A Canary Shouts, “The Sky is Falling!”

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animal behavior before earthquakeks, deforestation, Howler Monkeys, human-induced climate change, methane blow holes, siberia fires

My “Walden” of the Tropics – photo copyright/Lisa Brunetti

Before moving to Ecuador, I lived along a quiet stream in Costa Rica’s dry rain forest. Jaguars sometimes left their footprints in muddy areas to remind me not to venture out too far at night, and other exotic nocturnal animals allowed fleeting glimpses from time to time.  (Red-eyed Pacas and golden-eyed kinkajous)   Regal morpho butterflies surfed the invisible air currents above the cool waters of the stream while howler monkeys foraged and entertained me from the dense canopy overhead.

After a week of studying petroglyphs, I painted this ‘headphone holder’ coconut head and was surprised how it all but painted itself!

Quite at ease, this howler often loitered where I worked.

Almost every day the howler monkeys meandered through the tree tops along a specific-yet-relaxed route which included a stop-and-gawk session at the studio.  Like watchdogs, they often slept in the treetops above the roof.   Some mornings they slipped away silently, and other mornings they roared and howled until I finally opened the door, stepped outside and returned their greeting: “Buenos dias!  Good morning!  Ummmph-ummmph-ummmph-ummmph…”  (Roaring upsets them;  quiet ‘ummmphs’ calm them.)

If one remembers to look up, many times the howlers are quietly observing.

They became quite territorial in my behalf and seemed to watch over me.    The ‘little ones’ taught me a few subtle nuances of their language, and I could often call them a bit too close for my comfort!

“Will You Teach Me To Speak English?” Cultural Exchange – Costa Rica and then a surprise visit to another blog!

The adult warned, “Don’t listen to that gringa loca!”

How well I remember a quiet morning in Costa Rica when “my” troop of monkeys raced by without stopping.  “Hmmm,” I thought, “That was strange.  I wonder where they’re going.”   About half an hour later, they raced back in the other direction.  “Yes; that was very strange.”

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Companions of the Wild

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Howler Monkeys, pictures of frogs, pictures of iguanas, pictures of skunks, pictures of snakes, Weekly Photo Challenge Companionable

“Will You Teach Me To Speak English?” Cultural Exchange – Costa Rica

Companions come in many forms, and some people often misunderstand my choice not to have a domesticated animal as a pet.  A free spirit, I travel too often, and it seems insensitive to delegate the care of an animal to someone else when I am absent.   I have the option of distant friendships with companions of the wild.  Enjoy many of the creatures that have watched over me during my time in Central and South America! 

Weekly Challenge: UP!

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eclipse images, Ecuadorian Flag, full moon images, Howler Monkeys, Lighthouse steps, Weekly Photo Challenge UP, Windows, Wordpress Weekly Photo Challenge

Look who’s looking up!

Looking up rewards us with great surprises.

Come on up! The view is stunning from here! (Guayaquil Malecon)

Frizztext has to have the quickest response to theWordPress Challenge for this week!  See his post for “UP”  which is at the top of this week’s queue of comments and then enjoy others!

Hop on the magic carpet and enjoy some unique views of Latin America!

Look Up!!!

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Communicating with Nature, Egrets, Flying Birds, Herons, Howler Monkeys, Jaguar stories, Let's Be Wild Look Up, Mangroves, Moon, Paulo Coelho, The Valkyries Quote, Tree Art

From The Valkyries:

“…Paulo said, “I want you to pay close attention to the people who pass by.”

She did as Paulo had asked.  In the next half hour, only five people passed by.

“What did you see?”

She described the people in detail – their clothing, approximate age, what they were carrying.  But apparently that wasn’t what he wanted to hear.  He insisted on more, trying to get a better answer, but couldn’t do so.

“Okay,” he said. “I’m going to tell you what it was that I wanted you to notice:  All the people who passed by in the street were looking down.”

They waited for some time before another person walked by.  Paulo was right.

“Gene asked you to look to the horizon.  Try that.”

“What do you mean?”

“All of us create a kind of ‘magic space’ around us.  Usually it’s a circle with about a fifteen-foot radius, and we pay attention to what goes on within it.  It doesn’t matter whether it’s people, tables, telephones, or windows;  we try to maintain control over that small world that we, ourselves, create.”

The Valkyries – Paulo Coelho
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Let’s Be Wild prompts us to “Look Up” this week.  Photographers and artists often look way beyond that 15-foot circle mentioned in Paulo Coelho’s book, The Valkyries.     Sometimes we are rewarded with refreshing surprises, like these young boys scampering in the ‘jobo’ tree in search of ripe plum-sized fruits.
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Wild About Monkeys

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Costa Rica Howler monkeys, Howler Monkeys, Let's Be Wild Photo Challenge - Nature

Who’s There?   Did someone summon me back on stage for an Awards curtsy?

Every so often Life presents us with an unexpected smile, and one arrived in the inbox today in the form of a pingback from Let’s Be Wild!!!   Check out the Editor’s Choice post  HERE: Challenge 5 Wildlife.

How thrilled and honored I was that “Little Bit” placed top of his class in the nature photography contest!   The image below shows a very upset adult monkey that warned the gullible young monkey to come back!  At that moment, I too wanted Little Bit to retreat!  I didn’t want the wrath of one howler aimed in my direction!

Howler 101 Cultural Immersion

Tags

Costa Rica Wildlife, Howler Monkeys, Wild Weekly Photo Challenge - Nature

Living immersed in Costa Rica’s tropical dry forest, I cherished my time with the howler monkeys.  I was as curious about the howlers as they were about me!   They often slept in the canopy above the roof of my studio.  Some mornings they slipped away with stealth-like silence; many mornings they announced the arrival of the sun with their unique roars, then settled into a quiet contentment.    Every so often they continued to roar until I came outside and greeted them in three languages:  “Buenos dias!  Good morning!  Umf, umph, umf, umph, umf!”

Sunday Post: SILENCE (Shhhhhh!)

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costa rica, Guayaquil Botanical Garden, Guayaquill Malacon, Howler Monkeys, Jake's Sunday Post Challenge Silence, Lisa Brunetti, NATURE, PENCIL DRAWINGS, Playa San Miguel Costa Rica, Silence, Solitude

Guayaquil (Ecuador) Botanical Gardens/Malecon

Ah! To bask in silence!     A serene setting wraps its loving arms around us and cocoons us in delicious silence!  Libraries offer comforting slices of silence, as do museums; parks and botanical gardens provide visual balms for the soul and reconnect us with nature.  Silence allows our minds to grow quiet, and our senses awaken.   

For Jake’s Sunday Post Challenge of “Silence,”  here is an essay that I wrote when I lived “immersed in nature” in Costa Rica.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Movement

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Destructive High Tide, Howler Monkeys, PHOTO CHALLENGES, Playa San Miguel Costa Rica, Weekly Photo Challenge Movement

The theme for the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge is “Movement.”

He sails through the air with the greatest of ease! (Costa Rica Howler Monkey)

The sound of howler monkeys crashing through the treetops will get anyone’s attention!  To see them soaring from branch to branch fills one with a childlike glee!  Living immersed in nature, I witness sudden explosive glimpses of movement as well as subtle ones.   Here are samples of movement that reflect my life in Latin America.   Enjoy the pictorial journey!  Z