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.”

S is for Sonrisa! (Smile!)

Tags

costa rica, Ecuador, happy people, madres, mothers day, Panama, Smiles, sonrisas

Break time from kitchen duty! Doesn’t she have a genuine smile?

There are many great words that start with S in Spanish.  After I typed an assortment of words in the “New Post” page, I pondered the many photo options for those words.

Most people don’t particularly care for images of snakes; the word for a poisonous snake is serpiente. (Otherwise it’s culebra – correct me, Spanish speakers, if I’m wrong!)

I usually sign my emails and notes with the word siempre, which means always.

Sandia – watermelon would make a fun pictorial, as would sapo – toad.  (A frog is called a rana.)

Other helpful words are Sabor-Taste,   Sed-Thirsty, Salud-Health, Salud-Cheers, and Salud-Bless You! Last year I was walking down a quiet sidewalk in Cruzita, and two men were walking on the other side of the street.  One sneezed, and I automatically stated, “Salud!” and kept walking.  They looked over at me, were shocked to see an ‘outsider,’  and they chuckled – as did I!

Shunning all of the above, I present to you an assortment of sonrisas in honor of Mother’s Day! (The photos were taken in Ecuador unless otherwise noted.)  Enjoy!

Postcards from Zeebra’s Flying Carpet #3

Tags

Ecuador, hand-painted floors, La Division, painting concrete floors, Places to eat in Jama Ecuador, Postcards from Zeebra Flyinc Carpet 3, restaurant exclusivo jama, Restaurant Exclusivo Jama Ecuador, where to eat in jama ecuador

What are those women doing today?!!!

Thanks, everyone, for your great feedback about the Postcard series! Barbara has enjoyed riding copilot in the WordPress seat, and one of these days she might join us with tales of her own! The riverhouse sits ‘one curve back’ from the mouth of the river, and during the rainy season, an amazing amount of debris washes past the house and later finds its way to the Playamart shelves! As the pelicans fly, the beach is very close; by land, one walks parallel to the beach about a mile to that petite village of La Division.

Alison and the shoe thief! (La Division Ecuador)

Did anyone else see the face?

The shrimp ponds prove year-round feasts for the birds.

One feels as if time has stopped when Jaime, one of the lone icons on the river, passes the house in his primitive boat.

Jaime, one of my downstream neighbors, often sets out crab traps and promised to bring us five dollars’ worth manana.   Little did any of us know that strong rains were in our future!

Global Warming and Daily Prompt

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Chimborazo, Ecuador, Ecuadors Melting Snow Caps, Global Warming, Melting Glaciers, Volcano Cayambe, Volcano Chimborazo, World Wetland Day, WP Daily Prompt Think Global Act Local

The WordPress Daily Prompt states this:  “Think global, act local.”  Write a post connecting a global issue to a personal one.”

Words failed us. We were no longer comfortably numb!

“At 6,268 metres (20,564 ft) ”Chimbo,” the highest peak in Ecuador and the farthest point from the center of the earth on the planet, will forever be branded in our hearts!”

(Above photo and quote from: Mystical Andes, published here on November 16, 2012.)

Several pages on my screen reflected an environmental issue as I pondered today’s WordPress Daily Prompt.  This post grants me an easy way to share those global concerns with you.

Light & Shadow – Illumination Through An Artist’s Eyes

Tags

Dark and Light, Ecuador, Hacienda Guachala Ecuador, Light and Shadow, WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge - Illumination

First Light: Sun-drenched Datura

The WordPress photo challenge for this week is Illumination.    The above datura illustrates the dramatic effect of early-morning light.   The image below shows the opposite view, which also captures a golden beam of light while the rest of the landscape awaits its turn.

We often associate illumination with man-made objects like ethereal church windows or dreamy night-time settings. Artists often seek the sun’s dramatic light, which creates shadows that are just as important as the light.

Peaceful Chimborazo

Tags

Chimborazo, Ecuador, Guaranda, Jakes Sunday Post Peaceful, Peaceful Landscapes, Snow Capped volcano

Jake’s Sunday Post prompts us for images that illustrate peaceful.   Here are some images that show the serene, peaceful Andean area between Volcano Chimborazo and Guaranda Ecuador.    Enjoy!  Z

Peer Closer Through Macro Photography

Tags

Butterflies, costa rica, Ecuador, Green Iguanas, Hermit Crabs, Insects, Let's Be Wild Photo Challenge Macro

The foliage thief nibbled himself too fat to squeeze back through the fence!

I’m honored that the image of a flaming sunset at Playa San Miguel was selected as one of the top five for last week’s Let’s Be Wild competition.  This week’s competition is for closeups.  Although my tough little Lumix camera doesn’t have macro accessories, it has a big heart and usually lassos the subject without much fuss.

