My Pura Vida

Love and Joy for Valentine's Day

On this February 14th, Valentine's Day 2008, I send wishes of love and joy to everyone.  May you allow all the beauty of your unique inner being to shine forth with brilliance. 

Beach Erosion

This first image is of a relatively young palm tree on the southern pacific coast of Costa Rica, maybe about ten feet high.  Its roots are almost entirely exposed.  You can see how the high tide is up to where the trees are.  In the second image I was able to stand on the pile of sand that surrounded the top of the roots and could see where the sand was being washed away from the roots.  Just to the left of the tree in the second image, you see what looks like maybe a rock in the water.  In fact, it is the roots of a palm tree that was knocked over by the water.  Is this an example of more to come with the rising oceans from global warming?

According to a March 2005 article in Science, two global coupled climate models show that even if the concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere had been stabilized in the year 2000, we are already committed to further global warming of about another half degree and an additional 320% sea level rise caused by thermal expansion by the end of the 21st century.  Over the past 100 years sea levels rose by six inches.  In the next 100 years warmer temperatures causing thermal expansion and glacial ice to melt is expected to increase sea levels by another one and a half to two feet. The sea level would rise by 20 feet if the Greenland ice sheet melts. 

Something to keep in mind if you are thinking of purchasing ocean front property. 

Fresh Mangosteen

Its funny when you try new fruits.  You don't really know how to cut it or what to eat.  For example here, do you eath the white part with the seeds or the red outer part? 

Welcome to the mangosteen.  This fruit grows on small evergreen like trees.  It is found in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and a little bit in Costa Rica.  The fruit is known to be difficult to grow.  It was relatively expensive here when I bought it, over $3 a pound.  Thus, it is clearly not available in large quantities or the price would be lower.  The fresh fruit is not allowed to be imported into the United States at this time, so you will have to travel to try it. 

The little brown tip at the bottom of the fruit tells how many sections are to be found inside.  So now you might have figured out that it is the white part of the fruit that you eat.  The largest one contains the seed.  The flavor it very nice.  It literally melts in your mouth when you bite into it.  It is sweet, with a little bit of tangy flavor.  The rind it the part that contains medicinal qualities according the the Purdue University horticultural description.  The outer rind contains antioxidant phytonutrients called Xanthones. There are about 200 or so Xanthones in nature and about 43 of those are contained in the Mangosteen.

Pollen Everywhere

My allergies have kicked in the past several weeks.  Pollen can be found throughout the house.  Ideally the cleaning lady would come every day right now to deal with all the dust and leaf clutter that is falling through tile roof of the casita, instead of once a week.   It is really difficult to keep up with.  When I noticed the cat totally covered with white specks this morning (all over his neck and leg), I realized the pollen count must be really high right now. 

Banana Flower

It is close to time to pick the bananas.  The flower hanging down from the banana tree just before the bananas are getting ready to be picked is the sign. 

In Bloom

The trees in Costa Rica have been in bloom for about 6 weeks now.  Each week there are new trees that begin flowering.  They are beautiful colors of orange, yellow, pink and even a lovely fragrant white such as these coffee plants.  A bee is enjoying the nectar from the flowers.