Earthly Ties

We succeeded in mixing a color with the finishing cement on the floor. Blue was available

The north sliding roof door. A trap door for moving bigger items up or down from this floor.

I think we're ready to move the telescope up into place, exciting!

Watch you head going up. I got a scalp wound. My lesson "stick close to the center post when going up.

I'll need to build a railing around the top to keep myself and other from stepping over the edge

Our orchid wall with one orchid on it. Along the wall are some old tree stubs that are home to a few other orchids.

There was a small tarantula in the bodega that Joseph killed unfortunately

I over paid my property taxes. I got a refund, my camera back and my desktop and a few other items. The house has a new profile with the near completion of the bodega

Before we took off for Panama City to put Andrew on his plane for his flight back to the states we visited with Fernando. Here we check out the river below Fernando's house. He just had a backhoe in to move some rocks in an effort to divert the floods when and if they come from cutting off anymore of his property

Lulu showed an keen interest in river, soaking it up while taking a drink, much like Duke

We took a side trip to El Valle a village in a dead volcano. Andrew getting suited up to go on a canopy trip

We waited below to see if we could catch sight of him as he road by on the cable

The cable runs above this waterfall

ahhhh AH ah AHHHHHHHHHH

We visited the local zoo in El Valle. They have a reptile house specializing in frogs. There is concern that they are loosing the rare frogs The is the "Golden Frog"

there was this frog and

that frog and

these frogs and

Andrew's just a tad too slow for this cat who gets him with a claw, make this cats day

Our hotel in El Valle which was right in town next to the local market, with gift shows and a small restaurant below us.

At one end of the crater were glyphs left by an unknown previous inhabitant of the region. Andrew thought they looked fake

Andrew left on 10 AM flight the 28th. I got back to La Estancion our hotel on Ancon and had some breakfast. The iguana was out in far reaches of this tree getting some choice leaves for his breakfast.

There was this other one on another branch

We worked our way over the course of the week back to Volcan. We visited Torio a town on the Aswero peninsula. A beautiful location we though to build a cabin if we could find land for the right price

We visited a development above the town of Torio. Ludviq a Norwegian is owner. He's cuts out lots with heavy equipment out of the mtn. sides. Here we are looking out at the view of the ocean and judging the opportunity for ourselves

A beautiful beach just up the road from Torio, made up of fine black grains of stone polished by the wave action.

Casa Grande where there's a art fest going on.

Seated Marianne and Janet Robinson standing beside her. Auctioning off the quilt hanging behind them that the quilting club made with profits going to a charity

Today we took the pickup out to the Lagoons and walked around a bit. Not much to report on other than the water's really low

Andrew down by the lake

Our rock garden in bloom

Things coming up roses

A car ride on Sunday that had us following a road down from Rio Serro in the mtns. skirting the Costa Rican boarder with Panama to the Paso Canoa on the Panamerican Hwy.

We came upon a rodeo in progress.

Back at the art fest

LuLu catching some zzzzzzzzzzzz

There's this nice park down in Bugaba, that's seems a little under utilized. Maybe this time of the year attendance picks up. This is a long 3 day weekend. Dana I visited it and here some pictures Dana took. This is the a shaded area beside a 5' deep pool. There's an Olympic (that was being filled) and a large wading pool we camped out beside. A good size park surrounds the pools. I think cost 75C to get in. The pools are constantly fed by a nearby stream

The 5' pool

Perfect for the kids

There's water flowing out of that pvc pipe into the pool. This little fellow got the bright idea to bare butt positioned under the flow. Mom was shocked and scurried over to scold him. He was having fun filling that plastic bottle with pool water and pouring it on the deck. I think he liked the patterns it formed as it ran down hill in our direction

This little gal saw Dana with the camera and immediately gave us her performance pose

Her little sister then got in the act

I counted about 80 people.

It's our 1st year for a coffee bloom since planting the trees. Come December/January is harvest time. We should have maybe a pound or two, who knows.. selling for $1/bean

Sweet smelling

Attracting these white butter flies that savoring the nectar

Don't ask me what's he doing or how he warranted a photo. He's sleep in his favorite spot these days on top of the new electric stove that's sitting on the floor until I get the wall cabinet made to install it into

The Quilting club is auctioning this off. Don't ask me to bet my life on which square Dana did but I think it's 2nd from the right bottom row.

Juneno asserting her superiority over Lulu. This where I'll install a spiral staircase.

The trap door is for hauling up big items and public hangins

Juneno's time slot in the hammock

Pouring the 2nd floor a couple days ago

Installing storage tank and pressurized system to the main water line

Our dog

Just about ready to put the roof on over the carport

A view of the back of the bodega and the exterior location of the water tank and system. It will have a roof over head

From the 2nd floor looking out onto the field that across the road in front of our house. The baseball commissioner if following up and moving the diamond to the other side of the field. Now my house roof and cars won't get hit by baseballs. I'm currently trying to find a windshield to replace the one in my pickup form ball that when foul.

Edil Castrello's in the middle took 1st place. Next time though!

Las Lajas.. a beach worth the trip

Cashews.. Can you believe it? I had know idea they would look like this growing on a tree. Is that a Macaw hanging there in the tree? Cashew trees growing wild on the Las Lajas beach

Julia's catching some zz's when she hears far off Kevin's familiar yodel

Donning her gear

She listens intently.. yes ! I hear you she yodels back and off she goes to the rescue

She takes the jump and does her signature 360. There's Kevin.. he looks ok

end of story

One more time up the hill

It cost us all of 50 cents to get in. Fernando, Claudette and Dana

Fernando hamming it up

Just another old lost cowboy

An attendant in his hammock. How to survive the fair. Reminds me of the family setups you'd see at the North Dakota Fair. Trying to kill time until the judges come by

This is a sugar cane press. They'll press out the juice on the spot for a fresh cold drink

Pineapple's growing on the fair grounds for display. There are large pineapple farms nearby

It doesn't look much different than previous photos. Some more lattice work added to the carport roof.

Preparing to start laying trusses for the 2nd floor over the bodega/storage room

Dana likes this hat better that what I've been wearing. I need to get a cinch attached so it doesn't blow off my head

Stepping back to give you the bigger picture

Rear view. To the left is were we'll install the water tank and pressure pump. You can see a line of glass bricks which is shed a little light in the storage rooms. There will be overhead lighting.

Trusses for the carport roof are in place

From a different angle