Here are a few of my favorites.

INSPIRATION: Portrait of an Artist

Tags

Andes, Cuenca Tourist Police, Ecuador, Guaranda, i can do this painting workshops, memyblog, Portrait of an Artist, WordPress Daily Post INSPIRATION

Happily Immersed in the Andean city of Guaranda Ecuador, Lisa Brunetti critiques just-shot images of red-caped Indians. (Photo by Marie Groff)

WordPress hurled a curve ball today!   Thankfully the challenge works well with my life as an artist, naturalist and blogger.  Finding images for this challenge was an easy task!

“We want to know what inspires you. For this special mid-week photo challenge, we want to see portraits of you doing something that inspires you to blog  …  Show us photos of yourself doing things that inspire you to blog. Have a cooking blog? Let’s see you in the kitchen. Run a fitness blog? We want to see you in action. ” 

The above instructions used the words “portraits, photos’ and “doing THINGS,” so I jumped in with both feet and retrieved images that reflect those requests!

“Red Capes” in progress; Watercolor by Lisa Brunetti

What inspires me?  What doesn’t inspire me?!  The byline on my main blog states, “An Artist’s Eyes Never Rest.”  

Mystical Andes

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Ailsa Where's My Backpack Mystical, Chimborazo, Ecuador, HIghest peak in Ecuador

On retrospect, I think that this shaggy burro mystically appeared to lead us out of the Andean mist. (Photo by Marie Groff)

Ailsa’s prompt for this week’s challenge is Mystical. Before dashing off for the day, I wanted to share these images from a magical mystical Andean experience that brought tears to Marie’s eyes and to mine.  Hank, the intrepid driver, most likely suffered from our same affliction!

“Q” is for a Quinoa Farm!

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Cayambe, Ecuador, Frizztext Story Challenge Q, Hacienda Guachala, Latitude 0, llamas, quinoa, Quinoa in fields, rose production

Trekking across quinoa fields near Cayambe Ecuador

While staying at Hacienda Guachala near latitude 0 in Ecuador’s Andes, Hank & Marie Groff and I toured a rose production center as well as a quinoa farm a few mornings ago.   The pastoral landscape soothed our senses as we journeyed through the Andean countryside, far off the beaten path.

How can one have a bad day when views like this soothe the senses?

Who forgot to close the gate?!

Disconnect from your worries and go with us!  We need someone to help with the gates!

SILHOUETTE – WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge

Tags

bamboo canya construction, Ecuador, Manabi, palm thatch roof, ramada roof, silhouette, wordpress weekly

Cristian earned his brief respite in the window!

A “ramada” project is underway at the riverhouse, and I have been observing every move like an inquisitive child.  I retrieve each tiny fragment of bamboo that’s discarded and add to the incubation corner for rainy day projects!

There have been several opportunities for images for the silhouette theme for the WordPress weekly Photo Challenge, so with no spare time for things cyber, I present the images then return to the project!

This & That – October

Tags

balsa boats of Playas Ecuador, Ecuador, high energy and rain, High Fives & Flutterbys, John and Mary McDonald, painting concrete floors, Pelicans, Playas Ecuador, San Clemente Ecuador, This & That

Amigos!  How great it feels to be well and 100% Zeebra again!   Your get-well wishes surely helped speed my recovery!  Thank you!

Zeebra Frog – Copyright Lisa Brunetti

I am recharged and in full-throttle creative mode!  On Sunday and Monday I prepped five or six large panels for painting – (three to five coats each!)  With a wheelbarrow, I moved a dump truck load of earth and then transplanted small trees and flowers to better locations. These bursts of energy* usually precede heavy rains.  Over the years, friends have witnessed this strange occurrence and stated, “You might have warned us.”    (*Do you think that a subtle change in barometer triggers my creative output, or does my creative output discharge into the atmosphere?!!!)

Tornadoes, straight-line winds, 30 inches of rain in one week – those are some of the most memorable storms that followed an energy binge!  Many times after painting for ten or twelve hours, I put down my brush, and half an hour later the rains begin.  The rain seems to diffuse my energy, and later I have little desire to paint or shovel or scrub the house spotless!  Every so often when I realize that I’ve been rolling for hours, I pull in my reins and say, ” Uh-oh… prepare for rain.”

We received a barely-noticeable drizzle last night, and I smiled.   It’s the first in months.  Typical for the first rain after the dry season, we also lost power!    We will lose power a lot in the next six months, so when I vanish from cyberspace, suspect lack of electricity!

A repair & maintenance and improvement project kicked off today at the river house.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Happy Circles!

