Barging In!

Sitting here watching the dark clouds gather over the mountains and hoping that is might rain to ease the heat I am struck by how intrusive nature can be.

The heat and intense sun just barges in and set the tone for the day (not too much physical movement and the ceiling fans on high). 

At this time of the year, sun, heat and dusty roads are an expectation.  It is the unexpected that does shock and sometimes delight.

As for the shock:

#1 - coral snake came to visit - move slowly across the screen door at the front of the house, inspected the window, and left back into the grass - presumably it lives on the front slope under the ground cover.

#2 - Scorpion family - since the soil is not very good, much of the herb and vegetable gardening is done in containers - it let's us have them around the patio and allows us to move them as the sun and rain dictates - so the pots and soil and utensils have been relegated to a spot under the outdoor stair, and had become untidy and bothersome - so we bought two storage bins and I set to clearing all this up - come to learn that a pot with some dirt in it and something on top (like another pot) is the perfect home for scorpions - 1, 2 and then 3 - the first two were just normal things - but not #3 - a mommy with about a 100 babies on her back.

Finally got her out of the pot and into the ground cover on the slope, but she left some babies behind - wonder if the first two were relatives?

#3 - a little delight - came down this morning to a pool visitor - the little grasshopper fellow was taking a float - pulled him out and set him on a plant (more his domain!)

#4 - and finally - CICADAS! - Is there anything more ugly or annoying!?  They attach themselves to the wall or a tree and BUZZ - continuously - then they fly and bang into things, land on their back and stay there looking dead - in the morning you go to sweep them up and they fly and buzz some more!!! YUK!

Weather You Like It Or Not!

That's right - WEATHER!

You can't escape it.

It might be the sun and the wonderful breeze - or maybe a bolt of lightning, a crack of thunder and a tropical downpour.  Here, all of those things have greater relevance to what you do day-to-day, or when you do it.

So, the geekish person I am, I bought a weather station.  I know, if you want to know the weather, look outside - and I do that - in fact for the most part we live outside.  But I want to know - just how hot is it - just how much rain did we get yesterday - i was freezing last night, how low did the temperature go?

It is a great device - sits on a pole in the garden and measures temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction and rainfall.  It feeds it all to the internet where the history is stored.  AND, because I am a generous person, I can share it with everyone on Weather Underground.

So if you want to see what the weather is in Ojochal right now, take a peek at My Weather Station. Scroll down and you can see the history for the last week.

Or click on the Forecast for Osa link - it usually says the next 10 days are sunny and 33C!

Welcome Winter!

The Winter Solstice past last night and we awake to WINTER!

A glorious sunny day with blue sky.

Almost as if it were waiting for winter, the dry season began Thursday last week - like someone flipped a switch.  The 4 weeks previous had been very rainy - making up for a relatively dry October. Then on Thursday, the air was different.  While dark clouds gathered over the mountains, they were brightened by the sun over the ocean.  A gentle rain each of Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening - Sunday beautiful and dry - even overnight!

In celebration Sunday was spent lounging in the pool reading Gone Girl!  Welcome Winter!!!

See!

Like I said - rainy days provide beautiful sunsets - - this one from the pool patio at El Castillo!

Another overcast day - can't really see the ocean - but no rain yet!

Change of Season

There are seasons everywhere - outside the tropics there is spring, summer, autumn and winter - in Toronto there is construction and everything else.

In Costa Rica there is the rainy season (Green Season as the Tourist Board calls it) and the dry season (Summer).  We are just entering the dry season that will last mid-December to the end of April.

With the change is a bunch of other changes - most noticeable are the plants.

The giant trees in the jungle behind the house are dropping leaves.  New growth is visible on others.  The Bougainvillea are in full bloom - vibrant red, pink and purple.

The purple hedge at the front of the property is full of tiny white blossoms - it almost looks like snow

The bamboo orchids are in full bloom

Most spectacular is a native tree called Gallinazo.  It has sparse foliage and stands tall in the jungle.  In the open areas, it is a favourite resting spot for the toucans and parrots.  The leaves are sort of like the honey locust we have in Toronto (sort of fern-like).  The whole tree looks very airy.

Well, right now it is in bloom - brilliant yellow flowers - tiny but in groups with whispy tendrils.  They are just amazing - and suddenly the mountainside is dotted with flashes of yellow.

I love it when nature shows off!