Of the more than 800,000 species of insects on the earth, Costa Rica is home to over 34,000 of them. Let me introduce you to a few that I’ve met while here. You’ll want to click on the images to enlarge them for detail.

I spotted this gorgeous blue/purple beetle on the rug on Brandon’s deck. He was about the size of a small ladybug. Sadly he was dead… but on the bright side, he held still while I photographed him : )

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Since I arrived in Costa Rica two weeks ago, I have been delighted by the little frog who croaks outside my window at night. He makes me smile and laugh.

And I’ve commented on numerous occasions that I really want to see him! I want to see a frog – in the wild – while I’m here!

Well, tonight I got my wish. As we were leaving for dinner, I glanced out at the pool and noticed a dark green blob sitting on the floating lounger. Yes – a frog! It was dark, but I still managed to take a few photos of his royal sleekness.
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I love my new iPad 2.

Maybe more than any other gadget I’ve ever owned…

Although I’ve really liked (and still do) my iPhone, I have a hard time reading on the small screen, and can’t stand typing on it. I wanted something that was more portable than my laptop, bigger than my iphone, easy to read on – and fun. And the iPad is it!

I made it through all levels on the free Angry Birds game (a bit addictive).

I created the colorful blue abstract background with the ArtRage App. That program is even more addictive than Angry Birds – plus it’s a great creative outlet.

I’ve discovered Toodeldo for list keeping (which is a pleasure on the large, yet portable, iPad screen). I’ve downloaded Kindle, Pandora, Netflix, NPR, Huff Post, NASA, StarWalk, GoSkyWatch, Xfinity Apps. I’ve discovered Hangman HD (which combines the fun of Hangman with current events).

So… any other “must have” apps you can recommend?

This week I tried a new recipe. Turned out DELICIOUS and I decided to share…

Black Bean (Mint) Brownies

• 1 15oz. can of UNSEASONED black beans – drained and rinsed
• 4 eggs (extra large)
• 1 cup Sugar (I used xylitol)
• 3 1/2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Special Dark)
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tbsp. oil or butter
• 1 Tbs Vanilla
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup ricotta or cream cheese
• Chopped nuts – optional (I used walnuts)
• 4 – 5 drops Peppermint Essential oil (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients but nuts in a food processor or blender- blend very, very well. If you want them even more chocolaty, you could toss in some chocolate chips with the nuts at this point.

Pour into an 8×8 baking pan sprayed with cooking spray or oiled with canola or olive oil. Bake for 30-40 minutes. (til toothpick pulls out clean).

Who knew black beans could taste so moist and chocolaty!
I recommend these highly if you’re trying to go gluten free for cut down on carbs.

By the way… Black Bean Brownies do not cause gas. Because the black beans are pureed, the fiber is broken down before you eat them. Yeah!

Try them and let me know what you think.

So where were we? Ah yes. My last post from Costa Rica.

Ashley, Justin and Kennedy arrived on Friday (day 16 of my trip) – and there was much rejoicing. It’s the first time all of us have been together in over a year… and we had more fun together than ever before.

After a grueling 22+ hours of travel, Ashley & Justin were exhausted. But not too exhausted to stop at the local market, where we were given samples of (and then purchased) the most delicious mangoes I have ever eaten. I didn’t realize I love mangoes but I do. At least fresh Costa Rican mangoes. And not too tired to stop for an early dinner and sweet roll and Cafe Delicias. Yum.

We left for La Paz Waterfall Gardens early the next morning. This is an incredible place and well worth it’s price.

We saw butterflies, exotic birds, snakes, frogs, hummingbirds in iridescent colors, an ocelot, and a beautiful Jaguar (who did NOT like it when I meowed at him) and coati.

The golden chrysalis of the Mechanitis Butterfly is breathtaking. No jeweler could create anything more beautiful.

We saw mist, bamboo, traditional ox carts – and the oxen pull them, a traditional Costa Rican home, and waterfalls, waterfalls, waterfalls! The photos hardly do any of them justice.

Sunday, was even more fun than the day before. After what was a walk for everyone else, but a hike for me, we reached beautiful Los Chorros waterfall and natural springs.

We learned it was not safe to drink the water from the river, but the fresh spring water tumbling from the rocks was absolutely delicious and very refreshing.

We traversed the riverbed and, around the corner of the canyon, discovered another big waterfall.

The water was cold but we all got in and had a great time. The “big kids” jumped of cliffs, swam and got crazy. The little kids didn’t appreciate the cold water much…

The Bustillos family joined us for dinner and socializing on Sunday afternoon and evening. All in all, a great day.

Early Monday morning we headed off to our final adventure of my trip – the Monte Verde Cloud Forest. We really saved the best for last.

Day 19 – Zip Line through the Cloud Forest

All 8 of us geared up at Selvatura park and went on the incredible adventure! We literally flew both above and through the lush green forest… and yes, through clouds. It was so much fun… though it took me a bit to get the hang of it..

This is one of the (if not the) largest canopy tour in Costa Rica – covers nearly 2 miles.

