Hola
Made it back just fine to RI, quite uneventful. It was such a pleasure to see my Cal waiting for me with a big smile, unshavened but smiling. His luggage got lost from his trip to Kyiv, with the razor. Anyway, didn't matter. Kissing my whole face, felt scratchy but comforting. We got home and had a bowl of cereal and then crashed. I have not unpacked yet, trying to get both apartments now situated so that it feels like home. We took on the next door apartment with a hallway in between the two. We bought a beautiful rug and floor lamp and I would really like to use the natural light bulbs in the room, for the landlord closed up the only window in the living room, (long story) while we were both away. Great colors though... I picked out for the rooms, very happy with choices. Living room, dark green (turtle), one wall, a light green (rejuvenate) for x bedroom and a butternut (chamois) for bathrooms (2). Antique white for trims. The high ceilings and the other brighter rooms it will be fine. So now I am off to the studio to drop off my stuff there and go to the market for stocking up groceries. Will post photos soon. Took pics at the lighthouse in Jamestown today, our favorite ocean spot. It is just to cold here in RI 26 degrees farenheit today, now it is 43.

Bamboo Winds
watercolor 22 x 30

Arriving back home Friday evening
Ok, I really don't want to go back to reality. But, I have 13 new friends I have met here too from all over the world. It has been a very productive trip, learned about blogs and the creative journey of writing in this online journal daily for a month, which I always wanted to do. I got to know my camera better, today I found out the flash has different levels of light I can control, but still I am baffled on night time shooting and the speed of shutter adjustments with this digital camera. Dowloading and filing photos. Composing photos, without this computer I woud not have been so productive. Viewing my images instantly for reference for my different "series" of paintings. The Boatman, Bananas, Landscapes, Bamboo, Architecture, Orchids, Coffee Beans, Trees, Sarongs. I have enough reference today from Costa Rica to last a lifetime, but I will be back and hopefully not alone. I would love to share this magnificent scenery with my friends and family and students. I am working on another trip to come here with art travelers for same time next year Dec & Jan. The people are so gracious and kind here. The country is the most beautiful I have ever seen, so much for an artist for subject matter. I will look at things differently now even in my own little village, Wickford, RI.

Today 4 of us went to Orosi & Cartaga. We went to the hot springs and then we went to Lankaster Gardens where I have the most beautiful photos of the strangest looking orchids. The Orosi Valley was great, it was a bit cool and a really foggy day, perfect weather for soaking in the hot springs while the sounds of waterfalls and streams surround you. Sounds to good to be true. We had a nice little man for taxi driver who asked me for directions, that was a little scary, don't you think. I mean I have a great sense of direction, but please, I lost my patience with him. Anyway, I am packing now after a pleasant dinner with most of us at Finca Bonanza again, they had this huge spanish banquet table with 8 high back chairs. We all sat around. It was another grand night enjoying the atmosphere there and the company of people I have lived with for a month. mmmmm The four words again that descibe this wonderful opportunity for me would be, the spontaneity of creating, the discipline to paint/draw/photograph a piece or pieces of art everyday, to paint and draw and compose with passion and for even a short time, the freedom to do it all in. Thank you for reading my blog and sharing this month with me. I would love to show you the work I have accomplished here and hope you can enjoy Costa Rica's natural beauty someday soon for yourself, before it gets too popular. Para Vida!!!!

Coffee Plants, watercolors, 4 x 9

Miriam Hitchcock, mixed media
Today was about getting ready for our open studio for invited guests and friends. We had about 20-25 people & the resident dogs visiting our studios and then we had the writers read some of their passages. Miriam's collection of work was refreshing, humorous and illustrative, it describes her to a "T'. Susan's work was vibrant, colorful, very whimsical and her magical lyrics & song entranced us all in her fairyland casita. Allison is writing her memoirs and read an exert from her teen-years that was very funny and I could imagine the scenario all to well. Alice read from her textbook on how the arts affect the special needs of children with autism and other serious handicaps. That was such a great way to end our time here for a full cirlce, realizing the importance of art in everyones world. Royce, director here at colony read from his 4 year project of growing up with an emotional unstable mother, but on an intellectural, educated level after studying and working in the psychology field. I coulde his story as a full length movie, and that was just a short exert of his story. Piogiant!

