Day 412: Venturing

Another good morning, to my readers, from Boquete,¹ Panama!

I’m not positive that both of those photos are new, but I’m venturing to post them today, anyway.

So, yes, today’s topic is “Venturing.”

Yesterday, I ventured, in many ways.

I ventured into a cage, with the three, long-time resident, (allegedly) happy parrots, here at Los Establos Hotel:

Wow!  Somebody thinks²  she (or he) is all High and Mighty! I use the word “somebody” because … I don’t know the name of that parrot.

When I first ventured into Parrot Territory,  I asked Sergio, who helped me inside, that particular parrot’s name.

If any of the three parrots DO have names, Sergio did not venture to guess. By the way, the whole time I was in the cage with the parrots, the door was wide open, with Sergio standing respectfully nearby.

I took one more photo of the extrovert of the three-parrot group, when I noticed somebody I knew, in the background…

Can you see her, in the distance, outside the cage?  That’s Yolanda, another guest at the hotel, to whom both Peggy and I felt connected, very quickly.  I had spoken to Yolanda about the parrots (including my intention to visit them yesterday morning) so when I saw her,  I called out to her. Yolanda immediately stated her intention to join me. In the meantime, I took a few more shots, venturing to get all the parrots (although one of them was EXTREMELY shy):

Actually, all three parrots are in that photo, above.  Can you spot them all?

More photos of the more extroverted members of the group, before Yolanda joined us:

I had already started calling that one “The Poser.”   I venture to say that you can see why, especially as Yolanda joined the group:

I ventured to get a good shot of the whole group (including all humans and parrots) ….

 

… but this proved impossible, because of (1) the shyness of some participants, (2) the skill of the photographer, and (3) this writer’s preference for candid over posed shots.

Anyway, here are some more photos from Ann (and Yolanda)’s Venture Into The Parrots’ Territory.  As I told Yolanda, the parrots seemed more comfortable² after her arrival on the scene:

Around this point, Yolanda had to leave. She showed me some photos she captured of these parrots, and they were quite stunning. Before we take our leave of Yolanda, I wanted to tell you some more things about her. Here she is with her boyfriend (Yolanda’s word, according to my friend, Peggy), Ken:

Ken and Yolanda knew each other in high school, were connected with other people for many years, and then met up again a few years ago.  They now live in Bocas, Panama, an island for which Yolanda is a kind of one-woman-chamber-of-commerce. She insisted that Peggy and I both visit Bocas, ASAP, and I’m thinking I probably WILL venture there, eventually. Yolanda is very convincing and a beautiful, vital, brave, and almost irresistible force of nature. Ken is a jazz musician — an electric bass player — by avocation, and was in Boquete for the Jazz and Blues Festival.

For now, let’s say “adieu” to Yolanda and Ken, as we venture back into Parrot Territory, for a few more shots, as I try to get all three parrots in one photo:

Well, fellow venturers, the above is the last photo I took with my camera, yesterday.  For the rest of the day, I spent some time with a wonderful guide named Jason, who showed me some local hot springs (as well as some kindness and wisdom).  Since my photos of those venturings are on my iPhone, you’ll have to wait a few days to meet Jason.

In the meantime, here’s the headline news, for today.  This afternoon, I am venturing to do the one thing that evokes my highest interest/fear, here in Boquete:

I found that image here.

I must confess: In googling images for “Boquete Zip Line,” I saw some photos that sky-rocketed my anxiety, momentarily. But, with some help, I’m letting go of future-oriented anxiety, right now.  I trust that I have all I need, to have a full last day, in beautiful Boquete.¹

Would you venture to agree?

Thanks to Sergio, the parrots, the other denizens of Los Establos Hotel, Yolanda, Ken, Peggy, Jason, and all other creatures who are helping me let go of anxiety and venture as high as I can go. And thanks to you — of course! — for reading today.

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1 Pronounced “Bo-kett-eh”, in case you venture to speak that aloud (and wish to impress, pronunciation-wise).

2 If you don’t recognize yet another example of my doing the cognitive distortion of mind-reading, please venture into my other blog, to check out this list.