That Silly Senor

Hola!
Isn't she lovely?
She is a Japanese tourist. I called her sister and she said.......no, I am a japanese tourist...........I am from Japan......i speak english..........i speak very good english to you, yes...........i am a tourist..............and............i am selling you these bracelets.................
Before I could even blink she had ten bracelets clasped around my wrist. I started to say....wait a minute!
And she had ten more on me. She was very fast. I bought two for thirty pesos and she removed the rest as fast as she had put them on.
She had just stepped off the bus and I was the first person she saw. Then an Alamos 'sister' arrived, collected the Japanese tourist's bags. She waved and they were off.

I am thoroughly enjoying myself after the first full day of the music festival. There really are so many tourists, and there is so much activity; so much shopping, food and music. Yesterday Senor and I heard opera at the Alameda, a Mexican tenor who sang a song from each of Alfonso Tirado's concerts. After a stroll around the Alameda and carne asada for lunch, Senor claimed he was pooped out and went home to read while I went to the church to hear the accordian player from Canada.  The accordion was like a pipe organ, the music was classical and he played to a full church and standing ovations. I had no idea you could do that with an accoridan. Silly Senor, he was not really pooped, he just thought he was going to hear the polka. He was sorry he missed it

I am however very disappointed in my camera. I have out my manual and plan to check the problem  before we go out this morning. I took fifty two photos yesterday and only a handful are in focus. Now that is discouraging, but surely I can resolve the issue before Senor and I go to a picnic this morning, then to hear nortena music at the Alameda at noon and then, carne asada or sea food with friends at our favorite food stalls. He says he wants to hear the Latin America quartet at the church at two, then there is  a dinner party at five and the Plaza afterward.............bajajajaja and Senor claimed yesterday to be pooped. That silly Senor.

A Whispery Daybreak

 Buenas tardes! Que tal?
It was a whispery daybreak here in Alamos.  That may not even be a word, but I have decided that it certainly is now and it definitely describes the early day and the atmosphere.
I went out at day break on new old bike, on what is one of the biggest days in Alamos, the first day of the Alfonso Ortiz Tirado  Festival Cultural. From my past posts you may remember this festival as FAOT. The name has been slightly altered, but the fact that by later this afternoon thousands of people will descend upon Alamos in high fiesta mode has not.

This is a huge festival and this year musicians and artists from Cuba, Nicaragua, Italy, Germany, The United States, The Spanish Canary Islands, Russia, Chile and Mexico will have us all dancing in the streets.

But I ventured out at dawn to see what, if anything was going on.

 As I pushed new old bike over the old cobblestones in the Callejon del Beso, or Kissing Alley, I heard whispers from long ago........sing for me, dance for me, kiss for me...........the words floated on the breeze as I went by the old buildings.

On the Plaza the vendors were still sleeping inside their make shift tents, babies crying, mothers whispering a lullaby to calm them.

 The main stage on El Callejon de Templo, stood strong in the hushed breeze, waiting for its lovers to caress its stage later today with their song and instrument.

 A fire whispered against a pot as a food vendor began his morning chores.

 The side iron gates to the Mercado stood open, waiting for the morning rush.

 Slightly ajar, one wooden door reveals the setting in the Palacio, where each night an opera will overflow the hall and float out on the night wind.

The banner outside the Palacio tells us what to expect within.

 The stage at Plaza La Alameda waits patiently while lacy leaves whisper against its awning.

 Closed streets tell me to not pass, but who can help it. I continue on.

 A lonely food stall sits and waits. The wind whispers under the tent, just wait it says.

Alamos is about to erupt with the most fascinating of all its fiestas. It is almost time! See you there!
Que le vaya bien!
Linda Lou

I Have to Watch Him Like a Hawk

 Buenas tardes! I thought you might enjoy seeing what Senor is up to these days.

 This fireplace, which will have a huge wood mantel, is keeping him busy and out of trouble. As you can see in the photo to the right, it is in the main sala, or living area. See the blue tarp? That is very near where the front door will be. So that should give you a good perspective. The door to the left will go to the main bath and the door to the right to the main bedroom. The fireplace chimney will go up and on either side of the big beam. So there you have it.

And below you have his little garden which is still just that........little. He discovered that Cookies has been going out in the night and laying in the lettuce. It has been completely flattened in the mornings. That Cookies, he knows a nice soft bed when he sees one. Senor thinks most things will be bigger right when the heat hits us. We have butter lettuce, spinach, peas, beans, carrots and corn.

