The Muted Pond

I have not visited the containment pond for a few months. The ground is uneven and I am still working on my balance after my fainting fall. It was a glorious day, windy and warm, so Teddy accompanied me. To my utter delight, we have a new resident – a white swan! As I approached the ducks’ hangout area, she came walking out with the defensive neck position – see below. The little whistling ducks and the Muscovy ducks were unfazed because they are used to regular visitors.

The whistling ducks below are summer visitors. They fly back down to Latin America when winter comes. This group are juvenile and they look like they have buzzcuts. To segue, when I returned to school in the ’70s after the summer holidays, there were always a few boys with a military buzzcut. It took me years to realize that they had all been in juvenile detention for gang activity… Ah, the joys of living on the other side of the tracks!

Aren’t the whistling ducklings below adorable? They were so tiny and looked like the British candy ‘Humbugs’ – a traditional striped rock candy. Every year the mother ducks have up to 10 ducklings but usually end up with about 4 adults. I guess they make a nice snack for the various predators that visit the pond…

I was gently envious of two lovely posts by BabsjeHeron who photographed a heron and later two hawks washing. There is usually a heron or two at this pond but I have yet to see them washing. Then I spotted this pair of Muscovy ducks and one was washing – I love the droplets of water around her.

Below is a very pretty little Muscovy girl duck. The males have more of the red caul on their heads. She was quite happy to pose while I chatted to her.

There were many ladies around including the female Pond Hawk dragonfly below. She wears an emerald outfit but her beau wears blue and green. They hover above humans at the pond because we attract mosquitoes and other bugs.

This snappily dressed young man, below, is an American Robin. The male and female have similar coloring but the male have a more vivid breast color. His white spectacles match his boots.

Most of the wildflowers are past but there were a few Black eye Susie’s left. Their black eye is really dark brown.

Eventually the swan relaxed and posed while I photographed her. I love her reflection in this image below and the ripples on the water. She is not entirely mute but much like the Muscovy ducks, she was talking to us silently – just opening and closing her beak with no noise. Swans can grunt, hiss and trumpet but the Muscovy Ducks just make a breathy noise. The Whistling Ducks are the opposite. You can hear their high pitched squeaks from a distance.

The White Skunk

Courtesy of Nightcafe and Kerry

In a moment of curiosity, I checked out an AI image creation app called Nightcafe. I typed in ‘white skunk in a dark forest’ and this beautiful little image appeared. Delighted, I spent several hours creating a series of images. It was great fun but I could feel myself disappearing down a rabbit hole. I already spend too much time on the internet… Then I wrote a little children’s story about Blanca the white skunk – who had really appeared on our garden.

BLANCA – THE WHITE SKUNK

When Blanca was born, she was the only white skunk kit in her litter.  Her brother and sister had regular black and white fur.  Her mother was curious about her coloring but thought it might change as she grew a little.

Weeks passed and Blanca was still a snowy little ball of fluff.  There was just a touch of black on the tip of her nose and tips of her toes.  Her mother loved to groom her soft white fur which made her siblings jealous.  They teased her for looking different.  Blanca was very upset but her mother reassured her that she was special – Mother’s little snowball.

Mother Skunk had some stern words for her brother and sister.  She told them that it was unkind to tease their sister just because her coloring was different.  They cried but apologized to Blanca who ran to cuddle them.  After that, they spent their childhood playing together.

One dark night, Blanca wandered a little further.  She could hear possums in one of the gardens and went under the fence to investigate.  There were fresh water bowls in the garden and she eagerly lapped at the water.  The mulch around the bushes were full of grubs and worms.  Blanca excitedly ate her fill.

She ran back to her family to tell them about the garden oasis.  The very next night they all visited together.  Blanca and her siblings played in the water.  They practiced stomping – all skunks give a warning  by stomping their feet before spraying a stinky liquid.  Skunks use their spray like people use pepper spray to defend ourselves. They will only spray as a last resort.

