Touch the Sky!

Tags

Ayahuma, Ayauma, Cayambe Ecuador, Cayambe IntiRaymi 2017, IntiRaymi, San Pedro Celebration June Solstice

Cayambe Ecuador – From one side of the country to the other and halfway back again, I’ve been in transit a lot and online a little. On June 21, I reached Cayambe Ecuador after dark and decided to stay in the city instead of my normal stopover at Hacienda Guachala.

Map from Flor de Valle “Ofelia’ bus terminal-Quito.

This alignment of choices placed me square in the middle of a June Solstice event, where the locals still honor Pachamama, known to others as our dear Mother Earth.

This event is part of a month-long celebration called the Fiestas de San Pedro* y del Sol, which bridges the Catholic religion with the ancient Indigenous customs.  –  *This year’s festivities will continue until July 8, but the San Pedro customs are observed throughout the country, sometimes for several more months.  On June 28, I will be attending Jama’s on the coast.

San Pedro/Inti Raymi

Hostal Cayambe, between the main square and Cayambe’s most-famous Bizcochos cafe.

The night manager of Hostal Cayambe told me of a ‘children’s parade’ that would start at nine in the morning. Her description was quite modest, and the extremely-colorful parade lasted several hours!

Timeout for Art: Imagination vs Scientific Seriousness

Tags

"The Muir Tree", Acrylic paintings of trees, palo santo tree, scientific illustration

“I spread out my map under a tree and made up my mind to go through Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia to Florida, thence to Cuba, thence to some part of South America; but it will be only a hasty walk…

I wandered away on a glorious botanical and geological excursion, which has lasted nearly fifty years and is not yet completed, always happy and free, poor and rich, without thought of a diploma or of making a name, urged on and on through endless, inspiring Godful beauty.John Muir — The Story of My Boyhood and Youth (1913),

Like John Muir, I had a childhood dream,  but mine was to live in Argentina’s pastoral Pampas region, painted so lovely in my fifth-grade geography book.  I wanted to raise quarter horses and ride the pampas like those gaucho cowboys!

Those Mississippi-childhood dreams faded, though every so often I was wistful to live in the Neotropics, home to exotic botanical specimens I thirsted to see in person, where locals conveniently used large tropical leaves for impromptu umbrellas and where heliconias soared to the moon.

The road less traveled eventually delivered me to Central America and then Ecuador, places where the temperatures never dipped below freezing – unless I desired to visit the peaks of Chimborazo, Cotopaxi or other high-altitude landmarks that dot South America’s Andean spine.

There are times when I enjoy an eye-to-eye inspection of those exotic plants, and by capturing their likeness with pencil or water media, I discover minute details that otherwise might be missed. I always walk away with deeper respect for the plant and its support cast of companions.

Brugmansia leaf detail – acrylic

Detail: Brugmansia y Ginger – Acrylic

Wildflowers facing north! (Acrylic)

While painting this Thunbergia study, I noticed monarch caterpillars nibbling the leaves of a nearby milkweed!

There are times when I toss the scientific seriousness aside and allow the personality of the subject to emerge. These always bring great mischievous joy, as if freeing a personality that was trapped by a long-ago wicked spell.  Most people can easily spot the human spirit in Ecuador’s Ceibo trees Ceiba trichistandra.

Presently I’m in the tropical dry forest, where for half a year the climate is humid with bi-polar rainfall, depending on moods of the nearby Pacific waters.   The rainy season weans into the dry season, and many trees go into a dormant stage.

It is in this section of Ecuador’s coast where the gigantic Ceibo trees join forces with the much-smaller Palo Santo.   These two trees leave lasting imprints on those who bond with the flora and fauna of the area.

‘What is that unique sweet smell?’ people might ask.   Many times it’s the subtle aroma of a just-bruised branch of Palo Santo.    The dried ‘holy’ wood is burned to repel mosquitoes as well as to clean a room of heavy energies or bad spirits.

Palo Santo tree

Recently my friend Luchi and I began work on a painting of a Palo Santo tree, which grows along Ecuador’s Pacific coast.  He presented some photos he hoped to work with, and we inspected two trees growing in the hostal gardens.  I began the painting as he watched, and then he joined the painting session!

How Long Can You Hold Your Breath?

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climate change, Earth Day, earth week, march for science, peoples climate march

 

 

‘If you really think the environment is less important than the economy, try holding your breath while you count your money.’ – Dr. Guy McPherson

Manabi Ecuador –  About eight years ago the climate on Ecuador’s coast seemed to be almost perfect.  I could work outside for hours and never feel over heated, yet the sun would burn my skin quite fast.    Many times in the night we needed long sleeves and/or jackets.

Now it seems that the cloud forest, which I remembered being much cooler,  has the ideal temperatures, and the coastal weather – on a cloudless day – is stifling!

June Solstice 2016

Today I asked an older lady if she thought the coastal climate was warmer than in earlier years.   “Yes,” she said, “It is much hotter now.”

“Why do you think it has changed?”  I asked.

Timeout for Wanderlust, Accidental Experiences – and a Little Art!

