I am very blessed to have a life that includes water without restrictions and is very plentiful in Colombia. Whether in a town square like the cover photo, or the rivers that surround me, there is plenty of water where I live. We don’t pay for this water, just the maintenance of it. The cost is around 2.00$ per month. It is crystal clear, and very safe. I tell my tourist guests at Villa Migelita they have no need to worry if they drink water from the tap or brush their teeth…we don’t have any problems with contamination where I live.
A breakthrough vote just happened in Colombia. A vote that is confusing to many. It needs to be re-negotiated and will go forward again to be ratified by the Colombian people. The vote was close, m…
A breakthrough vote just happened in Colombia. A vote that is confusing to many. It needs to be re-negotiated and will go forward again to be ratified by the Colombian people. The vote was close, many people did not show up at the polls because of Hurricane Matthew which was hitting the coast of Colombia. We even had bad weather here at Villa Migelita! Everyone in Colombia wants peace, but if it comes without repercussions for those who lost loved ones in conflict, then there has to be compromise. There was no compromise in the deal presented to the Colombian people. The rebel group FARC would gain a lot, and the victims nothing. The FARC would gain position in Congress. The educated of Colombia knew this was a wrong position for the country. I live here on a Visa, but I do not want a government with any Marxist or Communist influence! I want democracy to be in place. I will have a residency soon and I am invested here as a land owner.
The Washington Post: “Under the terms of the agreement, FARC will be afforded nonvoting representatives in Congress through 2018, where they will be able to weigh in on matters related to the implementation of the accords. Then come the biggest toads: a minimum five seats for FARC in the 106-member Colombian Senate and five more in the 166-member lower chamber for two legislative terms through the creation of new voting districts. FARC, which has yet to reveal the name of its future political party and can’t form one until it fully disarms, will have to compete for seats on its own merits after that.”
It is a horrible thing to have a child or family member killed without repercussions. Whether a mother like myself who lost a child by a drunk driver or an entire country who has lost over 220,000 people to death or mutilation by the rebel group FARC, I will share and post about injustice by violent crime. These people who voted YES were people who are directly affected by the crime and actions of the FARC. They don’t want anymore of their children recruited by force, they don’t want a child to lose a limb by a landmine, they want to live peacefully. A lot of these people never completed their education, nor understand repercussions of allowing a group that has been intimidating them into the government. The FARC is now a very small group, less than 7,000 members. They have been cornered and realized this was a great opportunity to become strong again through a deal that excuses their past actions.
I moved to Colombia when it was becoming peaceful, when this beautiful country started to prosper. Many thought I was crazy. I knew I wasn’t. I had visited and looked at real estate. I had checked out the hospitals, the doctors, and the life I could have on my income. I was sold on trying this new life despite the horrible reputation that followed Colombia’s past. Colombia is number 2 in the world for healthcare, and is number 2 in the world for bio-diversity in nature. Colombia is a hidden treasure about to be unleashed to the world of tourism. Colombia is safe, and incredibly beautiful. There has been peace in Colombia for a long time now. The FARC is still here but only in certain places, and they no longer want to fight the government. They have continued to say, even after this vote, they are for peace.
I have been reading much about this deal. It will go forward. The FARC wants it to go forward. But; it needs to be fair. The FARC cannot be excused from all the years of mayhem. They need to lay down their weapons and they do NOT need to be given any place in the government. As a non-citizen without a lot of history in Colombia, I do believe it will happen. I want peace everywhere. I believe it is possible. I want peace in my home country of the United States which is filled with domestic terrorism. It is not just Colombia, it is the world that needs to re-look at all that is happening and we need to speak up. I do, and will continue in my blog.
For those wanting to visit Colombia, it is safe. It is beautiful. It is the best life I have lived in my lifetime. I pray for peace, but not for peace with a price that will come back to haunt this amazing country, and perhaps turn it into another Venezuela. I want a democratic future here, and those who voted NO understand this. The deal presented could leave the poor of Colombia with shortages of food and adequate healthcare. No one wants that. The FARC has come forward to say they want to continue the negotiations, and those who voted NO, want that too. No one wants war, the war is gone. Now it is time for compromise.
These photos are from an incredible hike I took in a park here in Colombia called Quebrada Perico, near Buenaventura, Colombia. It is the definition of a quest and one of the most difficult …
These photos are from an incredible hike I took in a park here in Colombia called Quebrada Perico, near Buenaventura, Colombia. It is the definition of a quest and one of the most difficult hikes I have ever done. It is a climb up waterfalls, mountains and natural pools.
My friend climbing up a small waterfall
hiking through this
Adventure travel does not do justice to the beauty and bio-diversity of Colombia.All of the images above are from a day filled with memories and adventure. The country of Colombia is full of fun and excitement. Every department has so much to offer.