They stayed close to the garden for a week or so before moving onto a new street to find fresh grubs.  Skunks are a gardener’s friend.  They aerate the soil by digging and then they eat the harmful pests.  The people who owned the house were excited about her visit and hoped to see Blanca again.

BACK TO REALITY

We haven’t put the night camera out again because we know that skunks move on quickly. Our rainy season has arrived so the soil is perfect for digging. My new plants are still in place so I don’t think we have had a visit. Animals seems to love those little white balls in the compost. Our squirrels are plentiful. We watched two little siblings cuddle and groom each other on the garden fence – aww!

Tico Street Scenes

Costa Ricans are known as Ticos and these are some more street scenes in San Jose, the capital. I loved this stained glass and extended window in the Alhambra Building.

Teddy is a Taurus so I had to get a shot of him with the brightly colored steer.

Art should be enjoyed by all of us and not closeted in a rich person’s safe. Immortalizing a street sweeper in bronze exemplifies that notion.

I felt an overwhelming urge to hold this bronze lady’s hand – how many others have done just the same? For a moment I was transported back in time, holding my Nana’s hand. She was pleasantly plump like this lady and always smelled of baking or lavender soap.

I loved this clock in a fountain which is surrounded by the ever present pigeons in San Jose. When we walked around the cemetery, the groundskeepers where sharing their lunch with the birds. Does anyone else inspect the manhole covers in foreign parts? We call them ‘stanks’ in Glasgow.

‘The Wind’ is full of remarkable movement for a statuesque bronze.

The colonnaded building is a municipal building. It’s striking compared to the mishmash of modern architecture around it. The temperature in San Jose was perfect – 24 C in January with bright sunshine. San Jose is elevated so it can be chilly in the winter.

The lovely arches with intricate metalwork caught my eye on this eau-de-nil building. It is the Center for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage.

There is nothing nicer than some street music on a pretty day.

A colorful street mural on a busy road. The pedestrians and cyclist melt into the background.

I can’t tell you how reassuring it is to know that there is a stable democracy, a short distance from the state of Texas. There is public health care, too.

This statue of a cantering horse was in the lobby of our hotel.

Baby Blue

There is a new Spring baby in Katniss’s old house. It’s a baby blue jay with a fluffy gray tummy. Mom and Dad have been eating at our garden of earthly delights for a couple of weeks. Last night there was a really strong thunderstorm and we think the baby may have come out of the nest a little sooner than usual.

Look at that precious wee face… So sorry about the quality of the images but it I had to take them quickly through the dirty window. I was worried that the baby might not be able to fly but after I came back from grocery shopping, she and the parents were gone.

What a relief it was to see Mom or Dad land on the house to check on their wee baby. Both blue jay parents take an equal part in raising the chick. Since then, the parents have been eating in our garden so I am certain that they have relocated with baby to the deep tree foliage close to the nest.

I have no idea why birdsong is thought to be relaxing. It’s a constant cacophony around us. The cardinal family chirp loudly in a staccato. The mourning dove is booming (aka cooing) from her nest. A mockingbird is sitting on the chimney so his song echoes through the house. Then there are the frogs at 3 am…

Mercado Central

This is a city scene from San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, right in front of the entrance to the Central Market. The crowd are a real mix of locals and tourists, as were the visitors inside the Market. San Jose feels like any other modern city in Latin America but as you enter the Mercado Central you are taken back in time.

Inside I was transported back to the souks of Cairo. There was a smell of spices and produce yet it was very clean. Grocers, clothes shops, spice stalls, florists fish sellers and butchers. What a sensory treat! Tourist shops sold handicrafts but most of the stalls were for locals getting their daily shopping. As a child, I went shopping with Nana to similar stores where the local produce was in crates with handwritten price tickets. I loved visiting the farmer’s stall just outside Rutherglen but was less keen on the chickens with all their feathers on. Nana plucked the feathers in the bath and re-stuffed our old pillows. That’s sustainability, old style.

