Thought I’d share a few photos of my temporary little home. It has all the basic necessities of life (like a fridge, hammock, and wifi), is only a five minute walk to the beach, and there is a papaya tree outside my front door with fruit that will soon be ready to harvest. What more could a girl need? Living the simple life or as they say down here, pure vida!
My friend Lindy gifted me this keychain recently and I had to laugh because it matches well with my motto for 2019, which is “Say yes!” My mantra was a challenge to myself to be more open to new experiences, to dare more, and to live closer to the edge.
So far, this mental shift has served me fairly well, though there have been a few hiccups along the way. Case in point, my gig to volunteer at a wildlife rescue down here in Costa Rica fell through for a variety of reasons this week. So much for best-laid plans! Thank goodness for technology as I was quickly able to rent an affordable casita near the beach in Santa Teresa.
The little hardships, inconveniences, and disappointments have been softened by the kindness of new friends, the sound of the ocean, and the incredible scenery. All of which I would not be here to experience if earlier I hadn’t said, “Yes!”
The Gaff, a fun little dive bar in Port Aransas, has several claims to infamy* but perhaps the most interesting is that belt sander races originated here. It began in 2005 after a couple guys argued over whose belt sander was faster/more powerful. What better way to decide the disagreement than to build a special racetrack and pit them against each other? Yet another great example of, “Here, hold my beer…”
I was delighted to finally catch one of the biweekly events. The competitors are fierce, the belt sanders are decorated and named, and the crowd is enthusiastic.
The excitement was palpable, we gripped our beers, and waited breathlessly to see who would win this heat…yeah, okay, maybe not (but we all did have a beer in our hands). Octopoke won!
*Sadly, I have not yet attended Chicken Bingo at the Gaff (picture a large Bingo card on ground, a chicken in a cage over the card, and where the sh*t falls determines the winner). Definitely something to look forward to!
Copano Bay, Fulton, Texas September 2019
We’ve been getting excited by all the storms around us, hoping for some precipitation in our parched section of the state. Sadly, as Sting sang,
“So I look in the sky, but I look in vain,
Heavy cloud, but no rain.”
It’s a great song off his Ten Summoner’s Tales album from 1993 and I highly recommend you give it a listen.
Lettered Olives, Mustang Island, Texas August 2019
This photo doesn’t do these pretty Lettered Olives (Americoliva sayana) any justice. Sadly, the shine really isn’t showing well. You might be asking, how does a mollusk that lives in the shifting sand of the shallows maintain a shine? Weirdly enough, instead of the shell protecting the soft body, the soft body of this mollusk is often wrapped around the outside of the shell, thereby preserving the shine.
While these are not good examples of this feature, the brown swirls on the shells sometimes look like writing (hence, the common name).
Ripening Acorns, Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, Tivoli, Texas September 2019
I am a day late for the Fall Equinox, but truly, when it is still in the 90s and sunny, can you blame me for failing to notice? While more northerly climes are already sporting reds and golds, this was the closest I could find down here. Still pretty in their own pale fashion.
Don’t over think this one, y’all, it’s pretty straightforward. Hint 2: Think of tunes from the tropics. Put your guess in the comments and I’ll see about cooking up something fun for whoever submits the correct answer.
Palapa, Rockport Beach, Texas September 2019
What a lovely spot to rest and unwind!
Teal hunting season opened in Texas this past weekend which started me thinking about ducks, which in turn reminded me of my burgeoning collection of duck heads. Not real duck heads, eww. The first one was from an old decoy while the bit of driftwood bears a striking resemblance to Daffy Duck, don’t ya think?
Mini Maid, Port Aransas, Texas September 2019
The ocean is teaching me a very important lesson about the nature of wishes. Apparently, I need to be much more clear about them. Years ago it would have been nice to have had the assistance of a maid, one is not necessary now that I’ve downsized so dramatically. Next time, I’ll not only clearly state that the maid be human but I’ll outline my desired timeframe as well. Lesson learned!
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