Tags

baeze ecuador, costnga ecuador, rio napo ecuador, Timeout for Art, yachana lodge ecuador

Between Yachana Lodge and Loretto…

“Please be a traveler, not a tourist. Try new things, meet new people, and look beyond what’s right in front of you. Those are the keys to understanding this amazing world we live in.”   Andrew Zimmern

Ecuador – As a child growing up in the Misssippi Delta, I was painfully shy and dreaded interactions with strangers.  A loner, I thrived when roaming the outdoors, inspecting wildflowers along ditch banks or immersed in the dense canopy of the woodlands, where I might sit for hours in hushed tranquility.

My favored destination on my childhood roamings were big trees in dense areas.  – Ceiba tree Near Rio Napo – Ecuador

I am grateful for  young-adult opportunities of teaching art as well as speaking to groups as ‘A Gardening Artist.’   I realized that we all have strengths and weaknesses, and that unique threads connect us all.    Slowly I grew comfortable with interacting with strangers, and now I embrace those opportunities to know my fellow man.

After leaving Yachana Lodge on Good Friday,  friends Stephen and Xiomara and I embarked on a journey that presented many unique experiences which almost always included the locals.

Honoring our Planet

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climate change, earth day 2017

The El Lechero Tree – Sacred Site overlooking Lago San Pablo, Ecuador

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.” – Rachel Carson

When the health of our planet suffers, we suffer as well.   May we all take time to appreciate our natural resources and work together to be guardians of Mother Earth. She will might survive without us, but how much longer can we survive if the delicate balance is tipped too far?

Join me via cyber visit to check on some of my favorite locations.

Vicunas near Chimborazo

Chimborazo – Brrrrrrrr!

Between Otavalo and Volcano Imbabura (Ecuador)

Quinoa – near Otavalo Ecuador.

Lago San Pablo 0 Near Otavalo Ecuador

Shrimp pond – Jama Ecuador

Amtrack – somewhere between New Orleans and the Mississippi Delta…

Atmosphere

Tags

Ecuador Amazon, rio napo, yachana lodge

Yachana Lodge, Rio Napo, Eastern Ecuador

“What are you all looking at?” Douglas, the owner of Yachana Lodge asked Xiomara and me.

I smiled and replied, “Atmosphere.”

Timeout for Art – The Muir Tree

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"The Muir Tree", acrylic paintings, John Muir Quotes, Painting trees, Timeout for Art

The trees are watching!  Near Rio Cinto-Mindo Ecuador

“Any fool can destroy trees. They cannot run away; and if they could, they would still be destroyed — chased and hunted down as long as fun or a dollar could be got out of their bark hides, branching horns, or magnificent bole backbones. .” — John Muir

Sometimes a work of art ‘just happens’ as if some invisible hand guides the process.  Everything aligns as if magically orchestrated.

Watercolor  by Lisa Brunetti –  With no pencil prep, I focused on one part of the flower then went straight to painting; the initials strokes of paint slowly evolved into the study of the Thunbergia flowers.

Othertimes a work of art requires preparation and homework, which starts as a spacial gathering of information and honing that data until clarity guides the artist forward.

The Muir quote has always fired my imagination, and I pictured trees frowning in disgust or wide-eyed with fear of being felled or even timidly hiding and peering from behind rocky facades. While pondering ways to illustrate the quote, I began seeking out and studying the twisted growth of mature guava trees – cousins to crepe myrtles – to merge the illusion of limbs and antlers.

Yachana Bound!

Tags

amazon lodges in ecuador, eco travel, geotourism, napo river ecudor, rio napo, yachana lodge

Photo courtesy of Yachana Lodge – Napo Province – Ecuador

“Yachana?”

With painting supplies, boots and flashlight already tucked into my bag, I’ll be Yachana bound soon!

“Boots? Raincoat? Flashlight?”

Yes, because I am a seasoned ‘Girl Scout’ and know to be prepared, especially if I’m returning to the gateway to the Amazon.  This time I’ll be even closer than I was on last month’s trip to Cosanga!

I’ll be taking trusted travel ‘needs’ AND a new pad of Canson Watercolor Paper AND very-special brushes! Thanks Pachamamas!

You must be wonderning, “What is Yachana; where is Yachana?”

Don’t worry for even one second that I will be treading in uncharted or unsafe territories!

In Celebration of Trees

Tags

admiring trees, Mindo Ecuador, protecting trees, rio bravo reserve, tree quotes, trees

The other creatures with which we share this world have their rights too, but not speaking our language, they have no voice, no vote; it is our moral duty to take care of them. –  Roger Tory Peterson

Mindo Ecuador –    Sentinels of our communties, trees posses a strong power.   They plant their feet firmly and stretch their arms toward the heavens as if tickling the sky.  Horizontal branches provide support for a child’s  dreamy afternoon respite or a house cat or even a jaguar! In the Neotropics, trees provide a unique ecosytem, where bromeliads, orchids, vines and ferns provide food and shelter for insects, birds, reptiles, mammals, etc.    The dense shade cloaks the ground with welcome relief from extreme heat.  Ah, who hasn’t expressed gratitude when stepping beneath the canopy of a large tree on a sultry day?

