Arenal, a volcano waiting

First view of Arenal

 Arenal Volcano stands tall in in an other wise level landscape in Costa Rica. It is a quiet volcano having last been smoking and spewing in 2010. In terms of time I consider that a nat's eyebrow, quiet vs. dormant. Arenal is one of a string of volcanos in the "Belt of Fire", one of which was blowing it's stack near San Jose, CR, during our stay last year. We sat on a Pacific coast beach when the earth began to move and tremble for about 2 minutes. The earth is very active in Costa Rica.

Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica  - the March calendar painting

This painting was made early in the morning on the spot last year. The air was alive with birds - toucans, tanagers, parrots. Later that morning we headed to the park of Arenal and took the trail to the edge of the volcanic detritus, black stone shaped in liquid forms. At the edges where green is climbing back up the volcano, there were daffodil like orchids growing out of near nothing.  Where the lava stopped 6 years ago, the jungle changed from low growing to monstrous trees with girths of 50 feet around. Wild life was overhead and underfoot. Toucans peered down from the palms above then clattered off. Lovely leaf green lizards basked on ground level in the sun dappled leaves. Walking slowly we saw a large bird feeding in the brush, then two more just quietly browsing; though they were all the same family, each had different plumage. One all black; another spotted, barred; and another barred with a russet tail. What would Darwin say?
 

A tree of substantial girth

In 5 years the jungle returns to the volcano.

Fun to think about when snow covered ice surrounds my house right now.

Another volcano in the Belt of Fire