Susan Szathmary, Acrylic

I went horseback riding again at the same place. Just three of us this time. A different trail, an hour was a good amount of time to be on a horse, my knee muscles hurt, though. It was a beautiful experience. The horses are so beautiful. The Costa Rican cowboys were getting the horses ready for a big parade in San Jose today. Hundreds of horses strutt there stuff, fancy stepping, dancing, must be an awesome site to see. Because I have only a couple days left here, time is precious. So I can not squeeze one more thing in these next days. The day(s) of course flew by. Picked up a couple things for lunches in Colon, walked up that damn hill again, (I will not miss carrying my groceries up that hill) Lorenzo came over to see me, Soizic kicked him out of their casita, she had a client meeting. He so graciously educated me about Vitamin B12 that I have been taking for boosting my metabolism. He writes about health issues, I think he owns some spa clubs, anyway it was a really nice visit, he is about 68 , from Rome and told me I need to do more breathing excersises, so that I can be in harmony. I will try to do these tasks daily to see if he is right. Sweet man. So, I did not think he would stay so long this afternoon, then time for the sunset at Vinca Bonanza again, we went for tea and paid our bill from last night, because none of us had colones to pay for our christmas dinner. They were so kind. Long story. Took a taxi back to colony, because the path to the restaurant that we found (is a secret), another long story) was too dark, I was ascared of snakes in the grass at night. And not to mention tipping over again. I have a reputation now, being clumsy. Working hard tonight to finish up two paintings for our "open studio night" tomorrow after our last supper, Alice & Allison doing readings, Susan & Miriam & I showing our masterpieces to the colony, Dina decided not to participate. We have invited some outside guests that we all have met this month. Hopefully Royce will read from his writings also. Macy (one of the dogs) brought Susan over to visit tonight, so we had a few chuckles, nice break from painting. We are all hiding in our casitas tonight finishing up for tomorrow night. I'll be up all night trying to decide how to present all I have done. Over 50 drawings and paintings, did not reach my goal of a hundred paintings, but I did get alot accomplished. I have taken over a thousand pictures and I feel like I still don't have enough, the landscapes here are gorgeous, and being on a bus both times going places I have not been able to take many landscape shots, so we are going to hire a taxi for Thursday morning to take us to Orosi a quaint village south of San Jose for a few hours and stop at all the Kodak moments along the way, Taxi driver and the girls have been forewarned. Thursday night taking Carlos out because he has been the "gem" at this place, helping each one of us see the Costa Rican ways of fun, hospitality and generousity. I leave Friday morning, be home after 8:00pm. Having trouble agaian uploading photos.

We were reflecting at our very special Christmas dinner about Saturday's candlelight service. A cast of characters. It was in English & Spanish, it was more tolerable in Spanish, Miriam sitting next to me at the service, said at one point "just picture him in his underwear" and then I couldn't stop laughing. You know the kind of laughing where it could've been out of control? We were captive there, and it was the most amusing night, singing carols. Another andidote was that Rainbow, in her late 70's, forgot to put her bottom teeth in before going out. There are "muchos mas" stories to tell. I have to practice my Spanish even writing it helps me, sorry, but this is my journal remember?

Feliz Navidad y paz to us and to you. It was such a pleasant morning of exchanging gifts, at breakfast. French toast, fruit, maple syrup. We made wishes for the coming year & some of the party goers are wishing their headaches would go away. I do miss home today. It is warm here about 78 degrees F. Some puffy clouds and feels like there might be a shower coming along. I hear thunder. I did laundry this morning and hung the clothes out on a line, they dried in about an hour. Smells great! The nights here smell like jasmine too. It is in the winds. Trying to catch up on blog this afternoon and do a bit of painting, then we will all go to dinner at Vinca Bonanza and watch sunset. Bonanza sounds like a really tacky place. huh? I have found a new drink, cold tea of Rosa de Jamaica, made from hibiscus flower petals, real red color mixed with a little juice, refreshing. The coffee is very smooth here too which I love and learning again what good coffee taste like.

