Not clever enough...

Odds and ends...

2009-07-09T06:15:00.000-07:00

Photo 1...Me and a large pan of Lasagna. It served 15 with leftovers.

Photo 2 and 3... 'Tamale Verde'...or a Green Tamale, Masa filled with shredded pork and green salsa and wrapped in a corn husk, then steamed till tasty.

Photo 4...Two coffee's that I am drinking...Veracruz is a stronger, tastier coffee than the Oaxaca which is lighter and with much less body.

2009-07-08T07:21:00.000-07:00

Photo 1 and 2...The old Basilica, look at the lean.

Photo 3...Pope John Paul, a tribute. (if you look behind the statue in the photo, you can see the Pope bus, his transportation when he visited.)

Photo 4...The Chapel on the hill...

2009-07-08T07:07:00.000-07:00

Photo 1...The candles atop the Chapel on the hill.

Photo 2 and 3...The statues on the hill with waterfalls, (suspiciously 'built' looking)...and Zita and I.

Photo 4...The roof frescos.

2009-07-08T06:50:00.001-07:00

Photo 1...This is the plaque at the entrance of the church where Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared.

Photo 2...The old Basilica, built in 1536 is now sinking like the rest of Mexico. It leans to the right and to the front.

Photo 3...The New Basilica, build between 1974-76 and resembles a stadium with flashy 70's decor. Polyester suits welcome...

2009-07-08T06:45:00.000-07:00

The original miraculous apron containing the image of the Virgin hangs behind bullet-proof glass above the altar in the new basilica. Moving walkways going in two directions transport the crowds a distance below the cloak. If you want to see it again, take the people-mover going in the opposite direction; you can do it as many times as you want.

The picture is of a woman with olive skin, rather than the white skin of European images, which has appealed to both indigenous Mexicans and their mestizo descendants. Similarly, the man that she is supposed to have appeared to, Juan Diego, was an Indian, not a European Spaniard. The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe has thus been used by advocates of indigenous rights throughout Mexico's history, most recently by the Zapatista movement.

The apron Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin wore was studied by Philip Serna Callahan in 1981 with infrared rays. He reported that the portions of the face, hands, robe, and mantle had been painted in one step, with no sketches or corrections and no paintbrush strokes.

2009-07-08T06:36:00.000-07:00

Photo 1...The new Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Built in the 70's to serve the growing parish, December 12th is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the entire area is filled with Catholics making the pilgrimage.

Photo 2...To show sacrifice and to pay respect, individuals crawl on their knees from the gates of the Basilica to the entrance of the Basilica itself. This is done on hard marble and cannot be comfortable.

Photo 3...Everywhere you look outside the gates, religious statues and items are sold.

2009-07-01T14:51:00.001-07:00

Photo 1... The Angel of Independence
Photo 2... A look down 'Calle Reforma' from the sunroof in Aris's truck.
Photo 3...Reallt, who doesn't love Corona anyway?

Chopo and a downtown ride with Aris

2009-07-01T14:47:00.000-07:00

Chopo and a downtown ride with Aris

2009-07-01T14:35:00.000-07:00

Photo 1... Chopo Market, a who's who of punks, rockers, hippies and 80's fashionistas who sell their wares among the black baggies and dope smokers of Mexicos forelorn youth who crave acceptance in this mixed up mess of counter culture iconoclasts. Whew...

Photo 2...Lucha Libre masks, also can double for your next S & M fiesta.

Photo 3...Jesus, in airbrush at Chopo...next to the guys who sell spray paint to tag walls. I caought a whiff of my first blunt in Mexico right next to ole' JC.

'Balcones' after Tacos...

2009-06-27T05:58:00.000-07:00

The story behind these photos started with a question a few days prior. You see, as I have been traveling around my town and to the City I have kept noticing houses that sit precariously on a ledge far far above the main roadway, and I wondered...where is that place? So, I asked Aris and after Tacos...we drove up to 'Balcones'...translated'...Balconies, because if you life there you need one. It is far above the towns below and as you climb your way up, you realize how small you are and how large the suburbs of Mexico City are. In the first photo, we were looking in the direction of Atizapan and points North, the second is Districo Federal and points south all the way to Mexico City.

It was breathtaking, as you could see entire towns laid out in the valley between mountaintops, like christmas lights twinkling in the distance. You think your life it big until you see something that makes you feel very small.

