Costa Rica vacation

First, photos are terrible - way too much light to get good shots from most every angle and always in the wrong place.  Back home again after a spectacular ten-day vacation in Playa del Coco - a beach town on the Pacific Ocean - as the guest of Susan Bentley.  We rented a car and went somewhere special each day:  (1)  the trip at the top of our list so we went twice "Middle Earth" where we sat in mineral springs and had delightful lunches served to us before a nap in hammocks.  Not water, but watermelon juice!  (2) rafting on a river where we were served pineapple while on the water, saw iguanas, crocodiles, herons, bats, and many monkeys  - both howling and white-faced.  (3)  A day of beach hopping visiting three or four different ones -  I've lost count - and a lovely mountain-top club house with an infinity pool and a view that included our beach!  (4) A church service in a store-front setting (5) And finally a trip to Hermosa where Susan is staying while her condo is rented.  We helped her move out but she insisted she didn't want help lugging her VERY HEAVY suitcase up a flight of stairs, so Frank is watching.

 And then, here are a couple views from Susan's condo balcony, our favorite spot to sit and listen to the mourning doves and watch for monkeys.  And, finally a shot of Frank and me with the Coco beach in the background and Frank waiting while Susan and I shop.  All in all it was a perfect trip.  The only mishap was a scratch on the rental car from someone "keying" it while we were parked and shopping.  A small price to pay for such a memorable trip.

Great Blue back in the Pond

Great Blue Heron in Pond

Here's what I just saw - another visit by the Great Blue Heron.  There is activity in that little pool left behind so I'm sure there are fish - as he is!  The Blue is still returning morning and evening.  What a beautiful occurrence in nature to be able to observe.  My life seems to be fuller  each day with beautiful happenings.

Leap and the net will appear!

Vacation time is coming!  No yoga classes from Feb 16 through the 26!  Frank and I are off to Costa Rica to spend time with Susan Bentley and attempt to see as much of the country as we can.  This has been a place I really wanted to visit for many years - ever since my dear friend Margaret Harritt worked there for USAID which seems like a century ago.  It is truly exciting to be off for such an adventure again.  One of the mysteries that has come up in planning is the attempt and hope to be able to rent a car.  I learned in Ireland that car companies have an age requirement - between age 25 and 70 - at least in that country, maybe here too?  So, it is still not clear if we will be able to rent a car.  Still, it will be a great escape.  Of that I'm sure.  Just so you know, I am not planning to do blog posts while I am gone, so I'll just have to catch up with you after I return.  I'm not even taking my laptop.  My smart phone?  That's another iffy.  Got to see how that works in foreign countries.  Need to talk with Verizon.  This is one of the beauties of adventures - not knowing - planning - finding out - and finally - JUST GOING!  One of my mantras - Leap and the net will appear!

New Hair Style

Here it is Saturday already! Wow time flies when you're having fun!  Here are a couple photos of me - one taken the day before my new hair style.  That has been a delightful shock to my mirror image!  Getting ready for Spring.  And, for ten days in Costa Rica leaving Monday, Feb. 16 and returning on the 27th.  Never been before but have been invited - just couldn't make it.  Frank and I will be spending time with Susan Bentley in her condo.  …..Other than that - busy making preparations to be gone.  The dam has been deconstructed and we are now just enjoying watching our Great Blue Heron get his breakfast and his supper from the little pool left in the bottom.  How he manages to digest that big fish that he swallows whole is beyond me!…..Last night Tobias cooked both bass and bream and we had a delightful dinner together with my famous garlic bread and blue cheese

potatoes to accompany the fish.  Now, off to NC for the weekend after yoga class this morning.  Then back home on Monday for yoga demonstration class in Saluda and evening class here.  Come join us before the February 16-27 break!

Turtles, pheasants, and Great Blue Heron

Watching the water seep out of the Pond now.  Only a small pool in the bottom.  Did you know that turtles can hibernate in the mud for eight months?  During that time they absorb oxygen through their skin (according to Google). A few turtles have come out of hiding and walked along the drying bottom to the little pool.  Here is a shot of some tracks.   They remind me of a railroad track.  On a walk around the Pond site we discovered a dead ring-necked pheasant.  Had heard of others seeing two of them, but my first spotting.  Then last evening a pheasant was walking the labyrinth!  Next on the agenda, our Great Blue Heron stopped by yesterday and the day before and went fishing in the little pool.  Both times he came up with a huge fish - first a large-mouthed bass and last evening a BIG bream but he still managed to get it down his throat.  We watched until too dark to see him as he slowly fed the fish down his throat.  With live shows like we get, who needs TV?

The Eightfold Path of the Buddha

4.  The Noble Truth of the Middle Path or the Eightfold Path.  This path leads to the end of all suffering.  If we avoid harming all other living beings; if we sharpen and focus our mind, and if we gain wisdom, each of us can reach perfect happiness, the end of all misery.  The way to end suffering is to follow the Noble Eightfold Path namely:
Right:
Understanding
Thought
Speech
Action
Livelihood
Effort
Mindfulness
Concentration
All of this the Buddha taught.  For me it provides much room for thought in my search for spiritual awareness.  My goal is to be "alive, awake, and aware."

3rd Noble Truth

3.  Noble Truth of the End of Suffering..Seeing the suffering that comes from these attitudes (Chasing after things, Not being content with what we have or who we are) - we are liberated and suffering will come to an end. 
Tomorrow we will look at the 4th and final Noble Truth.

Dam Deconstruction

We'll get back to the Four Noble Truths tomorrow.  Today I want to share some photos of the dam being broken and what it looked like just before the water stopped draining out.  So, now we are left with a pond about half the size of what you see in the bottom photo taken from the dam.  You also see the old drain pipe which was broken off before all the excavating began.  What happens next is we wait for the bottom to dry out so heavy equipment can get in and begin moving earth around to rebuild the dam and clear the bottom and sides of the Pond.  This may not happen for weeks or months - depending on the weather, of course.