Category: Charlie Doggett

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Choosing & Hanging Art

One of the toughest jobs settling in my new rent house has been choosing what art to use . . .
. . . or really, what art to keep and what to give away. I’ve done it! Here’s the results and from now on I will be focused on making new art! And oh yes, my walls are all concrete! Had to buy an electric drill and concrete drill bit. But worth it!   🙂   And landlord said I could drill all I want! I just pay for spackling and a paint job when I leave.

On wall opposite the kitchen I put “Reelfoot Green,” a favorite photo of mine
which at 34″ x 24″ is a transition from outdoor trees in windows right and left.
I see fig tree through office left and yellow bell trees through living room right.
The linoleum print of “Staghorn Summac” in the
Smoky Mountains was a gift from my mother-in-law.
+ 2 of my recent garden butterfly photos on canvas.
Corner of Living Room opposite my birds wall.

Coming in from balcony or sitting on couch, you see a wall of tropical birds.
Photos are mine, Costa Rica & Panama, Kuna Indian Bird Mola is from Panama.
Painting of Scarlet Macaw is by boatman’s wife on Amazon River Mission Trip.
Bust on table if from Mali, West Africa and little basket from The Gambia.
Clock with rotating pendulum was an anniversary gift from LifeWay.
I normally do not like art above kitchen cabinets, but this gift from a Masaii
young man of Kenya was a gift after we entertained him overnight in Memphis.
The colors fit here and no where else until I find a better place rather than donate.
In the laundry room off the kitchen I found a place for my Cow Weathervane
photo I made at Nashville Farmers’ Market. Glad to keep it!
Above my Office desk is “The Trader,” a cloth painting by a Fula artist in
The Gambia West Africa and my favorite charcoal head of Christ by W. Hoffman.
Opposite my desk above a brown couch/bed is a Fula Batik from The Gambia.
And a favorite photo of my Amazon Indian guide waiting in the rain by canoe.

Again, I normally would not put art above cabinets, but to hold on to these,
I have last week’s mystery butterfly photo and my Tortuguero Sunrise photo.
The dark is my bookcase and the light is my guest room/office wardrobe.
Both are photos on canvas.
Above my bed is the print of “Christ in Gethsemane” by Heinrich Hofmann, 1890.
It was in my grandmother’s bedroom until she died. The hand-carved cross is
from the Pleasant Hill Kentucky Shaker Village. My monotone brown bedroom!
I know, it looks like a monk’s room! That’s okay. It is peaceful and where I sleep.

My photo of a Mandinka Potter in The Gambia with a
portion of Isaiah 64:8 printed on it. Opposite my bed.
“O Lord, you are our Father, we are the clay, you are the potter.”

As I leave my bedroom, a monkey wood carving from Makasutu Forest, Gambia.
And my collection of caps to protect a mostly bald head from sunshine. Art?
As you enter the hall from garden is my oil painting
by Uncle Harlan of Mulberry Creek, Arkansas.

Painted by my Grand Uncle Harlan Hunt of a real place in North Arkansas Ozarks.
My bedroom to left and office, kitchen, living room to right. 
Also in hallway, going to garden are two flower pictures by bathroom door.
Tennessee Tulips are my photo on canvas and Yellow Roses oil painting
by my Uncle Harlan Hunt. 
Coming out of the bathroom you see my photo of
a door in 1582 Spanish Fort San Juan, Veracruz, Mexico.
Another one of my favorite photos on canvas!  
In the bathroom opposite the mirror is my panorama of Vinales Valley, Cuba.

At 36″ wide, I think it makes a beautiful vista for a bathroom. One of my favorite shots from the Cuba tour, Vinales Valley.

I emptied about two of the large boxes of art for my walls, etc. Hard decisions.
There are two boxes of family photos, etc. I am keeping, for now anyway.
Now the rest of these go to Su Espacio for an Art Silent Auction this Saturday
to raise money for both the community center and the Atenas Marching Band
and its free music school for low income children. Then I get my dining room back!
And the 3 pieces of rent house art I’m keeping are the fruit paintings in dining & kitchen.
I love them!

You can pray that lots of people show up for the auction and are generous in their bids. I’m hoping to raise more than a thousand U.S. dollars or 500,000 colones. 9-11 AM this Saturday, 18 July, at Su Espacio Community Center across from the Coopeatenas gasolinera.

To see photos of the art being offered in the auction including 22 international creches, go to: 
http://www.pbase.com/charliedoggett/costa_rica_art_benefit_auction_atenas

And here’s the English version of the flier we are using to advertise it:

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Boxes, boxes, everywhere!

