Peligrinacion de los Indios

Rodolfo y Grisenia helped me with the spelling of this religious tradition which is a procession that happens every evening for a week leading up to Dec. 12. As I understand it, the kids walk with their mothers around the village - and they are honoring the virgin Guadelupe. Anyone reading this blog, Please correct me if I got this wrong. You can make comments, you know... and please do! Anyway, it is delightful to see the childeren gathering in their beautiful traditional garments.

 

Contrasts

Walking around this village (and Mexico generally) one is so often struck by the juxtaposition of beautiful tropical flowers, carefully tended by a jardinero - or not - and then, right beside them, the dusty gray looking streets...you have to love it!

 

 

Art Walk, you say?

El Gallo doesn't have to wait for the Art Walk...he walks right in and starts critiquing my paintings. For more information about the first annual Art Walk, on the solstice, Dec. 21, click on visitlamanzanilla.com

I will be participating, and welcome you to come and see all my work - I am so keen, will probably be open for extended hours...and will have art for sale all over my house.

 

El Gallo

He marches into my yard (and house) every morning, crows loudly, and looks around for food. I know, I know, I should put chicken wire over the gate to keep him out, but I hear they eat scorpions, and fertilize the garden... so until he pecks at me or makes some other trouble, he and his family are welcome.

 

 

While Cleve is painting, Susan is pruning the lime tree in the back yard.

 

All in a Sunday's Work in La Manz

 

My neighbor Cleve is getting ready to paint the sailboat that he brought down from Oregon, in the trailer above, on top of a huge load of furniture, and pulled by a green '73 International Travel-All. His wife Susan, says that once again, they looked like the Clampetts arriving into town - where was I with my camera that day?

The "Verduras" Truck

 

I love when this truck comes by, and I am out of vegetables. Especially without a car, it is just so convenient to have vegetables delivered to your door. Today I got potatoes, carrots, papaya, (a really sweet one), beets, cucumber, mandarinas (like tangerines, but tastier), and a chance to take a picture of little Carmen. As you can see, she has great stage presence - maybe she will sing Carmen one day.

Color

 

Waiting for a ride to Melaque with Nancy, I spotted this shot of color, and wanted to get back into painting - right away! Soon, soon....

Classes de Arte

 

Cori and her brothers, and several other kids have been asking when art classes are going to start again - soon, I hope! Maybe we will do them on the teraza of my house this year.

 

Humberto helps me set up the tent

 

When Enrique comes down to visit, we might have a campout in the back yard. The tent is just big enough for 2.

 

 

 

Monte trying out the new kitchen

 

Last year on this blog I started to tell the story of how a chef named David (from the Laughing Oyster restaurant in Powell River, BC) came along just in time to help re-design the kitchen. He is not only a great cook, but also an expert in space design, he said with the modesty of a typical chef. Anyway, the kitchen is almost finished... one day, I will be able to replace the crates with cupboards, David...and the important thing is, it really is a spacious kitchen to work in, for 2 or even 3 people. I love washing the dishes, (no dishwasher here) and being able to call out "buenas dias" to my neighbors walking by.

 

Rodolfo and his family go into the coco business

 

Delicious cocos "tierno" are now available for only 5 pesos, and only a block from my house.