Chantelle's fiesta was great too, around the pool, lots of great food, this merinque with strawberries and almond pie, was mucho deliciouso she said she would give me the recipe. I will blog it when I recieve it. Lisa gave us all friendship bracelets from her trip to Nicaragua last week, made by a family of ceramists there. She is working with "Potters for Peace". www.pottersforpeace.com Fireworks and a Columbian band, lots of dancing the Salsa, Merengue, y mucho mas. Dogs went loco with the fireworks. We all brought Chantelle a bit of food for table, stuffing, deviled eggs, egglant spread, pina coladas. I would have brought my famous focaccia, but could not find dough and didn't know how to ask for it in Spanish. (I should have brought my garlic press too) Painted all day long, made bookmarks for all the girls for gifts of friendship for christmas morning. Worked on large bamboo painting and started 4 collages 13 x 13 for each of the seasons using natural pieces found here in Costa Rica.

I am tracking Santa through a website my sister sent me. I hope he finds me.

Went to the open market in town this morning. Last Saturday I forgot my memory card for my camera so today I was able to take some pictures there. The "Coconut Man", the "Banana Man", the "Soap Lady". I feel another series coming on. Just came back from a candlelight service at a "Unity" church in the area that Lorenzo & Swasik belong to. They are a lovely couple that are in the artist colony also. They are writers. He is Italian, (he says he is European) and she is from France. We went to the service in a van taxi and picked up a couple other friends of theirs, Kati, Vicki, and Rainbow (yes Rainbow). The service was in Spanish & English. Twelve words like wisdom, love, strength, power, renounciation. understanding, order, faith, misssing some words now were the topics. Candles were lit and each of us had an affirmation twisted around our candles. Mine was "I am wisdom and confidence". I wish I had the wisdom to look down at the street rather than up in the treetops, because I fell again and screwed up my right knee. Bruised my left hand fell right into a pot hole this time. Feeling very clumsy lately. So poor me ok? ok looking for some more sympathy. Tomorrow Lorenzo is going to do some reiki on it to see if we can take the trauma away. I'll try anything, anyway the service was memorable. We are all realizing time is running out here at colony, days are numbered, Sunday dinner at Chantelles casita, Monday paint all day, Tuesday horseback riding, Wednesday, last dinner all together and Hot Springs in Oriso, and maybe showing our work to each other, Thursday Spanish and taking guys out Carlos & Royce to Bonanza, our canteen now, the people that own restaurant have asked us for Christmas turkey dinner at 3:00. How nice is that? Adios

Hoy (today)
This time took a tour bus on another day adventure to the Central Highlands area of Costa Rica, the Doka Coffee Plantation, Parque Nacional Volcan Poas, La Paz Watergardens and a boat ride on the Rio Sucio. It was magnificent! Breakfast with a cup of "peaberry" coffee. Active volcano site was breathtaking. A wonderful buffet lunch at the gardens. Colorful butterflies, waterfalls, and orchids. On the river boat ride we saw wild monkeys, crocodiles, iguanas, blue herons, egrets. Homes on the river up on stilts due to the heavy rainfall and rise in rivers, up to 15 ft. Miramba music at the River lodge was in the background while I walked around and took pictures. Hammocks all filled with weary adventurers. Views in the valley of coffee plantations, fern gardens, yucca trees, red dracenas, flowers. In the cloud forests, largest leaves I have ever seen, as big as an umbrellas and bigger even. A feast for my eyes. Great day and worth the $80.00. Even got a ride home from nice people we met on tour bus. We would have had to take a taxi back to colony. It was a long filled day. Time for bed, 9:00 pm.

