Flora, Fauna

First zinnias!

Until we treated them with pesticides, my zinnias barely survived the leaf-cutter ant invasion. And that may explain the seeming puniness of these first blooms. But there are many more ripening buds, so stay tuned!

Byron's wife Brenda sent me a gift of a blooming orchid native to Nicaragua, growing on a branch that we wired to a tree in the yard, and then we taped up a plastic bag to hold the roots and some soil. The whole thing is a bit of a mess, but I am hopeful that the orchid will latch on to the tree and we can dispense with the life support apparatus. The leaves are top left, and the tiny blooms are on a long twig drooping down the center.

Byron and I were walking toward the veggie garden when we surprised a large snake that bolted toward the house, and then into a shed that used to be an outhouse. Byron ran for the machete, but the snake was nowhere to be found. I'm certain it was more afraid of us than we of it. 

My zucchinis are thriving!

Also up are radishes and carrots, kale and romaine. Spinach and green beans are taking longer to appear. And Byron put in nasturtiums in the zinnia bed, which will take up to two weeks to sprout, but will make for some very pretty salads later on!

This morning, I thought I saw a white kitten climbing a tree just outside the house, but a second glimpse revealed a grey bushy tail. I watched it go from tree to tree, not fleeing, but moving at a fairly leisurely pace. Clearly a squirrel, and I found a picture (Ron Warner TrekNature) online.

It's called a variegated squirrel, and has a black dorsal stripe. They are normally associated with Laguna de Apoyo, a volcanic crater lake near Granada. Apparently, they are descended from pets, and are not especially afraid of people, even friendly, in some cases. I hope this one hangs out for awhile. Very pretty animalito!

And two days ago, Brynn was barking at something behind the sofa. All I could see was a long reptilian tail. Snake? Aughhhh... But it was just a terrified, emerald green lizard. I lifted it by the tail and set it outside in a clump of greenery. Turned out to be a juvenile black-tailed iguana, per this internet photo.

Despite the invasion of dog ticks, flies, and zancudos (mosquitoes), I just love living in such a varied community of wonderful creatures.