Friday, August 26, 2011

Tids and Bits


Sometimes things show up that just make you chuckle, surprise you or that you shake your head in amazement, as in, “How in the world???” Here are some musings on that kind of thing here in Punta Abreojos, or Mexico, as I have experienced it so far:



~Did you know that here the twisty ties on things like bread are all twisted the opposite way from those in the US? Sorta explains the hot/cold faucet handles being ‘backwards’ too!


~Punta Abreojos is a wonderfully progressive town of about 1600 people. We have a couple of ‘larger’ markets (and that is a very relative word…), a social or hall where most celebrations are held, and a coffee house on the water. It serves the fisherman who launch their pangas each day from the beach out front. You can even get a cappuccino if you want; it comes from a vending style machine, but you can get one!

They have ice cream too, and it’s pretty tasty. Being a former employee of Baskin Robbins (when I was 16) I can assert that their scooping technique leaves much to be desired, but usually there are about 5-6 flavor choices and it has become our Saturday treat. And I know some tricks to getting my scoop securely onto the cone – I will not lose it!

However, I am sidetracking. I was speaking of how progressive our town is. Our malecon (ocean-front street) is paved, lighted, has benches with a children’s play area and both sides of the street have sidewalks. In fact we have sidewalks on many of the town streets, well 2 of them anyway…. But the most progressive part of it all is that each corner, paved or not, had a handicap ramp that is clearly marked with the proper blue insignia. Some city/town planner worked very diligently to be sure that everyone would be able to mount the sidewalks, even if they are not yet installed.

Trouble is, once up the ramp, a hard right or left turn must be negotiated, as usually the sidewalk ends abruptly on one side.

And if that’s possible, the continuing sidewalk is extremely narrow - about 2 feet wide.

And if you happen to have a wheelchair that narrow shortly you must maneuver around the planter boxes dug out of the sidewalk, leaving roughly 12” of walking or wheeling space.

And then, often the entry steps of a house will spill across the sidewalk completely blocking it. But we have handicap ramps on almost every corner!



~Latin America is well known to be a patriarchal society. Machismos is alive and well, but ask any of the expats, ’Who runs the town?’ and you will get the same answer -the women! No bars are allowed in town. I heard that once there was one, but the women decided that it was not healthy and it was closed. (I also heard the same about a whore house.) I asked one of the local ladies, a business woman who runs a motel /restaurant, about this and Chelo replied,” If things are going to change here, it will be because of the women. If you want something done give it to a woman! A man will either drink it, smoke it or *#@%  it.” Hmmmmm….

On that note, the only bar remotely close to town happens to be behind our house, up the hill about 500 yards. It serves only beer and tequila, and is limited to Fri, Sat and Sun nights from dark until about 1 or 2 a.m. A couple of hours before opening the owner, Ilberto, fires up the generator and the cars slowly make their way the 2 miles or so from town to La Beliza, cruising the water’s edge as they come. The bar has no name but there is a big Corona sign painted on the side of the building. And to make it even more interesting, it is a karaoke bar! We are very grateful that it is behind us so that the wind carries most of the noise away from our house. Some nights the howling voices are pretty – well, let us say interesting… Sadly our neighbors Ed, Mona and Jerry hear it all. I’ve never heard any recognizable song, but then maybe it’s probably all in Spanish…



~A wonderful thing about the Mexican people is that they celebrate what is now. They don’t put off what can be enjoyed. Life is to be lived! If a birthday falls on Wed, then by goodness the party will be on Wed! And if it’s beautiful then it’ll begin in the afternoon and last until the wee hours of the morning! Heck, about a month ago there was a wedding at noon on Friday. After all, why wait?



With all the quirks and surprises, I love this place! I am never bored and its beauty is a source of constant amazement to me. I am ever so glad that I can share it with you!

Monday, August 15, 2011

Why Have I Waited?

What in the world took me so long to do this?!

I am standing by the water’s edge, looking out across the bay at the raw beauty that is Baja, my home for the time being. The sun is shining on the water, deep blue and turquoise; the breeze is still pleasantly light and each day I discover something new. (Yesterday it was badgers borrowing into the beach sand to stay cool, and the day before that, scorpions!)There is such abundance, such earth connectedness. I am drawn in by some unseen force that beckons me deeper and deeper still.

I ask myself why I waited so long to leave my hometown and I know there are many answers, layers deep. I am willing to look at all the reasons. Much of it comes down to fear of the unknown, but really, isn’t life full of unknowns? So often we think that if we put ourselves into a routine we’ll have control, but we know that isn’t really true. How many times has that been disproved by surprises? The old saying, ‘At least I know what I’ve got’ is a very limiting point of view!

A teacher I once knew shared, “If you find yourself saying, ’I should this and I should that’, you’re just shoulding all over yourself!”  While another deeply respected teacher and friend advises, ‘I can and I will!’ So here I am, enjoying the beauty of nature all around me, free of schedules and traffic, should-do’s and obligations.

