El Bicenenario...

The plaza in Todos Santos was full of people celebrating the 200th time of El Grito de la Independencia.

Viva México!!!

Padre Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla on the night of September 15th declared war against the government in what was known as the Grito de Dolores. Mexico celebrates the Bicentennial since the declaration of Independence in 1810. Tonight in our little town there will be a celebration of "El Grito" in the town's plaza. Viva México!

The sky is the limit...

This morning the sky seems to have an army of tiny clouds all lined up ready to move in some direction. Where will they go...

Respect and Trust...

A good friend took me horseback riding this morning. For me a total "horse rookie" there was a real lesson on respect and trust to be learned. "Galleta (Cookie)" was my assigned horse, and after grooming and saddling her we took off for a ride on the beach. At the very beginning she tested me and nearly walked me into a small shack full of hay. But after some correction remarks from my teacher friend I started to gain control. There is a need to establish respect for such a sizeable animal and a need for trust. One for the rider who must establish the lead and needs to trust him/herself in this position. And for both, the animal and the rider to start forming an intuitive bond of trust in each other. It was a wonderful learning experience.

El Torote...

Scientific Name: Bursera microphylla
English Name: elephant tree
Spanish Name: torote blanco, copal, palo colorado, torote rojo, torote colorado, cuajiote blanco, torote

A few weeks ago clearing out an area of brush around our house we came upon a small "Torote tree", I couldn't believe it. I always loved them, but they are an endangered species and should not be pulled out of their desert home, in other words it's not something you find at the local nursery. They are a classic desert tree with a flaking bark and open arms full of green leaves when they bloom. But because of the lack of water they remain dormant, grey but sturdy. I was so delighted to find it, we cleared around it and started to give it water. Fifteen days later it surprised me with a tiny leaf out of each of it's tiny branches. It is in full bloom today. Once again nature is king.

9.11.2010...

As Leonard Cohen sings in one of his songs "...since the day someone hurt New York", 9.11.2001 was a day that changed many people's lives. It was a very painful day. Today has been an out of sorts day waiting several hours for a caterpillar to help us move some very big rocks. Can't help but think the many pieces of concrete that had to be moved in the World Trade Center nine years ago.

Roots...

We stand strong over the earth and try to feel rooted. And although our roots are real they are invisible to our eye, not like the ones of this beautiful fig tree. They visibly run deep into the ground and up above. They even grew over a rock. The tree extends itself many feet up above us and it is starting to bear fruit this time of the year. Small green figs are attached to its hundreds of branches.