Bug of the day #3

Ah, today we have the greenest green of caterpillars.  Another with those nasty dangerous spikes.  It does however, possess an amazing hue of green.

This one is almost 3" long when streched out and has 6 legs up front followed by suction cup feet behind.   When he latches on he does not let go- a death grip!

Here is a close up of this Panamanian Caterpillar's front legs and head.   In real life, his head is almost fluorescent green.

here he is almost fully stretched out!










So another day gone by in the life of new bugs on Finca Ark landing, Panama.
Ciao for Now
Blake

Panama Bug of the day #2

Today's bug is interesting and a caterpillar too!   I almost grabbed this thorny guy when uncovering the furniture in our outdoor living room.  He is about 2 inches long and possesses some nasty spiny towers. 

 This Little-big guy has some very sharp spines.  When touched, those suction cup feet latch on and he writhes stabbing with those poisonous spikes!!

Here he is setting on a tan/pink colored surface.  note the color changes.

Again here hi is sitting on paper next to a nail file.  he again starts to change colors!!!









More exciting bugs to come I am sure.  T.I.P.  (This IS Panama)

ciao for now
Blake

First Raised garden bed.

Ok so Bamboo arrived and building has commenced.  here is the first in a series of bamboo structures for the gardens and green houses.

 This bed holds 22 brocolli plants and about 10 coliflower plants too!!  This is begin grown totally organically!

We will keep you all posted on progress of the organic gardening adventure. 
Ciao for now
Blake

Panama Bug of the day!

It seems each day lately brings some really new, interesting, colorful and dangerous bugs.  Especially caterpillars this past week. Maybe it is something to do with rainy season starting!  last week there was the mob of moving Gusanos- black caterpillars.  Gusano is worm, but the locals call caterpillars Gusanos.
This morning our gardener was trimming the palm trees and noticed these colorful delights-  they had destroyed almost an entire palm frond. 
Here is a look at the palm frond with the critters on there eating away!

Then here are some close ups of these insects.  Not sure what kind of butterfly or moth they end up being. The pinkish orange is its underside which is like a giant moving suction cup.  all those spines are sharp and poisonous.  When you touch it, it coils up and jabs them into you!







The yellow dots that look like eyes are actually just spots on its butt.



Just another day in Panama out in the garden!
More to come in the near future.



Ciao for Now.
Blake

Typical Rainy Season Day!

This is a typical Rainy Season day in Panama.  Awoke around 6am and went out to the outdoor living room with coffee and watched the sunrise with my wife!  It was gorgeous with lots of blue sky on the horizon giving way to  many different variations of clouds as you look upward.  Then off to leash up the dogs for a 45 minute walk/run/play.   The creek on the property is running nicely so they both got an unplanned bath!  Ty is learning to swim.  Arriving home Cindy cooked up an omelet and toast with some bananas off our trees.  Sweet!

Then we headed out back to the garden area.  Cindy is creating raised beds for Vegetables and flowers and plants.   It is going to be stunning.  She creates and I try to build them.   Our first is a raised broccoli bed, 18' x 6' and about 12" deep.   I made it from Bamboo.   Cindy finished the soil amendments and planting the broccoli today.  Then we laid out the two ponds and some "rivulets" in between them, one feeding the other.  We were excited to see how they worked when the rain began around 4pm.  Perfecto!!!

The rain was a deluge (aguacerro in espanol)  so we took a wonderful nap drifting off to the sound of the pouring rain with the windows open.  We awoke and took a quick drive down to the Macho Del Monte river.  Wow the waterfalls were spectacular and the 80' gorge was over half full of water from the down pour.

Now I am typing this post before dinner and a movie!

Such a blessing and such a blessed life.
Ciao for now
Blake

Quetzal sighting!

Our good friends Larry and Camille came to visit for a week.  we did a lot in a week and simply had the best time.  One day we ventured up to the Quetzales Lodge and took a trip into the cloud forest in search of the illusive Quetzal.   Now, we have talked to many friends and fellow hikers about trying to find a Quetzal.  Very few are successful and if they are, they feel very blessed to get a glimpse of its tail as it disappears into the rain forest.  Well, we were blessed to have seen 5 on this day.  here are a couple sneak peaks!

Just cannot add much to that!!!
Ciao for now
Blake

Hi Nutrition fruit smoothy from property!

So here it is.  An amazing fruit smoothy made with fruits off our property in Panama.   We have Guava, Marinon, banana, plantain, sweet lemon, and lime.   Blend this together and add a bit of local Honey and you have an amazing meal in a glass.

one vitamix, a bunch of fruit a glass and presto!~  a great drink.


ciao for now
Blake