The people in the tree had the best seats for the game!  The ones on the ground clustered beneath any shade! Jama Ecuador

One friend long ago mentioned ‘custom harvesting’ a tract of land, and he knew that it bothered me.    He explained, “But the trees are going to die anyway, so we might as well harvest them while the wood can be used. ”

I mentioned the dead trees’ importance and reminded him that dead trees were important habitat for the presumed-extinct Ivory-billed Woodpecker.  “Where will YOUR chidren take their children to see a really-big tree?”  

This past week while sorthing through old drawings and sketches, I paused when reviewing three or four pages of attempts to illustrate a quote.    Then Rebecca Budd /Clanmother shared a quote about trees, which nudged me into bringing that sketch to life.

Those lovely sentinels watch over us, yet many times we forget to acknowledge their presence or worth.

Join me in this celebration of trees!

Exploring New Horizons

When setting out on a journey, do not seek advice from those who have never left home. ~ Rumi

Ecuador’s Andes:  Eastern Slope – Cosanga – Western Slope -Mindo — Having just returned from a ten-day trip to the eastern side of Ecuador, I chuckled when I read Judy Edwards‘ Thought For the Day, shared above.

My friend Susana had often mentioned their ‘little cabaña’ tucked in a quiet area somewhere on the ‘Eastern Slope” of the Andes in the Napo Province, gateway to the Amazon.  Over the past year, she’s been fine-tuning details for a birding tour for a group of ladies from the USA and had asked if I’d help during their time at their Cabana El Aliso.  The tour would start on March 1st in Quito, end on March 10th in Mindo, with lots of great experiences in between.

Cosanga area landscape

Of course!  I would love to help!  I looked forward to seeing their cabaña and the surrounding landscape, but first needed to take care of my life on the Pacific side.  While in Jama, I received an email from Susana regarding plans for the week before the birding tour.

“…hopefully we can travel to la Cabaña El Aliso. How about Friday, Feb. 24th? This weekend (25-28) is Carnaval and I would like to spend these days in the Cabaña. Can you come with us.”  –

…Delicate and Fleeting as a Life in the Universe…

Tags

dragonfruit, Dragonfruit farm, fragrant plants, Mindo Ecuador, Nocturnal blooming plants, Pitahaya

Selenicereus megalanthus, better known as ‘Dragon Fruit’ – or ‘Pitahaya’ in Ecuador.

“And I think of the night-blooming cereus, a plant that looks like a leathery weed most of the year.

But for one night each summer its flower opens to reveal silky white petals, which encircle yellow lacelike threads,

and another whole flower like a tiny sea anemone within the outer flower.

By morning, the flower has shriveled. One night of the year, as delicate and fleeting as a life in the universe.” —Alan Lightman – The Accidental Universe: The World You Thought You Knew

Mindo Ecuador –  Dec. 01, 2016  (Rabbit-rabbit!)

Yesterday morning my friend Clemencia emailed to say, “We are having some flowering in the pitahaya, if you would like to come tonight… if you want to invite Cynthia, please do; she wanted to see the flowers too. It is not a big flowering, but the nights have been beautiful so even with a few it will be nice.”

Did you Miss the Mindo Bird Fair? (Oct. 08)

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Birding in Mindo ecuador, La Roulotte Mindo Ecuador, Mindo Bird Fair

Sandra  Patiño – (Bird of Paradise Tours/Mindo Ecuador)

(Mindo/Pichincha/Ecuador) -Observing the day of October 08 to acknowledge our feathered neighbors on this planet, the Mindo Bird Guide Association (Asociación de Guías Naturalistas de Mindo) partnered with local, national and international sponsors and hosted their second Bird Fair.   Of course I jumped at the opportunity to participate, starting at dawn yesterday, October 08!

Early-birders gathered for a dawn bird trek, and depending on which birds we hoped to see, our groups split in different directions.    I shadowed my friend Sandra Patiño, who guided us along a high ridge where hummingbirds, barbets and toucanets shared the spotlight while toucans and pygmy tyrants provided the live soundtrack!

Cloudforest Ironman (woman) Olympics?

Tags

creative ways to cross small rivers, Rio Cinto Ecuador, trek in the cloudforst

Open call to anyone who would like to compete in the River-crossing Competition!!

(Rio Cinto – Mindo, Ecuador) —When I learned that a friend planned to trek to the high ridge across Rio Cinto, I asked if I could tag along.  We agreed to meet at ten o’clock this past Saturday morning.   Since the starting point was very near the property, I walked the short distance and arrived a few minutes before the rest of the group.

We planned to go to the top of that high point… well, we thought that might be the target!

…or was it there??  (Why were we trying to reach the top?)

New friends have a little vacation house somewhere on the ridge, and they have  GOOD INTERNET reception! We planned to explore options for bouncing that signal down to the property…

The neighbors, who live in Quito, were unable to meet us (car trouble!) but their worker Lenin was there to guide us to their property.

