Dance on Water

Brandon on a long board in Jaco today. Go Brandon!!

Messing around during a surf lesson for a friend visiting.

"GEORGE!!!"

Celebrated America's Country Music Artist of the Decade, George Strait. The show aired last night on CBS and Garth Brooks had me in tears when he turned over his 10 reign as ACM Artist of the DECADE award to "King George" and said with all sincerity, "I LOVE YOU GEORGE".
We all do. He's one man that can just stand there and sing and you are mesmerized.

Photo taken of The Troubadour off my telvision.
I love you George.
Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Strait

Today is my mom's birthday. It's hard to believe she would have been 81 years old. My how time... slips away. She was 62 years old when she died of cancer. I STILL miss her. She loved George,too.

Earthquake - Honduras

When I lived in the States, I didn't pay too much attention to news like this. Now my world has shifted and Honduras is so close to Costa Rica, I consider them distant neighbors. In fact, I have a blog friend who lives in Honduras and when I saw the news of a 7.1 quake, I immediately wondered if she and her husband were affected. Blogging has opened up a whole new world for me and I amazed at the generousity of strangers in Blogland.

Eathquake news: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090528/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_honduras_earthquake

I am up early because power outages tripped an alarm next door to me and it has been "singing" since 6 p.m. last night. Yes, I called the manager of the building but he is on "Tico Time" and I guess he figured he'd turn it off "Mañana".
IT's MAÑANA!!!

Day for Remembrance

These are some old postcards from the Arlington National Cemetery. I remember visiting Washington D.C. on a high school field trip in 1973. I have photos buried somewhere of the endless rows of headstones. It is a solemn site that leaves one speechless.

Costa Rica does not have an army and of course, Memorial Day is not observed here but as an American, this day could not pass without my observance.

For more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arlington_National_Cemetery

Sidenote: North Korea conducted it's second underground nuclear test.
"All hell is fixin' to break out now."
Read about it here.

Surf Sunday

Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica
Joan Armatrading playing on TeriTunes.
I post photos, songs, and words to evoke emotions from my readers when viewing YO-YO with the hopes that YOU will leave a comment. I'd also like to hear from readers what they would like to see here on YO-YO. An average of 80 people view this site everyday, I hope someone will leave some suggestions. It's easy to leave a comment, just click onto "comments", say what you want and then sign your name, post as "Anonymous" and it will go straight through. Or post your URL to link back to your site with your comment. It's EASY and I need your motivation right now to keep posting.

Beautiful IS Hermosa

This is at sunset, shooting opposite the setting sun.

T.G.I.F.

Oprah Thursday

Who am I kidding, it's Oprah day everyday at my house (even on weekends on DVD). The dogs know promptly before 2pm every weekday I announce "It's Oprah Time" and we all go upstairs, turn on the t.v., a/c, close windows, shut doors and check out for one entire hour. My friends know not to bother calling during this hour, I won't answer. We are in a vacuum, immersed in whatever Oprah has going on today. TODAY, it was "Where in the Skype are You" and Oprah was skyping all over the world. Jetson style!! It made me want to get hooked up to Skype! It's such a cool tool. Oprah had a aw-ha moment when one skyper was using their set-up furnished by Oprah to educate schools about Antarctica. She realized she could use it to teach her girls at her school in Africa.

This has been a great week on Oprah. Monday, The Most Talented Kids, Charice was Great, again, and then on Tuesday, "Heroes in Hard Times". Generous hearts found all over the U.S.A.
"What Can You Live Without" on Wednesday. It was fun to watch families go through withdrawals when the Oprah crew took away all the electronics in their house for one week. It proved how families have become disconnected when they check out with their "gadgets" on a habitual basis.

I'm typing this and Craig Ferguson is doing a bit about Oprah right now... I must be onto something. I had planned to post "Thankful Thursday" but I had to give it to Oprah and this week's line-up of shows.
I'm thankful for Oprah...
AND Cesar Millan. I am so impressed with his shows. This past Tuesday's show was the best ever! I learn so much! Not a day goes by that I don't ask someone if they've seen his show on Animal Planet - El Encantador de Perros. Cesar Millan has changed the way I handle my dogs, completely. They're happy, I'm happier.

When is Cesar going to be on Oprah??

Wonder Wall Wednesday

Above - the "before" photo of the wall project for the preschool.
Below - The wall sealed and dedicated to the kids.
This was a group project of the Central Pacific Women's Group.
Kudos ladies!!

