Tuesday, May 03, 2016

Faces in the Garden

When I posted the blog about all the stucco work being done to the house, there was a photo of the wall with the little face pots from the State of Michoacan and the Village of Tzinzunzhan.  (If you say that fast, it
will sound like the wings of a hummingbird).  I've been told that Tzinzunzhan means that in the Purepecha
language, the place of hummingbirds.  It is a stunningly beautiful place.

One of the loyal readers commented and asked where they could find those face pots and I responded with the information above.  Then, I started thinking about all the faces in the garden in various places.  Most hold plants but a few, surprisingly, are alive.

 Just the other day, a noise came from the garden.  Rustling in the plants.  I turned around from what I was doing and was greeted by two pair of yellow eyes.  The incorrigible black feral cat who can leap five feet in the air to catch a bird!  Yes, I saw that with my own eyes.  And a grey cat perched in a flower pot.  Now I know why no flowers I plant in that side of the pot survive.  It was a great mystery.  Mystery solved.  She is laying on a newly planted bunch of alyssum.  I'm sure it is a nice soft bed.
 Then this morning as I was out pruning and plucking dead leaves, I bent down and was astounded to
see this magnificent butterfly.  Quickly I backed away and hurried down two flights of stairs to get my camera in hopes of being able to photograph this lovely creature.  It was still there when I returned and I snapped this photograph a little too quickly.  Hence it is not a sharp image.
 Strolling the garden though, besides the live faces, there are many others.  Most have a story behind them.

This lady came with me from Houston.  She is so heavy that I have to scoot her rather then attempt to pick her up.  I bought her at an auction at least twenty years ago.  Watching her and the hummingbirds on the salvia is a gift every day.
 This guy had a brother, but he eventually gave up the ghost and so now he hangs with a plant all by himself on the exterior wall of the guest house.
 Cantera angels are in many places.  At Christmas this trio wear red velvet ribbons in greetings for all that come to share the holidays. The rest of the year they just guard the door to the kitchen.
 This little boy is a treasure.  He has been in my life for about twenty five years.  He has moved all over Houston with me from garden to atrium garden to outdoor garden and then made the trip to San Miguel.
He was carefully wrapped in a bunch of towels to make the trek here.  He traveled by car - just to be safe.  For a while he lived in the home of my daughter Jennifer's house in Houston.  She adored him as much as I.  That is one of the many reasons why he proudly stands in the main garden here in San Miguel which is in honor of Jennifer.  In this garden, all the flowers are in white.  A color she loved.
                                     This angel playing the accordion is also in Jennifer's garden.
 More faces from Michoacan.  This guy does not look particularly happy.  Maybe the burro tail plant is not his favorite or maybe he is tired of hanging on the wall across from............
 This lovely lady wearing earrings.  Where did they come from?  Michoacan.  There is a very tiny little market on Friday mornings in Patzcuaro where very few tourists ever go.  It is one of my most favorite in Mexico.  I have been known to make the three hour drive just to be able to go to that little market.  I always find things that are one of a kind.  See things that touch my heart and leave, always, with a smile on my face.
 These are more of the face pots that I posted last week in the blog that I referred to at the beginning of this post.  I cannot remember the name of the woman who makes these.  The information is here in the house - somewhere - and a Purepecha woman took me to her home.  Where that home is, I could not begin to tell you as it has been about 20 years ago.  But, these can be found at the Palm Sunday Market in Uruapan each year and possibly at the straw market in Tzinzunzan.
 This lady has traveled with me for a very, very long time.  Initially she was in my house for many, many years.  Created by Hayes Parker, a world renown artist who creates in concrete, it was a birthday gift.
She has aged well.  Better then me.  I can see her from my bedroom as she resides now in the downstairs garden with mandevilla, bougainvillea and sprengeri fern surrounding her.
Last, but certainly not least, is this magnificent gift sent to me by Bill LaCivita, an artist from Rhode Island.  His creations are magnificent.   Bill is a reader of the blog.  He wrote and said he was creating a goddess for me!  I was flabbergasted.  Indeed she arrived in Houston amidst many oohs and aahs from me as I unwrapped her.  She now resides in the garden outside my bedroom where I gaze at her daily.  If you are interested in purchasing some of Bill's work, google him and you will find information.  This lady has been with me six or seven years.  She is a joy with her shells and accoutrements.  I love her dearly.

So, that's it.  Never a worry that I'm lonely as a single woman.  I have plenty of company all over the gardens and in view from the inside of the house.  Now, if they could all talk, it would be a roar I'm afraid.
Thankfully not.  They exist just because of their beauty.  How nice..........

8 comments:

Peter Kouwenhoven said...

We have enjoyed your garden and its faces for many happy hours. Truely a slice of paradise...

Babs said...

Thanks Peter. It was such a heartwarming feeling to know that you all were here and loving this place. That means a lot. It truly is a slice of paradise.

marilyn said...

Babs, I loved the trip through your beautiful garden!!!! The lush plants are living backdrops for your wonderful sculptures! And it was interesting to read their origins.

For me, this is a favorite of your blog posts.

Lena J

Retired Teacher said...

You have such a beautiful garden, Barbara, with so many interesting pieces of statuary and pottery!
I have started work on my garden, but, alas, after the mild winter the weeds have germinated in profusion. A lot of work ahead of me.
¡Saludos!

Unknown said...

I loved just to wander to a new area of the garden to see what I might have missed from my last wander around and sure enough something else would catch my eye. Must say the thing I miss the most is shaking the lemon tree and picking up my bounty. Miss my lemon tea!!!
Cheers Barbara

Babs said...

Thanks Lena, Bill and Shelagh for letting me know that you like the garden. It is such a joy to me that I love sharing it with everyone.

It certainly did NOT look like this when I moved in many years ago. It has been a steady dedication to get it to this.........and of course, I see more to do every day!

Shelagh, you'll have to come back to stay again some time and have your lemon tea. I have a big bowl of lemons in the dining room right now! Hugs.

Unknown said...

You have a beautiful garden! My kind of style. You've inspired me to go out to the garden center for some sperengi fern, and bougainvillea to lush up my little garden.

Babs said...

Thanks for commenting Angeline! Enjoy lushing up your garden........