Ballerina Orchid

Fiesta Tempo!
Miramba n' Mojitos
Fiesta de Fransico's. Traditional Costa Ricense foods. Dancing on the tennis court. Colored lights, bamboo decorated branches, Nativity scenes. Gifts scattered around and the deck open to the warm night sky. The party made it feel more like Christmas finally, I am a little mixed up with being in such a warm climate for CHRISTMAS. It was great fun watching Carlos and this little girl dance, wow she could move those hips and she danced with everyone. From the upper deck I watched the girls dance around and laughing with them as they turned around and around with arms flying, no worries. "Para Vida"
In the afternoon Fransico took Miriam & I to Multi Plaza, shopping for groceries and rum...we should have known it would be longer than expected, stuck in car while he went to bank, when you go to bank, expect at least 45 min. wait. I bought a pair of shoes. My sandals have seen better days, I have stretched them to the limit walking up & down these steep hills. Feliz Navidad to me. Aja is off to Brazil today. Anxious to hear about her culture shock experience, since this is the first time for her traveling out of the country. We americans are so spoiled.

Which brings me to the season of winter solstice. Longer days of light in a new solar year. My solstice tree of gifts from new friends. Everyone has put some form of ornament on it and it eminates friendships I have made here in the colony. This one is my favorite, it is about the size of a baseball, found on our horseback adventure. A large dried pod with seeds tucked in it that flew away. (like a little basket) Carlos spotted it in a tree and got off his horse to get it and carried it all the way back on horseback. I hope to get in home in one piece. A precious gift.

Banana Treat, 4 x 9 watercolor

Buenas Noches

I started my day with a Spanish lesson with Bernardar, such patience with me, truly, she is a saint. I painted for few hours and then took the walk down to town very carefully, so I wouldn't fall down again, to get more masking tape. I am really achy from horseback riding or falling, I don't know which. We always have an adventure when we go to town, took some pictures of some children today. Had a taco at a Mexican Restaurant, the chef had his 3 children there helping out, the youngest one gave us the menus, she was about 7 and her brothers were maybe 8 and 9. They loved having their picture taken and then I showed them on the camera, they gave me big smiles. The little girl was picking flowers in the courtyard, one boy was playing with a batman, (I had to take his picture too) and the oldest one was entertaining us with his yo-yo skills. Then while walking back to the colony we heard some music, sounded like a music box until we came from around a truck and saw 4 children, 2 playing an instrument like a small handheld harp. I asked them if I could take their picture, and they got all excited and grouped together and played a Christmas song for us, we thanked them and wished them Feliz Navidad. It seems like when we walk downtown, the time flys. We came back around 4:00. I have been painting the banana series this afternoon and made a great dinner tonight with salmon again with avocado, tomatoes and a roasted red pepper. It rained a little bit today, I finally carried the umbrella, remembered my money and keys too this time, geez.

I have many series started now, and the imagery for paintings keep coming from these photo compositions. fun, fun, fun. We have Fransico's Christmas Party tomorrow evening, he says he has some surprises in store. He has hired a miramba band. So dancing is in order. Oh no! More excersise, ouch.

Tuesday (Martes)
A thought: Spontaneity and discipline; passions and freedom.

I haven't done my homework in Spanish yet, uh oh. Right after this excersise in journal writing my blog. Today I went horseback riding for the first time. Riding through lush forests, up steep hills and down across brooks, little waterfalls and ridges of mountains with a Costa Rican cowboy as our guide. WOW! Really back to nature. We made another reservation for next Tuesday too. Carlos (conquistador) found another dried pod ornament for the tree, I hope I can sneak these back to the states in my luggage. Worked on the computer most of day, learning some more features in Photoshop and with my camera, reviewing hundreds of photos I have taken and storing some on discs for back up. Made my christmas card too with one of the photos I took from down in Cuidad Colon side street. Walked with Susan & Macy around property and found these beautiful flowers on a tree and all over the ground, pink soft fuzzy things, same color as my shoe. Went to this new restaurant (spider in sunset was actually the size of a tennis ball) again this time for dinner, the sunset was glorious tonight too. Had frajitas and mojitos (Latin drink; rum, fresh lime, mint leaves), I really did it up huh? Fell going down steep hill walking home too, (excuse?) rocky roads. Maybe I shouldn't have had that mojita. I am thinking about Aja & their trip to Brazil, wishing them a safe trip tomorrow with the little guy. Last I heard he is loving Santa Clause. Ho Ho Ho.
Susan, Me, Alice, and Dina