Is there anything more joyful than a brightly painted mural? This one had a volcano, waterfall, parrots and toucans – perfectly illustrating the essence of Costa Rica.

This store is 10 years older than me…wow! The sign says that it has been selling bulk products since 1950. Notice that the customer and the assistant are both wearing masks.

A tourist shop to lure us in. We briefly looked around a couple of them but they were tight (for people with big cameras and rucksacks). In any case, I have already Swedish Death Cleaned the house and there is no room for any more trinkets. We brought back delicious creamy fudge stuffed with glace fruits.

This is my favorite scene in the market. A beautiful statue of Jesus right next to the butcher’s shop. I thoroughly approve of faith being part of one’s daily life. As much as I love beautifully decorated churches, they keep faith in a separate place. Costa Ricans have many public works of art which I will display in a future post (and a cathedral because I can’t resist).

The visit to the market made me giddy with happiness. It brought back memories, gave me new ones to reflect on and gave a genuine feel for San Jose’s inhabitants.

The Construction of Fulton Mansion

Texians are white immigrants to the state of Texas and Tejanos is the terminology used for Hispanic immigrants. Both were in the state in the early days and fought together in the Texas Revolution against Spain/Mexico. Many nations of indigenous people predated them. George Fulton the builder and owner of Fulton Mansion became a Texian when he arrived to fight in the Revolutionary War. He didn’t see much action but for his service he was given 1,280 acres of land in Texas and worked as a draughtsman for the General Land Office in Houston.

His next position was as a tutor to the children of Henry Smith and thus began their alliance. He married Smith’s daughter Harriett at age 17. They had 3 native born children and moved to Washington DC for a time. When he returned to Texas he started a Meat Packing company with the livestock from the land in Aransas that Harriet inherited. He invented a form of refrigeration when preparing the meat and then shipped it up and down the coast, all over the American mainland and even to England. This astonishes me because I live in the south east of Texas, it’s sub-tropical, about 100 degrees for three months solid. I can’t even get my popsicles home from the supermarket (literally 5 minutes away) in the summer without them starting to melt.

Fulton’s innovation in his meat packing business and in animal husbandry (he grew corn and sorghum to feed the animals better), allow his business to flourish. His wealth and ingenuity allowed him to build a house that was almost futuristic in design. Firstly, he had his own gas plant to fuel the house and lights. Then he used a 16,000 gallon double cistern water tank to supply the Mansion with endless hot and cold water, using rainwater that was trapped from the roof. Finally he created a central heating system.

I grew up in a metal house with no central heating (in the Scottish Arctic) so I was truly in awe when I read about the house. They didn’t even need central heating because they live in the south and every room had a magnificent fireplace! In Egypt our water tank was so small that I could only the fill the bath with 3 inches of water. There was no air-conditioning in Fulton Mansion but each room had plantation blinds to let the sea air cool down the house in summer.

The building construction of the Mansion was even more fascinating. It was insulated with discarded oyster shells (big business down here) between planks of pine. Sustainable and green, all back in the day. This was and still is a relatively remote place. When I was working, I did a Fisheries tour of Texas and was amazed by the giant mountain of oyster shells outside one the companies. I did wonder what they did with them – I know they use them in landscaping. Fulton Mansion has survived numerous hurricanes so it was built to last.

When we visited the home, we went in the basement first – knowing our place as Celtic peasants. When there, we chatted to another couple that looked our age. There was a hand whisk on the table, with a handle to turn it. I remarked to the lady that I got one as a wedding present. She looked at me in astonishment. Maybe America was much more advanced that the UK, back in the day, or she was younger than I thought. I daren’t mention Nana’s mangle…

The house really wasn’t that big despite all the innovations and that makes it more sustainable, too. They had a limited staff and couldn’t keep them for some unknown reason. I wonder if it was just too remote for the servants? But look at the view they had –

Interior of Fulton Mansion – part II

This is the interior of Fulton Mansion, Rockport, Texas. The house was built between 1874 and 1877 by George W Fulton for his family in the French Second Empire style. The family history is reminiscent of the HBO series, The Gilded Age. George Fulton was an engineer and entrepreneur, from the North East USA, who married Harriet Smith. She inherited ranching land in the Aransas Bay area of southern Texas. I will write more about their history and the unique building style of the manor in Part III.