It's DONE.
Now, onward... to other ways of helping our adopted school.
Detailed photos of artwork are here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ticamachatourscostarica/sets/72157618556169996/

There's a little boy out there that loved my post on the painted cows. His mother left a comment on YO-YO telling me how much she appreciated it. The boy has autism and connected with the cow photos. I loaded MORE cow photos from all the places the cows travel after I got her comment. (Comments motivate me)
I hope that little boy sees this link. 'Slideshow' is down right now or I'd put a slideshow instead... later

Riptide Tuuuuesday

If you haven't been to Jaco Beach in a couple of years, you may be surprised to see how it has expanded, upwards. I saw the Coast Guard out in the bay this weekend trolling. I didn't know until later that they were actually searching for a student that was missing.
Read story here: http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/may/18/search-continues-missing-usf-student/news-breaking/
I've said it before but I'll say it again,
"REMEMBER WHERE YOU ARE!!" Be safe and remember, we have strong riptide currents here.
O.K., Blogger wins, I downloaded this pic several times, several ways and it still comes up sideways, so there, I'm done. I've lost my patience. I just wanted to post a pic of a postcard of Jaco taken only a few years ago. I still love you Jaco, even though "you've gotten too big for your britches!"

Hang On Monday

PERSPECTIVE - Which are you,,, on the outside looking in or the inside looking out?
It's all about perspective.
This photo reminded me of the "Hang in There" poster. This is the green iguana that hangs around outside my house lately. I just love his colors!
This is for all those (like my sister, Leah) that has an office job from Monday through Friday, hang on,,, it will be happy hour Friday real sooooon!

To my readers: I've run out of stuff to say so I will be hanging photos on YO-YO this week, hopefully.

Somewhere Sunday

Taken today with my pocket camera somewhere between Jaco and Hermosa Beach.

Ode to A Tree

This photo was taken in December of 2003. I've known these trees since I first visited this beach back in the year 2000. I had come to Costa Rica for my first time to reunite with my ex-husband. We hadn't seen each other in 20 years. No, I didn't fall in love with the man, I fell in love with the country and moved to Costa Rica two years later.

This photo was taken Sept. 2007. I have many photos of this tree because it has always been special to me. I was upset to see it was dying.


I was walking the beach with my dogs this weekend and was saddened to see it had finally fallen. How many years has it's presence graced this beach? Probably for hundreds of years.


While contemplating it's demise, I thought of the first poem I learned in grade school and wanted to share it with you. I will miss this tree.


Trees

I THINK that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

Joyce Kilmer. 1886–1918

SURF Sunday

"...but the words get in the way" from a Gloria Estefan song.

Happy Mother's Day to all that have been a mom to any living thing.
To those of you whose mother has passed on, celebrate life, yours and hers!
Mother's Day in Costa Rica is in August.

Me and Macha

"Moon over Hermosa"

Surf Hermosa

This post is for my most fa-vor-ite photographer in the whole wide world (http://www.nitsugaphotography.com) and Bree in Hawaii!
And all you other guys that are missing Hermosa Surf!!
The waves are COMING!!!!

Animal Planet at My House

Yes, I live in a natural wonder. There are animals all around and I do appreciate how very special my piece of the pie in Costa Rica really is. I watched a documentary last night about extinctions (plants and animals) on our planet Earth and the delicate balance in which we live with nature. It got me to thinking about the natural harmony that occurs daily just outside my house. My dogs are still learning to co-exist with my "other" pets. I'll throw up a view pics and explain.
The toads are beginning to pile up around here. I guess the words out, free dinner every night. I initially let a toad hang out on the patio to desensitize the dogs from chasing them. It works but what a mess they make. They are not litter box trained...yet. Actually, they prefer to poop in water. Yes, I was surprised, too. I even play games with their food and lay it out so they follow the trail, and they do. Well, "Froggie" does. His new guest is still learning.

Check out the size on this big boy! You can tell he rarely misses a meal! And no, this is not the same pan as I use to make my brownies. I put a penny in there next to him so you could get an idea of his true size. This is actually his frog pond. He likes camping out in the water on a hot day...


It's pretty much first come, first served around here. I threw out some bananas and the iguana ran over to get his share. The Zanates aren't too happy 'bout that! I can recognize most of the iguanas here because we've had encounters at sometime or another over the course of living here. I've rescued MANY from the dogs. Lots are named 'Chinga' because their tail is missing,,, for now. It grows back. Others have scars around their necks where they've tried escaping the link fence. When they're aggravated, they blow up and get really big and can't fit through the wire. I blogged about it before with a photo...
http://yo-yoinparadise.blogspot.com/2008/06/bigger-is-badder.html

This iguana is below the spot where a male Zanate (like a crow) hangs out everyday. I've noticed where individual animals have their favorite "spots".