That is not to say that I am not creating. Heavens no! Each day I continue to create a bit of paradise right here in each thing I do. Yes, I am currently painting the exterior doors of the casita, not my most pleasurable task, but I sure like the results. (3 aqua, 1 deep turquoise. Can’t wait to get the house paint down here and the walls done!) And I still have chores that I prefer to get accomplished, like sweeping and house cleaning, but then I go off to my studio next door and spend hours lost in canvas, paint and paper. And there’s beach walks, swimming (the water is about 73 degrees now), trips into town, books to read, and well, the days just pass by so quickly…….

But I think one of the most beautiful lessons that I am learning here is I can.  If I can dream it, I can do it. I can go anywhere; I am not limited by anything other than my own beliefs. Letting go of the need to please others, to ‘fit in’, to be someone/something that I am not has given me a freedom I never fully appreciated until now. When I deeply explore it, so much of how I have lived my life has been predicated on the belief that I had to behave a certain way in order to be loved. But when I look even deeper, I find that I am love, so I need not look for it any place else.

And thus I am free in Unconditional Love.

Sigh……

xxoo

Sand, multi media on canvas, 24" x 48"
Artist and copyright Jill Mollenhauer 2011
for more information www.jillmollenhauer.com

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Angels on my Doorstep

It’s amazing how sometimes we don’t see something that is right under our very own nose! We expect things to be a certain way and thus, that is exactly how we look for it, never attuned to the possibility that it might appear differently…..

Living in San Diego my garden was so filled with birds, blue jays, mockingbirds, black phoebes, goldfinch, doves, hawks, sparrows, and some little brown birds that I always called my ‘angel birds’  because they always brought an extra smile to my face. (But truthfully they all felt like angels to me.) Their songs delighted me and I took great pleasure in watching them bathing, feeding, catching insects, even squabbling, I loved it all and I decided that I certainly wanted to continue the tradition here in Punta Abreojos.

Just before leaving, I googled ‘Birds of Baja’ and found several I figured I could entice into my garden here (such as it is). On previous visits I’d seen very few song birds, but figured that with quail, doves, hummingbirds and (supposedly) phoebes, I certainly could make a go of it!

I researched the proper bird seed mix for the area (Desert Blend) and exactly how to feed them (no raised dishes, directly on the ground, only 1 day’s food at a time so no varmints or mold get it.) Then I called my favorite bird store in S.D. to see about Desert Blend, however they didn’t carry it and time had run out for an internet order, so I departed with only a small amount of left over Patio Mix seed carefully stored in a container for future use. Upon arrival I began watching for their presence and patterns hoping to find the best way to invite them over.

For the 1st month I watched and waited. The coo of a dove made me run outside to find out where it was and where to place some seed. Always their paths were behind the house and up the hill. I noticed that my neighbor Ed occasionally has quail and other small birds come through his garden. I found myself becoming envious and I began to resign myself to the possibility that all the birds would stay behind the house, in the open areas where they had more space and cover.

On the2nd day here while crossing the driveway, a pelican, none too gracefully, plopped itself not 10 feet in front of me. His crash landing made me think for a moment that perhaps he was injured. I had never been so close to one. They are very large! We stared at each other for a good 5 minutes until I had to continue my task and with that he flew away as pretty as you please. Hmmmm…..

I am not exactly sure when it dawned on me; I am pretty sure that it was the day I hit my head on the kayak. Three times that day an osprey appeared close to me, twice sitting on a roadside post while I was on my walk and once it flew not 2 feet off the patio, dropping a gift directly in front of me. Hello! What am I doing?! Here I am looking for birds, my angels, to come in a certain form, when duh! Open your eyes Jill!

When we arrived there were 3000 terns out front on the beach, day after day, diving, fishing, teaching their young to fly. For weeks they gathered here and we marveled at their numbers, and then enjoyed the quiet when they finally spread to some other beaches too.

After that the pelicans began arriving by the hundreds to fish the evening bait balls in the surf out front. Hours were spent watching them gracefully skim the water’s surface, catch an updraft, turn suddenly and crash into the water, repeating the whole thing over and over again. And now brown gulls have begun to intermix with the pelicans. Lots of them.

I had been looking for my birds, my angels, to appear as I expected it, as song birds, and all along they have been here in abundance! I just wasn’t seeing it….I don’t have to do anything to attract my angels, no seed, no water, nothing! They have been here all around me, just waiting to be recognized.

So often, in love, work or play, we want it our way, just so, never opening to the possibility that we can receive in a myriad of unique and different ways! Why do we limit what we will receive? And yet, such is often the case; I see how I had done just that. Now I am so much more pleased with everything around me. I stopped limiting my abundance.

You’d think I’d remember this lesson because the irony of it all is that the tag line for my garden sculpture business is “Why Garden Angels? …because angels come in unexpected forms.”

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Sunrise

I choose to live an extraordinary life. One filled with wonder, awe and beauty. I choose to face all that is presented with bravery, standing in the knowledge that I am always supported in my choices. If I step forth and claim all that is mine, all that is me, I stand firmly and squarely in the depths of my own self. I create with joy and ease, delighting in the ever present inspiration all around me.

What wonders await me today?                                

I am strong. I am beautiful. And I am creative.

And so are you….






Sunrise (Baja Landscapes #2)
artist and copyright: Jill Mollenhauer