Above is a delightful child’s bedroom – the bed is ornate without being overwhelming. The bed is positioned to take best advantage of the light across the bay and countryside. How wonderful to jump out of bed and see the dolphins in the bay.

The house was built with central heating and indoor plumbing. Imagine that in 1877! People were still using outside toilets in Scotland when I was young. This looked like it might be father’s sink, above, complete with shaving accoutrement.

The wood paneling surrounding a large copper bath, was quite charming. It must have been so cozy on a cold day. I imagine guests would be surprised at such luxury.

The mother’s sink, above, could be displayed in a modern lifestyle magazine with the marble countertop and matching sink. I hope they hid that antique toilet tissue during the Pandemic… When I was young I had a real sponge. When I realized they were dead sea animals, I switched back to a wash cloth. I call them flannels just like my Nana did. I guess they were made out of old flannels back in the day (but not in this luxurious abode).

George Fulton was a cattle baron so a steer’s head seems fitting for the hallway. The geometric detailing around the door caught my eye. All the wood was in warm tones without being too dark for a seaside house.

This is George’s study – it looks so comfortable and love those drapes! A sea breeze wafting in the window would be quite restful at work.

Each room had a different style of fireplace which seems like the height of luxury to me – I loved the aqua detail on this one. The glasses on the dining table were full of ‘beer’. The early settlers in Texas were master brewers from Czechoslovakia and Germany. It is only in relatively recent times that Texas vineyards have produced world class wines. On a really hot day, there is nothing nicer than a cold draught of beer.

There is even a precious little high chair for the baby that reinforced the feel of a family home. The tiled floor looked as though it was in perfect condition, with those colorful insets. Did you notice the rusks in the baby’s bowl?

This was my favorite fireplace in the living room – I love the shiny black with delicate gold filigree decoration. There is a piano to the right. The whole house was staged beautifully and enhanced the charm of the time period.

I love, love, love this light feature. It is detailed but modern and would look just great in my house in 2023. The house just entranced me – the decoration, the furniture and detail.

Fulton Mansion, Rockport

This is Fulton Mansion State Historic Site in the seaside town of Rockport, Texas, halfway between Louisiana and Mexico. It was wickedly hot the day we visited and it provided succor from the blazing sun. Inside was the most marvelous surprise – an incredibly interesting museum. When we approached it, I couldn’t help thinking it would make a fabulous Halloween House on a dark and stormy day. Wednesday Addams would feel so at home in my Photoscaped version below. I loved the Netflix series about Wednesday – I felt we bonded on a Greta Garbo level. We both had colonial ancestors named Addams/Adams. Mine was Nathanial Adams who was born in Ipswich, Massachusetts in 1647. Next post will be about beautiful Fulton Mansion and eventually one on my Adams family.

Blanca and Friends

This is Blanca – an almost completely white skunk who visited our patio. It is the night camera so the image is blurry despite trying to sharpen it. Every part of her was white apart from her face and the tips of her feet. She’s the sort of special animal that inspires folklore. We have been worried that our night critters have stopped visiting since we dismantled our deck but they still come for the water bowls.

There was another skunk visiting the same night and it had the more familiar coloring. They are such lovely little animals – they delicately sip at the water. I haven’t heard their main predator of late – the Great Horned Owl but they can quickly disappear into the reserve.

How many babies is this poor Mama Possum carrying??? Her tummy is scraping the patio and I would imagine we now have at least 20 babies (18-25 babies per litter). The Mama only has 13 teats, so it is survival of the fittest. She will carry them on her back, for safety. My friend offered one (with babies on board) some dog treats on a late night walk. The possum gratefully accepted.

