Tag: sunsets

Posted in Alternative Lifestyle, Colombia, Colombian life, expat life, friendship, nature, Nature Symbolism, Uncategorized

Thousands of Parrots

Posted on by hummingsfromparadise

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/elemental/

The other day I went on a journey with friends. We explored the mountains of La Buitrera de Palmira, Colombia near my Villa. 

We drove around in my 4 x 4 Toyota truck stopping when we found beautiful views.

Look at the size of these Elephant Ears!
I can hold this leaf up so we can pass!
Hiking and viewing flora and fauna
Right before we saw all the parrots come home to the trees where they live
Height is no problem
The elements of Colombia are so intense, there is no description unless you are right there in the moment

We ended up at a farm that is filled with so much organic and biological study of nature and plants. We were given a tour. There is a weather station for our area located at this super high altitude. When I check my phone in the morning this tiny little station lets me know the weather. I found it fascinating.

Weather station
We have stations like this all over the mountains in all areas of Colombia, tracking weather and currents

But then I heard them, the chorus of parrots that sound like angels to me. It is a sound you can never imagine unless you are right there. These parrots go over my Villa every morning around 5ish and return at around 6ish. I have always wondered where they go to. I found out. It was a moment of realism for me. Because I can only describe to you what it was like. I didn’t have my camera with me, just my phone which was out of battery.

I heard this sound of such beauty and noise, beautiful noise. Then I see them all flying to the trees on this farm much higher than mine at Villa Migelita. My question of 5 years was answered in a moment of them landing together in trees that were very near to me. They were green and they looked as if they were falling when they moved to lower trees. I was mesmerized. I couldn’t take my eyes away from what I was seeing. It was a first for me in Colombia. I have many parrots visit my farm, but this, this incredible sight was something that touched my soul.

amazon parrots
Internet image, but they were just like this snuggled together or free-falling to different trees.

So I watched without moving for at least a half hour. I will never forget this amazing spectacle in my life. But it even gets better. The cover image is the trees they were in while driving back home. The sun was setting and we had left this amazing farm with so much cultural history.

Indigenous Pot
1000 year old Indigenous pot

We were all talking about how amazing the elements were on this farm. It was an experience of a lifetime! Including holding a pot made by Colombian Indigenous people and of course the thousands of parrots. I am not exaggerating this at all, because my cover photo does not show the parrots but we were driving down and there were more parrots all in the trees with the sunset surrounding them. They were flitting about, and we were just watching from my truck. They were highlighted by the sunset, but not enough for any photo. They were snuggling each other, they were squawking, they were happy. They were free. That is the way it should be for all animals and nature.

So I can only describe it to you, this sighting of where the parrots go when they fly over my Villa. It was so wonderful, so fascinating, so amazing. Always in my memory and now I know where they go and live. Where the parrots nest. I will always be so happy so many parrots fly free here in Colombia, the way it should be.

 

 

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Posted in Colombia, Colombian life, Color and Colombia, expat life, nature, Nature Symbolism, photo challenge, Uncategorized

Sunsets at Villa Migelita

Posted on by hummingsfromparadise

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/delta/

I have my daily routine of studying Spanish when the sun is setting at Villa Migelita. I sit on my third floor in my sun room and I watch the every changing sky. It is magnificent. I have never enjoyed sunsets as much as I do here in Colombia at my own house. I have a clear view of Cali, Colombia which is an hour away and the Valle del Cauca.  I watch the sky change while the lights of the city of Palmira and Cali slowly burst into my skyline. It is breathtaking. I also watch the 6 little bats that live in my basement come out and eat insects with the beauty of the sun going down. So enjoy some of my favorite photos of my sunsets over the years of living in the beauty of Colombia.

Sunset with my trees
A sunset rainbow
Ever changing views
Later in the day the sun was peaking through the clouds
A storm over the Valle del Cauca
The cloud formation with the sun setting is luscious
Posted in Colombian life

I Will Always Look Up

Posted on by hummingsfromparadise

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/look-up/

Looking up 018
This photo is not perfect but I love the hummingbird coming in from the top
Looking up 031
Look at the hummingbird coming up to take over!
Looking up 008
When looking up while laying on my back taking photos the perspective is different
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Mango striped hummingbird

Looking up can bring you many images of beauty. Especially in my little pueblo in Colombia. I look up all the time because of all the bird calls. I always try to have my camera nearby to catch a video or photo of the many birds I see. Colombia has the most species of birds in the world. I see so many but I can’t always get them on film. The series above was taken while lying on the ground below the feeders…the images are not perfect but I like the way they show the spirit and spunk of hummingbirds. Hummingbirds are fierce little fighters!

Then there are the animals I always see on my hikes around my Villa. I am always photographing cows, goats, chickens and horses. They wander the mountains and streets grazing in complete freedom. It is truly delightful to see this when you visit Colombia.

NOVATEK CAMERA
Taken from below
photos from my walk with butterflies 016
Looking up while he looks down
hike 005
Goats checking us out as we ride by

Flowers and plants are always abundant here in Colombia. We have over 50,000 different varieties of plants and flowers. The colors are wonderful, and I don’t have to put any effort into any plant or flower to have them grow as the climate and soil allow flowers to thrive.

Photos of rainforest, pueblo, flowers..layers 016
Heliconia plants
Looking up 047
Roses on my balcony
sunrise 3rd to last
Then the sun started to fall

Most importantly I like the two words ‘looking up’, because that phrase brings good images to mind. In this world that is so full of suffering and random violence, looking up to see the sky, clouds, a sunset, nature and beauty can relieve us of anxiety; if only for a moment. So tonight when you read this take a moment to look up and see your sunset, or your stars overlooking the world and think positively. We must always save a little hope inside of us for humanity. Even when all we see is rampage and unresolved anger everywhere. Just look up and find the beauty around you, and let yourself feel the peace in that moment in time.

 

Posted in Uncategorized

Sunsets at Villa Migelita

Posted on by hummingsfromparadise

<a href=”https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/transition/”>Transition</

Every single day my sunsets change at Villa Migelita. If you look at a map of the Equator you will see the line goes through Colombia. The shifting of where the sun goes down is small, but occurs daily. I took these photos in a succession one day. From around noon to the night-time sky looking out over the Valle del Cauca, Colombia. If you look up the weather systems in Colombia you will see that we do not have seasons. We have rainy and dry times. The same with the sun, it shifts like nowhere I have lived before in my life. At certain times of year the sun goes down right in the center of my balcony, but then as the days and months change it goes to the right little by little. It is fascinating. It is living in the tropics. It is Colombia. Watch this video I took at night one evening. This sunset personifies peace.