This morning: Four Night Blooming Cereus flowers and one seriously busy bee!
Life in the rooftop garden.
Archive for the ‘Casita Colibrí’ Category
Cereusly busy bee
Posted in Animals, Casita Colibrí, Flora, Gardens, tagged bees, flowers, Mexico, Night Blooming Cereus, night blooming flowers, Oaxaca, pollination, rooftop garden, video on July 26, 2021| 2 Comments »
Garden gets its groove back
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Creativity, Flora, Gardens, tagged atrium, container garden, flowers, landscaping a rooftop, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, plants, rooftop garden, succulents, terrace garden, trees on July 23, 2021| 15 Comments »
When last we left Casita Colibrí’s garden, it had weathered Moving days and the plants were Surviving and thriving wherever they had landed at their new home.
Much to the movers’ relief, some (though, not a lot!) of the plants were to remain on the ground floor. With those, it was within my artistic ability to create an entryway and to arrange the palms and other shade-loving plants in my new apartment’s atrium.
However, the landscaping on the rooftop, where the majority of the plants landed, was left to the imagination — as I had neither the strength nor the skill. Consequently, two and a half weeks ago, under a blazing hot and unrelenting sun, my friend and excellent landscaper Jose Ruiz Garcia and his nephew came over to move, position, and re-position trees and succulents and shrubs — oh my!
Most mornings it’s now where I begin my day. With coffee in hand, I cautiously wend my way up the narrow spiral staircase to commune with my plants, listen to the birds sing and chatter, and enjoy this beautiful and tranquil garden that Jose has created. It’s also a perfect setting to sip a glass of wine as the sun sets.
The Move: surviving and thriving
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Flora, Gardens, Travel & Tourism, tagged Buddha belly plant, Casita Colibrí, Cayenne pepper plant, Flor de mayo, flowers, frangipani, Jasmine flowers, Jatropha podagrica, Mexico, Night Blooming Cereus, Oaxaca, photos, rooftop garden on July 3, 2021| 14 Comments »
Many of my View From Casita Colibrí regular readers have expressed concern regarding how the garden survived the move. I want to assure you, though it desperately needs landscaping, the plants are surviving and thriving in their new home.
Methinks it is, in no small part, due to our daily late afternoon downpours. It is the rainiest rainy season since 2010 — at least that I can remember!
Moving days
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Gardens, Home, Transportation, tagged furniture piled high, garden pots, Mexico, moving boxes, moving day, moving truck, Oaxaca, photos, plants, trees, working for a living on June 29, 2021| 13 Comments »
Yes, that is moving days, plural! However, neither rain nor breakdowns nor dark of night kept Casita Colibrí (the name moved, too) from moving twelve years of furniture, art and artesanía, kitchenware, clothing, books, and massive container garden to its new home.
Day one began at 4:00 PM and consisted of four trips and a little rain to move from the old casita to the new — hauling furniture, boxes, and some of the smaller plants. Some of it was carried down the dicey stairs and some went over the balcony. Needless to say, the crew of five, plus yours truly, were worn out when we called it quits at 10:00 PM.
With all the furniture ensconced in its new home, the task of day two (postponed a few days due to mechanical issues with the truck) was to move the trees, their ginormous pots, the chimenea, and worm-rich barrels of soil that I have been cultivating for several years. It wound up taking two trips and almost four hours to lower the plants, etc. from one rooftop and then hoist them up to another. Oh, and did I mention, having to detour several blocks due to an accident? Another day of sheer exhaustion!
However, when all is said and done, everything arrived safe and sound, save for one cracked pot. Of course, that doesn’t count the sore backs and the revenge of cactus thorns. Willie Delfín and his crew were amazing.
Now the decorating and landscaping fun begins!
Back in Oaxaca
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Travel & Tourism, Weather, tagged Basilica de la Soledad, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, rainy season, sunset, Templo de San José on May 27, 2021| 7 Comments »
Alive, well, back in Oaxaca, and enjoying the views from Casita Colibrí.
I arrived three days ago and, unbeknownst to me (as it was supposed to go all the way through to Oaxaca) my checked bag was held up in customs at the Mexico City airport. I can’t imagine what the problem was. Perhaps 5 dry sticks of Sure deodorant? 4 pairs of gardening gloves (1 for me 3 for gifts)? 3 used books? Or, maybe the 15 used compost-able plastic bags I brought back to line my waste baskets? No explanation was forthcoming, but they did put my suitcase on the next flight that evening and delivered it to my apartment around 9 PM — nothing confiscated, no customs fee, and NOTHING missing!
From the evening I returned, I began sneezing, nose began running, and I developed a head-crushing sinus headache. Except for a quick trip to the pharmacy to buy an allergy medicine, I spent all Tuesday in bed. This has never happened before, but everyone is telling me that this season, this year is really bad for allergies. By Wednesday, I was feeling a little stuffy, but much better.
The rainy season was just beginning when I left six weeks ago and now, the hills are turning green, the garden is lush, and tonight, as the sun sets, thunder is rumbling, lightening is flashing in the distance, and a few raindrops have fallen. It’s good to be back!
Here and there May flowers
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Flora, Gardens, tagged camellias, Cee's Flower of the Day (FOTD) challenge, Flor de mayo, flowers, frangipani, gardens, May Flower, Mexico, Mill Valley, Oaxaca, photos, plumeria on May 5, 2021| 4 Comments »
Flowers of May there and here…
Missing mi cocinera
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Culture, Food, Travel & Tourism, tagged chicken tacos, duck tacos, food porn, home cooking, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, pozole, salads, terrace dining, vegetables on April 26, 2021| 12 Comments »
As I mentioned in my last blog post, I’m alive and well and, at long last, in California — my childhood home, to be exact. While I’m loving spending time with family, seeing friends, and happily able being able to wash my clothes in my own washer and dryer, it also means I’m having to cook. Looking back with envy at the meals prepared by my amiga, vecina, and cocinera extraordinaire, Kalisa.
