Calling All Angels #LinerWednesday

 

Because, frankly, we need all the help we can get. 

The song has long been a favorite of mine.

I had a difficult time getting this one. If you ever saw Pay It Forward you will recognize it. 

This post is part of Linda Hill’s OneLinerWednesday prompt

When You Least Expect It #OneLinerWednesday

Some days are just magical…

We first encountered Owl Butterflies in the mangroves in Costa Rica. They grow quite large and appear menacing to predators. Once they open their wings the inside shows their gorgeous blue and beige colors. It is difficult to get that shot though. I didn’t get one yesterday. 

Sharing a meal with the malachite butterfly.

This was a real treasure for me. The owl butterfly, a Giant Swallowtail larvae and eggs. I’m not sure what kind the eggs are. The garden is full of many species that all exist together. We love this place! 

Taking hers ‘to go’!

You have to be very observant to see larvae, caterpillars and eggs. Once you’ve spotted them you see them everywhere! 

The leaf below looks rather plain doesn’t it? 

A closer look reveals life in process! 

Eggs like tiny beads of dirt lie in perfect little rows

These look like the yellow Swallowtail that I saw but I’m not an expert

This guy is the Owl Caterpillar. I’ve petted one. It’s quite furry, like a teddy bear. See how brilliantly it’s camouflaged on the leaf seam? 

Malachite giving me a photo op

Oh! Here’s my favorite species! ❤️

In one of my happy places. So much peace and tranquility exists in nature. So many humans don’t bother to notice. 😔

These are truly the smallest bees I’ve ever seen.  They might easily be mistaken for gnats or mosquitos! 

Another naturally crafted ‘hive’ for our winged friends

I’m pretty sure I saw this guy in a B horror film. I stopped for a photo and autograph, just in case..

🫢

We’ve never seen anything quite like this amazing plant. It is commonly called a Vining Jade and I think it comes from the Philippines

Bzzzzzz…..

This is likely the best video moment in my life. She’s laying an egg! 

Hubs has been craving Chinese food so we found some at Chopsticks. It was pretty tasty too! 

We both chose Kung Pao but I snag shrimp any chance I get! 

Boquete Bees and Butterflies has become one of my favorite places locally. Their honey is amazing and we just bought some of the coffee they farm as well. Locally sourced takes on a completely different hue here.

This one definitely looks otherworldly. I wouldn’t mess with it, would you? Those ‘eyes’ are actually on its back end. 

My personal favorite bee! The fascinating colorful Euglossa! We saw these two as we were leaving. 

There were a lot of fading beauties and they were busily laying eggs for the next generation of stunning residents to the garden

Banana blossoms are some of the most lovely on such ordinary plants. 

This post is part of #OneLinerWednesday, sponsored by Linda Hill

Happiness truly is….

I Swear #1LinerWednesday

 

I swear it’s low carb, organic and gluten free…

This post brought to you by Linda Hill’s #OneLinerWednesday prompt

Please visit her page for more great post links and join the fun! 

Are You a Hero? (Almost) #1Liner Wednesday

 One of the best things about living in paradise is the abundance of nature’s children who live and play just outside the front door. I’ve been watching these Bronzed Cowbirds for a few weeks. While I appreciate the beauty and mystical associations of the family of blackbirds, I haven’t been overly enthralled by them until now. 

Every day they show up after the rains to peck the ground for seeds and bugs. Every day he does his mating dance. She doesn’t seem impressed, however. Poor fellow. I’ve been fortunate to finally get a video of their interaction and a series of photos. The lighting wasn’t perfect at 10 am on an overcast morning. Still, I think he looks magnificent. Maybe she could give him a nod.. 

I edited these using my Google Photos editor which I accidentally discovered is pretty awesome with the newest updates, nearly as good as the Pixelmator Editor I normally use.While I will never get over losing Picasa, this was a nice and convenient substitute. 

Hello…

Is it me you’re looking for?