This is really this black bird's tree lately. He's there everyday, watching. I had to cut the branches off one side of the tree awhile back. One day, my paper thin key broke off in my gate lock and I had to climb that tree, go out on a branch and drop onto my property. Piece of cake. I know my fence doesn't keep out robbers and is basically for my dogs/boundaries but I decided to cut off that "door" anyway. Now I can see the interior of the tree.
Today, I discovered WHY that bird watches all day long from that tree. I was trimming another alamendro tree next to this tree and discovered a nest hidden in the center. I never noticed the female zanate (grayish color) until today but she's never far away. I thought I saw an iguana nest up there, too and wondered how that is working out. I guess they have learned to live peacefully, side by side. The male and the female started squawking and freaking out, flying around me so I stopped trimming the tree. That calmed them and they went back on-watch. The nest is still sheltered by the big leaves of the tree.
I HAVE to cut down a big palm tree before it falls on my house during a bad storm. It's not in very good shape and several others exactly like it have fallen recently just outside my property. They were planted in a typical "boundary line" years and years ago. It's home to many birds and I am dreading cutting it down. I call it "The Nesting Palm". I've blogged about it before,,, http://yo-yoinparadise.blogspot.com/search?q=nesting+palm

Here is another momma bird gathering twigs from my foot long grass/weeds. She also has a baby nearby on the ground learning how to fly. He was attracted to my sprinkler and played in the water for over 20 minutes. I noticed him because he was panic peeping LOUDLY right outside my kitchen. I put on the water sprinker to quieten him. It amused him for awhile. It's the first time I think he has ever seen water or a sprinkler head close-up. Kinda looks like a bird, huh? We are now coming out of a very, very dry season.


FINALLY, the mother bird quit concentrating on gathering twigs and came over to check out the situation. I turned off the water to let him dry out and then coaxed him into practicing flying. He got the hang real fast to stay up in the bushes when I let the dogs out much later in the afternoon.

I'll wrap up this animal adventure at my place with a photo of my five-legged Esperanza. They say when you see one of these, something you have been hoping for is coming. Grasshoppers are called esperanza and esperanza means hope. I've blogged about five-legged grasshoppers before because I see them often. What could this mean? I only get 5/6th of my hopes and dreams? Con toda la pata!
I hope you enjoyed my version of Animal Planet and stay tuned for more adventures at Casa de la Macha's!!
This is Pura Vida.

Church on Sunday

In the tradition of Church on Sunday, a neighboring church near Hermosa in Quebrada Amarilla. I posted a photo of this same church in February 2007.
Link to past photo of church: http://yo-yoinparadise.blogspot.com/2007/02/church-on-sunday_18.html
Amazing what a little love and paint will do!!

Above photo taken: February 2007

"The Wave" - Digital to Canvas - Art by Larry Felder

Every now and then, I am completely blown away by where my blog takes me. An artist, Larry Felder, in Texas saw my blog and the photo I posted of a sunrise with a little poem. It inspired him to transform my image into a HUGE three foot by six foot painting in oils!! He was so kind to write and ask if he could use my image. Who does that anymore? I really appreciated him contacting me because now I am on his newsletter mailing list and get updated regularly on his beautiful artwork and the other artists he showcases in the Felder Gallery in Texas.
The above was recently published in his monthly Felder Gallery e-newsletter.

Larry and his wife are thinking about a move to Costa Rica and have visited here many times. He has other paintings of scenes down around Quepos/Manuel Antonio. Their website with more beautiful paintings is here: http://www.feldergallery.com/

I am so honored when something I create inspires someone else. To me, that is what it's all about because that is where I get my inspiration. I have no idea what possessed me that early morning to get out of my comfy bed and trek down to the beach before sunrise. Yes, to capture an awesome image but that's rare.
I believe that when 'our hearts' are in the right place, it all works for the good of everyone it touches.

This is pure "PURA VIDA!" to me.

Please take the time to check out this link:
http://yo-yoinparadise.blogspot.com/2008/04/sunrise-sunday.html
It's from a fellow named Brace. I've never met him, don't know much about him but he knows me,,, through my blog. He found out I needed sensor swabs from my comment one of my past post and sent me a WHOLE BOX. Amazing! Not only that but a beautiful book on kite photography and an entire set of DVD's from the Midnight Special episodes with Wolfman Jack. A TOTAL blast to the past. Unreal. You just can't know how much that means to me coming from a stranger and me, living over here in a strange land.
It was borderline surreal. Like life most times.... I'm AMAZED. "Life Is Good Today".