Lunes (Monday)
The group of us here at colony had a pot luck luncheon for a couple of local people met at an exhibiton last week. They speak a little english so it was a really nice little lunch that we could practice our spanish "slowly" with them. Borcht (Dina's russian beet soup), Susan's potato salad & iced rosa de jamican tea, Alice's mixed salad, Allison's grapefruits, my fruit salsa and a tomato salsa with avocado and corn chips. Was a feast. These new friends have invited us to their home for a lesson on how to make sushi, they have been taught from their Japanese students. They are teachers of Spanish. Go figure!
Carlos got bit from one of the dogs, doesn't know which one bit him. Three stitches. He was trying to break up a fight. We have all been giving him mucho sympathy. He is loving it. After our luncheon Dina & I went for walk to see the sunset from a new restaurant behind the property here. Bonanza, has breathtaking views of mountains and a jungle setting. Originally an "A-Frame" like treehouse the family has lived in for 17 years and now turned into a beautiful restaurant. We had a drink and watched the sunset. And going there Tuesday for an early dinner for sunset again. The view I have here in studio is of the south, so it is a treat to go there. December is the windy month, so we will see many interesting cloud formations which make for dramatic skies and great photos, now just have to learn to take better shots at dusk, seems more difficult on automatic setting, so off to experiment. Chao

"Lorraine's Pocket",

collage by Susan Szthmary

Buneas Tardes

Lost electricity last night for a good amount of time, very windy, so just getting to this blog. Did some shopping online. That was fun this morning. Made a fruit salsa and a tomato salsa for luncheon @ 2:00pm here. Tree has great decorations on it. I think the apt has a comfortable look now. I have real bamboo vases for ferns and greenery, to spruce up the place. Have a million ideas for new series...It is hot here today in 80's, but still a breeze, pool later and then walk to find more images to shoot. It is spring here so many things will be blooming this week.

Went for a walk yesterday and found a group creating stone sculptures in the plaza, encouraging children and adults to discover the act of creating art with materials from their immediate area, which is rather low-income and how it uses many cognitive skills. There is not much money for toys. River rocks is the material of choice. Two rivers run through town. Cal you would love this!!! This is one of your forte's. Building stone sculptures all over the world. hee hee...then I bought the worst frozen-drink from an ice cream man pushing his cart along the street. Too sweet, with syrups. Hit the spot going back home up the steep hill though.

I see inspiration everywhere, I finally went to a site on a hillside below the colony, where a huge, tree stands with 5 tire swings hanging beneath it. It was inviting. Took some great photos, if I say so myself found some red ginger flowers along the way that I picked and added to the one I bought at shop. Of course I was looking for stuff for ornamentation for xmas tree too. Look at my pocket! I finally started a full sheet (22 x 30) painting of the bamboo series, having a ball with that one and working on many other series at the same time in smaller versions until one just says "paint me big". I have so many wonderful photos to work from and still have 2 weeks left. I have started to put photos on cd's now, don't want to run out of space here.
The open market was today in Colon, went to a great restaurant tonight, I had a tenderloin cooked in coffee sauce with rice & squash medley & salad, then Susan & I split a banana flambe for dessert. mucho bien!!! Bananas growing wild all around us, so a banana a day is in order. I think that is going to be my next series. I got bit by a bee today too after a dip in pool, in 3 places on my arm, boy did that sting. Vitamin E cured it in a couple hours.
P.S. Paste paper came out really well, I will use it for my hibiscus series, just seems to be the right colors.