Since I arrived first, Lenin showed me how to cross, then he patiently waited for my ‘landing’ on the far side.

Here’s a little background music to get us in the mood to swing!

Ready… Set… Let’s Go!!!

Timeout for Smiles

Tags

Timeout for Art, timeout for smiles

Before the Earthquake: Double smiles – He had new boots AND was thrilled to watch over his cousin’s new motorcycle!

“If my heart can become pure and simple like that of a child, I think there probably can be no greater happiness than this” Kitaro Nishida (From The Little Zen Companion)

The birds daily designs are drawn with cracked corn, and the birds slowly erase the designs! The frog usually hides behind the rain gauge.

The first hours of the morning are sacred to me, and I perfer to spend them in silence as I wean from an active dreamworld to the expectations of the day. An always-changing cast of winged performers flit through the living stage.  This morning, as I write from the comfort of the front balcony, a cheerful wren forages along the branches of a Pico-Pico tree just long enough to have its image caught on camera.

Hello Wren!

A dozen or more swallows perform an aerial ballet across the pure-blue skies. One crisp-yellow butterfly inspects the landscaped area near the ponnd. At times the butterflies move with such precision that I think they are birds! Scanning the vista below, I spot a Rufous-tailed Hummingbird perusing the morning’s floral department while deciding which will provide the prized nectar for the day.

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird takes a timeout from the flowers!

While admiring the hummingbird, I spot a large bird streak past the house and realize it was a Collared Aracari!

Serendipity

Tags

Alejandro Arteago, Atractus paucidens, Rio Cinto Mindo Ecuador, Tropical Herping Ecuador

Moon over Cinto Ridge

“Serendipity is the faculty of finding things we did not know we were looking for.” -Glauco Ortolano

( Mindo Ecuador )   –  Just before dusk last Monday, I drove to town to make a very-special telephone call.    Alejandro had urged me to contact him, but until this moment, our communications had only been via internet.

I stepped into the phone ‘cabina’ and placed a call that would greatly alter the rest of my evening.

“Hello Alejandro?   This is Lisa from Mindo-Cinto.”   I wondered if he would remember me, and then I added, “I have a snake in a bucket for you.   Black above and white below.  I just emailed the photos.”

Timeout for Art – Intense Concentration

Tags

painting birds in watercolor, painting toucans, Timeout for Art

“Hi!  Remember me?” (See Timeout- Let’s Draw a Toucan)

“It takes 100 per cent of your attention and focus, backed up with years of drawing experience, to train yourself to paint what you see.” Steve Childs

Mindo Ecuador –

Simple washes of color… Remember when using watercolor to let one area (yellow) to dry before beginning another (black) or they’ll run together and make a big mess!

Sometimes several washes of color are more effective for building texture and depth.   The cecropria limb started with light washes of blues and greens, and the lightest areas were saved while darker pigments brought form and texture to the painting.  The tree limb needs another session when I can work from life and apply the subtle details.

The second application of yellow, applied after the first had dried overnight, brings more life into the toucan.

Toucans are quite social, so the study has a few support characters!   The next image shows the small painting.   With watercolor, one tries to save the whites, as in the spots of light on the eyes.   One mistake many people make is to try to rush the painting, and they are rewarded with a dark color running into a lighter one.   Placing the dark pigment (Paynes gray + burnt sienna + ultramarine blue) in the eye area would be a fatal mistake if the green pigment had not dried.    Moving to the tree limbs – or even to a different painting is the best option.   Taking a break or putting the painting in the sun or waiting until the next day are other options.

Timeout for Art – Let’s Draw a Toucan!

Tags

Drawing, How to draw a toucan, Timeout for Art, using a grid for drawing

OK, aspiring artists! Sharpen your pencils and get ready to draw!

Hold that pose!

“Drawing is rather like playing chess: your mind races ahead of the moves that you eventually make. “— David Hockney

While scrolling through the photos taken over the past week, I critiqued the series of toucan photos with a disciplined eye.   Four are shown below; “A” shows the personality of the toucan. “B, C and D” were similar with subtle differences, but one seemed stronger to me. Which is your favorite? If you were about to draw one of the four, which would you chose and why?

Which would you chose to draw?

Two of the eight or so photos were my favorites, and I toggled between the two to decide which one would be the best candidate for a painting.  The two photos are below:

Toucan B

Toucan C

“B” bird seemed relaxed in its environment.   It also seemed heavy on the right side, as if an invisible line was pulling the bird toward the ground.   “C” seemed to tap into its survival sense, and though I was almost hidden from the bird’s view, it seemed to sense a foreign presence. “D” pose amused me; like many humans who are suddenly aware of a photo about to be taken, this bird lifted its beak just a bit and displayed a classic profile. Most likely, it was definitely aware of a foreign presence, and it was preparing to take flight! For a painting, however, it looked too perfect, although I really liked the backwards “S” curve of its throat and neck.

