Tag Archives: colors

Postcards from Costa Rica

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Costa Rica is a rugged, rain-forested Central American country with coastlines on the Caribbean and Pacific. Though its capital, San Jose, is home to cultural institutions like the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, Costa Rica is known for its beaches, volcanoes, and biodiversity. Roughly a quarter of its area is made up of protected jungle, teeming with wildlife including spider monkeys and quetzal birds. 

The Costa Rican flag has five stripes – the one in the middle with the red stripe twice as big as the blue and white. Blue stands for the Costa Rican sky that works like a shield. White symbolizes peace. Red shows the heroism and energy for the Costa Ricans when it comes to defend their principles (like democracy).

Will be sharing postcard images from a December 2022 trip to Costa Rica using the colors of their flag.

Costa Rica Postcard

Fall Colors Against Smoky Haze

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The “smoke” from the Smoky Mountains is actually fog that comes from the area’s vegetation. Plants take in carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. Plants also exhale something called “volatile organic compounds”, or VOCs.

VOCs may sound scary, but when they are released from plants, they are completely natural.

In addition to causing various scents and odors, a high concentration of VOCs can also cause fog. VOCs are chemicals that have a high vapor pressure, which means that they can easily form vapors at room temperature. The millions of trees, bushes, and other plants in the Great Smoky Mountains all give off vapor, which comes together to create the fog that gives the mountains their signature smoky look.

The colors of Fall contrast nicely against the “smoke.”

Fall Colors Against Smoky Haze