Whoops! It was a windy Christmas night and this 30 foot tree fell over and just missed the gazebo by about two feet.

Jaguar decided the tree skirt is her favorite naptime spot. Yes, that's my 50+ year old Lionel train set. It still works! Happy Holidays!

Here are a few shots from the rest of the garden update project. This is the finished courtyard outside the office window.

Here is a view looking from the carport up the driveway to the gate.

Here is the finished wall and door coming down the side of the driveway.

These are ornamental bananas. Very small but colorful.

This past week we hiked to an area called la India where our gardener's family has property. Here's a flower we hadn't seen before.

We crossed several streams along the way. The water is still running strong from the rainy season.

Our gardener Ricardo. The rocks in this area are huge.

We made it to la India. In the middle is the Rio Caldera which runs through Boquete. There's plenty of pristine land around.

More of the garden walk. The pathway to the bottom. Lots of coleus.

Coming back up. That is a spiral ficus in the center.

Mocha can't resist any new container.

Skies are clearing as we come into the dry season. The weather has been spectacular.

It's the end of the rainy season, so here's a walk through the garden. The clouds give good definition to the layers of mountains beyond us.


The walk path to the bridge.

Everything is lush after months of rain.

We've been harvesting oranges for months now. Love that juice!

The whole gang! A picture from Melissa's
and Will's wedding.

We stayed at a hotel right on the waterway leading out to the Pacific from the canal when we returned to Panama.


The container ship is heading under the Bridge of the Americas. This beautiful morning was a great welcome back to Panama.

Momma and some of her babies after a long, busy trip.

I'm explaining to Will that if anything happens to my Viking stuff, the marriage is annulled.

The gang keeps growing larger!

Tearing up the dance floor with Sarah.

Keegan and I at the Sunday breakfast after the wedding.

Papa with Christopher and Melissa at dinner the night before Melissa's wedding in Wisconsin

Melissa had an outdoor wedding and we got lucky with the weather.

My five month old grandson Keegan.

I had a few mementoes to pass on to my new son-in-law. He's a Packer fan so of course I had to give him some Vikings stuff!

Tipper keeps watch from the top of the wall, her new favorite perch.
Scenes from my fighter wing reunion in Denver. I was stationed in England with these guys in the early '70s.
We hope to get even more of the squadron to show up next time.
A old buddy from the good old days - Phil Lowenthal.

A view down to the new terrace at the bottom of the waterfall.

Wall construction is almost finished. There will be lots of plantings in front of the wall down the driveway.
Still a little planting left to do by the new pedestrian gate.
Steven continues to bring air plants to stick in the wall on both sides.
A view behind the front wall.