Playa de los Muertos

It's a rainy day...supposed to be rainy all weekend. My thoughts drift elsewhere.... such as, a typical afternoon in Puerto Vallarta. Can you hear the sounds of happiness? There's always something going on--never a reason to be bored!

Same view...more people....more laughter:

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What we do is less than a drop in the ocean. But if it were missing, the ocean would lack something.

--Mother Teresa

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Go out and have yourself a lovely day!

I Heart Mexico!

I've been so busy in the garden the past few delightful spring days...haven't spent much time at the computer, much less working on any of my photos. However, here's some highlights of our recent visit to Mexico:

View from our balcony, looking south.

First of all, let me be very clear, lest somebody takes umbridge--I love Mexico! Our hotel sits right on the beach, so we get to do a whole lotta people watching. I usually make silly lists, one of which is mostly beach-oriented observations, accompanied by photographic proof when available:

Things Mexicans do that I find amusing (and/or curious):

1) They roll in the sand on the beach when they're wet.

Ok, so nobody is wet...but they will be shortly!

2) They dig big holes on the beach and stand in them.

3) They swim (or get into the water) with their clothes on.

4) They bury each other in sand.

This is a double-header...sand burial and people swimming in their clothes!

5) They think clowns are hilarious. (Sorry, no pics--too hideous!)

6) They stack rocks and stones into towers.

Our husbands couldn't figure out at first why my friend & I kept taking photos of all the rock towers.

They didn't know we were so into geology & sculpture.

Especially the sculptured part!

7) They embrace--and then hold that pose..."pose kissing."

8) They carry trays of baked goods on their heads!

His baked goods are just awesome! Especially the apple custard pastry!

9) They love the song, Stand By Me. I know not why; you hear it everywhere.

10) They love pinatas, in any shape or form you can imagine.

Makes me wonder if the pinata shared any likeness with the birthday girl.

If so, when it came to punching time, wouldn't that be a bit weird?!

11) They're obsessed with sand sculptures.

Madonna always seems to prevail, sand sculpture-wise.

And what a good lookin' gal she is, too!

12) Bus drivers decorate their buses with a lot of fringe.

Cutie pie!

13) They have roadside shrines, complete with offertory boxes.

I picture neighborhood kids coming along and routinely pilfering from this!

14) And, most of all, they work very, very hard and they know how to appreciate a very good time!

Good food, good times!

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Mi gusta Mexico!

Forget-Me-Not

Yesterday would have been my Mom's 93rd birthday. It was a beautiful, warm, sunny day here--spring flowers bursting forth--she would have loved it! Traditionally I would always give her a huge bouquet of daffodils picked from our backyard.

They are super abundant this year!

Here they are, captured!

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Curiously, my Mom never knew for sure what her actual birthday was... she was born near midnight at home. Only two clocks were present--the doctor's and the one hanging on the wall. One of them said before midnight, and one of them said after--nobody knew which was right! So...they decided upon April 11th because her sister's birthday was January 11th. Maybe it was the 10th or maybe it was the 12th?

It was a busy day yesterday; I didn't dwell on missing my Mom. We got a lot accomplished in the garden. So many, many leaves and plant effluvia to be raked up--what's literally left of all of last year's beauty. At the end of the day, I was trying to decide where I would plant a new hosta: shade considerations seem to change year by year, etc. etc. Then I saw them.... my clump of Forget-Me-Nots was in full bloom! How could I have missed them the day before?!

They were my Mom's most favorite flower of all.

I'm pretty sure she was born on the 11th!

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"May you live all the days of your life."

--Jonathan Swift