Toucan D held a classic pose, but it seemed too perfect…

After appreciating the toucan’s body English, I tried – through a teacher’s eyes – to decide what made “C” more pleasing to my eye. It appeared more balanced.   My analytical skills automatically stripped the images into basic shapes and directions, and I realized that I should slow down, decipher my methods and share a few easy ways to stay on track when drawing.

Global Big Day – Let’s Count Birds!

Tags

BIRDING, black solitaire bird ecuador, blue &black tanager ecuador, Ebird, GLOBAL BIG DAY, things to do this weekend

Rio Cinto – Mindo Ecuador: This little Olive-crowned Yellowthroat allowed an extensive photo session before resuming its day!

From Ebird:  “All you have to do is submit the birds you see on May 14th to eBird, and you’ll be a part of the global team! Wherever you are, your sightings can make a difference.”

Mindo Ecuador – My friend Cynthia and I were comparing bird stories this past week, and we both agreed that the local birds seem to be in a frenzy of activity!  Maybe they’re excited about the upcoming Ebird – Global Big Day?   Don’t let your own special birds be ignored.  Give them a voice on Saturday, May 14!

This Streak-headed Woodcreeper took a vacation from lower elevations and visted the cooler climate of the Cinto property!

The Blue and Black Tanager took a vacation from higher elevations and visited the property this week!  Poor photo, but it documents that the Blue & Black T was definitely on holiday vacation!

You might have a unique species in your backyard;  without taking time to inventory your feathered neighbors, how will they be acknowledged?

The VIP for the week is the Black Solitaire, but its cousin the Andean Solitaire hangs around the thrushes and tanagers for its daily count!

The Beryl-Spangled Tanager is a beauty! What camera-shy birds lurk in the shadows of your area?

Create an Ebird account and get ready for Global Big Day;  start HERE.

Black Solitaire (Bird) – Causes Quite a Buzzzzz

Tags

bird sanctuary for sale ecuador, black solitaire, Entomodestes coracinus), Mindo Ecuador, Property for sale Mindo Ecuador

Black Solitaire- Entomodestes coracinus

Perhaps it was an omen, because six hours after the bird appeared, the earthquake turned our world upside down.  Aside from a flash of white on the side of its face, the black bird would have passed without catching my attention.

“What in the world was that?” I wondered, and as soon as the bird perched in the Bromeliad Tree straight in front of me, it soared away to a lower level on the property.  Club winged Manakins and half a dozen species of Tanagers kept me entertained from the nearby canopy until that flash of white caught my eye again. Catching it via a few poor faraway shots with the camera, I wondered what in the world bird that could be…

That evening I studied the reference books and thought, “Hmmmm. Black Solitaire… New bird for me.”

Polar-Opposite Landscapes

Tags

birds in ecuador cloudforest, ecuador earthquake, Mindo Ecuador

There’s an awkward feeling while I tend to my friends’ property near Mindo Ecuador while I think about the people not too far away on the coast as they try to pick up the pieces of their lives and move forward. I worry about their drinking water and a fresh supply of food and of a dry place to sleep at night – and mosquito-free as well. I think about the children, and how they must tremble when another after shock rolls thru the earth. I drink in the visual beauty that surrounds me as my heart aches for those that I love. I wish I could offer comfort and give them silent strength just by being near. The birds seem to be more abundant, or perhaps my focus is more intense on noticing my surroundings and not taking them for granted.

What follows are a few favorites of the 110 birds I’ve spotted on the property. How I wish I could send some of that beauty to help ease their pain.

Scaled Fruiteater?  A first for me, and it flitted from branch to branch a few feet away from where I stood-froze and admired its unique patterns of color.

White-throated Crake — There were two foraging in the mid-morning sunlight..

Timeout for Painting Signs!

Tags

Mindo Ecuador, painting signs for trails, property for sale ecuador, Timeout for Art, trail signs

Why is Barb chuckling as she sits on the bench?

(Rio Cinto/Mindo Ecuador) As Barbara’s “work visit” comes to an end, we’re reflecting on how much we packed into this past month.  She can now add sign painting, wildlife guide and landscape design to her resume!

Thanks to a guide’s visit to the property, Barb has been officially infected with the birding bug!

Join us for a walk along the pond to critique the signs!   If we’re lucky (and quiet) we might spot an otter!   Adding Whimsy to the Trails 

 

Lisa & Barb

“I Think You Lied to Me…”

Tags

neotropical otters ecuador, Property for sale Mindo Ecuador, Rio Cinto Ecuador

A lovely day for a swim?

 

“I think you lied to me,” she said as they swam to the shallow end of the private lake.  “You told me that story just to pull me away from my friends and take me here… They are probably catching lots of fish in the river right now…”

“I promise, I told you the truth!   Just wait and you’ll see for yourself!”  

Between Rains – From the Cloudforest

Tags

Cloud Forest, Mindo Ecuador, Property for sale Mindo Ecuador, Rainy season

Between Rains

(Mindo Ecuador) – The rainy season has definitely returned here in the cloud forest, and the rain guage has ‘caught’ at least 20 inches of rain since the new year began! The rains continue to purge the normally-tranquil Rio Cinto, that has lost its temper twice and roared as it passed (in its bounds) through the valley.

