I love this view as we walk down Montes de Oca to the center of town with the Paroquia in the distance. Here is another view from an old postcard.
I have no idea when these were taken, maybe the 40s? The second one is a bit further down the same road because you can see where it ends at Barranca. And here is what it looks like today, taken from the same spot as the first one.
This beautiful raptor is a Crested Caracara, also called a Mexican Eagle, and is depicted on the national seal of Mexico. He showed up in the yard of our neighbors yesterday with a long rope tied around his leg and seemed relieved to have found a sanctuary. They called Ecologica to see what they could do to help him and the agent said he was probably taken from the nest and kept captive his whole life.
For now he is safe and will be cared for in this beautiful garden until Ecologia decides how to handle his case.
He joined us during our recent trip to Talapaque, near Guadalajara.
Just so you don't think we starve for fruit here, I took a photo of the fresh strawberries and bananas available most of the time we are here. We had been getting luscious blackberries in the market from Michoacán and actually saw the berry fields as we drove through there on our recent trip, but the season seems to be over until next year.
The napkins and rings are from the Sunday market in Tonala near Guadalajara and the table runner is from Ross in San Antonio Texas. The label says Made in India but it fits right in.
Our plates are a copy of an old Puebla design made and bought locally. My mother brought similar plates from Puebla during her trip to Mexico in the early 1940s and my family ate on them for special occasions. Nowadays tableware is clearly marked "lead free" but in those days, I wonder.
overlooking the city of Guanajuato and the La Valenciana Church (built between 1765-1788) in the middle distance.
The town of Santa Rosa is arranged along a narrow ridge road with buildings perched along the edge. It is not a particularly scenic town except for what you can see looking off the ridge; most of the buildings are of this vintage and condition.
The famous pottery turned out to be this large collection in the one shop that was open. Because of the steepness of the ridge, you enter from the top and go down several flights of stairs through the showrooms. We were hoping to visit a factory and see where it is made so we'll have to return during the week.
The church is the one building that is very well taken care of.
What struck me as most charming was the post office, tacked on the front wall of a sweet shop. It contained everyone's telephone bill, bank statement and other official mail.
One more reason to love life in Mexico.
The week before Nov. 2nd we were on our road trip near Patzquaro, Michoacan, well known for it's beautiful Day of the Dead festivities. The sugar market vendors were lined up under the portales, anxious to sell their sugar sculptures to be used in altars or ofrendas.
We found different types of sculptures this year such as this large heart
and molded chocolate skulls.
My goal was to find a Frida sugar skull, or at least one I could modify, since this year my personal ofrenda was going to include Frida.
or from door-to-door vendors.
By the time we returned to San Miguel the cut paper flags were flying. These are papel picado and it is still possible to buy the thin tissue paper flags although when flown outside they tend to be made of plastic now. Still, they are festive.
These in front of the church are of paper and are nearly in shreds from the winds.
My own ofrenda this year has tiny papel picado flags that I found in Patzquaro, along with a larger one with a figure of Catrina, the skeleton woman in her big hat on the left. Last year I felt that what my niche needed was tassles so I stenciled those on below.
Both my parents and Bryan's are represented again this year in my ofrenda and I did find a sugar skull that, with some eyebrow enhancement and colorful flowers, could accompany the Frida tin nicho box I made.
Speaking of eyebrow enhancement, Yoli (3rd from left) decided to throw a channeling Frida dinner and here are some of the lovely guests. (The guys wouldn't play along as Diego Rivera.)
A quick trip last week to Guadalajara and Patzquaro turned in to 4 days because there was just too much to see. We were with our friends Yoli and Victor and one of Yoli's goals was to buy some pineapple (piña) pottery from the source.
She graciously showed us how she hand builds the pottery with no wheel and applies the surface texture by pulling off a little bit of clay and "pinching" it onto the pot.
Then she places it in her wood-fired kiln
which produces these intricate pineapple pots
and pottery sculptures.
Pineapple pottery is an acquired taste for me but I was charmed by these clay tables she makes to hold her plants.
We drove on into the town and found several more little shops along the road
where Yoli happily added more pineapples to her collection.
The circus sprouts colorful tents in a vacant field behind our house once or twice a year. There are a number of traveling circuses and this is the first I have seen the Atayde Brothers Circus.
But the main reason I love the circus is we get to see the cats.
They are right out in the field, up close and personal. Anyone want to pull her tail?
The workers enjoy showing how "tame" they are. Here is one getting a "beso/kiss" from the white tiger.
Such beautiful markings.
They are all so healthy and well fed.
I'm only disappointed that we haven't seen the circus parade this year yet; perhaps later in the week if we are lucky we will turn a corner in town and there it will be.