Some of the book boxes in my office & the African Chest unpacked already.

I intended to move here with only what would fit in the max allowed 5 suitcases and with more preparation time I could have. But once I was on the time line to move I couldn’t get rid of everything quick enough and decided to ship about 20 boxes of scrapbooks to photograph (make digital books) and destroy hard copies here. Then there was my art collection and good number of framed and canvas photos I liked and knew I could use some of, so boxed them securely for shipping. I also had a few boxes of misc. stuff, Christmas decorations (should have given away) and some winter clothing (big mistake!).

And more on the other side of my office!

I ended up with about 50 boxes shrunk wrapped on pallets that were shipped in December, arriving in Costa Rica in shared container space on a boat by February. Because I knew I would not likely stay in the apartments, I kept my boxes in storage in Alajuela near the San Jose Airport until this week when they were delivered to my new house.

Now the lovely, uncluttered house is a mess for a long while! Though I have already unpacked 4 or 5 the first day! I have to get ruthless again to clear out this stuff, like I did with all my furniture in Nashville. I’m still getting little checks from ReMix Furniture where much of my stuff was on consignment sale there.

Once I display the artwork and photos I think fit here, I will probably give the rest away. And the Christmas decorations will go to Su Espacio Community Center for their first Christmas tree this year if I can hold the decorations until maybe November. My manger scene collection may get advertised on Craig’s List Atenas.

But the scrapbooks and genealogy books/research will be the most difficult and time-consuming to deal with. And then there’s the stamp collection I didn’t get sold before the move. Craig’s List again! I’ll be busy for awhile!

Artwork, photos and Christmas stuff in my Living/Dining Room.
Plus the wicker trunk in my bedroom.
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A Typical Day?

Ate lunch around the corner from these trees at the Catholic Church Atenas

There probably is no such thing as a “typical” day in anyone’s life, never-the-less mine! But this relaxed Monday in Atenas, Costa Rica seems worth reporting as almost one for me.

As always, I was awakened early by the birds singing, but stayed in bed until about 6:30 when I got up for a shower, breakfast of fresh fruit, nuts, cereal, and some Costa Rica Coffee, while overlooking a vista of the Atenas Valley and mountains, and watching birds in my trees. I put all the trash in one big bag making it easier to take to the gate and put in our big metal basket where we place only bagged trash for pickup.

With a backpack of Spanish learning materials, sunglasses, and my Panama Hat today (David calls it my “bonita sombrero.”) I walk the 1.1 mile under a sunny blue sky at around 80 degrees to my Spanish class in town. It is always a fun 2+ hours with two new students today and the temporary loss of others who are traveling for awhile. After class I walk back to my old apartments, Hacienda La Jacaranda, to return two cups I accidentally packed with my stuff and pick up my last electric bill there.

Then I walk to the center of town to the Post Office to see if a letter has arrived that was sent 4 weeks ago from the states. It has not. Make a note to tell people to use the Miami PO Box to get mail to me quicker! Then two blocks away (or here we would say 200 meters) to the Vargas & Sons Hardware for a couple of items I need for the house. Then I decide to eat lunch out today since I have not in awhile, preparing most of my meals at home. I was going to try a new place but it is closed on Monday, so I go to my old standby Tico restaurant, La Carreta.

For a little over $5 I get a casado (plate lunch) of fish, beans, rice, mixed veggies, and instead of my usual green salad, I choose the Picadillo de vainica y zanahoria, (right click on site for English Translation) always liking to try something new and it was great! Its a green beans and carrots relish or salad with delicious seasoning, my favorite item on the plate today. As always here, the meal was served on a banana leaf in a tray. But of course that was not all for this sweet tooth guy! For just the second time for me I ordered a Lechemulla which is their version of the Horchata rice & milk drink, but they use vanilla ice cream instead of milk which adds to the cinnamon flavoring and wow is it good! During all this delicious eating, I’m both watching people walk down the street and reading more in the lengthy Lord of the Rings book. I finished both the Happier than a Billionaire books which were fun, but I’ve had enough of Nadine & Rob for awhile! And yes, the Rings books are heavy and lengthy, but also some great writing and story-telling! My Kindle Fire says the typical reading time for it is 27 hours and I’m about half-way through.

Then I walk all the way back past Su Espacio, where my Spanish class took place, to CoopeAtenas supermarket for my little shopping list and pay the electric bill. While finishing there it begins to rain really hard. So I call a cab for the trip home with enough groceries that walking would have been tough anyway. It was about $2 for the taxi.