This past Sunday/Sunday night the Rio Cinto roared like the ocean, and I suspected there would be minor landslides in the area.  I was right!

Monday morning brought clear skies, yet the road was eerily silent/void of traffic. While inspecting Rio Cinto, I met this one neighbor who was also inspecting the changes.

With two workers waiting for me to retrieve them at 8 sharp, I drove until this new roadblock changed my mind!

On Tuesday the sound of traffic returned, and I drove to town with no problems. A very large landslide had been cleared, and the municipality deserves recognition for their prompt action.  I did not take my hands off the wheel in order to photograph the mud and muck!

Rio Cinto stayed angry for several days…

Between rains, the days are beautiful and the mornings often seem as if rain is the least-expected item on the day’s menu. By noon or one, the clouds return, and light showers prompt a change in plans.

My friend Cynthia invited me to participate in a guided tour of a private reserve, where we learned about the local plants and their medicinal uses. (Gilberto, our guide in the photo)

The Drive to Town

Tags

Mindo Ecuador, property for sale ecuador, Rio C, Rio Cinto Ecuador

“Did you see that flash of yellow? What’s there? “

Mindo, Ecuador –   The little Burrito Laptop displayed a stubborn temperament yesterday and refused to respond to any keyboard prompt.    Photos were waiting to be uploaded, and stories were waiting to be shared, and I could open pages via touch screen, but nothing else worked!   A cybercafe helped me connect to the world and send a fast email to say, “I’m fine – all’s well aside from lots of rain here in the cloud forest.”    I am learning to dodge the roadblocks the computer places in my way and can do basic typing.  Pardon the generic presentation of this and future posts!

Drive with me past Rio Cinto and examine the range of the moods!

Rio Cinto always offers a different mood and another facet of beauty.  This is the normal mood!

Rio Cinto after 3 inches of rain…

Rio Cinto showed a rare bad temperament this past week!  Twelve hours later, it was back to normal…

Ker-Splash

After the bad mood; hey, there is a new Playamart shopping center on Rio Cinto!

My drive to town was a bit longer than norm this week;   I stopped and photographed Rio Cinto’s rare bad mood, and then braked for a great photo session with two toucans that foraged near the road.

An Early-Morning Walk

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cloud forest mindo, https://alittlebluebirdtoldme.wordpress.com/ prperty for sale mindo ecuador, osprey

The ripples in the water nudged me out for an early trek.

“The morning, which is the most memorable season of the day, is the awakening hour. Then there is least somnolence in us; and for an hour, at least, some part of us awakes which slumbers all the rest of the day and night… ” Henry David Thoreau

Fringe benefits of watching over my friends’ property until it sells! I look forward to sharing today’s story – grab a cup of coffee or tea and come join me!

(Mindo Ecuador) – The expectations of the morning always nudge me from sleep quite early. Some mornings a sharp “thud” announces that a bird has slammed into the window, and I dash to look for the victim. Other mornings I slowly awaken and peer from the windows as if to expect Jack Frost to be visiting the tropics! Then there are mornings when I sit on the porch and watch the hummingbirds fight for dominance over the feeders. Their first drink of the day is as important as that first cup of coffee is to many people!

What’s there?

This past Wednesday, I noted the ripples in the pond and assumed there were fish feeding on insects. Having seen the ripples for several mornings, I put on my outdoor gear and took a dawn walk to the pond. Yes, fish were feeding on the surface, and I chuckled as they spotted me and scampered for cover beneath the vegetation!

Looks like a Monet painting…

Young strangler!

I admired the vegetation on the old footbridge and wondered if it should be removed/transplanted to the plant rescue garden. The strangler would surely overtake the bridge one day, but perhaps that’s a decision that the next owner should make!

Wanting to check the route around the upper end of the pond, I decided to go pick a few lemon mandarinas. Ten minutes later as I inspected various plants, a large raptor soared overhead. “Wow! that wasn’t the laughing falcon!”

Let’s hurry down the trail and see if it’s still there!

Barbara helped clear this area! Still looking good, BB!

This old dead tree hosts a wealth of species!

This waxy flower has been in this stage for weeks. Another part of this plant now lives in the plant rescue garden.

Another secret passage!

Sweet wilflowers.

Way over there is a limon mandarina tree!

Just when I was about to pick lemons…

Oops! In my haste to change lenses, I caugh a colorful stranger looking over my shoulder!!!

Shhhhh.  Be very quiet and look up in that old bromeliad-filled tree!

All of this before 7 in the morning!

I continued to take photos as I returned to the house. Once the osprey was in pure morning light, it was difficult to photograph.

From the front of the house…

Ah, but I could trek up the hill behind the house and hope for a very close shot from a much-higher vantage point!

 

“This uphill trek had better be worth it!”

A little nibble for breakfast?

Bingo!

 

… and to think what I would have missed if I’d stayed in bed a while longer!

Z

Upside Down

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birds of the cloud forest, cloud forest ecuador, Mindo Ecuador

Upside down!