Taco night at King Kong

2009-06-27T05:53:00.001-07:00

King Kong Tacos in Pirules, Mexico. It is 6 tables surrounded by an understated concrete facade with One waiter and two cooks. So good it makes you want to kiss Kong!

Taco night at King Kong

2009-06-27T05:44:00.001-07:00

Photo 1...Tacos Campechano and Tripa...literally, Campechano is a mix of three different types of meat as best I can tell, sausage, beef and pork...the Tripa, well...Tripe, that terrible looking white meat that you see in the market that looks like one part sponge and one part alien washcloth. Yummy.

Photo 2...So many tacos, so little time...

Photo 3...Pepto, Alka-seltzer, Immodium...maybe, but so worth it!

Taco night at King Kong

2009-06-27T05:31:00.000-07:00

Photo 1...The 'Pastor' being sliced off by the chef at King Kong. The meat cooks horizontally with a propane flame searing it as it spins. The chef cuts off the sweet, crunchy meat and with a knick of the knife he slaps a sweet piece of pineapple onto the corn tortilla. Top it with onion, cilantro and green salsa and a few drops of lime...it is Mana from heaven. Can you eat anything so simple yet so tasty, this gringo doesn't think so.

Photo 2...The fixings, green salsa...red salsa, and limes. No lemons here kids, they don't exist. These are the 'limons'...looking to make a nice tea? Too bad, yellow lemons are as foreign as Vietnamese soup.

Photo 3...The finished product. Its taste can only be described as sweet, sour, salty and can be devoured in two and a half bites. I could live on these things...

2009-06-26T15:27:00.000-07:00

Photo 1...The Corona truck, and who doesn't love Corona here? Well, there are many other brands of beer, and Corona isn't the preferred. For me, it is Victoria Beer...
Photo 2...Mexico does not censor their news, or their newsstands...so, if you look hard enough, you see Michael Jackson's glove, a prono mag called '69', and a magazine with a police officer who was hung from a bridge in Nuevo Laredo with a message that reads...'learn to respect'.
Photo 3...The 'Tortilleria' in Villa de la Hacienda where the machine cranks out tortillas by the thousands. For .85 cents American you receive 40 steaming hot corn tortillas. Yummy!!!

Trip out to light a candle...

2009-06-26T11:24:00.000-07:00

Photo 1...Tacos at the Wed/Sat 'mercado' here in Villas de la Hacienda. So incredibly good it makes you want to slap someone!
Photo 2...Yep, the Wal Mart...Siempre 'Always'

Trip out to light a candle...

2009-06-26T11:21:00.001-07:00

Photo 1...The 'other' Cathedral in the City Center.
Photo 2...El Zocalo, looking toward the Defense Building...(Dumb white guy in the street talking the photo)
Photo 3...Foot bridge of 'Periferico' or the highway in Pirules Mexico...(where Zita's office is.)

Trip out to light a candle...

2009-06-26T11:17:00.000-07:00

Photo 1...My 'Microbus' driver, steady on the wheel and always being watched by Christ on the cross.
Photo 2...'Pregnancy tests, only 8 dollars...'
Photo 3...Metro station 'El Rosario'...

Tepozotlan Mexico

2009-06-22T21:06:00.001-07:00

Photo 1...The mountains, fresh air and tepozotlan in the distance.
Photo 2...Zita and I
Photo 3...Mass at the Cathedral
Photo 4...On the way, we were at a bus stop...the mountains in the distance and a graveyard below.

Tepozotlan Mexico

2009-06-22T21:01:00.000-07:00

Photo 1...The Cathedral at Tepozotlan.
Photo 2...A Blue Corn Quesadilla filled with chicken and potato
Photo 3...Creepy Graffiti

Tepozotlan Mexico

2009-06-22T20:57:00.001-07:00

Photo 1...The 'mercado' in Tepozotlan. Serving up Quesadillas and all sorts of goodies.
Photo 2...Traditional dancers
Photo 3...A white guy in front of a big door.

2009-06-21T07:51:00.000-07:00

Photo one...The Zocalo
Photo two...Me, lost in translation outside of the mall, clueless as to which direction to go to get the bus.
Photo three...Zita and I on the Micro, heading to get lunch.