You’re all I’ve ever wanted..

and my arms are opened wide

Tell me how to win your heart

for I haven’t got a clue..

Let me start by saying..

Her response always seems to be..

Impossible to use only one line. Impossible. 🤦‍♀️

This post is part of  Linda Hill’s One Liner Wednesday promt Visit her blog to meet other bloggers and join the fun.

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It’s a Family Affair #1LinerWednesday

 It’s a family affair, so get outa’ there! 

Ever since we moved to this idyllic spot in Boquete, there have been Yellow Headed Cara Cara nesting across the road. Our neighbor always has a snack for them when they stop by. Now that he is away for awhile we have taken up the mantle. We were wondering why they hadn’t stopped by for a couple of weeks, thinking maybe they sensed our neighbor was gone. It delighted and surprised us when they showed a few days ago with a new little one. Little, well.. it’s almost as big as Mama already. 

Isn’t he grand? I feel like it’s a he. The eyes are already quite distinctive and that is the easiest way to tell male from female as far as I know. The male’s eyes are heavily masked, seeming like they are wearing makeup compared to the plain look of the eyes of the female. How about that ladies? Nature is such a brute to the feminine energy. 🤷‍♀️

Plain, maybe, but she’s got style

And attitude!

Yep, he looks like he’s wearing false eyelashes but that is just his mask extending behind those golden ringed eyes

I’ve learned a lot about how they teach the little one, and the fact they brought it here for an introduction is awesome. We feel honored. We also give good snacks. 😉 The other day I watched it trying its wings and flying from rooftop to tree and circling back. Mama and Dad just watch and wait. Once they showed it where to come for a bite, they made it come alone and watched from the other house. 

“Go on..”

“But where’s the meat, Mama?”

The first time, they fed baby

The next day it was sharing with Mama! 

Junior

Then disaster nearly struck. Yesterday I looked outside and Black Vultures were gathering on the neighbor’s roof. I thought, ‘Okay, I draw the line here, boys’. Then I saw baby perched on the rail beneath them. First there was one, then two, three and four. They were waiting for baby to fly! Mama and Dad were nowhere to be found. Hubs kept reminding me that vultures don’t kill and only eat dead things. Nope. I sensed differently and looked it up. 

Unlike Turkey Vultures, Black Vultures will kill small animals and often present a problem for farmers. 

I opened the door and yelled at them. All they did was look at me but that gave Junior a chance to fly off. Once they realized the snack bar was closed they left. 

Whew! 

“The kid got away, Ralph”

“Hey, what’s up? I thought we was havin’ lunch!”

After Junior flew into the trees Mama took its place, just to make sure..

I’m happy to say no birds were harmed in this standoff. 

I did, however, witness one of the falcons dining on a particularly annoying mockingbird a month ago. 🤦‍♀️

They do arrive quite early. I guess they didn’t get the memo that said we’re retired and like to sleep past sunrise. Mama and baby were back this morning. I hope Dad’s alright. 

It’s a family thing..

This post is part of One Liner Wednesday

All In Good Time #1LinerWednesday

There are a lot of things happening in Paradise, but there are not as many as you might think that involve sitting around. BUT.. many involve some form of eating or drinking. The abundance of beautiful, fresh produce here from all the local farms makes it possible to enjoy so many treats. Fresh salads, veggies, smoothies, etc. My favorite fun fruit is one I consider a delicacy. The passionfruit lends itself to so many culinary delights. It pairs well with chocolate and makes a wonderful icing for dark chocolate cake. Combined with coconut or mango, passionfruit is the life of the party. 

And when it comes to liquor, some of my favorite specialty drinks have a passionfruit base. So, I figure, with time and the availability of this luscious fruit, why not make some passionfruit liqueur?  I found a no fuss recipe and all the ingredients were easy to come by. It is basically a two step process and the most difficult part is waiting. The smell is heavenly and it looks so pretty in the bottle on the counter. It takes a month total and I just keep telling myself..

All in good time…

🥰