Something Anyway

It's been a long dry spell around here. So what do we come up with but the kat. Stretch has had her share of face time here so why again.

Because these are the best pictures I've taken since the last time pretty much and this animal just makes for good subject matter. It's all I got.

Here's look'in at ya.

Stretching out to get at the right comfort level. The brown thing on the bottom is a heating pad this kat will not go near but without it knowing this is the go to place most of the time now. This animal does not own me.

She does like to help of course.

And likes to watch what I do. Other than that and an occasional look see outside it's head is in the bowl of kat chow or just laying around. Playtime is when I get up. Need batteries for my laser bad.

It needs to be said here too that this is the farthest it gets on the table at least when I'm around and knows as well that goes for the counters too.

Smokers And Dreamers

Here I am returning from an adventure long planned for, that never really got started. Stuff happens. Feeling weird and chock full of stress and other not good things.

Look out the window and see sights like this. It took my mind off everything for quite a while and all I was thinking about was how I wish I was down there. Still thinking about it and other things that did not get experienced. I'm hoping they still can but not right now for sure.

Around The House Today

Stuck around the house again today and did not get far. It was overcast with only occasional sun but of course warm. Some of these are kinda cool.

It was an uneventful day except for the hummer that flew in that I captured and let out. Just didn't take a picture.

Will be going to town tomorrow for sure.

Hola From Costa Rica

A quick post on a few things seen so far. This is the bus I rode on to San Isidro. It was a nicer seat than I had on the plane here. The ride over the mountain of death did cost $5.60.

In downtown San Isidro. I kinda like this picture. Several others below of outside where I am staying.

 

 The market was something else. A dollar is 500 colones so a kilo of these bad boys costs a buck. 

I understand these are the best carrots anywhere. Four lbs costs a buck. I bought five medium pineapples for a buck. Have not tried one yet but have a feeling they will be good. I guess watermelon is not so good.

This market is much larger than it appears here.

I'm sticking around the house today and plan on going for a walk soon.

It is like they say - beautiful and green.

Later

A Walk Last March

When I was told about this place thought I would try to capture a bit of what it would be like if you wanted to be somewhere but couldn't be and what it was like for the guy (me) who was doing this for the first time as well.

Easier said than done. There's a bit of substance here and I'm glad I got to see this. It's fair to say if you ask a local something beware of the answer even if you get one. This fellow gave me some good info.

I lost interest in this but ran across it the other day and finished it.

Today About 11

It's 81 and been perfect all day. There has been few inclement days in the time since the last post. I have not seen any pictures or should say chances at pictures. What I see is the same things and all of you have seen that too and more than once.

It's different here. Don't misunderstand that where I moved from in NW Colorado is not very pretty now either. It's that time of year.

So I post video of no particular redeeming value whatsoever other than this is the way it was in my neck of the woods when I went for a ride this morning.

In over 20 miles excluding a 1.5 mile jaunt along the interstate came in contact with one vehicle.

I do have a possible scenario for a post. Time is getting short. Think I will leave here a week from tomorrow to hang out on the Front Range a couple days before flying out Wed morning. The scenario involves rock scrambling. We'll see.

Thanks for stopping by. There will be more posting coming up. Pretty sure anyway. That's the plan if there is one. 

First One And On The 365th Day

Don't be afraid it's just a picture but it's true. Almost on the button of when I drove in here a year ago. Seen many snakes during this period but not recently. This is the first rattle snake which is a real good thing.

Four miles away from the house. Took the picture and rode on. The size is a bit deceiving in that this guy was a youngster about the size of the fish at the top.  16-17 incher and very defensive for being not that close. 

You Know They're Big When - - -

YOU CAN SEE THE LIGHTS IN THEIR EYES

Sunday Stills - Shadows Of Ourselves

Fact of the matter is there aren't many pictures of me and I'm good with that.  Part of my job now is  to spend little as in these two pieces (shirt and pants) for nine bucks. I put these on this morning and felt pretty good. I went out and took a couple pictures and see what could be had for Sunday Stills. Trust me in that there will be very few of these in the future.

This is dressed up. I will wear this when I fly out for Coast Rica at the end of next month. There is a chance more than extremely  slim that sweet younger things will think I am a wealthy coffee plantation owner and well - - - never mind.

That is snow you see out there. Click on the picture to see things better. Twice for more better.

This is normal attire and happy to say it's been five straight months of put shorts on in the morning - take 'em off at night and there's still a lot of shorts weather ahead too. Fine by me.

