhog’s shoulder to see his shadow – or not – take time to peer into Mother Nature’s wetlands and ponder their importance on our planet.

The ponds are off limits before the harvest. After the harvest, the feathered feast begins with no stress!

Today I’ll be driving along Ecuador’s Pacific coast with a great tour group, but wanted to wave a token banner in honor of our precious wetlands.   Hop over to SerenitySpell for a refresher course! Preserving Our Future – World Wetlands Day.

Have a good week, everyone! Z

One Man’s Peaceful Sunrise is Another’s Very-Bad Day

Tags

cesar cevallos, Ecuador Shrimp Harvest, ecuador shrimp ponds, oxygen in shrimp ponds, problems with pond-raised shrimp, shrimp ponds

The tropical king bird’s morning serenade is as lovely as the royal poinciana’s blossoms.

Tropical Kingbird – Jama (Manabi Province) Ecuador

 

Casa Loca’s windows are made of solid wood, and I enjoy opening those weathered panels at first light to embrace the awakening day.   I usually open the kitchen window first to confirm that the daylight serenade was indeed given by the lovely kingbird.  The wrens and seedeaters dart and forage in the dense foliage along the fence, while Amazilia hummingbirds search for the life-sustaining nectar of the opening flowers.  Kingfishers awaken the riverside with nonstop chattering about the first catch of the morning.

Female Seedeater

Variable Seedeater forages throughout the day

(from 2013) – Look! There’s a huge hummingbird checking out the Playamart treasures!

The petite green kingfisher asks the heron, “I think it’s going to be a calm day… what do you think_?”

Most mornings provide a feast of calming views as I open the windows and gaze outside.  Every so often the view jolts me into a higher state of attention.

First Light – Quite Lovely … or not?

The presence of thousands of birds announces, “Urgent! Urgent! Something’s wrong with this picture!”  On this sixth dawn of the new year, I scanned to see if my friend’s truck was home (yes) so I knew he had spotted the same view and had sounded the alarm.  I grabbed my camera and bolted out the door.

Between Holiday Events & Between High Tides

Tags

El Matal Ecuador, piedras el matal

After high tide – Entrance to Coco Beach Village – no longer serviceable…

El Matal Ecuador – Dec 26, 2014

When living on the front line of a beach threatened by spring tides, most people stay home during that critical high-tide hour to be sure there is no threat of flooding.  The high tides usually arrive with the new or full moon and hang around for a few days.   The first high tide of each month usually arrives in the pre-dawn hours and then at sunset; it arrives a bit later each day.  When staying at my friends’ home, I usually start peering outside around 4:30 in the morning.  By 5:30 I am able photograph what’s happening at sea level.

Dec 26, 2014 “Buenos Dias” – 5:58 in the morning!

6:11 a.m. Dec. 26 2014

While working on a holiday art project,  my friends and I kept a close eye on the waves.  On the second day of painting, I took a low-tide break and walked to the center area of El Matal.  Life goes on, and the spirit of the fishermen remains strong.  I was told, however, that “the people of El Matal are scared.”

TIMEOUT FOR ART: Capturing Memories

Tags

farm equipment art, timeout for art capturing memories, union county mississippi museum, william faulkner quotes, wooden totem poles

Pencil – 1993 -Hen with chicks beneath forsythia…

The aim of every artist is to arrest motion, which is life, by artificial means and hold it fixed so that a hundred years later, when a stranger looks at it, it moves again since it is life. – William Faulkner

The above drawing hangs on a butterscotch-painted wall in my son’s kitchen. When I recently looked at it, memories of that long-ago 1993 pre-spring day came flooding back, and we were once again at No Mistake Plantation in Yazoo County. Charles had injured his ankle during a sports event, and we were sitting on the grounds of a daylily farm and soaking in the warm rays of sunshine. The hen ambled along with her chicks, fluffed out her feathers and settled into a comfortable pose not far from where we sat. The pencil drawing captured the moment much better than any camera, and the memories were branded with each stroke of the pencil.

New Albany (Mississippi) Heritage Museum

A few days ago I visited the Union County Heritage Museum in New Albany, Mississippi, and the back gardens provided an abundance of artsy material.  They will represent the first of many attempts to capture the essence of Mississippi!