(MINDO, Ecuador)The view of the bamboo was as lovely upside down as it was right-side up! I am in town to get a few supplies and head back to the property before dark catches me on the road. Will be back next week, but wanted to send a smoke signal that all’s fine in the cloud forest!

Aracari landed at the front of the house as if to ask, “What in the word are you doing, Gringita?”

Enjoy the song (below) and a sample of photos taken this week.

Suffice to know that all’s going well, the weather’s been absolutly perfect, and I’m squeezing the most from each day. Whoever buys this property is going to gain a gem!

Meet Some Great Birds

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Cloud Forest, Mindo Birds, Property for sale Mindo Ecuador

“Buenos dias! We wondered if anyone would ever awaken this morning!”

Mindo Ecuador –     My friend “Hummingbird” Barb calls my friends’ property a bird sanctuary.   Join us in a cyber birding tour and let us know if you agree with her description! Sometimes words are an intrusion, especially when watching  birds, so we’ll save the stories for another post!

“Yes, I’m pretty, but would you like for me to sing for you?”

“I like – BIRDS!”

A little music might be appropriate if we keep the volume low!

Let’s start in the ginger gardens near Casa Colibri! (Hummingbird House)

Buckle Up for the Butterfly Safari!

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butterfly safari, magic carpet ride, magic carpet zeebra designs, mindo ecuador birds butterflies, Zeebra Designs

(Ecuador) – Last call to board the Magic Carpet for the Butterfly Safari!   The gate’s about to close!  Please have your cameras in hand and batteries charged!  Volcano Cotopaxi released a bit of stress, but she’s quiet again.  The clouds and volcanic ash have gone back to sleep, and we’ve been cleared for takeoff!

PREPARE FOR ANOTHER JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME!

All ropes are secured; all systems on go!

Wait.. There’s a touch of a repair — we don’t want any threads to ravel on this journey!

The full moon will be escorting us around the globe, with stops in South America, Central America, New Zealand, Australia, Europe and North America.  Put on the headphones for in-flight music and prepare for the most unique safari you’ve ever experienced.
Ready?  Set… Let’s Go!

Z…

“Well she’s walking through the clouds
With a circus mind
That’s running wild
Butterflies and zebras and moonbeams
And fairy tales,
That’s all she ever thinks about
Riding with the wind”  – (Jimmie Hendrix)

We have nets, but using a camera is a more respectful way to capture butterflies!

Prepare for the first landing; it might be rough because this flight is loaded to full capacity. Oh goodness – excuse the turbulence — we veered beyond the landing spot!!! Our apologies – complimentary drinks will be provided!

Now where in the world are we? My navigator is checking the GPS….

Timeout for Art: New Endings?

Tags

acrylic paintings, angels trumpet, Brugmansia, Timeout for Art

Angels Trumpet 01 – Detail

Angels Trumpet 02 – Acrylic Detail —One can almost smell the fragrance!

Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.
– Carl Bard

Although they ‘match,’ I’m pondering changing the one on the left to a night image, appropriate to the true nature of these flowers.

In order to make the dark painting work, I should probably start one more study and make this a triplet series!

Hope to be back tomorrow with a butterfly safari!  Would anyone like to book a seat?  The magic carpet will leave around noon, Ecuador time!   Z

Timeout for Art – Conversations with Nature

Tags

acrylic paintings of flowers, angels trumpet, Brugmansia, NATURE, Timeout for Art, Working from Life

“When one is alone at night in the depths of these woods, the stillness is at once awful and sublime. Every leaf seems to speak.”  – – John of the Mountains: The Unpublished Journals of John Muir, (1938)

From the 2nd-floor balcony – The tree is loaded, but for only ten days or so….

The days have been full helping Jim (and the cats) prepare to fly to the USA, but there are flowers in the garden that awaken when I am normally sleeping! The blooming period is quite sort, so at night I work on the studies while most people in Ecuador are sleeping!  Nearby Rio Cinto provides a subtle backdrop of sound, though there is a hushed stillness aside from random moths fluttering at the windows.    Every so often an insect finds its way to my work area – maybe in hopes of having its portrait made with the flowers?

Look who came to critique! A lightning bug!

Before focusing on the main subject, I usually work on a smaller study.   The upper and lower views of a  black/brown and white butterfly provided perfect challenges on different evenings.

TIMEOUT FOR ART: The Beauty of Grass

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ailsa's travel theme, drawing grasses, grass, timeout for art: the beauty of grass

“To the artist there is never anything ugly in nature.” – August Rodin

Remembering my promise to draw a blade of grass or two, I searched for worthy specimens of dried grass and worked a little each night before going to sleep. Missing the ‘Thursday Timeout for Art,’ I pondered waiting until next week to share the drawings. Ailsa’s travel theme for the week is GRASS, the perfect nudge to share these quite-tardy images.

Take your pick; one blade, two blades, three blades… It’s your choice!

I enjoyed limiting myself to one blade per session, and I spent half an hour to an hour on each one.  After sharpening my pencils (I keep four or five handy so that I don’t have to stop often to sharpen the points.)