Tags

costa rica, Ecuador, happy people, Nicaragua, Republic of Panama, WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge Happy

“I LOVE MY JOB!” Mueso Cancebi – Manta Ecuador

WordPress updated gallery options for sharing images and asked us to test them.  *For this post, I am attempting to put each image in a circle of a spotlight.   Visit the WordPress DailyPost Home Base to see posts from all over the world!

Thank you, WordPress for the great weekly challenges.   Thanks, everyone, for your incredible feedback on last week’s Post on Solitary.  I hope to have a follow-up story on that old man as soon as I can retrieve more images trapped in an old hard drive!  

Thanks, also, for your support for the Inspirational post about my nephew Don.      I am blessed to have so much positive feedback and support.  He seems genuinely baffled that we think he’s a very special and unique person!

WordPress community: YOU ROCK!    I hope that these images make you smile!

Weekly Photo Challenge: Fleeting Moment

Tags

ceibo trees, Cruzita Ecuador, Ecuador, portoviejo ecuador, postaday, Weekly Photo Challenge, weekly photo challenge fleeting moments

Typical fleeting moment while travelling between Charapoto and Cruzita Ecuador.

(ECUADOR)  Yesterday I journeyed from Cruzita to Portoviejo for a final visit to the museum before next week’s opening reception of The Mola Series.   Armed with WordPress’s newest photo challenge, I stepped onto the bus with anticipation of the many fleeting moments that were about cross my visual path.  With camera in hand, I was ready to capture the photo opportunities that raced past my window!

Weekly Image of LIfe: Breathtaking 2

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costa rica, Ecuador, Iguana, NATURE, Rattlesnake, Sea Snake, spotted skunk, Weekly Image of LIfe, Weekly Image of Life: Breathtaking

Hang tight, baby monkey!

Here is a second round of images that depict “Breathtaking” in honor of the Island Traveler’s Weekly Image of Life.  

Let me know if any of the photos took your breath!

Weekly Photo Challenge: CREATE

Tags

Art in Ecuador, costa rica, Cruzita, Ecuador, El Matal, i can do this painting workshops, Jama, Lisa Brunetti, Post-Painting Competition, Weekly Photo Challenge, Weekly Photo Challenge: Creative, WordPress Post a Day

As I prepared to leave Cruzita for a long weekend at home (aka to build a goat-proof fence!) I saw this week’s Photo Challenge:  Create.

The query asked, “Have you snapped a picture of something you’ve created, or something someone else has created? ‘

I chuckled! What have I NOT photographed lately that wasn’t related to being creative?   I smiled, decided that the ‘next’ bus out of Cruzita would be just fine, and I began the arduous task of deciding which photos to share! (Or deciding which ones NOT to share!)

Solstice Photos June 20, 2012

Tags

Ecuador, Solstice, Solstice 2012

Honoring my expectations, the clouds parted so the sun could flash its solstice smile on Cruzita Ecuador. 

,

..

https://playamart.wordpress.com/2012/06/20/solstice-a-day-of-reflection/
May the sun escort this greeting around the world and place a smile in your heart!

¡Salud! :)  Z

My Cup Runneth Over

Tags

Bolon, Bolones from Plantains, Cancebi Museum, Chiva Bus, Cruzita Ecuador, Ecuador, Experience Ecuador, Hostal Cruzita, Jacqueline Simon, Lisa Brunetti, Manabi, Manta Ecuador, Museo Cancebi, Sarah Dettman, Semester at Sea, The Mola Series

This modest house transforms into a work of art beneath the street light!

Tipping out of Hostal Cruzita during the pre-dawn hours,  I stopped  for several photos on my way to the corner bus stop.  A full day awaited me at the Cancebi Museo in Manta, Ecuador, where The Mola Series Exhibition entered its third week.

A lone rooster broke the serene stillness of the morning  as he announced the arrival of the 5:20 bus to Manta.     Although I anticipated meeting the Experience Ecuador group at the Manta airport in less than two hours, I would never have dreamed that the next two days would bring such an amazing and diverse group of people into my life!

From Airport to Playa Tarqui to Museo Cancebi

Major Tom(boy) to Ground Control

Tags

Cruzita, Ecuador, Jama, Manta, The Mola Series

Oops!

Before dashing to the beach at La Division with my friends here in Ecuador, I updated a post on the wrong site!   Forgive me for juggling way too many balls and getting some of them mixed up!

Here’s the catch-up post: http://zeebradesigns.wordpress.com/2012/05/27/major-tom-to-ground-control/

More soon!

Z

 

BIRDING AROUND

Tags

Birding in Ecuador, Black-Crowned Night Heron, Cattle Egret, Ecuador, Frigate bird, pelican, Snowy Egret, Yellow Crowned Night Heron, zeebra, zeebra rocks

When high ebb coincides with sunrise and sunset,  a living work of art calls me to the river.  Thousands of waterbirds punctuate certain areas of the mangroves, and to my good fortune, they roost in my little slice of heaven!  During nesting season (now!) their numbers swell, and the cacophony builds as the sun slinks toward the horizon.  With paddle in one hand and camera in the other, I shove the kayak into the water and join them.