Enjoy the walk through the gardens, and don’t forget to apply mosquito repellent!

Z

Morning…the Most Memorable Season of the Day…

Tags

being awake at dawn, daily post dawn, daylight photos, moon set, Playa San Miguel, Sunrise

Sunrise over the shrimp ponds…

“Morning, which is the most memorable season of the day, is the awakening hour…”   and for a minute some part of us “… awakens which slumbers the rest of the day and night…” – Thoreau

I left my house around 4 in the morning to walk to this spot to capture the awakening day… and an ample amount of photo moments awaited…

Matt at WordPress tossed a morsel of a prompt, and since I had just reviewed the images marked, ‘Dawn,” I quickly opened a “New Post” page.

Sometimes I work on artistic projects all night and am brought to a stopping point by the sounds of the awakening birds.  Viewing dawn on the river reminds me of how timeless this last bend of the river can be.

The anticipation of dawn beneath full-moon skies

The moon sets over the river.

My most memorable dawn moments happen when I awaken around 4 and venture outside to witness the visual beauty to the start of the day.  My senses are usually heightened, and with a strong attachment to the surrounding landscape, I try to capture that beauty.

Join me on a cyber walk on one of Costa Rica’s most beautiful beaches, Playa San Miguel. We’ll start with photos from the awakening day photo from above:

Gotta Wear Shades

Tags

El Matal Ecuador, feeling groovy, gotta wear shades, things to do in manabi ecuador, Whale watching in ecuador

The past few weeks have offered so many impromptu photo ops, and most of the photos are self explanatory!

(Jama-El Matal-Manabi Ecuador) August 2014
Are you ready for a feeling-alright-unique scene here at latitude zero?  Climb aboard!  (Sun shades optional.)

While photographing the frigates against the setting sun, I turned to see the rising moon sneaking into the scene…

Using an irrigation pipe for a rest for the camera, I waited for the frigates to circle overhead…

Walking toward home, I scanned the skies for returning birds. I found an ultra quiet one sneaking across the sky…

The next day my feathered friends (wood storks) escorted President Rafael Correa to Jama! (Post in progress.)

Speaking of sun shades!  Those shoes were bright!  Now back to the story…

In between numerous distractions, I have been painting mosaics on pottery. (Timeout post will be a little bit tardy!)

A few days later I wondered what the pelicans were doing at El Matal…

“Are you SURE you are ready for what we have planned for you?” asked Mr. Pelican…

“Buckle your seatbelt and VAMOS a El Matal!”

Ahem, well the past week has been in-cre-EE-ble, so I thought, “Maybe I should wear shades for this visit…”

In my haste to leave the house, I forgot to wear shades…

Who’s The Boss on this Shrimp Farm?

Tags

cameronera, dady cuadrado, how shrimp are harvested, shrimp harvest ecuador, storks, white birds

Life on a Cameronera (Shrimp Farm)

Jama-Manabi-Ecuador  – July 2014

The shrimp ponds along Rio Jama are owned by a handful of families, and each one has a modest headquarters where pumps, feed and supplies are stored. Life is usually quiet on these cameroneras;  the pumps run when fresh ocean water ebbs upriver each day, and they are quiet when the river is low.

Many times a modest living area is located on the second floor above the bodega. (My house is this type of design.)  Having someone watching over the ponds day and night helps protect against theft (yes- thieves sneak in at night and steal shrimp!).   The employee also turns the pumps on and keeps an ear tuned for signs of mechanical problems.  When the river water levels get low, the pumps are turned off.

Storks clean up the leftovers after a harvest!

The health of the ponds is closely monitored from the time the tiny larvae are delivered to a small nursery pond until the day of harvest.    Oxygen levels are important, and sunny conditions produce healthier ponds than cloudy ones.   The ponds are deep enough that herons and egrets are not tempted by the shrimp that stay near the bottom.  If the birds line the edges, it’s a sign that something’s wrong – perhaps the shrimp need more oxygen, and they’re coming to the surface.  