We had a little scare. Senor and I were watching Barcelona, our favorite football (soccer) team. Senor got up from his chair and caught his foot in the land line cord (which we have to use because he forgot the password for our Wi Fi  the last time we had to get a new modem from Telmex). I have tried not to bug him about this but for about six months he has put off calling Telmex to find out the password. We have constantly dodged the long blue cord, especially in the night because it is between the bed and bathroom.
The computer crashed to the floor................%#$^..........he said................*^_+.........i said. The screen was blank. He picked it up, still in one piece. For half an hour he messed with it and finally turned to look at me...........i broke it............yes, i think you did..........the land line cord won't insert anymore.........hmmm, i said. I am too busy, not listening to him as I am already practically out the door and on my way to Tucson for a new computer. On the phone suddenly with Telmex.............yes, can i have my Wi Fi password, please.........
computer back on. Barcelona wins 4-1.
I have to watch him like a hawk.

Everybody is Busy Working

 Buenas tardes. The doves are busy working at drinking from the water bowl.

 The burro in the field next door is busy working at eating all the leaves off  the Tecoma trees.

 The bees are busy working at stealing the hummingbird nectar.

 Senor is busy working at getting the hot water going.

Cookies is busy working on his suntan.

3:39pm, Sunday. HOUSTON, we have hot water.

Will I be Right or Will I be Wrong.........

Hola!
So, if you have been following the blog, you most likely remember seeing this, the propane tank.
When did we get it. I don't know, maybe two years ago? My memory fails me. But what I do know is there has been nothing in it but air.

While I was at History Club, Diesgas brought their truck to the house. They are the company that used to go around town playing the tune to the Good, Bad and the Ugly. They don't play that song anymore. In fact they don't play any song anymore so I never know when they are around. But they filled the tank.

Senor tells me we will have hot water by the end of the weekend. Now usually when he makes this kind of announcement, I push the actual happening out six months and sometimes I am right and sometimes I am not.

I am going to say Sunday afternoon, four pm.
will I be right or will I be wrong.........................

Senor's Garden and a Christmas Trip

Buenos dias and Feliz Ano Nuevo!

Here are a few photos of Senor's garden. He did not plant anything until the end of November and he lost most of the little plants that came up. We checked for ants and other critters and found nothing. Our planting soil in the past has been excellent, but now he is wondering about the soil he has. So this is what is in the garden today. Teeny tiny lettuce, a little corn, carrots and beans and peas, all very little. We will see what happens, but as he says............this year is just an experiment.

The system works great though, the drip irrigation is perfect and the garden size is just right. I have seen a few gardens that are full of lush vegetables and greens and fruits, so not sure if we got a late start or just a slow start. I will keep you posted.

Our trip to El Fuerte for Christmas was just what we wanted, very relaxing, a lot of walking, shopping, eating at our favorite Sinaloa taco stands and movies and food shows on the tv at La Choza, an old hotel on the Plaza. El Fuerte has one of the prettiest Plazas we have seen, with flowing fountains, huge palms and cascading bouganvillea.  So, here are a few of the photos.

 We were not able to get the fishing in. We could not fish in town off the Malecon because there are a lot of net fishermen there. So we scouted around the outskirts of town, but could not find any banks clear enough of brush. The popular fish though, in town, is big black bass.

 Below is the large Municipal building, the Palacio. El Fuerte is much larger than Alamos and the Palacio is enormous.

 We also took a side trip north of El Fuerte to Choix (pronounced Choice). Still much larger than Alamos, but old and also a Pueblo Magico. It is on the road that heads up into the Copper Canyon, which you can see in the background behind the arches, but is not on the El Chepe train stop like El Fuerte is.

 This is the Palacio in Choix and then photos of the beautiful gazebo, the church and a newer building which is similar to a Mirador, or view point.

 On Sunday we had a cold, all day long rain. Everything turned to mud. I don't even need to show you any photos of that mess. Stepping off the portal was risky. I am happy to say there are no leaks in the West Wing and no leaks in the portal roof. So we lit a fire in the bathroom to be of the West Wing and read most of the day, either there or under the covers in the bedroom.

  Monday meant steady clean up, sweeping and drying out things that got left in the rain because someone forgot to bring them inside. Now we have rain again in the forecast. The couches are covered in black plastic and are huddled against the wall, as far under the varro blanco roof as possible and a stiff wind is tingling wind chimes, tilting bird feeders and spooking the cat. Senor is off soon to play bridge and I am going to see if joining Mexico Netflix has paid off.

For anyone who wants to see many, many more photos of El Fuerte and Chiox or anything else for that matter, you can go to Glasspondstudio's Facebook page and message me. I always post what photos I can here on the blog and then, more on Facebook.

I also want to take a moment to thank all of our blog followers who purchased glass jewels from Glasspondstudio this Christmas. It was very special to hear from people who follow our blog and who also follow my Etsy shop. Thanks to people in Estonia, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Italy and the USA and Mexico. Enjoy your jewels and Happy New Year to everyone! 
Linda Lou and Senor, too.........