Category: Art

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Small Town Modern! A Bike Rack!

In this small, Latin American farming town (and somewhat Expat Retirement town), the young Ticos are having an impact on the future “look” of things which I think is symbolized in this modern bicycle rack at the new Banco Popular building here in Atenas, as it was earlier shown by the contemporary architecture of the remodeled Central Park and the contemporary new small houses being built here now with lots of glass. But I see the bike rack as the “symbol” and I was reminded of similar bike racks installed in Nashville in 2010 when I lived downtown there. (& that’s my bike in some of those photos!) 🙂 I don’t ride a bike here because the streets are so narrow that it would be too dangerous for this clumsy old man! Plus lots of steep hills! 🙂 But here, walking is just as good and healthy! 🙂

Bike Rack at the new Banco Popular building in Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

The two main banks in Costa Rica are Banco Nacional (my bank) and Banco de Costa Rica with the third, smaller national bank being Banco Popular that tries to compete by offering lower fees/rates for their services, making it “popular” with the young Ticos who, as the young everywhere, are challenged with the high cost of everything on their younger, lower incomes. And though it is two blocks further from the Central Park than their old location, it is their own building now and they built it next door to two popular young adult hangouts, a big gymnasium and a Foodmart, plus close to the Atenas public health clinic. Are we looking at the future?

Banco Popular, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

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Nature & Life . . .

Nature photography is a good hobby, but it was never a money-maker, not in Tennessee when I tried for a few years there (I always spent more on it than I ever made!) – nor the brief time I tried here. But the joy of creating has never been lost. And though I don’t sell greeting cards anymore, some are still at Hotel Colinas del Sol as a contribution to a sometimes struggling local business there. Go help them out! 🙂

But anyway, a photo of a new butterfly the other day had me going back and looking at that solid green background more than once, wanting to make a greeting card with it. And the butterfly with his red antennae seems to be laser focused on something. So here it is! Created just for you dear blog reader! And who knows, I may do it again! 🙂 It’s fun!

An Orion Butterfly seems to be focused on life in Atenas, Costa Rica.

“Adopt the pace of nature.

Her secret is patience.”

–Ralph Waldo Emerson

¡Pura Vida!

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Nature Art for a Traffic Jam

Because of numerous doctor appointments in San Jose, I get to “ride shotgun” and be the observer while Walter deals with the traffic! 🙂 Anyone who regularly drives back to Atenas from San Jose will recognize this “bottleneck” where traffic must narrow down to one lane for our side of a two-lane bridge and then enjoy the multiple lines following that for the toll booths. 🙂

Well, my philosophy is to always “make lemonade out of lemons” (rather than screaming at the idiots in government who wouldn’t pay for a 4-lane bridge on a major highway like Ruta 27). So I notice the other day this black tree contrasting with the yellow & green grasses on a hill where the traffic jam begins. Walter says that there was a grass fire on that hill a few years back and that tree burned down. Now its charcoaled figure graces the hill like a statue on a museum pedestal. 🙂 Welllll . . . use your imagination! 🙂

Here’s two shots on my cellphone through the car window glare, one from a distance and one closer as we passed it. You locals look for it the next time you drive back from San Jose! And I know . . . this is only one of many places where one side or the other of 27 narrows down to one lane. And it is beyond my comprehension why the new bridge on 27 west of Atenas is only 3 lanes instead of four! But – just enjoy the gorgeous vista from that bridge! 🙂 Beauty in every inconvenience! 🙂

Ruta 27 westbound from San Jose.
Nature As Art on Ruta 27 westbound from San Jose.

Nature as Art!

¡Pura Vida!

And for all kinds of views of Costa Rica, visit my photo gallery online called Charlie Doggett’s COSTA RICA + with 10 years of CR photos plus all my old Tennessee and other historical photos. The galleries represent my whole life but especially my retirement years. It has been fun! 🙂

Or maybe you would prefer to see my San Jose Gallery.

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Simple Beauty

I continue to photograph dying palm fronds and other leaves because, to me, there is a different and simple beauty in each one, kind of like people! 🙂 And the colors vary greatly from bright yellows and oranges to rusty browns or coffee colors, and yes, even almost black sometimes. Then there is the overall shape of a frond, slightly different with each species of palms and the multiple lines and shapes that each frond forms. Oh well, I guess “Simple Beauty” says it best! 🙂 Enjoy!

Dying Palm Frond, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica

And of course I have a gallery of Leaves & Nature Thing! 🙂

¡Pura Vida!

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Rio Tarcoles & Punta Leona Day Trip Gallery

Our January 7 day trip with 6 Canadian friends from British Columbia to Rio Tarcoles & Punta Leona Beach was a fun trip with lots of nature photo ops! And I now have the “Trip Gallery” finished! Click that link or the image of the first page below or this web address: https://charliedoggett.smugmug.com/TRIPS/2025-January-7-Rio-Tarcoles-Punta-Leona In many ways, these trip galleries are my “base galleries” from which I glean photos for subject galleries like Birds! While photos made in my home garden go directly into the subject galleries if they even make a gallery. 🙂 But I love these trip galleries because I always make more photos on a trip!

CLICK this image of the first page to go to this gallery.

¡Pura Vida!

My needle biopsy went well yesterday and now I just wait for their report that I will receive in my February 12 appointment. And my sister Bonnie learned that her “colon cancer” was primarily an ovarian cancer that spread to her colon, and now they are about to begin chemotherapy after one more procedure. Our mother and brother both died of cancer and now it looks like the rest of us may go the same way. Only Dad never had cancer. The doctors said he died when his heart just stopped, not a heart attack. And Bonnie and I will both look for the positive while we fight our different types of cancers. Thanks for your prayers!

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Leaves! My Final Dec Pix

These photos are from my kind of “catch all” category that I call “Leaves and Nature Things.” In this case, all leaves with one whole tree on the hill above my house. Tomorrow will start January pix and tomorrow is when I’m taking some Canadian friends birding on the Tarcoles River early, then looking for monkeys on Punta Leona Beaches with Walter. A full day, so those pix won’t be until at least the next day or later but coming! 🙂 Then Wednesday I go see the doctor in San Jose who is monitoring the possible spread of my facial cancer. And another morning will be given to visiting Dan Sheaks’ bird feeders where he gets a lot of toucans! So a busy week again! 🙂

More leaves in the gallery . . .

Continue reading “Leaves! My Final Dec Pix”