This is a juvenile possum that visited the same night – it may be an older baby of the Mama who visited. They weigh between 4 and 11 lbs. and are 2 – 3 feet in length (not including their magnificent tails). They live with their mother for about a year. I was so happy to see that all of the animals who visited drank from the water bowl.

Finally – a not blurry shot of one of our Floofs! This is a female Eastern Grey Squirrel. After our deck was dismantled, the “Tails” left and the “Floofs” moved in. This family group have beautiful fur and distinct white dots behind their ears. Their feet have a distinctive blueish tinge. Their tails seem to remain intact…

Another of our gentleman ‘floofs’ up our tree

One of these little rascals had me in stitches last week. Her family were on the patio eating peanuts but she decided to have a mad half hour under one of our bushes. She was on her back, ‘killing’ the lowest branches of the bush with her front and back paws. much like a kitty cat. She went around in dizzying circles until she scrambled her brains and went to eat a peanut.

Then I spotted two tiny sibling squirrels playing in Katniss’s house (our old stray cat). They were play-fighting, nibbling and cuddling. So much pleasure in one little garden. The Swallowtail butterflies have started to emerge, brightening the gardens with a splash of yellow and brown.

Swallowtail, courtesy of my husband. Please do not reproduce this image.

Boop!

Two Toed Sloth

We booked a tour directly with the Toucan Rescue Ranch, just north of the capital San Jose (we took a taxi).  This is not a zoo and its focus is the rescue and rehabilitation of many indigenous animals but particularly toucans, sloths and owls.  The animals in the enclosures, that visitors meet, are all no longer able to be released safely.  There is a large rehabilitation section closed to the public.  They work closely with the Ministry of Environment and Energy in Costa Rica.  The Ranch is a non-profit and you can visit in person or virtually.  One of the keepers was video-chatting with someone from overseas with each animal enclosure.  Our guides were very informative, one talking in Spanish and the other in English.

Three toed sloth

Look at this cute little three toed sloth – some have three toes.  Our guide told us that sloths aren’t quite as slow as perceived and their grip strength is as strong as humans (not mine, obviously).

Hershey the Tayra

This is a Tayra, an omnivorous animal belonging to the weasel family.  It was quite big and similar in size to a stoat or a cat.  They are native to central and Latin America.

Bat Falcon

Holy Raptors – a Bat Falcon!!! What a superhero – I had no idea that such a predator existed.  To my great excitement, it was spotted for the first time in Hidalgo, Texas in 2022.  Guess where my next road trip might be…  I love bats, too, and they are so very useful in our mosquito infested swamp.

There are so many types of toucans in the neotropics and many are endangered, from the pet trade and deforestation.

Tabu the Oncilla

This little wild cat would melt your heart.  It is a very rare Oncilla, about the size of a house cat.  A local farmer found what he thought was a kitten until it became obvious that it was a wild animal.  She now has a forever home in the sanctuary.  When they tested her DNA they found that it was significantly different from other Oncilla DNA.  She may be an undiscovered animal and unique to Costa Rica.  When the Ranch took over her care, they were worried when she hadn’t defecated for two days.  Someone had a lightbulb moment and put a kitty litter box in (she was being kept as a pet).  Problem solved!  She still has kitty litter in her private enclosure.

Felicia the ocelot

Felicia is a very old lady – a sixteen year old ocelot.  Like all cats she was basking in the sunshine to warm those old bones.

Spider Monkey above and below

It’s always sad to see animals behind a fence but they were obviously content in their forever homes. It was an intimate experience seeing animals that are truly exotic and many endangered. The tour fee helps not just these animals but those that are able to be released into the wild again. Costa Rican residents pay much less and have a learning opportunity about saving their indigenous animals. The grounds were lovely with flowers and wildlife. Teddy managed to get this shot of a hummingbird.

Broad Billed Hummingbird

Please do not copy, download or reproduce any of the photographs. Most were taken by my husband. Enjoy!