Celeste Mountain Lodge, Flowers, Insects

A “Catch All” post except for Rainforest Trail I’ll share tomorrow.

Each night many came early for dinner to visit & use the wifi.
In addition to this dining room there was a lounge area below, all open-air,
simple, rustic, and ecologically sound structurally.

After breakfast with friends from France, Italy, & New York City.

Hercules Beetle
Celeste Mountain Lodge, Bijagua, Costa Rica

Hercules Beetle
Celeste Mountain Lodge, Bijagua, Costa Rica

Chestnut-sided Warbler with Caught Insect in Rain
Celeste Mountain Lodge, Bijagua, Costa Rica
I did not include this photo with the other birds at the lodge. 

Heliconia
Celeste Mountain Lodge, Bijagua, Costa Rica

Heliconia
Celeste Mountain Lodge, Bijagua, Costa Rica

Heliconia
Celeste Mountain Lodge, Bijagua, Costa Rica

Hibiscus
Celeste Mountain Lodge, Bijagua, Costa Rica
Heliconia
Celeste Mountain Lodge, Bijagua, Costa Rica

The real highlight was the Birds at Celeste Mountain Lodge, link to earlier post
Or you might want to see the lodge’s website for more about their services, great food, etc.

Tomorrow I share the last of my trip to Bijagua, “The Celeste Mountain Lodge Rainforest Trail.”

For more photos of Costa Rica, see my gallery called Charlie Doggett’s COSTA RICA

Jungle Flowers at Sarapiquí

See also my photo gallery Flora & Forests   or   go straight to My Garden
Flowers, birds and butterflies! What beautiful expressions of God’s colors I get to enjoy!
And today my gardener planted a new kind of butterfly bush that will bring many more butterflies he promises!
-o-
A Nation of Immigrants, an interesting article on how Costa Rica accepts the fact that it is made up totally of immigrants (much like the States) with fewer indigenous people (Indians) than the states. Read how Costa Rica still welcomes immigrants and thrives because of them. And we are regularly listed as one of the top happiest countries in the world! Interesting!

Dripping Wet!

Dripping Wet!  (Heliconia in my Garden, Atenas)
Is how we feel in Atenas as if Rainy Season will
never end! Though usually it has stopped by now.
Long range forecasts show more through Christmas.
And we are not in a rain forest!  🙂

I wrote this a couple of days ago to “get ahead” and sure enough it did not rain today (Friday), so maybe dry season is nearly here! Today I took Anthony to one of my favorite birding places, Tarcoles River for a boat ride and will report on it in the next couple of days. So more bird photos and another first sighting for me! And the weather was clear and sunny!

Cell phone snap on Tarcoles River, Costa Rica today, 16 December 2016
And no, I do not miss the snow in the states! Its either rain or sunshine here every day!
Tomorrow I help with the Angel Tree party and then start anticipating my next big trip 23-27 December to Selva Verde on the Rio Sarapiqui. And well, some Christmas fiestas this weekend. Busy time of year!

My New Toy: Macro Lens

Not the expensive one, just a simple Canon 100mm zoom, 1:28, Image Stabilizer (for hand-held) and auto focus. Here’s a few flowers with it and MY VERY FIRST HIBISCUS in my garden! I only recently got the plant which is slow-growing, but here’s the first bloom!

 

Hibiscus
My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica

 

Once de Abril  (haven’t found an English name yet)
My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica

 

Heliconia
My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica

 

Plumbago
My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica

 

Red Ginger
My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica

 

Porter Weed
My Garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica

I think I did okay on close-ups of flowers before with a telephoto lens from a distance, but this is suppose to be better! It has the capability of a 1:1 ratio if I get close enough. Insects will be more difficult because they scare off, so I’ll probably continue with my 300 mm for them. Though, note the little tiny ant on the Porter Weed above.  🙂 And it is so nice having flowers blooming year around!

My Flora & Forests photo gallery

Kitchen Window Jungle

What I see when standing at the kitchen sink looking out the window.
My home, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica

There are prettier spots in my garden, but this is how it is at this spot this week. It is all constantly changing and further to the right is the prettiest now with a lot of Red Gingers blooming. 

Rainy Season Garden

Rain Makes the Garden Grow! Thicker & More Lush!
Note that I replaced my Lantanas flowering border with red caladiums which will get fuller soon.
The other taller plants shaded the Lantanas and they require sun to thrive and bloom. New color in the shade!
The Maraca or Shampoo Ginger plant
has multiplied and grown very tall with
several blooms.
Heliconia
Across from the door I added a row of 20 of the small Heliconias with
little bright red & orange flowers that will bloom constantly
year-around when they mature. They help the “tropical look.”
One of the little Helconia up close,
like adding little jewels to my garden!

I’m always trying to improve my garden and during the rainy season is the time for new plants as the rain helps them to take root and thrive. Life in the tropics just keeps getting better!  🙂

¡PURA VIDA!

More flower photos in my FLORA & FORESTS GALLERY which is still under construction. 

Simple Beauty

Heliconia Bud
The hint is almost as beautiful as
the exotic tropical flower that will follow
in my garden, Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica.
Shot from my little garden bench by the door.