One Wave at a Time

Tags

aguaji, boobies in manabi, El Matal Ecuador, gringo tree cuenca, gringo tree quito, high tide beach loss, spring tides july 2014

(retweeet)@Petchary @PanosCaribbean (ZeebraDesigns said: Beneath full moon will be at front line, feet in sand, staring mother ocean’s eyes (mouth?) one wave at a time. – 11 Jul)

Emma Lewis
@Petchary @ZeebraDesigns @PanosCaribbean “That sounds poetic, but sad… Will be thinking of you.”

With little room between the high-tide mark and the buildings, Playa El Matal’s front street is choked with boats, fishermen, tourists and locals.

El Matal, Manabi, Jama, Ecuador

Mother Ocean was quite calm last night, and the night weaned into daytime without threatening and dangerous waves.  I peered out at the waves about once an hour and was glad to see dawn arrive with a gentle awakening.

With palm trees flanking each side of my friends home, I remained all but incredulous when they told me that in 2010, they could step 54 paces from the end of their lot to the edge of the dry beach that angled to the ocean!   I looked at their old photos, and I now sit with jaw agape at how much has been devoured by the ocean.

Fighting the Good Fight

Tags

aguaji, aguaji 2014, coco beach village, El Matal Ecuador, geo tubes, july 2014 high tide, spring tide damage, tide charts

“What if it lines up like it did in the Trojan War … Athena versus Poseidon?”  

“I don’t know. But I just know that I’ll be fighting next to you.”

“Why?”  

“Because you’re my friend, Seaweed Brain. Any more stupid questions?”  ― Rick Riordan- The Lightning Thief

Late afternoon – Feb 02, 2014 – El Matal Ecuador – Homeowner photo

screen shot from video

Coco Beach Village/El Matal Ecuador

The good fight is the one that we fight in the name of our dreams.  – Paulo Coelho (The Pilgrimage)

Imagine having a nightmare where a wall of water threatens to wash you, your friends, your home and your village away.  You see it approaching on the horizon.  You’re watching as if a voyeur and unable to awaken others who might be able to help.  You’re screaming, yet no one hears, as if they are deaf or your voice is muted.  There’s only a short amount of time, and a cluster of neighbors and several strangers leap into your nightmare and project a united front as the clock ticks backward.

Will this woman’s home survive the high tides?

The monster’s first attack arrived in January, and a diet of sand and driftwood kept it quiet for another month.  Developing a taste for a more refined diet, it returned in February and nibbled at the foundations of homes while upending open-air boat shelters and pondering ways to devour the street on its next attack.

Full-Moon Vigil

Tags

coastal erosion, fighting mother ocean, high tides, kuna indians san blas islands, linda the task at hand, pacific ocean high tides, spring tides

El Matal – Ecuador — What will remain after this weekend’s full-moon high tides?

Everything that happens once can never happen again. But everything that happens twice will surely happen a third time.   –  Paulo Coelho

Tapping into her sensitive powers of observation about her surroundings, Linda of The Task at Hand often trusts her own predictions instead of the local weather forecasts.  When not penning poetic salt-of-the earth stories about her life, Linda’s specialty is varnishing boats.  An unexpected change in weather can ruin her meticulous work.     Enjoy her post about the subtle weather-forecasting hints here: SCHOOLED BY SUMMER . 

High tides affect many areas – Bahia de Caraquez- ECUADOR – February 2014

This past week Linda inquired about my friends at nearby Playa el Matal, where Mother Ocean chomped away the shoreline during the January and February (2014) spring tides.   Everyone at El Matal is preparing for the third battle against  tides that will barrel ashore beneath this weekend’s full moon.   We are hoping there will be no need for new posts titled like the one written in February:   It’s Devastating

Coco Beach Village/El Matal Ecuador

Goodnight Moon – Pre-dawn at Playa San Miguel Costa Rica

Each evening when I gaze up at the waxing moon, a heavy sense of foreboding washes over my spirit.  I think about the combination of high tides, storms at sea, the direction of winds, and how they affect the fierceness of the waves, especially when they reach the shore at high tide.  Like those who live near the ocean, I am aware of the seriousness of the tides that will arrive this  weekend.

