Riding High

She's eleven years old now.  Forming her own interests.  Two of them are dressage and high wire trapeze and other activities like Cirque de Soleil performs.

Yes, Matilda is becoming her own person.  It is a joy to observe.

A few weeks ago we all went out to watch her practice somewhere near Cineaguita, outside of San Miguel at an amazing training facility.  Here are the photos from the hour long practice.

It is fascinating to see what children become interested in doing as they mature. I wish I knew how to attach the video of her in Ixtapa on a high trapese.  But, I don't, and you will just have to take my word for it that it was amazing to see her let go of the bar and then grab the arms of her partner waaaaay up there.  I'm glad it was a video and that I wasn't there to witness it because I would have been terrified watching her go up that high.  Yes, there was a net below, but still!

Life continues to be full of surprises.  Not daily as it used to be, but that is truly okay.  It is always fun to wait and see what is going to happen next!

One of the surprises this day was that those huge trees that Seb and John are walking under are pecan trees!  I had no idea that pecans grew in this area.  Brought back lots of memories of growing up in central Louisiana where pecans were an industry.  In fact, my little brother and I each year would pick up pecans to sell to get money to buy Christmas presents.  I have always loved to bake with pecans, especially during the holidays.  All year, however, when I bake banana bread, I think some pecans add to the deliciousness.  The pecans on these trees were small and didn't have much meat.  Not something I would spend time picking up.  But, I bet someone does!


After all, this is Mexico! Nothing goes to waste.

Surprises Abound!

Surprise, surprise.  An orchid that I bought at Home Depot or Costco has rebloomed!  When they are bare sticks, I put them outside with hope.  In all the years that I have had orchids, NEVER, have I had one rebloom.  I truly was shocked and did not believe my eyes.

When I brought this in from outside last Saturday it had one pod with a bloom about to open.  This bloom is what opened.  Now there are many pods and many blooms.

Each time I walk by this little nook at the entrance to the kitchen and see it, I mentally shake my head in surprise and delight.  What a gift!

As if that wasn't enough, yesterday the dove who lives in the garden and who sits on the branch of the tree when I am watching me in the evening when I am watching TV was acting quite strange.  I stopped whatever I was doing, sat down, propped my feet up and watched.

It appears that this bird, male or female - who knows, is building a nest up in the big palm tree behind the dried out fronds.  It walks around look for thin branches, picks them up, checks them out and if they are too long or too thick to carry in its beak up to the nest that is being built, it drops it and continues to look for the perfect piece for the nest.

Here are a few photos that I took today.  Now this series was taken in about six minutes, but the bird is spending, literally, hours combing the grass for the "right" stick for the nest.  It has been three and a half hours since I took these photographs and the dove is still out there scouring around for more fill for the nest!

I would say this bird has more patience then I.  I only lasted a few minutes of photographing it.

I, of course wonder, is it the female or male who is so specific in making this nest.  And, I also wonder how long it takes to build the whole thing. 

Earlier this summer, I watched a hummingbird building a nest at the end of the walkway.  What a magnificent structure of twigs, leaves and grasses.  A true thing of beauty............and another gift to enjoy seeing, even now, many months later.

The weather is getting a little gusty and a tad cooler.  My presumption is that nature knows more then we do and hence, the hectic pace of this bird to get this nest ready!

How sweet it is!