Category: Plants

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Blue-breasted Hummingbird, Great Southern White, & New Plants!

Blue-breasted Hummingbird grounded on my balcony.
Another first for me. He did fly away later. Guess he was resting.

Blue-breasted Hummingbird, Atenas, Costa Rica

They are in my garden, on my balcony, and I’ve even had one fly inside the house! This is the third species of Hummingbird I have photographed here. Yesterday I posted a Cinnamon Hummingbird and my first week here was a Blue-tailed Hummingbird. They and the butterflies are little flying jewels around my house! And below is the butterfly in my garden this afternoon:

Great Southern White Butterfly on my Tutti Frutti today!
You can also see where the leaf-cutter ants are eating it!
I’m treating the ants with Mirex-S!

Today I also planted some new plants in my garden after purchasing them in Spanish (with the help of my driver Nelson). My gardener will make some more improvements, but I couldn’t wait and went plant shopping today! 

 
Philodendron Xanadu, 6 plants added to garden. Leaves will fill in, in time.
I wanted to put them together in a blank spot, but only about 3 inches of dirt
there above my septic tank cover. So, I have to wait on ground cover.
The little light green leaves bottom right is my ground cover, Pilea.

Polka Dot plants were added along my back walk where there is more shade.
I think these are a type of philodendron too. Can’t remember what called in states.

A very full and fun day between my two Spanish lesson days! Doing what I enjoy!

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House Tour – Outside Today

Here’s a few views of the outside of my house and some of the new plants I got today. Tomorrow I will show the inside rooms.

My favorite room in the house is actually outside, my balcony, deck, patio.
This tile floor is throughout the house and outside walkways around three sides.
Nice! Plus the wooden ceiling is throughout the house.

105 Calle Roca Verde, one of the few houses in Atenas with a house number!
I’m the house on right behind trees, Don & Linda to left with carport and
our landlord lives on top of the hill behind us. I guard the gate, ha, ha!
There is also a gate to get inside the development with a real guard 24/7.

View of my house from street. The three little decorative palms in front were
added today to replace the three that died from lack of water in dry season.
I plan to make watering plants a major dry season activity!
You can barely see the Red Palm planted at end of balcony &
a tall, skinny Guarumo Tree in front of balcony.

You have already seen my new entry garden, but
we planted ground cover today that should spread fast.

Three Fishtail Palms and a Banana Plant (on right) were planted today as a screen
in front of my bedroom window (right) and guest room (left) for privacy
on this street side. They will fill in and spread in a month or two.
And maybe I’ll be eating the bananas by Christmas!  🙂
The driveway and entry side. The entry hall is to left by garden, but I mainly
use the balcony at right as my main entrance. This may be the least interesting
side of house, but my new entry garden is going to change that! Pot plants on
this wall would block the tile walkway, except maybe at that corner on patio.
I’m making it my home and so for love it inside and out! It is just right for me.

Tomorrow I’ll show you around inside the house as it is now decorated. My art may arrive this week, but I will probably add only a few pieces around a well decorated house! Buenas Noches!

Tonight’s sunset colored the clouds in the north. Beautiful! Each evening a new surprise!
How did I ever live without a balcony? This is my cathedral!