I selected this one and taped it to the surface to keep it in place.

It looks a bit flat… What’s missing?

Timeout for Art – Beauty Everywhere

Tags

Drawing foliage, Pencil drawing, Timeout for Art

Foliage – Pencil

“If you truly love Nature, you will find beauty everywhere.”
– Vincent Van Gogh

When given a sharp pencil, a blank piece of paper, and ten minutes or more of quiet time, I can usually find subject matter close at hand to occupy my attention.    I have learned to admire the simplest of plants.  A desiccated blade of grass can transform into an object of beauty via a finely-honed drawing.

The meandering philodendrom makes, for me, a fairly easy study.    The basic shape and details of the leaves are forgiving and can be lightly drawn without too much fuss.  The shading can be added later.  This drawing is an unfinished work, though I am hesitant to continue.

My critical eye goes to the two simple leaves in the middle of the drawing.  They seem to have a push-pull effect as if they’re not sure where they belong. Ten or so minutes of subtle shading will place them more firmly in the background.   But wait -overworking a picture often ruins it.

The decision belongs to all of you; should I continue shading and adding depth, or is it time to stop? Thanks in advance for your feedback!

Would any of you consider drawing a blade of grass or three?  I will try to do several studies of grass and will share those results next Thursday.

Sharpen that pencil and start drawing!  🙂  Z

The Island of the Magnificent Frigates

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canoe trip in rio chone, isla corazon ecuador, magnificent frigate birds, rio chone ecuador

HOW MANY BIRDS?!

Isla Corazon, Rio Chone/Manabi Province, Ecuador

With a potential El Nino Phenomenom percoluting along the equator, many locals along the Pacific coast reach back and share stories of the El Nino of 1997 and ’98.    One veteran of that extended season of torrential rains and mudslides is “Don Francisco”  from the petite community of Puerto Portobelo on the north-east side of Rio Chone.  The mangroves on the upper half of Isla Corazon washed away during the 1997/8 disaster, and silt from landslides and farmlands destroyed more trees and altered river channels.   Francisco Reyes, who worked on a farm before the upper half of the island washed away, dedicated his time to replanting and restoring this heart-shaped island.

March 2013 Mangroves washing away in Rio Jama

My friend Stephen visited several weeks ago, and I rode with him to Isla Corazon, where we took the two-hour tour of the island.  Known best for having one of the largest colonies of frigate birds along the Pacific coast, Isla Corazon hosts many other bird species.   I never tire of visiting Isla Corazon, admiring the bird life and hearing new stories.  Each tour is unique, depending on which guide takes you on a special canoe ride and which birds and critters step onto the stage.

From February 2015 – Ecuador Expat Journey tour – Preparing to leave the dock!

(High tide last week) Happy crew heading home so the tourists can enjoy the results of their hard work.

As we watch the work crew go back to shore, our boat pulls beside a flat-bottomed canoe. The transfer is quite fun!

Timing is important, and the small window of time changes daily with the tides.  This particular tour was racing the fast-falling tide of a full moon. The trees on the left side of the tunnel are all new-growth and planted by the community; the ones on the right are the older survivors of the flood.

Every Grain of Sand

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coastal erosion, Ecuador, i won't back down, let's talk about sand, olas bravas el matal, tom petty

“In every outthrust headland, in every curving beach, in every grain of sand there is the story of the earth.” Rachael Carson El Matal Ecuador – June 6 – 11, 2015 The coastline along Playa El Matal continues to change daily.  This post will show images taken on June 9th and 11th, 2015.   Before seeing this week’s changes, let’s turn back time and take a peek at this beach as it was in June 2012.

One of the prettiest posts painted in 2012 anchored the end of the road. near the Coco Beach entrance…

2012

Maestro painting the light post. June 2012

From 2012.. Coco Beach entrance ahead… (From post-painting competition)

Let’s move forward to images from this week;  the image below shows the Coco Beach entrance at the end of the road:

Entrance to Coco Beach- June 8, 2015

Timeout for Art: Nature, the Great Listener

Tags

Botanica Studies, Meditation through Art, Painting from Life, Timeout for Art: Nature the Great Listener, Working from Life

Petite Residents of Palo Santo’s Gardens – 

“Lose yourself in nature and find peace.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson 

Jama Ecuador –  This week’s work was painted in the serenity of the outdoors. The image below was started in the calm stillness of a late afternoon at Hostal Palo Santo, where I stayed this past Sunday night.  I worked until almost dark and was amused when two of the leaves nodded their heads back and forth as if to say, “We know you’re studying us and just wanted to say, ‘Thanks!’”   I acknowledged their subtle gestures, smiled and continued painting.  They resumed their poses as the silent communication between us remained strong.

Acrylic – Silent Conversations

Working outdoors presents its problems.   The sun and heat dry the pigments a bit too fast, and the wind scatters papers or flips through pages of sketchbooks.   Large works, taped or clipped to panels, often attempt to take flight and soar away on strong breezes.  Foliage flutters in the wind, so keeping an eye on a moving target presents its own set of problems.