As you will note, the occasional vegetarian meal popped up over the past couple of months on Kalisa’s menu, along with inspiration from the recent visit to Oaxaca by Cynthia Martínez, chef owner of La Conspiración 1809 in Morelia, Michoacán. All delicious and works of art!
Look what the bunny brought!
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Food, Holidays, tagged alebrije, Bertha Cruz, Casita Colibrí, Easter dinner, Easter eggs, food porn, holiday dining, home cooking, Masea Trigo y Maíz, photos, terrace dining on April 7, 2021| 8 Comments »
Easter Sunday, Peter Cottontail, with a little help from his friends, hippity hopped his way to Casita Colibrí, bringing platters full of Easter joy.
A muchisimas gracias to my many-times-mentioned friend, neighbor, and talented cocinera, Kalisa, who dyed the eggs and prepared all but the dessert. The latter yummy decadent delight was purchased from Masea Trigo y Maíz. To quote another rabbit, “That’s all folks!”
(ps) My alebrije rabbit is by Bertha Cruz from San Antonio Arrazola, Oaxaca.
A new day
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Flora, Gardens, Music, tagged balcony garden, flowers, Mexico, Night Blooming Cereus, Nina Simone, Oaxaca, photos, song lyrics Feeling Good on March 31, 2021| 4 Comments »
Yesterday morning a new day dawned and my first night blooming cereus flower of the season greeted me.
Today marks 21 days since my first Pfizer vaccine, yet the date, time, and place of my second vaccination is still unknown. However, during these challenging times, I’m channeling Nina Simone singing, Feeling Good.
Birds flying high you know how I feel
Sun in the sky you know how I feel
Breeze driftin’ on by you know how I feel
It’s a new dawn
It’s a new day
It’s a new life
For me
And I’m feeling good
Fish in the sea you know how I feel
River running free you know how I feel
Blossom on the tree you know how I feel
Dragonfly out in the sun you know what I mean, don’t you know
Butterflies all havin’ fun you know what I mean
Sleep in peace when day is done
That’s what I mean
And this old world is a new world
And a bold world
For me
Stars when you shine you know how I feel
Scent of the pine you know how I feel
Oh freedom is mine
And I know how I feel
Cactus down!
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Flora, Gardens, Travel & Tourism, Weather, tagged cactus, container garden, Euphorbia Trigona, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, terrace garden on March 27, 2021| 2 Comments »
It’s the time of year when late afternoon winds come up, landing patterns change to often bring planes very low over the city, and the occasional top heavy plant topples over.
Tuesday morning I came out on the terrace to find my Euphorbia Trigona down. Prone, though it was, neither it nor its beautiful old maceta (flowerpot) suffered any damage. Both are now safely cradled in a wrought iron plant stand.
Prickly in Oaxaca
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Flora, Gardens, Travel & Tourism, tagged agave, cactus, coronavirus fallout, COVID-19 fallout, Mexico, nopal, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, tourism on February 26, 2021| 2 Comments »
This article, Tourists are welcome in Oaxaca, Mexico. Their increasingly bad behavior is not, is one of the reasons these images from my garden express how I’m feeling these days.
Then there is the fact that I haven’t set foot out of the city for exactly one year. Color me prickly and awaiting the vaccine.
Flocking together
Posted in Animals, Casita Colibrí, Gardens, tagged birds, Cedar Waxwings, flocking birds, fountains, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos on February 9, 2021| Leave a Comment »
Snowbirds continue to arrive in Oaxaca. For the past several days, Cedar Waxwings have been flocking to my fountain — the first year they have come to Casita Colibrí. They are great fun to watch and seem to have distinct personalities.
Though I must say, they make a huge mess!
2021 Culinary creations, part 1
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Celebrations, Culture, Food, tagged birthday dinner, food porn, home cooking, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, terrace dining on February 5, 2021| 8 Comments »
It’s been a whole month, so I figured it’s about time to again showcase the culinary creations by my friend, neighbor, and cocinera extraordinaire, Kalisa. If you can’t take the mouthwatering temptation, I advise you to step away from the blog post now.
Just so you know, the last two are not everyday fare — they were for my birthday. (Please, don’t ask.) I think Kalisa outdid herself!
Tree of masks
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Creativity, Culture, Health, Travel & Tourism, tagged coronavirus fallout, COVID-19 fallout, cubrebocas, face masks, hat stand, Jésus Sosa Calvo, KN95 masks, Matlacihua Arte, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, tree stand, wood carving on January 29, 2021| 8 Comments »
You may remember the beautiful hat tree I commissioned from the San Martín Tilcajete workshop of Jésus Sosa Calvo. In these mask-wearing times of Covid-19, it has taken on a new function.
No longer serving as a place to hang my hat or market baskets, it now holds my collection of cubrebocas (face masks).
In case you are wondering why there are seven of them hanging on the tree, each KN95 mask is labeled with a day of the week, so I can rotate them.
New function following fabulous form!
January’s sunsets
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Churches, Travel & Tourism, Weather, tagged Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, clouds, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, silhouettes, sunset, Templo de San José, views, vistas on January 25, 2021| 13 Comments »
January sunsets in Oaxaca are spectacular. Looking west, behind Templo de San José, Basílica de la Soledad, and the mountain Monte Albán sits atop, they often have me dropping whatever I’m doing, dashing out the door and onto the terrace to gaze — before the magic disappears into darkness.
Occasionally, the camera is nearby.
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