Edges are found everywhere in my nature photos. I focus on nature and animals. I have a Villa that frames my photos with edges in all my pictures. The cover photo is an example of Colombian life.T…
Edges are found everywhere in my nature photos. I focus on nature and animals. I have a Villa that frames my photos with edges in all my pictures. The cover photo is an example of Colombian life.The line of the walls, the roof, the beam and the walls frame the backdrop of the mountains and banana trees. Even the line of the coat rack that holds the hats exemplify life in Colombia
My ducks Poco and Corazon when just babies with my goats
The edge in the photo above is the bamboo fence which is part of Colombian life. We use a lot of bamboo…you also can see the piece of metal with a frayed edge. We had a hole and we fixed it temporarily with a piece of sheet metal.
The edges of a painting, a doorway and the flowers with a stem used as decor in an arrangement
The stairway to the upper floors of Villa Migelita
I love the photo above because it shows so many edges, again the fence is in the background, along with my stairs that go to my upper floors. the backdrop of nature shows what I see every single day when the sun rises. A perfect life.
My Collie Colleen a few months before she passed
The line of the swing in this photo of my old dog Colleen adds a bit of sweetness to a sad photo of my dog who had not long to live. This photo captures all that is good about her and her life with me. She could not walk well by this time, the angle of her front legs show this. Her eyes show all the kindness of her soul.
The edges of the tile with the tiny bit of a chair showing in this picture of two wonderful friends
This photo encompasses a lifetime friendship of two animals that grew up together. They are both deceased now. I brought them with me to Colombia. They enjoyed their last years in Paradise.
The bumpy edge of the mountains of Cali with clouds
A view from my Villa in the morning with cloud formations.
Loud sounds like scraping on metal, banging and then a huge creature flying over my bed, slamming into everything! The curtains, the walls, the ceiling, then dropping down to the ground in front of…
Loud sounds like scraping on metal, banging and then a huge creature flying over my bed, slamming into everything! The curtains, the walls, the ceiling, then dropping down to the ground in front of my divan. Confusion from waking suddenly to this unexpected appearance fogged my brain. I thought it was a bird. Rapidly I jumped from bed as my cat Franchesca had bounced straight up into the air: as I awoke she did too! I thought she would kill the flying creature and rushed to save it. No worries about that! She ran to the slight crack in the slider which she enters and exits..but it was closed. So she ran to hide under the coffee table in front of my divan. I exited my bed quickly as I still wasn’t thinking I had a bat visitor but a bird and wanted to keep my cat from attacking it. That wasn’t a problem as this bat had landed right on the ground in front of Franchesca, wings spread wide and they were staring at each other! She was up against the wall looking frightened. It was then I realized I had a bat in my room. It is interesting how the animal kingdom knows all. Franchesca has probably seen many bats on her nighttime escapades! My dog Marley was sleeping on his dog bed and watched everything unfold without moving. He appeared unaffected. Me, well I was unnerved, and that is because I have the same opinion of bats as most people: they carry disease, they look scary, and I sure wasn’t happy to have him in my room. I did some research because I love the bat rescues I see online: cute bats being fed by pacifiers and given fruit. This was different and this bat was large. He was not threatening, I want to make that clear. He was confused. They fly by sonar.
The bat was an adult male, black with his wings spread out looking quite large. Exactly like the image below. The TV light was on and I could see I had a bat in my bedroom not a bird. I opened the door and yelled for my partner, who came running inside the bedroom. I had no idea what to do. I was unnerved, I admit that. As a nature lover and advocate for all wildlife I knew I didn’t want to hurt it. But at the same time they are misunderstood creatures and they do carry disease: they are also timid and there is no need to fear a bat ever, unless you molest it. Even then they are not known to bite a human on purpose. Vampire bats feed on livestock, and some do carry rabies but hardly ever pass it on to their prey.
Stock image of a vampire bat from the internet
All bats are super-heroes. They control the insect population on this planet. They are as important as bees, and other creatures that interact within our eco-system that keep our world from dying off. They become confused when they fly at night and see light…a street light, a light like mine from the TV and it affects the radar that is their guidance. Their eyes are very sensitive to light, so if there is an open window or door with light inside, it may overcome their senses for a split second, and they may enter the house. That is what happened with the bat that entered my bedroom. A window had been left open and the screen not closed. The TV light was nothing but an image on Netflix..apparently this is all it took for the poor creature to become confused while flying by. He entered and was frightened. He flew and hung upside down on my curtains. He was not threatening at all. Just scared. He was beautiful, and I wish in that moment in time I could have comforted him.
My partner knew exactly what to do, he immediately turned off all the lights in the bedroom. I had turned on a bedside light which was harmful to my visitor. Then he opened both doors of entrance into the room. Lastly, he turned a light on outside of my room. He took a broom and just touched the wing and the bat flew around a bit as we ducked, and then flew outside to freedom. I learned something new in nature. I love to learn and experience new things, and this was no exception. An experience of a lifetime once I got over the image of that huge mammal flying above my bed in confusion.