Detours

Tags

Camarones Ecuador, Cruzita Ecuador, Cruzita Lodging, Ecuador, Hostal Cruzita, Jama, Playa Escondida, Tasaste Ecuador, Vista Pacifica

Last week brought several delightful surprises;  the first was a brilliant eclipse on ‘Carnival Sunday.’    I was painting outside and happened to look up and see the halo ringing the mid-day sun.  Many others experienced the same unexpected show overhead, which might have been an omen of more torrential rains.  It also might have been a good omen of unexpected guests!

“Jama Me!” (Ecuador)

Tags

Barbudo Ciragan, Ecuador, El Matal, Jama, Lalo Loor Dry Forest, Manabi, Map Don Juan Ecuador, Map Jama Ecuador, Map Tasaste Ecuador, Playa Escondida, Tasaste, Vista Pacifica, Zeebra Map Jama Ecuador, Zeebra Maps

Til the Cows Come Home

Jama is one of those sleepy little areas along Ecuador’s Pacific Coast where life slows down and reminds you of ‘the good old days.’  Although Jama Proper is a large town which includes a futbol stadium, fairgrounds and a museum,  the wide streets have more foot traffic than cars.

IT’S NOT WHAT ONE HAS PLANNED FOR THE DAY….

Tags

Don Juan, Ecuador, El Matal, Jama, Lalo Loor, Library, Manabi, Tasaste

“A Maracuya Day!”

It’s not always what we have planned for the day, but what the day has planned for us!  This week brought two visitors to my doorway –  Rycardo, my sculptor friend, and Sergio, the director for tourism for the canton of Jama, Ecuador.   After finishing a painting (Bamboo) and posting “A FRAGILE BALANCE” for the Zeebra Designs website, I was happy to disconnect from art and visit with my friends!                                                                                               Sergio, originally from Chile,  has spearheaded a renaisance of the arts in Jama;  Rycardo and I have been helping!   As we tossed around ideas for future projects,  Sergio saw the latest Zeebra Map (in progress) on the drawing board.    He asked if I would draw an additional one for Jama “proper” then volunteered to drive me around the canton.

From the Deck, A Bird List

Tags

Ecuador, Ecuador Bird List. Birding, frigate, kingfisher, pelican

A birding friend recently asked, “How many birds can you see from your front door?”

I retrieved my modest scribblings and began to count.  Though not taken from the vantage point of the door,  this list documents birds seen from the deck that faces the river.

Los Anos Viejos

Tags

Ano Viejo, Ecuador, effigies, New Year's in Ecuador

In flaming tradition, Ecuadorians say goodbye to the old year with “Anos Viejos.”   From elaborate works of art to primitive attempts, these effigies often adorn front porches and doorways as the end of the year approaches.

 Sometimes stuffed with fireworks, the Anos Veijos honor the tradition of burning away the old year as the new one arrives.  

What’s Cooking at Bat’s Corner – Manta, Ecuador

Tags

Almuerzo, Bat's Corner Bar & Grill, Dining, Ecuador, Manta

Tucked on an unassuming-yet strategic location in Manta, Ecuador, Bat’s Corner quietly awaits the daily lunch-time clientele.   Near  Playa Murcielago, Oro Verde Hotel and the forever popular KFC, Bat’s Corner Bar & Grill is my favorite spot for the noon almuerzo.    Never have I been disappointed, and the quality and diversity of their menus continue to amaze me.

An Artist’s Eyes Never Rest!

Tags

ART, Ecuador, Lisa Brunetti, Watercolors, Z, Zeebra Designs

“All artists are a little bit crazy!”   “Artists are different.”

Over the years, I’ve chuckled when someone looked at  my whimsical works and noted the difference in our personalities.

Yes, artists are programmed differently, and most of us rejoice that every waking moment is a gift!  Whether soaking in a sun-drenched street scene or admiring an alignment of  overhead pelicans or noting subtle color differences in a landscape, an artist’s eyes never rest!

When living in Costa Rica, I lived immersed in nature and marveled at the beauty that surrounded me.  I was also intrigued that most of the handmade products I bought were made in Ecuador.  Hammocks, pottery, linens, masks – Ecuador, Ecuador, Ecuador.   From my first exploratory visit,  Ecuador stole my heart!  I now divide my time between Ecuador and Central America, and I look forward to exploring more of South America.

Although you cannot step inside my studio from your vantage point, this site will give you a glimpse into the life of the zeebra.  Hopefully you’ll emerge with a lighter heart!

Thanks for stopping by!  Z

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