R.I.P Bourgainvillea Arch

In stark contrast to my last post about how beautiful our arch was - it brings me great sadness to display the photos of the barren yard. The wall on one side of our property was replaced and the bourgainvillea plant did not survive the work. Look how sad it looks!

On a positive note, E has given me the full approval to take over as "exterior designer" and "jardinera" for our new yard. Can't wait to paint the wall so we can go pick out new plants and shrubs!

Our Bourgainvillea Arch

The Bourganvillea plant was a little scrawny fence climber when we moved in.  I was impressed by other bourgainvilleas that I had seen around the city.  They climb walls, over doorways, rooftops and cascade down properties like vibrant waterfalls, spilling onto sidewalks sometimes.  Ours went without direction for a long time, until last summer when I thought it would be cool to try and form an arch with its long arms.  It was skinny and looked silly at first, but it has beefed up and is now flowering!

Magenta flowers

splash of color amongst the drab (thanks M for killing the grass)

I do love our palm tree (in the background) too!

M, Diver-in-Training

E and I set a new life goal about a month ago!!! Since we both love diving and we both love our dog, we thought it would be cool to see if we can teach M to dive! Obviously not with equipment - but just to dive underwater and swim around for a few seconds or so....We found that he really likes to retrieve rocks that are lying on the sea floor and we've used that as motivation! So far, so good! Check out his latest training:


M, diver-in-training

Next Road Trip

Should be heading back for a Baja visit in a little over a month and E had a great idea - me, him, dog, truck, camping gear and the open road....The weather is absolutely gorgeous this time of year. Hot enough to get in the water, but not hot enough to sweat through your clothes all day long.  We can move from site to site, exploring the lower mountainous part of the peninsula.  Planning to also visit a tall waterfall deep in the desert that we haven't visited since 2008.  I can't wait!

It's Not Just the Cold

Been back to the States for 1 week now. and it's freeeeezing! I think my blood has thinned out after spending time down South - the Northern air is piercing at times! But it's not just the warm sunshine that I'm missing up here - I will get by on memories and photos such as these:

Of course I am enjoying being home with my family and friends.  Nothing compares to time with them.  And, yes, hard work does have a way of making a person feel productive.  We're finding ways to make winter fun ! Next week, heading back to the tropics with some family to visit the Carribean too.  I really can't complain.   There's just something about the Baja that sticks with me and feels always around the corner.  

Coffee Time

One of my favorite morning activities is to make a mug of coffee from my little one-cup coffeemaker that Santa brought me for me last year and which my Mom broke during her visit in June.  It takes a bit of rigging to get the coffee to percolate into the mug.  This is because the tiny coffeemaker had a tiny taller than wider mug that fit perfectly into ready position.  That mug shattered (thanks, Mom) and we haven't been able to find a replacement mug anywhere in this city.  So I rigged up a system using one of the corn on the cob butter baths that we've never used down here.  I put one end of the butter bath under the spigot where coffee drips out and the other end tilted down into the mug at a shallow angle.  The whole coffeemaker itself has to be sitting on top of a canned food item so that it is higher than the mug and the angles work right.  I wish I had a picture of this, as I took one last summer to send to Mom so she'd see what we devised, but now I can't find it!!! Oh well, tomorrow I'll take a pic and post it.

Coffee on the patio is best enjoyed with emails to read and reply to and M at my feet under the patio table, munching on a palm branch.  I think this may be M's favorite morning activity too - he sometimes falls asleep mid-chew and puts his paw on my foot as if to suggest we're having a moment. :)

Felizes Fiestas!

I love how the Mexicans group together all possibly winter holidays - including New Year's - when they wish each other "Feliz Fiestas" or "Happy Parties!" This is a very appropriate salutation, as they like to party for ANY reason.  December seems to be one long celebration with all the holidays.  Here are some pics from our Christmas and New Year's partying:

Mac and his Christmas Stocking

Heinz Ketchup! Can't find it down here!

Damiana Liquor and new Scarf!

First time trying Fluff

Christmas Bazzar downtown

La Muerta (the death) or La Katrina is always among us,
even at Christmas! Cherish each moment!

Christmas Eve biking the Malecon

Goofing around Christmas Eve

Mac receiving his Christmas Cow Knuckle, yum!

New Year's Eve Hike

Malecon Party NYE

Reeeally big scary sparklers that kids and drunks were waving around

 

Happy New Year!