And You Thought Tequila is ONLY a Drink?

Continuing on to Lake Chapala, we weave along the back Highway 15. I affords me taking plenty of photos and coaching Roland on passing attempts.

As the shadows get longer, I begin to see dots of pale blue fields among the other yellow-green crops. Knowing the fame of the Blue Agave plant for two-fold reasons: 1 the sugar substitute, Agave and, of course, 2 tequila, I recognize them. Plus I had the clue of knowing that one of the fun places here to tour is the town of Tequila, where the drink is manufactured. And possibly the sugar substitute too, but it's less promoted.

Eventually we curve into the small town of Tequila. From one end of the village to the other there was ever present the theme of the small blue plant. Down the center division of the road were lil' concrete renditions and on the buildings were logos of the plant. When we pulled into the Pemex on a bustling corner, we were adjacent to the town sculpture was of, guess what, YES, you are correct, the blue agave plant!! Actually, it was quite a tasteful piece.

Sitting in wait for the tank to be filled, I pulled my camera and caught a bunch of town characters. One of my favorite was the cowboy's truck parked across from us. The children traveling in the bed of the sunfaded turquoise pickup truck were spirited. The lil' boy eyed me suspiciously and his sister was more coy. Others were pushing carts of edibles, leaning up against the trees just leanin' and others anxiously on their way home.

Finally, we pull out of the gas station and travel thru the long shadows out of town. I catch some final shots of sunlit buildings and passing agave fields. As we make it into Guadalajara, it is dark. The large, turbulent city is five miles across and as things would have it, the main highway was under construction. So we bumble along the rush hour city streets, changing lanes at the wime of our lady on our GPS. She thinks we must be driving a compact with a spirited horsepower. I often wanted to yell at her reminding her, "We're in a thick billboard, bobbing on wheels and we are 45 feet long ~ ~ AND ~ ~ we have NO brake lights!!!" I want you to know one person did honk to catch our attention to let us know we had no brake lights, we just smiled and nodded. So I just trust. And we make onto the re-opened Highway 15 and get out of town.

Once with less traffic in outskirts, we pass the International Airport in Guadalajara and approach the turn off to Chapala. But . . . with less vehicles on this road, we notice how very dim are our head lights are. GRIEF!! Roland tries the brights and I had to laugh, even tho it wasn't funny. How were we going to see the road if we didn't have a car in front of us or coming at us? In a last ditch effort to find more light, we turn on the fog lights. God, will I be glad when we get to Lake Chapala.

Farther down the four lane, two-way highway, we were to turn off onto a smaller road leading into the town of Ajijic where we'd actually be staying. Darn, I just didn't notice it early enough to tell Ro to turn (or was my subconscious just making us travel the safer route?). Reaching the hoppin' town of Chapala, we found the streets well-lit with trees lining the streets and people everywhere. It was like watching a movie - but I was there. Guess I was too tired by then to participate.

But we'd made it. And we did it in such record time, that we were a day before our reservations for the RV pad were available. I didn't care . . . I was never so happy to pull into a Walmart parking lot in my life.

Roland asks if I want to walk over to see if we can find the place we will be staying. Oh my, I'm numb and he's excited. What a combo. But I hop onboard and fumble over the cobblestone streets to see the gate, gailey trimmed in warm yellow with vines dangling with orange trumpet clusters welcoming us. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, we have finally arrived.

Even with the main "Carretera" arterial just 40 feet from us . . . sleep came easy and gratefully . . .

Still on the Planet

Buzzzzzzzzzzz, buzzzzzzzzzz, feel like such a busy lil' bee these days. Most of you know I'm reading for a three month Winter Sabbatical down Mexico way. And ever since I returned from the Lake Alpine Women's Retreat, getting prepared for this trip has been my focus. Don't get me wrong ... the thing that has kept me sane in all this transition - - is my journaling. Creating gets me back to who and what I REALLY am, removes me from all the chatter in my mind and the worrying that it can muster.

So I'll share a few of the entries I've been relishing during these busy times.

First page is an upgrade of one of the exercises from my Women's Journaling Retreat, illustrating that very emotional writing exercise. I'd "seen" the pirate, his ship and the doorway of light just after I'd gotten home and was re-reading my story. I'm really happy with how the darkness I wrote about evolves into the light. Love to hear what your interpretation of the story is before you read the text ...