Hola!!
It is starting to look alot like Christmas. I found a beautiful tree branch (Carlos cut it for me) for a Christsmas tree, and Susan I have had some fun creating ornaments, when we find something on the ground. Stick a thread on it and hang it on the tree, its pretty funny. But looks great!! leaves, chili peppers, pods, flowers, a bracelet turned into a wreath, las amigas will be putting something on the tree. I have another gecko in the apartment now, he got in when I came in the door last night, her name is, "Gotit", the 3 amigos de gecko now in apartment. Tomorrow is the festival of lights in San Jose, about 30 minutes from here and we are planning to go early because large crowds are expected. In morning is open market, in Cuidad Colon, we will walk down at 8am together. Looking forward to that for picture taking mostly. Maybe buy some flowers and fruit.

Susan & I and a dog Macy took a walk on the property, we figured Macy would scare away any wild creatures and protect us. She did protect us. Trip to the mall was neccessary today, I bought a microphone for computer, so if anyone wants to talk to me though voice, download Skype. My screen name on Skype in lorrilorri, www skype.com. We also visited the festival in Colon which has been going on all week, small village setting in square, some crafts, jewelry, clothes and christmas concerts every night, and fireworks. Seems weird to have fireworks, with all the wildlife here, it is not very sensitive to them being that CR is so eco-aware. One of our projects here as a group is to get a recycling program in order, with the help of the University of Peace, here in Colon. Will not be too much effort, but something we all believe in.

I am still drawing everyday, from nature and from pictures I have taken, by viewing them on the monitor here, its been such a wonderful tool. Dina & Susan and I made paste paper last night, like finger painting on paper. Wonder how they will look tomorrow after they dry. I'll use them for backgrounds this week.

Isidro's Bull, mixed media on board, 4 x 9

Buenas Noches
What an interesting evening, we met a very well-known Costan Rican artist, Isidro Con Wong at his studio/home tonight, he only spoke Spanish but we had an interpreter, his son and Dina can understand alot of Spanish, she was a big help. He had huge paintings of landscapes that included indigineous trees, bulls, mountains and foliage of Costa Rica, they were poetic and colorful and now he is painting more abstract with figures from past paintings. He is the of son of Chinese immigrants and he tells his story with passion. I felt priviledged. www.isidroconwong.com.

Went to Cuidiad Colon for lunch break down the steep hill with Dina & ALice to have casada a typical rice, bean dish, which all the restaurants offer with their own signature flavors to it, various versions of salsa on the plate, in very large portions. The plate always looks like it would cost mucho colones, (lots of dollars) but it is the most inexpensive meal to eat here, whether with chicken or fish and beautifully arranged in the even the smallest snack/lunch sodas (small snack places). Bought a red ginger flower for $1.00 at shop. It then started to rain hard and we took a taxi back, it rained the rest of day until late afternoon. I had a little accident in the kitchen today, I was rinsing out some clothes in sink and I forgot that I left the water on, as I was drawing I heard water running but I thought it was the rain outside, it rains so hard here, but no the water was overflowing the sink, all over my studio, rivers were starting to form. Good thing this is a cement floor, all my towels are wet now too. No damage, don't tell anyone. I got alot of drawing done while the rivers were flowing.

We are making plans for our christmas party (s) too. One at the main house with Francisco and his friends and family and then one with only the artists and the people who live on the complex, all either staff or artists, friends. We will exchange a secret santa way.

Alice & I had our Spanish class this morning with Bernarda, played dominoes with spanish words, matching opposites, like tall and short, etc...great teacher! Will make one for Hudson Jai someday soon. Of course I took pictures today too and discovered the panorama feature on my camera. Will do more experimenting with it before I post anything.

Carlos is like our private tour guide, he loves nature and loves to take walks. So he plans these little excusions at times and takes a couple of us with him. I guess it was my turn today, Alice & I got in the taxi and we had no idea where we were going. Taxi drops the 3 of us off on a winding road and Carlos shows us the most unusual flowers at a friends home. We walked the road and found views and more birds, butterflies, trees. We all practiced our Spanish and Carlos practiced his English. We ended up at the"University for Peace". It was created as a Treaty Organization within the framework of the United Nations, it's mission is to "provide hunamity with an international institution of higher education for peace with the aim of promoting among all human beings a spirit of understanding, tolerance and peaceful coexistence, to stimulate cooperation among peoples and to help lessen obstacles and threats to world peace and progress". I just took that from the brochure I recieved from there. Sorry I know its long, but complicated. Then we found the horse farm/stables where they offer riding tours with a guide. We booked one for next week. Very inexpensive $24.00 for 4 of us with a guide for about a 1.5 hours. The taxi came right on time back to pick us up and we stopped at a small woodworkers shop on the way back to colony, he made wooden bowls and spoons and other misc pieces.

