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Archive for January, 2020

Casita Colibrí’s important namesake

Posted in Animals, Culture, Environment, Science & Nature, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , on January 28, 2020| 2 Comments »

In Mexico, the hummingbird (colibrí) is known as the protector of warriors and messenger of the gods — two of the most revered roles in indigenous cosmology. How lucky I am that several of the varieties seen on the poster below continue to capture my attention and fill my heart with joy as they flit from tree to fence to fountain for a bath and zigzag across my terrace playing their version of tag and king of the hill.

Hummingbirds of Mexico and North America poster

Muchisimas gracias to my friend K for the link to this poster from CONABIO (National Commission for Biodiversity). In addition, if these tiny creatures also captivate you, a PDF of the CONABIO book, Colibríes de México y Norte América / Hummingbirds of México and North America is available online with text in both Spanish and English (click title link).

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Dreaming of home

Posted in Casita Colibrí, Gardens, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , on January 23, 2020| 6 Comments »

I subscribe to the bumper-sticker wisdom seen many years ago, “When you live in your heart, you are always home.” However…

I’m still in el norte — but dreaming of the view from Casita Colibrí.

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Window on a tinaco

Posted in Buildings, Casita Colibrí, Environment, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , on January 19, 2020| 2 Comments »

Flying into any airport in Mexico, you see them dotting the landscape below — Mexico’s ubiquitous rooftop tinacos.

View through a Casita Colibrí window of the tinaco across the street.

For those of you who are dying to know how the water system here at Casita Colibrí works: An underground pipe regularly (or, not so regularly, as the case may be) delivers municipal water into an aljibe (cistern) — a storage tank under our courtyard and driveway.  A bomba (pump) is run daily for an hour (más o menos) to bring water from the aljibe up into the tinacos sitting on the various rooftops of the apartment complex.  When we turn on our tap, water flows (or dribbles) from our faucets courtesy of gravity.

By the way, this is non potable water.  Drinking water is a different story involving garrafones (5-gallon water jugs).

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Kapok, who knew?

Posted in Flora, Science & Nature, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , on January 13, 2020| 5 Comments »

It was only recently that I learned that Oaxaca’s ubiquitous and beloved Ceiba tree was also known as the Kapok tree. Yikes, kapok was the stuff that stuffed the overstuffed furniture in my grandparents’ living room.

Those avocado-like pods (also known as pochote) contain a fluffy cotton-like fiber that is difficult to spin but is light and-water resistant — thus its use in mattresses, pillows, upholstery, stuffed animals, and life jackets. All hail and much respect to the “the mother tree of humankind.“

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Murals of Jalatlaco

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , on January 8, 2020| 8 Comments »

The Jalatlaco neighborhood always yields artistic surprises…

November 13, 2019

November 13, 2019

November 13, 2019

October 22, 2019

October 22, 2019

Happiness is wandering the streets of Oaxaca.

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Three Kings coming to town

Posted in Celebrations, Children, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , , , on January 6, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Today Mexico is celebrating el Día de los Reyes Magos. Traditionally, it is the Three Kings — Gaspar, Melchor, and Baltazar — who bring gifts to children on Epiphany (aka, Twelfth Night — yes, that Twelfth Night).

Tres Reyes in totomoxtle (corn husks) – Noche de Rabanos 2012

According to Oaxaca Día a Día, over 5,000 toys have been donated by individuals, companies, public servants, the media, and the governmental DIF Oaxaca. 1.2 kilometers of dolls, balls, games, stuffed animals, and other toys line the Plaza de la Danza to be distributed today to disadvantaged school children.

By the way, here in the San Francisco Bay Area, events celebrating el Día de los Reyes Magos are also happening.

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Jesús of the shadows and wires

Posted in Creativity, Culture, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged , , , , , , , on January 3, 2020| 4 Comments »

Not seeing sights like this up here in el norte…

Ahhh… finding one’s niche in Oaxaca!

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