Here I am (pic on the left) sailing down one of the 15 zip cables… and the closer arrow is about where I slowed and got “stuck” and basically was hanging there like a sack of potatoes. And I actually had to be rescued by one of the guides…. TWICE! Really embarrassing…. but still worth it.

At the end of the last cable – which was 1000 meters through the clouds (awesome) – was a big “Tarzan” swing. The older kids had a blast on this and Brandon sang out his best Tarzan call.

Just an awesome day.

That evening, I stayed with the girls at the Monteverde Villa Lodge (great value!) so Brandon, Jennifer, Justin and Ashley could go out on a double date… I think the first they’d ever been on.

Our hosts served a delicious breakfast the next morning and then we headed back to Monte Verde for the bridge walk through the forest. Was beautiful – but I missed the clouds from from the previous day (they usually show up later in the day).

I took lots of photos… and I’ll let them tell the rest of the story. View the slideshow below (if you hover over it you can choose to view full screen), or browse the photos at your own pace here.

We stopped at a lovely outdoor restaurant on our way back to Grecia for our last night together. Did a little shopping, Brandon modeled a womans’ sweater and Justin got fresh with a giant breasted mannequin.

Got up before the sunrise the next morning and headed to the airport where I bid my kids farewell and they continued on for a few days adventure without me – which you can read about on Ashley’s and Brandon’s blogs.

It was such a wonderful three weeks… beautiful, relaxing, exciting… and the best part was just spending time with my awesome kids and darling grandbabies. I’m looking forward to my trip back next month.

Yes – I’m going back for a little over two weeks in June to be there when my newest granddaughter makes her grand entrance into the world! Bet you can’t wait for those photos

I’m really and truly almost finished with my final Costa Rica post. Just so many photos to go through (don’t worry, I won’t post them all).

But in the meantime, I have a question.

Who the hell are the Kardashians and why should I care???

I keep hearing and reading about “The Kardashians” and see them on tv advertisements.

Can someone please fill me on just who they are and why I (or anyone) should care? Why they are the recipients of so much attention?

And are there other “celebrities” or current public figures out there that have you as befuddled as the Kardashians have me?

I’ve spent the past 8 days in San Diego and head home in the morning.  It’s been lovely.   Fun with friends, good food, successful photo shoots, a little beach time, a major sinus infection, awe of the flower covered hillsides, the discovery of an amazing patisserie…    

Head cold notwithstanding, it’s been a really great trip.

During my two “beach” days, I became fascinated by natural beauty in the sand.

First up:  Coronado Beach…  I just loved the golden flecks of iron pyrite that glistened in interesting patterns in the sand.

Beach #2 was in Camp Pendleton, Oceanside.    While intending to shoot photos of Kimo surfing, I got completely distracted by the iridescent foam bubbles on the beach…

The waves were awesome as well – but for some reason it was the sand that held my attention this visit.

Is it just me, or are those bubbles and gold patterns really cool?

P.S. I’m still intending to post my final Costa Rica installment…. hopefully before I return for another visit in June!

Yes, I still have one more Costa Rica post for you. But not yet.

You may, or may not, be aware that I’ve had a rough week. Schizophrenia is such a cruel disease – one that has robbed me of my father – and dealing with its repercussions and impact is emotionally draining. And very frustrating when decisions need to be made and there are no good solutions to be had. My siblings and I just keep going around in circles trying to determine what action, if any, we should be taking for our father’s emotional, mental and physical well-being since he is refusing any treatment…

But through it all I’ve felt very supported by family and friends and appreciate the concerned calls and emails and messages. Thank you.

And, I’ve taken comfort in the simple joys of my spring garden. Like the tiny tête-à-tête daffodils blooming among the bright green moss.

And the sweet little bushtits that swarm my suet feeder several times a day. And the cute chickadees, juncos and and other birds at the seed feeder.

And the fat squirrel that won’t give up on trying to find a way to reach the suet feeder. I felt kind of bad moving it where he can’t reach it so tossed him some raw almonds… I think I’ve made a friend for life. (See video)

And discovering this cute garter snake warming himself in the sun. I’m so happy to see him – because it means I have a healthy ecosystem in my garden…. plus, he’ll eat the slugs!

Simple joys are simply the best.

So, how are you doing?

I have one final post to share about my Cost Rica trip – filled with wonderful pictures from my last few 5 days in the country. But I haven’t had a chance to work on it – and wanted to share why.

The last few weeks I’ve been working, nearly non-stop, on preparations for a “Breakthrough Telesummit” that Margie (my main Virtual Assistant/web design client) decided she wanted to put together.

The woman has a lot of vision – but, sadly for me, not much of a feel for what is involved and how long it reasonably takes to bring her vision to life

So I’ve taken what should be a 12 – 36 week job and pulled it off in just 4 weeks. The telesummit took place this weekend and was a smashing success. I’ve had the opportunity to listen to many of the 24 speakers and they are really INCREDIBLE.

This was a high caliber event – speakers like Jack Canfield (Chicken Soup For The Soul), Marci Shimoff (Happy For No Reason/Love For No Reason), Cheryl Richardson, T. Harv Eker, Tim Sales and more.