My day was not as productive as others have been, but I experimented with some new backgrounds to paint on. Interesting results. Wednesday nights is dinner with the group at the main house with Francisco, the property owner. He was a professional soccer player for Costa Rica years ago for 12 years. So he says he is a celebrity. His english is funny. Now I know what I sound like in Spanish. We had a nice meal with fish, mashed potatoes (my favorite), carrots, broccoli and sat at long dinner table open to the outside overlooking the mountains. Air very was sweet tonight. Rained some of the day and cooled it off, it was very hot early afternoon.

"Bamboo Seranade", mixed media, 4 x 9

Hola Amigos

Had my first Spanish lesson, can you tell. I have some homework to do too.

Did pretty good. Great teacher! Starting to feel like home now, I am decorating my studio with some bamboo and some other little things, tired of looking at these blank walls today. I do have a lovely view from apartment with the biggest glass windows on one wall. The lemons or oranges or limes, just picked from tree outside my door. I can't tell you what they are, just that it is a citrus fruit. It's not yellow like a lemon but it tastes a little lemony, yet sweet, it looks like a lime when it is not ripe, and looks like an orange on the inside. One of those mysteries! Postcard on bottom (pictured above) I picked up at a shop in Quepos that supports "Kids Saving the Rainforest" campaign. It is a collage made by children, that has cut out letters from magazines, like a ransome note and then on bottom it has pictures of animals from Costa Rica. I loved it. Had to have it! Other postcard above is traditional CR motif handpainted on a wagon wheel.

My geckos are now keeping the spiders away I think, my friends "Goforit" & "Getit". I named them just now. "Goforit" is in the bathroom and "Getit" is behind the bookshelve.

"Goforit" & "Getit", watercolor 3.5 x 2.5

All of us women met down at the pizza restaurant, sat at an outside table under an arbor of fragrant flowers, beautiful night with a glowing nativity scene sitting in corner with white lights all over it and there was a white horse along side of the restaurant tapping with his right hoof on side street waiting impatiently for his owner to ride off on him. Lots & lots of things to look at, artwork on the walls from local artists, handmade jewelry & flowers surrounding even inside this little Italian restaurant. Also after dinner we all went for a short walk to the middle of town where they were having a young peoples holiday concert and craftsman around a christmas lit plaza. This was after a long day drawing out my next series and working on a large painting to finish up the bamboo series.

I have been thinking seriously about coming back in Dec/Jan again just to teach a workshop here and then stay on longer to paint, working on details with director now. TTYL

Manuel Antonio National Park
Buenas Tardes

I just wrote a really long story for the blog and now just lost it all, so starting over again. It has been raining on & off today, cools the day down alot. Planned my spanish class with Bernarda for 11:00 AM Tuesday with the girls here (3 of us), others are more advanced. Excited about that. Already went to Cuidad Colon down the hill for some groceries and nice walk, great coffee, boy was I achy this morning from all the walking over the weekend, up hills, steep staircases, and swimming, wow. I like the excersise without saying its excersise.

