Week 5: #9. Complementary Colors

One of the pleasures of gardening in Panama is the abundance of plants that flourish in the heat and humidity. As much as flowers dazzle and delight my senses, so do the multi-hued leaves of plants like coleus, caladium, and croton. The mix of red, green, orange, yellow, pink, burgundy, and purple in addition to the shapes and patterns these leaves display enchants me.

While taking photographs of a house my husband has listed, I thoroughly enjoyed the beauty of the garden which has a variety of plants and flowers, fruit trees, and palms. I snapped several photos of red and green leaves that are a simple match for “Complementary Colors”.

Week 4: #17. Gate

Posting only one photograph from the dozens of gate images that I’ve taken since the beginning of August is a challenge. There is an abundance of unique, rustic, imposing, delightful, intriguing, homely gates in the area. Gates and doorways have always fascinated me, perhaps for the mystery of what lies beyond, perhaps for the sense of security they present, or perhaps even for the symbolism of opening a door to new adventures in life.

These two photographs were taken on a narrow, winding road in Jaramillo, in the highlands above our tiny town. I have always admired the first gate with “Hacienda Esplendorosa” boldly forged in metal. It seems to intimate that something sublime exists behind that closed gate, beyond the short tunnel of towering pine trees that line the drive on either side. It peeks my curiosity to explore further than what is visible to passersby. I want to know what Splendorous Estate is hidden from view.

The gate with “Cuesta Verde” painted on a plaque and fastened to the wrought iron bars, appears to lead nowhere, an entrance to what looks like an abandoned property with no visible structure of any kind. There are many similar gates here that discourage anyone from entering and yet encourage inquisitiveness. In most instances, I presume my curiosity will never be allayed.

Week 3: #5. Bird’s Eye View

At the edge of the canyon, where the road merges and begins its descent into the Boquete Valley, stands the Boquete Visitor’s Center. This popular spot for both tourists and locals alike overlooks the valley in which the little town of Boquete is nestled. Throughout the day, vultures ride the thermals above the meandering Rio Caldera, soaring to incredible heights and drifting low down as the winds take them. Standing above the valley floor, I watched them circle and glide above and below me. As the sun sank lower and lower and shadows darkened the valley, the clouds gathered along the canyon and surrounding mountains. The wondrous panorama before my eyes was also the vultures’ view, although I’m pretty certain they were not as appreciative.