So let us understand what bats represent in the spiritual world. They are revered in many cultures. “Bat’s wisdom includes shamanic death and rebirth, initiation, viewing past lives, pollination of new ideas, transition, understanding grief, the use of vibrational sound, camouflage, invisibility, ability to observe unseen, secrets.” They can also mean new and positive changes are coming in your life. ” A bat flying into your life signifies that transformation of the ego self is about to occur, the end of a way of life and the start of another. This transition can be very frightening for many, even just to think about. But you will not grow spiritually until you let go these old parts of you that are NOT NEEDED. Facing the darkness before you will help you find the light in rebirth. The bat gives you the wisdom required to make the appropriate changes for the birthing of your new identity.”
I will never forget the visit of this bat. One more thing, he was most likely a Vampire bat. I had never seen one like him anywhere ever here in Colombia. As they are nocturnal, and are only looking for food at night. Vampire bats are misunderstood and the myths and legends that portray them as blood sucking demons are false. Myths about Vampire bats are fueled by a lot of misconceptions. Bats are shy and gentle creatures.
I did learn I most likely have bats outside my Villa every night. They go about their business without bothering anything, and I have animals. They are just part of the animal kingdom of the Rainforest in Colombia. They are nature, and I love nature. Even if they appear frightening. Any part of nature is part of the world for a reason. I live in the Rainforest, I give respect to the animals. We have to stop over building in this world. We are losing nature, we are losing so much more than that, perhaps even civilization.
I have had a little hummingbird rescue for a month now. I had no idea what I was doing when I first had him in my care. I had put a towel down in the cage. That is a big NO! He has the tiniest feet as you can see and they can get caught in a towel and can be ripped off. I contacted a wonderful page on Facebook called The Hummingbird Whisperer and was given great advice, except for one rehab specialist who said I had to put him down because of his bad wing. A major drama unfolded: especially since I am not in the United States. I looked for someone to put Grigio down and no one answered me. We have so many hummingbirds in Colombia all year round, no one cares about just one little guy.
I took in all of the advice I was given and did what the experts said (except for killing him). I removed the towel and put paper towels in his cage. I added smashed up insects to his sugar-water. That is not something I enjoy at all! But we have a lot of insects in the Rainforest and he is drinking his water full of mash-up and is getting plenty of protein which is the main staple of the hummingbird diet.
Grigio the very first day I rescued him.
Grigio is doing very well, but he is still not free. I strive to let him go to fly with his friends. He has a wing that is damaged. I carry him everywhere in his little cage. He sometimes holds on to the sides of the cage like he is in prison, reminding me of movies where an inmate grips the bars in misery.
I have a parrot named Luci whom I rescued when she was about 2 months old. Parrots are so social and always in the middle of things going on around them. She has clipped wings but has free run of my farm. She climbs the rose bushes and enters the house. She follows the dogs everywhere, and she shows off for my tourists here at Villa Migelita. She is the mascot of birds here at my Bed and Breakfast!
I see you
With Grigio it is different. He is not a way for me to give entertainment on my page Villa Migelita. Luci is a rescue, but she lives a very happy life. I am not so sure with Grigio. Seriously, hummingbirds are not really social birds. Hummingbirds fight each other constantly, and none seem to have any bond with others. Perhaps he is fine in his cage with his personal feeder. I can’t tell except when he does that prison break-out move that really freaks me out! I can’t let him go, he cannot fly!
He has become a part of me. I know that is probably not the correct way to view things if you are an actual rehab specialist with birds, or for that matter any animal. I just identify with him so much. He is broken but trying to mend himself. I understand that. I am broken inside. I have been a cracked, collapsed, busted mess for years … ever since my daughter was murdered. I know about feeling imprisoned. I feel that almost everyday of my life. I struggle many days with sadness…but I make myself go out and walk, exercise, Yoga, write, read, study! You name it, I try to do it. So Grigio is a piece of me. His will to live is exactly like my will to live despite horrific life circumstances. So I say “You go Grigio, I have your back! You have a home in my Paradise here at Villa Migelita always”
Every night I put this special ‘gift’ to bed. He sleeps like we do…who knew? He goes to bed at 7 pm and I hear the little whir of his wings at 6 am. I always smile to myself. I wonder if he is a gift from beyond. He is certainly defying all odds. With that I say he is with me now, and I am letting him live each day in the moment. I do the same. I realize that is all we have in life, and so does Grigio.
Adventure travel does not do justice to the beauty and bio-diversity of Colombia.All of the images above are from a day filled with memories and adventure. The country of Colombia is full of fun and excitement. Every department has so much to offer.