It was a good long rain, more than usual, that I’m sure made my new flower garden happy. Sun is shining now. After writing this, I have some bookkeeping to do, then  may read or try to photograph birds from the balcony or walk with camera through the neighborhood. By then a sunset snack and more reading or time on the computer before bed. I haven’t watched a single TV show here and no Netflix movies since moving to new house. Real life is more fun! Plus I’m working on three different books and about to have my shipped boxes delivered, so never a dull moment! And I have done very little of the traveling around Costa Rica I expected to be doing by now. Maybe soon!

I’m looking at the Strangler Fig Tree outside my office window and continue to be amazed that I really am living in Costa Rica! It is not paradise or perfect by any means, but it brings me more joy and relaxation than any place I have ever lived. The rain just cooled it off, the birds are singing happily while I smile and think to myself what a wonderful decision it was to move to Costa Rica! Pura Vida!

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Garden Almost Finished

Seen from driveway

Seen from house door

Looking from garden back to driveway and Don & Linda’s house
The back sidewalk with red palm at end
Pot plant in Living Room

One pot on patio/balcony

The other patio pot to help screen neighbors
It will get much larger

Sorry, I took most of these photos before sweeping and mopping the tile walkways because I was in a hurry to go shopping in Alajuela. And note that the vines are planted at top of walls but will take a few months to trail down, maybe looking good in August. Still to come next Saturday:

  1. I have been debating whether to use mulch or ground cover and think I have decided on ground cover. He said he would give me two choices, so we will see what happens with that. 
  2. Plus the Maraca or Shampoo Ginger plant is still coming next week. A prize plant!
  3. I’m adding a Guarumo Tree in the front yard, a member of the Cecropia family that has a fruit toucans love, so you know why I am planting it. Sloths like to eat the leaves too, so who knows, it might even attract a sloth. 
  4. Also we are adding another red palm to hide the balcony post and give more balcony foilage. 
  5. In front of my bedroom window he will put some fish-tail palms to add to my privacy from the street and also . . . 
  6. A banana plant for my breakfast fruit as well as a screen! 

This is fun! And the landlord is paying for some of the above additions as I improve his property. I plan to stay here a long time! 🙂 I love the house and yard, my neighbors, and a great landlord who also a good neighbor! (And reads my blog some!) Pura Vida! This is more what I envisioned in Costa Rica than the apartments, though there were some good things about them and I enjoyed my time there as a good place to start.

I highly recommend J&C Gardens if you live anywhere near Atenas or La Garita. You can email Cristian (who speaks English) at jycgardens@gmail.com or call him at 8873-7483 cellular. Tell him Charlie sent you!
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Happy, Hard-working Garden Crew

Fun for me to watch it quickly take shape

A large Heliconia will be the centerpiece of this garden
Planting the Triquitraque vines at top which will take time to grow and
hang down, covering the walls, maybe by August or certainly by December

We got along fine and I really like Cristian, the crew leader and owner, and each of the 4 workers just as well. All were so friendly, and trying hard to please me. I’m not used to that! Of course I tipped them! And I provided agua frio, iced water, before their morning break when they shared a loaf of bread together. Just a neat group of guys! They came at 7:20 or so and finished at about 10:30. They did in 3 hours what would have taken me months to complete

I’ve also talked to Cristian about coming back with another Red Palm at the other street-side corner at end of patio-balcony, plus a Guarumo Tree to attract toucans, and a banana tree to attract me!  🙂 And mulch for the flowerbed which I’m choosing over rocks used a lot here or ground cover. Also my landlord stopped by and he asked them to return and plant something to shield my bedroom window from street and replace three street-side palms at his expense. So the outside of this place is really taking shape! Now this afternoon I have some shopping to do at Price Smart and will also get a water hose. Soon I won’t need it with the heavier rains coming, but now we are just getting light showers in afternoon and I must keep these plants alive!
I highly recommend J&C Gardens if you live anywhere near Atenas or La Garita. You can email Cristian (who speaks English) at jycgardens@gmail.com or call him at 8873-7483 cellular. Tell him Charlie recommended him!

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“Doing Good” Video Interview of Me

Before leaving Nashville I was interviewed by a staff person with Fifty Forward Donelson and the “Doing Good” program that encourages retirees to volunteer in activities like the FLIP (Friends Learning in Pairs) reading tutor program of which I was a part. I’m always nervous on camera, but even with nervousness, I think it turned out okay and hope it helps motivate someone to volunteer. It was impromptu, no script, just her asking questions.