Mexico, Week 1

2009-06-21T07:44:00.000-07:00

Photo one...Our church here in Atizapan. I have taken a lot of good photos of this church over the past two visits...and this one is of the rains as they moved in at the start of the evening.

Photo two...a 'Micro' bus, parked for the night. These are the main source of transportation here and by far, the hardest to get accustomed to. The drivers rattle down the streets without fear of anyone or thing in their way.

Photos Three...The bus lanes at the subway station 'Rosario' or 'The Rosary'. It can be confusing as each bus is headed to a different town. Finding yours can be difficult.

Mexico, Week 1

2009-06-21T07:35:00.000-07:00

Moving around Mexico City can be overwhelming at times, as I am sure with any large city...you must contend with traffic, traffic and well...more traffic. Public transportation is wonderful here, with buses and 'Micros'(small buses) as well as Kombi's(small vans) and the Subway (Metro). To move from Atizapan de Zaragosa to another town is easy. To get to the city center takes a bit more work and about an hour and a half depending on the time of day.

In the first photo...Bellas Artes in the City Center
The second...Huevos Rancheros with Ham. Or, as some have put it to me...'Green eggs and ham'
The third...a vendor selling 'Elote' or...corn on the cob, roasted over coals and smothered in mayo and doused with chili powder.

Mexico, Week 1

2009-06-21T07:23:00.001-07:00

I have been here in Mexico for over a week now. If I were counting on my fingers and toes...it would be more like 10 days, which would mean that I will be surpassing my previous record for days in Mexico on my first trip in November. I have shot some great photos, and really need to start to put it all down on paper so as not to forget the little details.

My intention is to keep up with this blog and to put the daily activities on here, but...I take a lot of photos and I would like to share them all. Since I am starting this a bit late...I won't be able to recount my trip completly thus far, but...the first photo is of the Cathedral in Central Mexico City, home to the Catholic church here in Mexico. The second, a small church outside of Ciudad Izcalli, where it is believed that the Virgin Mary came in an apparition and spoke. The third, me...on the roof of the house in Atizapan.

Moving to Mexico

2009-06-10T16:36:00.000-07:00

So, tonight is my last night in the US for roughly no less than 34 days. I am heading to Mexico to visit my fiance and to enjoy some much needed rest and relaxation. Photos and stories to follow I hope, so stay tuned.

Goodbye winter, hello spring

2009-03-22T16:36:00.000-07:00

Today, I sold my spring flower collection...all of them, in one go. And in my heart, I know they went to a good place. So someone else can dote and love on the flowers that I have spent months caring for and worrying over. I feel good, now...the tropicals are next to go.

The two headed tulip

2009-03-18T17:36:00.001-07:00

No lie, this is a double from one bulb. So weird...it has one stem and then splits off to form two.

Flowers...

2009-03-17T16:20:00.001-07:00

The tulips are coming up now as the daffodils begin to fade. The creeping jenny has turned green again, as the cold had turned it a stressed out red-brown color. The pansies are coming along, but the ones that have struggled, continue to struggle. The ornamental cabbages and kales are beginning to bolt and flower, which is pretty but not horticulturally correct. The grasses are greening up and the big grasses in the two middle pots have new growth already shooting out. It's spring in a few days and I hope to have these pots sold by the weekend.

Healthy eating, healthly living...

2009-03-15T10:09:00.000-07:00

While I've been doing my best to keep fit and eat correctly over the past few weeks. I am coming into my own as far as knowing that I can be successful at it. I am down to my weight I was in 9th grade, and still dropping more. Workouts need to come more often and more work on Language skills should be a priority, but overall...I have surprised myself with how easy its been. The first photo was my bowl of Pho' that I had Saturday, it was so good and yummy!!!

Spring sprung

2009-03-12T02:26:00.000-07:00

Monday...

2009-03-09T15:49:00.000-07:00

Last week it was snowing, as seen in my last post...today, it was 85 degrees. Welcome to the great weather of North Carolina. The tulips are beginning to bloom, the daffodils have come up and shown their trumpet noses which remind me of the great art seen in the movie 'Alice in Wonderland'. Today, I saw an entire pond full of bull frogs. (and not just a few, but hundreds) and they were all singing and swimming, their heads bobbing as they moved around. We cut grass today for the first time this season, and the smell was pure ambrosia! Spring...ain't it grand?

