Birthday Celebration!

I had an awesome birthday this year!

We took a trip up to the mountains for a couple days,

here's some pics:

A river on the way up the mountain:

Welcome to Boquete:

(The Fair Grounds)

The cabin we stayed in at Isla Verde:

The grounds at Isla Verde:

The Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, resident of Isla Verde:

We visited some friends also staying in Boquete.
Their accommodations boasted some great views as well:
Volcan Baru ,a dormant volcano and the highest peak in Panama
Elevation:11,400'
The property also bordered a very deep canyon with a river as well:

We went on a hike just outside the National Forest,
here's some pictures of the views on the way there:

Top middle pic: Sloth
Bottom left:  abandoned house/castle


We did the Pipe Line Trail in Bajo Mono, just above Boquete.
It took about an hour and a half I think(?) to reach the water fall.
It was a fabulous hike and I could have spent hours on the way up taking in all the beauty!

At last...the waterfall!

(Bottom right: Dylan & his friends getting ready to get wet...and COLD!)


As if this wasn't already the most perfect trip ever,
I was blessed with a sighting of the very rare Resplendent Quetzal:

This picture shows the best view of it's 3' long tail feathers which the male grows out for mating season 

WHAT A BIRD!
I couldn't have been more excited!


Good times, 
good food, 
good company, 
good weather...
This is definitely my new birthday tradition!

A tragic day on the Palm Farm

Billy received a call Saturday afternoon informing him that the farm was on fire.
An employee of ours was working nearby on his time off and saw the smoke.
By the time Billy made it there, approximately 40 acre had already burned.
We don't have a well on the property but keep barrels of water for mixing pesticides,
the employee was using that water and a 5 gallon bucket to put the fire out.
Billy & Dylan picked our local employee to go help out and by the time they arrived at the farm, we had 3 employees (and some of their family) volunteering their help/support.

Luckily, the wind wasn't blowing.

As you can see from the pictures, minimal damage was done to the palms due to the fire rings around each tree. We wont know until the rains come (hopefully, supposedly by the 20th, not soon enough) how much damage was actually done, however it looks like the heart of most the trees were spared.

According to research done on other plantations, this will set production back 3 years.

We are so very thankful this wasn't worse, however my heart goes out to my hubby, I know how hard he has worked.

PS
In case you're wondering how the fire started...because there were no other fires in the area and ours was the only farm to burn, we've concluded it was set intentionally.

Mountain River to Seashore

 Here's some pics of our trip!

Below: 

Start & finish line

According to Google Earth we started at 58' elevation and a 12 mile trip:

We'd never done the trip before so we set out early:

Here's the ramp where we put in...unfortunately the one at our destination wasn't quite as nice:

My umbrella...I had a plan, and it would have worked out perfectly if it were not for the North Wind! I ended up using it as a sail, now it's garbage!

We had to stop and access areas with any white water....

Billy helped Barb walk around this one, but Dylan and I passed through easily...VERY fun! 
(We only had to do this maybe a handful of times)

 

Here comes Barb:

Dylan saved the day giving Barb a little tow now and again:

Barb enjoying using her camera while being towed:

....and me witnessing it!:

And then the release:

Billy did a little fishing:

...and of course got a fish:

 

 And at long last...we made it to the beach! YAY

It was a super fun day!

As usual, hubby polls of another amazing adventure!

I can't wait to do it again!