Time and Other Things That Fly

2013 is flitting out of our lives and making way for 2014. 

Blue morpho butterfly, always on the move, just like time. 

2013 was an eventful year for us that passed in a blur.  Dennis and Max completed their first full year in Belize and Dennis celebrated a year of being retired.  I retired at the end of June 2013 and relocated to Belize in October.  We got our car imported to Belize too.

We love Belize dragonflies because they love mosquitoes.  This isn't part of the Mosquito Coast for nothing!

We actually haven't seen too many mosquitoes around our place.  The most bothersome insects are the various flies - sand flies, red flies, bottlass (bottle ass) flies, black flies.

Fortunately the dragonflies are voracious and non-discriminating eaters of flying insects.

 I still haven't started trying to key out the dragonflies; there are so many new critters and plants to learn.  Never a dull or boring moment!

Sometimes the air is thick with dragonflies. 

They perch on every little stick or twig to soak up the sun.

Even with all the dragonflies, 2013 brought me another "first" that I could have done without - a mosquito infected me with Dengue Fever earlier this month.  That was a week of hell and then several weeks of recovery.  Seem to be just about over it now.  I think I was mosquito bitten while at the plant nursery - lots of standing water there from flooding and plant watering.

This Tropical/Couch's Kingbird is one of many that reside at our place.

They also are big eaters of insects and are quite acrobatic in their flycatching.  Great entertainment.

 Now - ringing the old year out and the new year in are 2 butterflies.  I haven't ID'ed either of them - something I can do next year!  

Old and tattered, just like 2013.

What other plans for 2014?  Well, Dennis hopes to become a Belize resident.  That means we can bring in our household goods that are currently in storage in Minnesota down to Belize without horrendous import duties.  We would like to get the construction of the addition completed and get solar panels installed.  I would like to become qualified to apply for residency.  But when you get down to it, all that is really important is that we stay healthy and happy and continue to enjoy life in this semi-functional paradise called Belize.

Fresh and pristine, just like 2014.  Notice that it seems to have its head at the top, but really its head is at the bottom.  Don't know what that means for 2014!  We shall see... 

Wishing all the readers of this blog a very Happy, Healthy, and Delightful 2014.