Weekend on the west coast was fabulous!!! (left to right, Alice, me, Susan & Dina) Went to Quepos and Manuel Antonio Park was our destination. Three & half hours on the autobus was great seeing the landscape of steep hills of sap green peaked mountains and cyan hills, cobalt skies. We arrived at the Hotel Plinio, a tree-house like place with hammocks and tropical flowers, plants with leaves as big as I am. The hotel built tall along a side of mountain out of tree trunks, only screened in rooms, it had 3 levels, living area on 1st, beds on 2nd, up spiral stairs to deck with hammock and view of ocean, about 10 mins by bus (50 cents to ride bus) to beach. Public beach was first to spend time on Friday afternoon, colorful wares of jewelry, sarongs, beach towels, very touristy. I did not expect that but then on Saturday we went to Manuel Antonio Park. Trails in the jungle with the most pristine, quiet beaches. Monkeys, iguanas, sloths (furry kola-like), racoons, & geckos. The monkeys were fascinating to watch fly through the trees and the sloths climbing very slowly up tree trunks. You could hear howling monkeys in the jungle there and at night at the hotel too. Eeiry. Got some great shots of the monkeys on the beach, they did steal some fruit from someones bags. Amazing to watch at such close distance these wild animals just roaming around, large iguanas too, sunning themselves like in a movie. I feel like I am in a movie.

I bought a poqueno piece of Chorotega pottery from local indigenous group at the beach. Earth-tones and traditional iguana design. Time for y boca (snack).

Gold n' Hibiscus, watercolor on paste paper, 9 x 4

Boy, this has been the best day. Swimming in the pool was refreshing and finally refilled this week, long narrow blue pool. All the dogs were around today too. Talia, Bong, & Forrest. A productive day. I am thrilled to be here, using all my skills to create art. There is a point I have reached that the skill is unconscious now and my mind can concentrate entirely on what I want to say. I will be leaving early morning for Quepos, on the pacific coast and will resume blog Sunday evening with more writing. Not a good idea to take laptop in knapsack traveling, it is not advised. I am not going there without my camera though. It will be all I can do keep it safe. I just remembered there is a tree I want to photograph on the hillside with 8 tire swings attached to it. Will get to it on Monday. Leftover pasta tonight and up early to get the bus to San Jose, then to Quepos. Chao!

"Bamboo Song", watercolor 4 x 9

Hola

Had a wonderful dinner this evening with six of us girls and Royce the director here at the colony. It was at the main house, which has a large cathedral ceiling/wall of glass to see the view of cuidad colon. It was a vegetarian lasagna with butter and cheeses, corn, peas, pasta, a salad with avocados of course, and a fried cheese, (looked like chicken, but it wasn't). We didn't even give Royce a moment to eat his dinner, we had so many questions about CR. He ended up taking it back to his apt. Conversation about day trips to volcanos and rainforests. About safety and logistic traveling, taxis vs buses and just our group vs tours, guides vs a taxi cab driver. Anyway, 4 of us are going to Quepos & Manuel Antonios. Is said to be quite beautiful. http://centralamerica.com/cr/quepos/quepos.htm
I did not have a productive day as far as alot of painting, I made a soup for the rest of week and went for a walk with Miriam, artist from CA, lived in RI for 8 years. We stopped for cafe before walking up the steepest hill with our groceries. With our poor Spanish we ended up with a cup of cafe each and a tall iced chai each, funny, we thought we just changed order, but instead we ordered dos (2) drinks each. Oh well. Stars are out tonight, moon is shining almost full. Last night it was full.

No rain today either. I took a long walk with Susan today. Up a steep dirt road and back again. I found a hummingbirds nest and some seeds that the Costa Rican people make jewelry out of. The hummingbird flew around me for a while, I was waiting for it to hover so I could take a photograph, it did not cooperate so I continued on my walk and on the way back I saw her again and finally she stopped singing and I looked up and saw her resting in a nest made up of spider webs. It was amazing. The property is well maintained, lots of fruit trees, I have been cooking with the lemons from the tree right outside my door. Went to the bustling city of San Jose tonight to support an artist that stayed here in the colony as well for a short time. She did some printmaking here. Interesting evening, spent most of it trying to figure out directions, streets are not marked and building names are not consistent, neither are the maps correct. But we found the gallery in the childrens museum, go figure. Anyway, got a ride home from Francisco, the manager of colony, instead of taking bus. San Jose was like NY city, huge city and the traffic incredible. No big buildings, just alot of people and traffic. They drive crazy (loco) here.

Did mucho painting today too. All day tomorrow, with a little walk to get groceries.