This full moon brings an extra-high sea, and those who live at or near sea level will surely be participating in sea-watch vigils around the globe, including Panama’s Kuna Indians on the San Blas Islands.

Timeout for Art: Pencil Practice!

Tags

drawing trees, PENCIL DRAWINGS, things to do when bored, Timeout for Art

Go ahead; pick up a pencil and have fun!

“To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So do it.” Kurt Vonnegut

The ritual of sharpening pencils preps me with anticipation for drawing. Those of you who feel as if the talent fairy passed over you – stop long enough to sharpen a pencil and practice for half an hour per week, and most likely you will spend much more time in communication with your pencil and paper!  An extra benefit is blocking out distractions and getting in touch with your true self!

Shading the background made the bamboo come forward (Lapiz – Pencil Punta- Point

Choose a forgiving subject and sketch the main areas, make very light notations for dark and medium shading, and be very careful around those light areas! Let the bare paper represent the lightest lights. For those of you who are celebrating holidays, try sketching an ear of corn or a wad of firecrackers, then shade the negative space that surrounds them! (Are firecrackers still allowed in the USA?)

The absence of erasers (while drawing) disciplines me to be careful and to think ahead, and the drawing stays fresh. I also use a second sheet of paper to cover my work. If there’s no available sheet around, I’ll use a paper napkin or a thin board – anything to avoid smudges!   Students often spend as much time erasing as they do drawing; learning to sketch without the crutch of an eraser will reward you with drawings that are not overworked.

Someone requested a pencil drawing of a ceibo tree, so i’m having fun with a series of small drawings!

Pencil drawing allows you to stop at any time and resume later. Little by little, the sketch evolves into a stronger work of art. Trees are my favorite subject to sketch, and after working from life, I can complete the drawing days or weeks or months or even years later! Many times my preliminary sketch is filled with notations so that I remember where the lights, darks and middle values are located.

Timeout for Art – Field Work

Tags

Black necked stilts, ecuador shrimp ponds, little blue heron, snowy egrets, Timeout for Art - Field Work, white ibis

Is there a pecking order in the egret family tree?

“When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe.”John Muir”

Manabi Province, Ecuador –

Many birds feast in the shrimp ponds; when the water is drained for harvest, the avian telegraph announces the all-you-can-eat buffet!

Yay! Lunch is ready!/

Elusive white ibis flock to the ponds for their ration of shellfish; petite kingfishers perch near the outlet pipes and spear random hors d’oeuvres.  Great egrets tower over snowy egrets and little blue herons as they scramble, squawk and poke for shrimp and fish.

Conceited snowy egrets, pairing black leggings with bright-yellow slippers,  fluff their wispy feathers to claim entitlement to the choicest morsels!

One Happy Family…

In formal attire, the black-necked stilts add a modest touch of elegance and keep a low profile along the edges of the pond!  Although the stilts have always captured my attention, I realized that I knew little when I began a study based on an old photo. They are black and white and have very long reddish-pink legs. Do they all have pink legs, or do the male and female have different colorations?

“Oh Grandmother; what big eyes you have!”

Consulting a bird book, I was surprised to learn that stilts have red eyes! (Red eyes?) I looked at photos on the computer. The less-than precise images showed dark eyes. Details were lacking on the bill as well, and I was unsure – was it curved slightly like an ibis, or did it have a slight upturn – or was it straight as a sewing needle? Rather than guess, I waited for an opportunity for field research.

Awakenings on the River

Tags

Cocoi heron, dawn, daylight, Egrets, Frigate birds, herons in ecuador, wordpress daily challenge out my backdoor, wordpress writing challenge great expectations

The Daily Post tossed out a challenge with four options this week; I selected this one: “Take a draft post that you didn’t published because it didn’t turn out as you expected. Change the story, revise it, and publish.”

I found two posts in drafts; one recent post from April 3rd  stalled because of slow internet and low battery:

“…In today’s WP post, Kristin nudges us to, ‘Look out your back window or door — describe what you see, as if you were trying to convey the scene to someone from another country or planet.’

Most sources say that this song was written for Fogerty’s 3-year old son and was inspired a Dr. Seuss book.  I’m quite pleased to introduce you to this cast of characters out my own backdoor!