Next image was from the Eden Vale Workshop ... I'd mentioned the second day which was so grey and monochromatic ... well, this was late in the early evening when the clouds had dissipated leaving brilliant sunshine and rich long, shadows. It was one of those moments that you just know all is well and life is good!

My next journal entry was from a sweet day hiking along one of our favorite trails of the Rogue River. Its an easy meander with lots of drop offs into the shallow river for Cody to go "dunk" in. This time of year offers glorious colors, the bushes go red, the trees drop golden carpets and, one thing we'd never experienced, was the wide spectrum of aromas coupled with all the mushrooms sprinkled everywhere. My sketch is from this wide turn in the river with the cleanest sand beach ... As we hiked further, more near the Takelma Gorge, we ran into a woman with her hands buried under cascading mushrooms that we later learned were "Coral". Roland found even more of the remains from this giant mushroom and we took it home. He ate it (after a well versed mushroom expert identified it, saying, "Its a little old but still edible and delicious!") - and - is still alive :) The smells too, were so diverse, one corner was warm, moist and musty then at the next corner was the sell of dry evergreen needles or a whiff of saffron or turmeric. My lil nose was just sooooooooooooooo entertained. A delightful way to bid adieu to the summer season.

The playful bouquet of flowers just had to be painted ... they were from a friend whom I met in one of my journaling classes. She'd lived and worked in Mexico ... so when I began talking to her about our upcoming trip to Lake Chapala, we became fast friends. Besides the fact that she is one of the most joyous, charming, and fascinating women I've ever met ... (yes, that YOU Cheryl!!!) She and a friend came over to well wish us before we take off for Mexico. This lil cluster of yellow, red, purple and green were "for the Chef" (who is my hubby). Twas a pleasant treat talking about the joys and differences of Mexico and what Roland and I had to look forward to.

As you can see ... I've yet to catch up with all the text ... but I'd missed talking with you all and just HAD to share these lil treats now resting inside my heart and journal. Well, actually I kind of feel they are one in the same. :)

Ending of a Month ~ Beginning of an Adventure

Ok, here's another awkward post ... but, we're aiming at honesty here, so here we go ...

It's been peculating probably for a year, this episode in my life. At first I was startled by it, resistant, then, realizing that it truly was a dream of my husband's, I've now begun chewing on accepting it. This episode (are you ready?) is, the possibility of moving to Mexico. Yep, waaaaaaaaaaay down south, out-of-the-country Mexico. He's been sampling homes, cities, villages, health insurance etc. for over a year. Together we've begun talking about our needs/wants and now have taken steps to go spend some length of time down where we'd both consider possible.

The first step was getting a vehicle that got better mileage (yeah, I was ALL behind that, good for the planet). So over a period of weeks, we stumblingly (is that a word?) acquired a new red (I'd gone for a more earthy color, but buying used ...) PT Cruiser. It's mileage is around 28mpg as compared with the 11mpg of Roland's truck and it functions better for me to carry paintings/art necessities than the sedan we'd first considered. Now, I'm finding this zippy lil' PT kinda fun ... and ... she will be a vehicle we can tow. Yes, tow (are you ready again?) behind our newly acquired [gulp] 28 foot RV.

There, I've said "it". I've never been one for the ostentatious, nor a "giant" carbon footprint, nor what feels like extreme extravagance but, here she is. After considering value for re-sale and storage and quality, this was the best option. I still waver between embarrassment and acceptance when I walk out in our yard and see her. But my husband has always been so very attentive to our "nest" and requiring quality in our home, I'm settling into this. Just the other night we enjoyed our first dinner and movie in "Tiffy" (yes, we've named her). And it was a pleasure ... warm, cozy, even romantic.

We plan to test her out on a couple local camping expeditions this Spring/Summer, followed by a Winter trek to Mexico. There we'll sample the reality of this dream for both of us. I've spoken to many artists/friends and am finding there is a huge ex-pat number who do and have done just this. One of my students worked in a Mexican bank, another artist's friend found much more success after moving to Mexico and other's have told me of the numerous possibilities of teaching classes. So I'm chewing, I'm chewing.

Love to hear any and all of your input ... I have learned, my opinion/perspective may not be the only or best one in existence. So "The Travels & Learnings in the Life of an Artist & Spiritual Seeker" continue ... appreciate your traveling along by my side :)