There are a few photos in my stash I’ve been meaning to share.

Our veggie guy had pipas, or coconuts for sale. “Agua de Pipa” is coconut water, so if you see that on a sign stop by for an excellent tropical treat. “Pipa Fria” is the same thing, cold coconut.  Usually they expertly whack off a piece of the husk with a machete to expose a small hole into the inside and insert a straw. After you drink the juice they can open the coconut, and make a slice of the husk to be used for scooping out the meat. Sometimes you can also buy juice by the cup or larger container, especially if you bring your own container.

The Pipa from our veggie guy were especially large and full of juice, and really delicious!

Our laundry room is an enclosed outdoor space and we keep the freezer there. It has a cardboard cover for protection, and one day I noticed a collection of tiny white eggs stuck to the cardboard. Then, the other day, I saw a line if tiny caterpillars marching single file across the cover.

I coaxed them on to a piece of paper and put them on the ground next to the terrace and some shelves so they would be in a protected spot. They were in a clump when I disturbed them but as soon as possible, they formed their line again and proceeded to follow the leader in circles until he finally decided to lead them off the paper. There’s always something new and different around here!

My neighbor gave us some oranges. The usual way of eating them is to peel off the outer skin in a long ribbon, and slice off a little piece on top. Now you have something like a natural juice box or juice pouch. Squeeze and suck on the opening to drink all the juice.

There is a lot of citrus grown here! Most homes have a tree, and there are large orchards not far from here. There are a various types of oranges, and what seems like an endless variety of “limons” the catch all term for lemons, limes, and other tart citrus varieties.

Last, but not least, we are going to be overrun with bananas! We have two making fruit at the same time.

A week ago…. one flower is in the middle at the top of the photo, and the other is Towards the lower left.

Today, from the other direction. The bananas are starting to emerge.

To me, nothing says tropical living like bananas and coconuts. I love looking at the bananas in the back yard, and we are waiting for coconuts from the beautiful tree in the front yard.