 

Reaching back to a post from January 2013, I can finally release these birds from their cyber cages.  May they soar from my back door round the world and lighten your day!

Timeout for Art: Solar Calendar

Tags

Here comes the sun, Marking the Sun, Timeout for Art Solar Calendar

April 23, 2013 Solar Calendar’s first month!

And you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it’s sinking,
Racing around to come up behind you again.
— Pink Floyd (Time)

Marking the sun’s shadow during Ecuador’s rainy season depends on the mood of the clouds!  It also requires a bit of discipline to watch for that sunset hour and the presence or absence of light and shadow. 2013 is represented with hit and miss notations across the balcony wall, and the new year is marked with pencil.

This past week I’ve cherished the sunlight a bit more than usual, because the circle of houses near the farm has been without power for four days!  One squeezes the most out of the daylight hours when candle power illuminates the evening! (I’m taking a timeout at Hostal Ciragan in town!)

When I noted the end-of-day sunlight earlier this week, I marked the solar calendar and noted that the shadow matched (thank goodness!) last year’s mark!

Guaranda Bound via Misty Chimborazo

Tags

Chimborazo, Guaranda, travel theme misty

(Near Volcano Chimborazo and Guaranda Ecuador)

My friends Hank and Marie trusted my recommendations and veered off the beaten path to view the lovely snow-capped Volcano Chimborazo.  Beyond “Chimbo” was the quiet Andean city of Guaranda, our destination for the next few days.

Time slows while white-knuckle driving through dangerous cloud-shrouded mountain switchbacks.  I had traveled that road ten years earlier, and at times I wondered if I had pointed us in the wrong direction!  

Little Wing, Butterflies and Zebras

Tags

bright yellow green caterpillars in ecuador, caterpillars in ecuador, jimi hendrix butterflies and zebras little wing, transformation, Wordpress photo challenge THRESHOLD

“…I know I saw it somewhere around here… There! There you are!… “

Manabi Province/Ecuador –

Yesterday while pulling tender rank growth in the shady recesses of the gardens, I noted an abnormal splash of electric color near ground level.  Pausing for a closer look, this Zeebra allowed a psychedelic caterpillar to alter the next ten or so minutes of my day!

Dodging Bullets

Tags

chile earthquake april 1 2014, dodging bullets, wildlife's strange behavior before earthquakes

April 1, 2014 – Did the sun know of the upcoming earthquake?

At sunset yesterday, I noted that the tidal waters seemed a bit different – I could not articulate why, but there was something strange or surreal about the way the water was moving;  the birds used different flight patterns as well, and many more egrets and herons roosted in the mangroves; the pelicans were absent.  (That happened last year a few days before bad weather approached.)

After sunset, I came inside and followed a random ‘tweet……. tweet……………….. tweet…………….’ to its source and welcomed a frightened nomad for a B&B night at Casa Loca!  Last year I flunked Baby Bird Rescue, so this year I tried a different menu.

Look who came for dinner! (I fed it aloe vera water and mashed aloe vera pulp!

Timeout for Art – Sharing Your World with Others

Tags

Acryilc Painting, Brugmansia, datura, Night Gardens, Painting flowers in acrylic, Tropical Gardens

When you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it’s your world for the moment. I want to give that world to someone else. (Georgia O’Keeffe)

Inspired by my friends’ gardens in Mindo Ecuador, this evolving make-believe garden of acrylic paint has grown one flower at a time! Gingers and heliconias make excellent subject matter for botanical studies, but it’s been about ten years since I painted the lovely queen of the night.

A fringe benefit of working from life is the fragrance of the flowers!

Capturing the essence of the elegant datura (brugmansia) raised the bar and challenged me to transport the viewer into the mysteries of a nocturnal cloud-forest scene.  Datura, a bewitching queen of the evening,  opens at dusk and releases her intoxicating fragrance throughout the night.   A dangerous hallucinogen, it is used by shamans in ayahuasca ceremonies and is also abused by criminals to drug unsuspecting victims.  Devoted gardeners cultivate it for the beauty of its flowers and the delicate lemony aroma.

