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.