Snow day Monday and Tuesday

2009-03-03T15:48:00.000-08:00

Being a Landscaper, we carry 'snow contracts' which allows us to go onto our regular maintenance sites and clear snow and ice for our clients. Monday, the Foreman were woken up by the Branch Managers at 1:00am told to report ASAP, Roger said...'it's sticking!' By 2am, we were in trucks with plows down, moving snow off of our sites and making things safe for staff who would be arriving in the morning. By noon,we were done...told to report at 4am Tuesday morning to apply salt to walkways and areas where melted snow refroze overnight. The news could not say enough about the 'black ice' issue we would be having, although...to me, it sounded like they kept saying 'black guys', which was mentioned on a local radio show this morning. Beware of 'black guys' this morning out on the roadways, hee hee. I shot one photo and one video...I should have gotten more!

Sunday morning drizzle

2009-03-01T05:40:00.000-08:00

Oftentimes I find myself thinking about homes, and what may lie ahead in my future concerning one. In moving photos from my old computer to the laptop this weekend, I stumbled across a number of photos I have collected over the years which piqued my interest, (at least enough to have saved the photos) and had a nice time looking through them.

The first is a 'tumbleweed tiny home', a towable house trailer at 13.5 feet tall. It has a loft, and is a fully functional home with kitchen, shower, bathroom and living room.

The second is a tree house, which has always interested me. It looks to have a Spanish stucco type look, which to me makes it look great standing in the trees.

The third is the Cottages at Oak Bluff in Martha's Vineyard. I saw this particular house years ago in a magazine and fell in love with the color, design and overall look of this cottage, in particular the entrance. I'd steal the color scheme and design elements in this house and bring it to the smaller tumbleweed house for a great home to live in.

The last is of an old home in Georgia that was for sale once online. When I look at it, I wonder about the history of the home. The porch, and how many people sat and looked across the yard from it. Those windows upstairs, and the curtains hung open to let the breeze waft in. The post on the far right along the drive, when was the last horse tied up to it, I wonder?

I tell people that my dream is to own a certain amount of acreage, no less than 10 but no more than 50, which I would build a fence around and a home in the middle. A long winding driveway which would take you through the property, up to a small home next to a stream perhaps. Who knows? The idea of having small cottages built throughout the woods reminds me of camping as a child. A mess hall or main home where the meals are served, but private cottages around the area where seclusion would be key.

Who would live there with me?

Flowers and 'The Monkey'

2009-02-26T15:35:00.000-08:00

Today is Thursday, and I took a few shots of some early Crocus. This was the best looking one I could get. The other is of Molly, who has been sharing her house with me for the past two days.

Flower pots

2009-02-24T16:59:00.000-08:00

Mondays...

2009-02-23T15:01:00.001-08:00

Monday, 'The Parkway'...why is it that I spend all my time blogging about my job? Today we cut the lirope and pruned roses to finish off the road for good. (Which is just BS since there is always something to do)...but, tomorrow we pull maintenance...cold, cold today...cold tomorrow. I had on three pairs of socks, two pairs of long underwear, one pair of pants, one t shirt, one long sleeve cotton shirt, my long sleeve Columbia work shirt, a polypro pull over with hand and neck extensions, my foreman jacket and my safety vest. To keep my melon warm...a neck gator and matching hat, and finally, leather work gloves. Going from your front door to your car to the door at the office does not count as having to 'endure' the cold. 10 hours from 6am till 430pm gives you a dose you'd probably like to forget if you don't dress for it...plus, I like to be comfortable when I prune my roses.

Mom and Dad

2009-02-22T13:51:00.000-08:00

A sunday kind of day...

2009-02-22T13:23:00.000-08:00

I finished adding all of my photos which were in a large box collected for years and years. Here are two gems that I found. The one to the left is a shot of my grandma and grandpa 'on the mountain' circa mid 90's. The photo to the right is of my lovely sister. Look at that pink dress, or better yet...that gray cast. Wait, look at my mom's expression, for those who know her, you know what she is thinking.

Connected!