After working inside during the night, I moved to the garden and painted briefly the next morning.

The daturas preside over shade loving plants, and each compliments the other.  Deep crimson king’s torch gingers dig their toes into the cool soil and stretch skyward toward the datura.  Flaming-orange heliconias squeeze between available gaps and fill in the middle ground.   At night, I sometimes wonder what creature might be lurking in the shadows only a few feet away!

A Bouquet of Pink

Tags

pink flamingo yard art, pink flowers, Where's my backpack travel theme pink

Almost twenty years ago, a friend sneaked this flamingo into my gardens in Natchez, Mississippi. Kathy’s calling card moves with me, and it still triggers a smile. Presently it watches over a young ceibo tree that was rescued from the blade of an excavator.

The pink flamingo proudly watches over this assortment of flowers in honor of Ailsa’s travel theme, PINK!

Timeout for Art: Timeout for Equinox!

Tags

Equinox, Timeout for Art

Maracuya fruit marks high noon on the equator – March 20, 20140 equinox

“There are times when we stop, we sit still. We listen and breezes from a whole other world begin to whisper.”  James Carroll

There are also times that beg for a fast timeout for art;  the above image illustrates one minute’s prep in the kitchen, a dash outside to record the sun’s shadow at high noon, and a few minutes of doodling with a paint program for a hand-drawn smile!

Compare today’s shadow with the image from last June’s solstice, when the sun stretched as far north as the celestial laws permit!

Timeout for Art: Be Yourself!

Tags

be yourself, Timeout for Art, watercolor

“The Magic Portal” – Watercolor – Lisa Brunetti

The hardest challenge is to be yourself in a world where everyone is trying to make you be somebody else.
~E. E. Cummings

Watch the frog come to life!  These photos show how a subject can seize control and affect the mood.

Timeout for Art: Learning to See

Tags

Agaves, Cayambe Ecuador, Hacienda Guachala, Timeout for Art Learning to See

“Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing.” Camille Pissarro

Hacienda Guachala, the oldest hacienda in Ecuador, provides endless subject matter, especially when the early-morning sun warms the gardens.  Although dramatic shadows showcased the architecture of the two churches, my attention wavered to the subtle voice of the agaves.

Agave Study – Watercolor – Copyright Lisa Brunetti

Walk with me through the gardens, and hopefully you’ll agree with my choice for this (above) watercolor study.

Define Incongruent, Por Favor!

Tags

aguaji, El Matal Ecuador, incongruent, man vs nature

Although there are thousands of egrets, cormorants, frigates and pelicans in my neighborhood, today one lone cocoi heron stood guard in front of the riverhouse. Thanks, neighbor!

(Webster’s II – Office Edition 1984)
Incongruent – adj. 1. Not congruent. 2. Incongruous
Incongruous – adj – 1. Not corresponding: disagreeing  2.  Made up of diverse or discordant elements. 3. Unsuited to the surroundings or settings.
Congruent – adj. 1. Corresponding: congruous.
Congruous – adj – 1. /Corresponding in nature or kind.

Jama & El Matal Ecuador – February 2014
If this last bend of Rio Jama were populated with thousands of Cocoi Herons and few egrets, a different species might be featured above!   There’s something special about close encounters with elusive species.   On the first day of this year, the distinct call of the lone osprey whispered, ‘I’m back; did you miss me?” (Yes, I did!)

Roosting egrets streak home in low light!

Equally elusive is the lone Cocoi Heron, a pearl of a recluse that dodges society. At times this feathered beauty stands guard in the mud flats upriver, or it edges closer to the ibis and egrets that forage beneath the blue-green mangroves. Quite shy and untrusting, it soars away at the slightest hint of human presence. Today, however, this closest neighbor of mine stood guard slightly downriver from the house while rough-winged swallows flitted nearby!

Cocoi Heron Stands Guard

Gazing out the other windows, I’ve observed a different scene for over a month. I’ve briefly mentioned this new activity, though I’ve tried to dismiss it; this daily intrusion sometimes lasts into the night.

