Category: Plants

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Lots of Exotic Flowers!

And this featured photo is of a Natal Lily or Bush Lily – Clivia miniata that I have seen at only one other lodge, Playa Cativo in Puntarenas Province. Xandari has different flowers blooming every month, so you can expect different ones if you go at different times of the year. For this December trip my Xandari ’24 FLOWERS Gallery has photos of more than 30 species! Enjoy! And it is the first sub-gallery I have completed for this latest “Trip Gallery” that I will announce when finished. The Butterflies’ identifications are slowing me down this time! 🙂

Natal Lily or Bush Lily – Clivia miniata , Xandari Resort, Tacacori, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

And if you like flowers, check out all mine in the Flora & Forest Galleries. where there is a big gallery for just Xandari!

Flash News!

I finished the entire “Christmas at Xandari” GALLERY last night, so all my photos from this little 2-day retreat are ready to view! Click that link!

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

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Xandari Gallery is Ready!

Christmas 2024 @ Xandari

Click this image of the first page or go directly to this web address: https://charliedoggett.smugmug.com/TRIPS/2024-December-24-26-Xandari-Resort-Tacacori-Alajuela

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

Yes, Xandari is expensive, but it is worth it for me as I think the photos tell. Enjoy my “Nature as Art” photos that are different each time I visit there.

¡Pura Vida!

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Seldom-seen Butterfly

This Yellow-patched Satyr or Starred Oxeo, Oxeoschistus tauropolis (my gallery link) is not one often reported on the scientific websites, and though I’ve seen it three times now, it was always in the same place! 🙂 This one on Christmas Day 2024, again at Xandari Resort which has always been one of my better butterfly locations.

Yellow-patched Satyr or Starred Oxeo, Oxeoschistus tauropolis, Xandari Resort, Tacacori, Alajuela, Costa Rica
Yellow-patched Satyr or Starred Oxeo, Oxeoschistus tauropolis, Xandari Resort, Tacacori, Alajuela, Costa Rica
Yellow-patched Satyr or Starred Oxeo, Oxeoschistus tauropolis, Xandari Resort, Tacacori, Alajuela, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

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Walking with Nature . . .

“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.”

– John Muir

An inspiring overlay of leaves in one corner of my garden. Something new each day!
And this time with red, green & gold for Christmas! 🙂

¡Pura Vida!

Postscript Prayer Request

My little sister, Bonnie (12 years younger than me), has just been diagnosed with Colon Cancer and had surgery yesterday to remove the blockage and receive a colostomy bag. Once that heals, in about 6 weeks, she will begin chemotherapy with hopes that it has not already spread very far. A difficult way for her to begin Christmas! Your prayers for her and the doctors in Independence, Missouri will be appreciated by all!

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” ~Philippians 4:6

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Bird & Butterfly Bench

Just the day before yesterday I had my gardeners install a new garden bench up the hill beside my house at roof level and beside “K’s Little Zinnia Patch” (linked to an earlier blog post) under a palm tree with easy photography of butterflies in both the Zinnia Patch and in my row Porterweeds which also attracts hummingbirds. PLUS a view of the trees and the hills around me for birds. It will become one of my morning rituals to go sit and photograph nature around me! It is a challenge to hike up the steep driveway and then I needed a place to sit. So I installed one! 🙂

A secluded nook in the shade by the Zinnias

And see more photos of the bench and its vistas in this slide show online:

Continue reading “Bird & Butterfly Bench”
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Two New Species in November

Whether a bird, butterfly or other animal or plant, photographing a new species is always special for me! And living in the country with the most species per square kilometers makes that a continuous possibility, even after 10 years of living here! 🙂 During the week of a visit from Nashville friends, Gary & Kenna Eaton, I got photos of two: a butterfly and a moth caterpillar, with still some uncertainty on the ID of the caterpillar, while hoping for a confirmation of my ID by a scientist or naturalist on iNaturalist or on butterfliesandmoths.org. Here’s the two photos . . .

Silver-studded Leafwing, Hypna clytemnestra, La Paz Waterfall Gardens Nature Park,
Sarapiqui, Alajuela Province, Costa Rica

Read more about this butterfly on iNaturalist Costa Rica which calls it a “Brightwing” butterfly (in Spanish of course) where you can see many other photos of this “uncommon” butterfly in Costa Rica. There are also two more photos on butterfliesandmoths.org, one other from Costa Rica and one from Cuba, where incidentally it appears on a postage stamp! 🙂

Now the humble little caterpillar . . .

Spotted Apatelodes Moth Caterpillar – Apatelodes torrefacta,
Carara National Park, Tarcoles, Puntarenas, Costa Rica

See all of my 313 identified Butterflies & Moths of Costa Rica GALLERY.

¡Pura Vida!

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Gallery Completed of the Eaton’s Visit

It takes me a while to process the many photos I usually take and then label and get into galleries – but it is done! for the November 10 & 17-22 Visit by the Gary Eaton’s. Linked to the gallery or click on the image of first page below . . .

CLICK ABOVE IMAGE to go to the gallery.

I placed it in my “CR TRIP GALLERIES” because it was their trip and much like a trip for me with a variety of photos, many of which are okay even if not my best! 🙂 After all, I had cancer surgery on my nose in the middle that week and was dealing with feet & leg inflammation from the new blood pressure medicine, but in spite of all that, I had great time Gary & Kenna! And I hope you are able to return to Costa Rica in the future to see other areas and different National Parks! I love it all! 🙂

¡Pura Vida!