All for only $20.

Really, it’s an incredible bargain.

The calls were all recorded, and anyone who registers gets 60 days access to listen to them. Margie has decided to leave enrollment open for one more week (til Sunday, February 27th) – so I wanted to let you know about it.

If you are looking for a breakthrough in your business or in your life, I really recommend you invest the $20 and listen to these speakers. Even though it is billed for “network marketers” - it’s really for anyone wanting to make more of their life, business and relationships. Or to start a new business or create something new. Most of the speakers didn’t even talk about network marketing (though a few did).

Anyway – just wanted to share what I’ve been doing and invite you to take advantage of the offer.

Having heard nearly half of the speakers so far, I can say it’s well worth $20.

Check out the website (yes, I made it) for details on the speakers and their topics – and to register if you’d like.

OK.. back to work!

The next leg of my Costa Rican journey took us to Arenal Volcano and La Fortuna.

On the way, we stopped for lunch at a restaurant that was frequented by some beautiful, colorful birds. I saw my first toucan in the wild – along with toucanets, pretty tanagers, woodpeckers, and this cool Montezuma Oropendola.

We were very fortunate to arrive at a scenic outlook when the volcano was visible – because the next two days (when we were staying right next to it) it was shrouded in clouds.

On the long drive around the lake to Arenal, we noticed a small, hand painted sign, nailed to a tree, advertising a “German Bakery.” And a few miles later, another one.

Mile after mile, no bakery, but more signs (this is one of the larger, later ones).

And the signs kept getting bigger and bigger . We alternated between feeling anticipation for potential strudel, and aggravation (“Where the hell is that bakery!!”)

Finally, after passing lots of other little restaurants, coffee shops, and road-side stands we pulled into the beautiful town of Arenal and saw this sign.

I dare you not to stop at the German Bakery after that drive. They sure know how to market! If we weren’t craving strudel an hour before, we certainly were now!

Here is what we ordered.

It was a bit overpriced, and the staff weren’t particularly friendly, but it was a charming place and our treats were pretty good, though the chocolate cake (the girls’ choice) was a bit dry… as are most cakes in Costa Rica. It was a nice break from traditional Costa Rican fare.

Arenal really is a lovely little town.

The drive between Arenal and La Fortuna was incredible. Spectacular. The most lush, green jungle I saw the entire trip.

And yet I have no photos because my battery died on this particular stretch of road    I made this sad discovery when I tried to photograph a magical bamboo grove.

I had used up the battery trying to capture images and video to figure out what the beautiful, colorful flowers were that covered the roadside.

There were just no good places to pull over…. so I got a lot of blurry photos and a video that made me nauseous.  But I was a woman obsessed and on a quest to find out…  

“What ARE THOSE FLOWERS!?”

When we finally DID get the chance to stop and see just what they were I was blown away. My mom will be so envious.

Impatiens!

Beautiful, colorful, glorious impatiens growing en masse, wild along the hillsides. I thought of my mom and her struggle to get impatiens to survive – let alone thrive – in her garden each summer and knew she’d just love to see them. So these photos are for you, mom.

Brandon booked us at beautiful Los Lagos Resortin La Fortuna, at the foot of Arenal, for two nights.

During the daylight hours we we explored the lovely grounds. We wandered the butterfly garden.

This orange butterfly really, really liked Jen. It followed and landed on her several times. Must be because she’s so sweet

We also visited the ant farm, frog farm and crocodile farm. Sadly, the frog farm was being renovated and no frogs were to be found.

I’m not sure why someone would want to farm crocodiles, but there they were.
Notice the impatiens behind him.

We took advantage of the free wifi in the large, lovely lobby during a major downpour. It was fun to see and hear the rain – it came and went so quickly.

We also explored La Fortuna a bit and visited a lovely gallery featuring original art by Costa Rican artists called Coco Loco.

Lots of beautiful artwork – I think the mixed media wall hangings/masks were our favorites.

But the real treat was the hot springs.

We swam both nights and had so much fun in the naturally heated pools – and the cooler pools along side them.

They are designed to look and feel like natural pools – maybe 12 or so of them – ranging from smaller, hot tub size to large swimming pools – some hot, some warm, some quite chilly – and with some of the smaller ones being covered or having private little nooks.

Would make for a great romantic getaway. There actually were several couples cuddled up in those nooks the first night – but the second night we practically had the whole place to ourselves.

It was magical.

The large, hot pool also had a big, very fun slide (yes I went on it once!) and a bar/restaurant you could swim right up to. We sat at the bar and enjoyed piña coladas in pineapples, soaked, splashed and swam – surrounded by joyous frog song.

I actually saw three frogs - one right on the rock in front of me in one of the smaller pools. I love frogs.

On our way back to Grecia, we stopped in San Ramon for Jen’s ultrasound appointment (was very fun to be included in that). While there, we checked out the beautiful church in the center of town. Lots more pictures in the slide show below – or access them here.

Next up – Ashley, Justin and Kennedy arrive! So do you want to visit Costa Rica yet?