Beach Loss Reaches Critical Status; Community Unites

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aguaji el matal ecuador, beach loss 2014, beach specialist, coastal erosion ecuador, effects from sand mining, effects from taking sand from beaches, el matal ecuador beach loss, geotubes, is it legal to take sand from the beach?, restoring sand to beaches, Sand Mining

Waving valiantly, this flag joins many others in El Matal’s fishing fleet.
At noon on Valentine’s Day, many fishermen were not with their boats – they were attending the public meeting about their vanishing beach.

El Matal (Manabi) Ecuador

Residents of El Matal and concerned citizens from nearby areas displayed a united front at the public meeting to discuss the critical status of the eroding beach.   Engineer Daniel Santata, a coastal specialist, joined the Minister of Pescadores and the Director of Risk (Portoviejo), though the meeting began without the presence of Mayor/Alcade Alex Cevallos.

Where beach restaurants once punctuated the public beach, a withering young palm stood guard while 70-plus locals gathered for the community meeting.

Because of difficulty in understanding sometimes rapid-fire Spanish, and straining to grasp what I heard through the outdoor acoustics, I apologize in advance for errors in translation.  The essence of the meeting follows.  Z

Here, Birdie Birdie Birdie! Great Backyard Bird Count!

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backyard bird oount 2014, counting birds, things to do on a boring day!, what to do today, what to do with children

http://gbbc.birdcount.org/
These are the last two days for the Backyard Bird Count!

How Many Birds?
The text field is not showing on the “New Post” page, but these photos should get the message to all of you!

How many feathered friends are awaiting your attention? Start counting and share your results!
http://gbbc.birdcount.org/

El Matal Middle and Upper End

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aguaji el matal ecuador, coastal damage, El Matal Ecuador

El Matal (Manabi) Ecuador – February 2014

While waiting for a bus connection, I’m pulling these photos out of draft status before rolling to home sweet jama! These photos were taken one week after the destructive tides that washed away most of the remaining beach. (See It’s Devastating)

Gallivanta continues her support with helpful feedback from across the Pacific  (New Zealand) – i am especially grateful for this radio interview with coastal scientist Jim Dahm: http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/2585167

The bus just rolled into town, so without any captions added to the photos, I share the images taken in front of El Matal “proper, past Coco Beach Village, and along a natural area.

El Matal – The Southern End

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aguaji el matal, ecuador beaches, El Matal Ecuador, fishing boats, how to stop beach erosion, losing pacific beaches, sand loss on ocean beaches, vanishing beaches

Heads up, Jama Residents:  Community meeting with officials at Raul’s Corner Restaurant – Tuesday February 11, 2014

El Matal Ecuador –  This past Friday, I walked almost the entire stretch of El Matal’s beach, from the southern end closest to the landmark of Punta Ballena to El Matal “Proper” and Coco Beach Village, past the site of the new Punta Ballena Development, through the river mouth (low tide) and stopped for a very late lunch at  the community of La Division.  I’ve surely earned the title of “Beach Inspector” for this past week!

Although I missed seeing the devastating high tides, the beach wears its scars from its battle with Mother Ocean.  The powerful waves stripped the sand beneath the thatched-roof bamboo structures that once sheltered the boats.  In the next assault, will she devour the road and advance to the houses and restaurants?

(Pardon me, but you’re blocking the road!) Where will the fishermen put their boats if the ocean destroys the road?

Overwhelmed with hundreds of photos, I’ll start with the southern end of the beach.  Walk with me  and enjoy the beauty while pondering the dilemma of the vanishing coastline.

Timeout for Art – Making Others See (and Smile!)

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blue footed booby, Ecuador Expat Journeys, how to make someone smile, isla corazon ecuador, quick art, Timeout for Art - Making Others See (and Smile!)

“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” –  Degas

A random conversation inspired this whimsical illustration.   Sketched and painted between a hurried breakfast and a check-out departure via tour bus, this illustration will provide a big smile to a friend’s friend – who requested, ‘Bring me a feather from a blue-footed booby!”

We spotted white ibis at Isla Corazon – (Rio Chone near Bahia de Caraquez) – but few blue-footed boobies live in this area!

Since we didn’t cross paths with a blue-footed booby, we hope that the image (at the top) will give her a grand smile!