2009-02-21T15:40:00.000-08:00

So, in my attempt to become unattached and condensed in concern to my carbon footprint I've begun to adapt for more of a nomadic lifestyle, while keeping technologically connected. All my my photos, those which I have collected since I was old enough to collect photos have become digitized...leaving behind the hard copies. My large Dell will be finding an adoptive family in Wilmington who needs it, and I will lighten the load that much sooner. Collectively, I have let go of many things, items that held more of a sentimental value than an egalitarian one. In hopes to be able to comfortably move what I own in the back of my pickup.

Oh, the photos...the pansies becon you, don't they? Cute faces, you should smell them when the afternoon sun has warmed them up. Below, my new secure connection. I am connected full time now.

Friday...alas, it's friday.

2009-02-06T18:46:00.000-08:00

The Begonia flowered on the coldest day of the year...and I got a photo of me through the truck window at 16 degrees. It's Friday though, cheers.

Mondays...

2009-01-26T15:20:00.001-08:00

So, today was Monday...I have poison ivy, although it's a low grade deal. For some reason when I get it these days, its as if its not at the full itch potential. Somehow my body is becoming tolerant of it...well done, why then am I still allergic to dust?

What I did complete today, (although...not to the delight of my boss, I am sure) is I strawed the parkway in all middle lanes. I even covered up a huge natural area where we have been putting the leaves from the winter drop. It looks a billion times better than before!!! The photos are of Daniel strawing in the open area and the second is the crew. Jesus, Cholo, Fermin y Daniel. I still can't get that guy to turn his hat around.

So what is it I do? Like any obsessive compulsive can understand...I make things even and neat and look the same, so your eye doesn't stop...so things in nature look their best. Cut it, edge it, string trim it, blow it, clean it and make sure it looks pretty!

It's Sunday so just pretend your asleep.

2009-01-25T08:39:00.000-08:00

Yep, not much to report from Saturday or thus far today. I did some shopping yesterday at Crabtree, looking for work pants...yet, none to the finding. Blogging at times is boring unless you do exciting things...I need more exciting things to do. Here are some photos...

2009-01-23T12:57:00.000-08:00

I took a photo of my Jasmine setting seed in front of my apartment. It flowered in the spring for about a month, then wept on in the shade through the summer, and gave me oblong seed pods that I showed off proudly when anyone stopped by, and then...as I was picking pansies, I tried to clean off what I thought was trash or something, and noticed it was the seed pods. The feather like apparatus attached gives the seed lift and float time to spread far and wide.

Speaking of pansies, ugh...pansies, pansies, pansies...it seems like this time of year, we fight and fight to keep them looking presentable, yet...time and time again, they fail my hopes and peter out until the warm weather hits. Today was a nice day...the crew did the cleaning of the lots and I have did the beds, except where the snow was covering it all up. My flowers are not in the best of shape, but we soldier on and hope for miracles.

When I made it home, I found water leaking from my ceiling in two places. The maintenance folks have found their way here and want to chat now. I took a photo of my Jasmine as it sets seed...it looks interesting, the feathers make it fly.

Thursday, January 22 2009

2009-01-22T11:39:00.000-08:00

Today thus far has been a bore, a real bore. And one would think that someone with as much free time and ability to travel would find some adventure to get into, but no...it is instead 2:40 here and I am drying my laundry, sipping some coffee and watching Bonnie Hunt. Although, yes...it was historic, yes...times they are 'a changin'...but please, stop with the ball dresses and Obama bobble heads...I don't need to know if he liked his first breakfast in office. Not to hate here, but let the man do his thing...let his family enjoy it, let the marching bands go home. Where's Britiney...should we be more focused on her by now?

Here is the photo of the moment...my 'Java Love'. I'm trying to warm up since I have been out in the snow and cold for the past three days now as an arctic icefighter. They give us powerful trucks and put plows on the front and tell us to 'plow boys'...and thats what we did, we plowed, and shoveled and salted and slipped and slid around in parking lots driving 40,000 dollar trucks with the sides reading our name...hoping for that call to go home from the cell. We got 7 inches of snow Tuesday and didn't have temps reach above freezing till 10am today.

Tomorrow, we go in for another 10 hours. Hope the snow is melted and we run the gauntlet of jobs scanning and fitting all into one afternoon. Next week we compress strawing and try to get ahead of the schedule.

We soldier on. I think of the quote from 'Jarhead'...

'Because I love this job, I thank God for every fucking day he gives me in the Corps, ooorah.'