In the Garden This Morning
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| Some mornings start out cloudy, but usually not all day. Atenas, Costa Rica |
EXTRA TIDBITS ABOUT COSTA RICA
Teatro Nacional Celebrates 120 Years by Planning Renovation
And I personally will celebrate it by attending a special presentation of “Swan Lake” by the 72 person ballet of Havana, Cuba on October 15.
Read this interesting article on “The Origin of Name Costa Rica AND phrase Pura Vida.”
Good Morning World
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| Squirrel Cuckoo My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica |
Two mornings in a row for breakfast and he gave me a better pose this morning. Plus in only one shot did all 5 tail feathers show like this, so I’m particularly pleased with this one! It happened just as the fog lifted on a beautiful morning in Atenas!
And on my walk downtown today I got a shot of the church I’m pleased with, but I’m holding it for another day. It is so enjoyable to just walk through this tranquil little town every day! And I often stop in a little shop for a cup of coffee and a rollito de canela (cinnamon roll). This is living!
How encouraging to someone who lives here! (right click to change article to English)
Nesting Material
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| Rufous-naped Wren Resting in a Cecropia (Guarumo) Tree With nesting material from a Nance Tree For the nest being built in my tallest palm tree. Atenas, Costa Rica |
And more birds in photo gallery: Costa Rica Birds (238 Species)
This particular wren is one of the most visible around my house and the most common one to fly inside my house as two did yesterday until I waved a towel for their exit.
¡Pura Vida!
More Butterflies!
Cuckoo Eating Nance Berries
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Squirrel Cuckoo
My Gardens, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica
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| Squirrel Cuckoo My Gardens, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Squirrel Cuckoo My Gardens, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica |
Another breakfast visitor off my terrace, in the Nance Tree where the yellow berries are ripe. The underside of the long tail is beautiful but this one would never show it. This shot at Cañon Negro Reserve shows it somewhat. And there are other shots in my Costa Rica Birds Photo Gallery though he doesn’t seem to often show off his bright tail.
For more info on this beautiful bird, see Neotropical Birds Overview with a songs recording. The are fairly common from Central America down through the northern portions of South America. They are not on any endangered list.
¡Feliz Dia de Mamá!
Happy Mother’s Day!
A national holiday with almost everything closed today and
most mother’s getting a lot of attention from their families.
15th of August every year! Regardless which day of the week.
The restaurant I ate in today had tables of 8 or 10 honoring Moms.
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| ¡Pura Vida! |
These Incas are “Love Doves”
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| Inca Doves My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica |
This young couple will probably soon mate and will be partners for life. Read more about Inca Doves at Cornell University’s All About Birds.
See my other bird photos in my Photo Gallery BIRDS
Cute love
Dove and sprinkle cling together
Searching warm and partner
In a pool splash
Kissed nature
Under a mirror image
Cute couple
Love together
Searching warm and partner
In a pool splash
Kissed nature
Under a mirror image
Cute couple
Love together
~Rnayak
-o-
Thinking about moving to Costa Rica? Check out this article in Christopher’s “Living in Costa Rica” blog: TAX RESPONSIBILITIES FOR EXPATS FROM THE U.S.
And there is even a link there to an online booklet with more specific information, plus links to other helpful articles.
Actually I still file my income tax report every year just like I did in the states (with TurboTax), but mine is quite simple with SS & pension income, no investments beyond a 401k and savings accounts, no business, no other investments, no property owned (neither house nor car) and no debt. But you who have more and more complicated finances might want to read up on it or even use a tax attorney here in Costa Rica who specializes in U.S. taxes. There are several here because so many rich Americans live here. 🙂
Living here does not change the tax responsibilities of being a U.S. Citizen, even after becoming a legal resident here. I don’t know what would happen if you renounced U.S. Citizenship and don’t know anyone who has done that. But if your income still comes from the states . . .?
Blue-crowned Motmot at Breakfast
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| Blue-crowned Motmot My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Blue-crowned Motmot My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica |
Check out my Photo Gallery of Costa Rica Birds with 235 species at this date.
Want to learn more about the Blue-crowned Motmot? Check out:
¡Pura Vida!
Retired in Costa Rica
More Chachalacas!
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| Friday morning in tree behind my neighbor’s house. This is another juvenile Chachalaca among adults and kids chattering. Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Adult Gray-headed Chachalaca Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Adult Gray-headed Chachalaca Atenas, Costa Rica |
They were lower in the tree than at my house the morning before and thus a little easier to photograph when not behind leaves where they were most of the time! 🙂
See all of my Costa Rica Birds photographed (235 species so far)
¡Pura Vida!
Retired in Costa Rica – THE BLOG
A Rare, Unique Jewel Hiding in My Garden
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| Hiding in the shadows of taller Red Ginger plants & their own tall stalks, Cellphone photo of Zingiber zerumbet, also known as Shampoo ginger, bitter ginger, and pinecone ginger And my gardener calls it Moraca plant Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| CAN YOU SEE THEM? Left of center behind and below Red Ginger (click photo for enlargement) Atenas, Costa Rica |
FOR YOUR RESEARCH ASSISTANCE:
A description in Wikipedia A TripAdvisor photo post from Pura Vida Gardens visitors
My first post on this plant as a baby 2 years ago – I’ve given some to a neighbor who has about this many blooms this year also, all from my one little beginning plant. A hidden jewel for me!
Or a Google Search of images of this flower A FloriData description
Use as an Alternative Medicine Useful Tropical Plants post
A ScienceDirect article on the plant CABI scientific info & distribution maps
And Google gives many more information sites on this rare and unique plant.
Of course for all flowers I see here: my Photo Gallery Flora & Forest
Flowers…
are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty
outvalues all the utilities of the world.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Mi otro blog: ¡Aprendo español en Atenas!