(Click title to see short video.)
Do good! It will make you happy! Volunteering in Costa Rica is on the horizon, but I’m still getting settled now and really need to learn the language to do much good locally. It will happen!  🙂
Me as a reading tutor at Tulip Grove Elementary School last year.
To be doing good deeds is man’s most glorious task.
-Sophocles


Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Hebrews 13:16 ESV

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More Tarcoles Pix

Billed as a “Crocodile Tour” but we saw more than 20 species of birds too!
Yeah, that’s me! See, Costa Rica hasn’t changed me much!

I have a photo gallery with at least one photo of each of the 20+ birds and animals photographed in my PBase Gallery. Here are four more of those for the blog readers.

My new friend Barry in the photo op sign at Jose’s Crocodile Tour.
He did one of me in this too! The tour guys get closer than this to crocs.
Belted Kingfisher
Tarcoles River, Costa Rica
Little Blue Heron
Tarcoles River, Costa Rica

Maybe some more from Tarcoles tomorrow, or to see now hit this link to my PBase Gallery.

Explanation of trashy, muddy banks of river: it was at low tide. We were near mouth of river where it empties into the Pacific Ocean. This is the same river that my neighbor from Spain is building a dam on, further inland of course. We nature lovers don’t like the dams, but it is one of very few in Costa Rica.

My Trip Advisor Review of this trip with photos!

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Mountain Rainforest Today

My 8:00 AM ride was early, not on “Tico Time” – a very pleasant young man named Alejandro for our 90 minute ride into the TalamancaMountains and Trogon Lodge. Upon arrival, the first thing I did was put on long pants and long-sleeve shirt! It is very cool here and they have already lit the gas heater in my rustic cabin. The rain is in the middle of the day here while always in afternoon in valley and coast. But I did get to hike a couple of hours in the rainforest with only a mist. Got only one bird, but several shots of him, I think some kind of thrush; I don’t have my CR Bird Book with me. I also saw several Tropical Kingbirds but couldn’t get a shot. The star of this hike was Catarata Falls on the Sevegre River (photo}. The lodge is right on this mountain river. The staff and food are fabulous! Only 3 guests during the day but 20 young adults from Germany came in this afternoon, so the dining room will be livelier for dinner! And already is in the bar! The only WiFi hot spot is in the bar where I’m posting now before dinner. Every moment of every day is an exciting adventure! I enjoy them all!
At 5:40 AM tomorrow I meet my guide to go find and photograph the Resplendent Quetzal before breakfast. Then I will hike around the cloud forest until Alejandro returns for me at 2:00 PM, my last day in Costa Rica this time. Enjoy my mountain rainforest photos. More will be in my online gallery later.
Catarata Falls on the Sevegre River

Trogon Lodge on Sevegre River in Talamanca Mountins

Black-billed Nightingale-thrush, Trogon Lodge
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica

My “Rainforest Selfie” On Best Part of the Trip!
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Links to Other Retirees in Costa Rica

The original post here referred you to my website and a page there I was doing on moving to Costa Rica – well, the new website doesn’t have that, but the bulk of the post was the following links which I hope are still good to help you in your research on retirement in Costa Rica.

Broad-billed Motmot near Arenal, Costa Rica on 2010 Tour
I’m reading about other people’s experiences of moving to or retiring in Costa Rica. I will try to start sharing some of them. The problem with the International Living links is that they may not let you in if you aren’t a subscriber, not sure. But there are blogs and other info about living in Costa Rica I will share along the way. Here’s s few:
  • Facebook Page of a woman who retired in Costa Rica
  • A Working Retirement in Ojochal on southern Pacific Coast which I would love if I could find an affordable rental there – It would be close to multiple rainforests and a cloud forest where I got my photo of a Quetzal + beach!
  • Living Better than a Billionaire YouTube video – Great! Younger people! (Update) Hate to admit I was caught up in the impossible illusion that I too can live like they are in their video on my SS check. Not! Well, here’s a funny and honest Rebuttal to Living Better than a Billionaire.   International Living Magazine folks also give this false impression that you can live rich on your social security check. Well, I’m learning that a reality check is needed first! Having lived in a 3rd world country before, I know the reality that money speaks there too, just like in the states. I’m learning that I will not be able to afford those beautiful views that the rich already own. So I’m lowering the expectations. (updated 7/21/2014)
  • Expat organization called Association of Residents of Costa Rica which I could use later to help me with the move, IF I move!
  • No Finality in a Move Abroad, article in Huffington Post – just one reason I will rent – I can change my mind at any time and go back to states
  • Why Are Americans Still Flocking to Costa Rica? an article on International Living site
  • AARP “Best Places” Article on Costa Rica Retirement which focuses only on the Central Valley, but it is the most popular area!