A picture in my other life taken in '06.

A couple from the way way back machine between '77 and '79 while a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ghana West Africa.  This beer was Ta Ta and could be oh soooo good. I'd drink one right now if I could. I understand Coast Rica makes three different lagers. Every once in a while I'll have a beer and I am a lager guy. I can't wait to get my hands around one of the Costa Rican type lagers I tell you. 

This picture is in what was Upper Volta back then and is now Burkina Faso. Just happen to remember this picture and that the beer was Bravolta a local lager as well. This was good beer too. If you are at all interested recently ran across a site done by a PCV named Cathy Seely who served in Burkina Faso. It's loaded with great pictures of what life is like there. Don't remember there being many beer pictures. It's here.

It's not a picture but I like this and was a post I did for my 60th BDay titled "Confused and Going Around In Circles". Thanks to a little help from my friends.

Something New

It's a pretty small world out here but today riding my bike did a turn around and this is what I saw.  A  desert horned lizard more commonly known as a horny toad.

This is the first I've seen here. It was on a road that's why I saw it. Just a little guy but impressive none the less.  Click on it a take a close look.

There can't be many of these and it seems he's taking a chance. There are a number of predators who would like to make a meal of him.

It's always a treat to see unusual things on a often used route. Only because the speed was slow and even slow on a bike is too fast to see many other things. Walking is the best way to see the most.

Jumping Junk

At the State Fair  we snuck in and watched for a bit. First time a video with action and plenty of noise. Not that it's that good but it is a bit of a trip being kinda close.  These machines were actually pretty close to people.

May not be much but it's something anyway.

Imagination

Was at the zoo for awhile yesterday. I enjoy this exhibit a bunch. I peer in every window I can see into each time I go. There is so much going on here. My imagination runs wild every time. Put it together and let yours go too.

Soon I will be seeing many  new and exciting things like this fellow did before it turned bad. I can't tell you how excited I am!

A 1937 STINSON RELIANT One Of Seven In The World

UPDATE: Here is one of several pictures sent to me by a fellow who saw this post and took better pictures than I of this same plane. I include the one below. Thank you Steve!!

 
 I had heard a lot about this plane for years and the trip in May back to Iowa got to see this unique airplane that gets flown frequently. 75 years old.

There's not a decent picture here and all were manipulated. It was dark and I wasn't going to push the button that opened this huge door to get some light inside. Hollywood types and other very wealthy people flew in these planes.

One of seven the value is  around 400K give or take a few. What that means I'm not sure as there may be a combine just outside that's worth twice that much but they don't fly.

I'm just glad I got around and in this plane and there is still a good chance there will be a ride in the future  and that would be waaaay too cool.

In the picture at the top and repeated at the bottom show the profile better thus the gull wing analogy.

Visitors

Knocking on the door. (click on the pictures) (twice)

Nobody home - let's move on boys and girls.

Stretch was resting.

From just  a bit ago. Quail are cool little birds as well. First time I've seen them here. There is also nearby a family or two of burrowing owls. No way can I even get an illustrative picture of these birds. Their flight is something to see.

I hope the quail come back a bunch more.

Listen To The Waves

Santa BarbaraMarch 2009

It's nice visiting an ocean when you don't get to see them very often.

What Will Be Left

And also whose table we will be on. Some think we as a species and as a planet are/will come to an end. Their is debate of course on when this will happen. Sooner or later take your choice it isn't worth arguing about. No one knows so that makes this opinion just as valid as anyone's.

I think the earth is past the tipping point and humans cannot sustain themselves at this level given the circumstances we have now.

Whether you agree or not one thing is for certain - when humans start dropping these fellows will be there to play their part in the worlds ever changing ecology.  

There are three pictures here in an attempt to show the size. These don't seem to get much bigger and there are not great numbers like some of the others. Notice the undeveloped wings. This is not quite two inches long and comes in one other color I've seen which is a reddish orange.

 Clicking on the pictures makes them bigger twice.

This is something else though. Gross out city I tell you. A mature Mormon cricket. When small they easily pass for a grasshopper. This is actually the first time I've seen some this big.

The other day went out to the same place I saw this one and did not see any large ones. Yesterday I saw several about half the size and they were much darker in color. They did not survive and what was left was dark as well. The one below was about 2.5" and just plain huge. They get get up to 3" in length and can and have cause devastating infestations. I hate to imagine what that would be like.

Not sure where this guy is headed whether it's mature or what have you. This is where the brighter colors are these days is on the ground. Time for breakfast.