Ironically,  Jonathan, the director/operator of this coastal tour, looked at the image and remarked, ‘A blue-footed owl!”   Immediately an entire series of blue-footed creatures raced through my mind!

Sometimes it’s not important to get everything perfect.  Allow the mistakes to shine while you capture the memories of the moment!

Place your bets;  will more blue-footed creatures parade through future posts?!

Z

Wild Journey

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arash recovery, Destructive tides Ecuador February 2014, Ecuador Expat Journeys, El Matal Ecuador, i will survive, life's hurdles, living on ecuador's coasts, overcoming accidents

Four days past the desecration of El Matal, angry waves warn, “Don’t forget – we will return…” photo taken at Bahia de Caraquez, Manabi Province – Ecuador —photo taken February 06, 2014

I’ve never appreciated misleading headlines, and this one slightly tilts in that direction!  The past six months have kept my dance card full, and my slow or no internet has made it difficult to open a compose page or even leave comments (or answer them!)  When traveling, I am able to read websites and emails, yet an external keyboard is necessary for replying.  My sometimes-cryptic replies are often written with copy/paste functions if retrieving the keyboard is not an option.

The past few months presented unique experiences; I wrestled  Diablo Huma into a shipping tube and blasted him into his first international trip in the midst of a winter storm.

Diablo Huma is a STAR!

I joined others in witnessing the first assault of destructive waves at El Matal Ecuador then felt equally powerless as last week’s sobering battle confirmed that these people deserve national attention and help. While my friends played David and Goliath with Mother Ocean, I spent time with a delightful coastal Ecuador Expat Journeys group.

George, from Hawaii, was our precious king for the week!

Leaving Salinas Ecuador

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Behind the scenes on other WordPress channels, many people are fighting their own personal battles.    You embraced Jenna’s story, and I suspect this next one will have a profound effect as well.   With zero preface about his history, I introduce you to an incredible man who closed his last post with the sentence, ” …As I continue on this wild journey, I maintain the promise I’ve made to many people to…”

Prepare for an amazing journey.

Start here:  ArashRecovery Never Satisfied

The strong phoenix emerges from the ashes.
(Sculpture detail- artist Ivo Uquillos, Portoviejo Ecuador)

(Real life trumps fun times; Timeout for Art coming later today!)

Z

Hello Beautiful World! Chrysalis Awakenings

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Butterflies, chrysalis, cycles of life, metamorphosis, southern nostalgia, WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge beginning

Hello World! Chrysallis

In contrast to the previous post, Hello Cruel World, this one features the carefree awakenings of butterflies.   The above emerging butterfly is one of many showcased at the Mindo (Ecuador) Butterfly Gardens, where one steps into a magical world of colorful butterflies and equally-colorful flowers.

Witnessing the chrysalis of butterflies awakens a childlike wonder, and I recall a private showing several years ago on the deck of my home!  Even though the drab-colored caterpillars stripped the foliage of the passion fruit vines, they later rewarded me with with an unforgettable beginning to my morning!

Hello Cruel World – Hatchling Begins Battle to Reach Maturity

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copyright lisa brunetti, Olive Ridley Sea Turtle, turtle emerging from shell, wordpress photo challenge - beginning

WordPress Photo Challenge theme this week is Beginning, and many images jumped into my mind.  Short and sweet, here is one of a very tender moment in Costa Rica:

Several days after its litter mates scuttled to the ocean, this little survivor emerged from its shell after the exhumation of the nest. We watched this olive ridley hatchling awaken and instinctively head to the ocean. Hopefully it’s now thriving and telling its story of rescue! Perhaps it’s saying, “Not all humans are ignoring our plight!”

This little turtle will slowly reach maturity in a dozen or so years, when it will return to its beach of origin to play its role in breeding and keeping its species from becoming extinct.  Thanks, all of you who helped the Eastern Hawksbill Turtles win the competition’s grand prize! Ingrid and Alex were thrilled that the turtles’ cheering section kept them in the lead!

For more information about the nesting, hatching, conservation and dangers facing the olive ridley sea turtles, see this post:  OLIVE RIDLEY SEA TURTLE.

Happy New Year!  Z