Meeting with friends
1 day ago
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
New Years Eve Traditions, Mexico Style!
1) Make a list of all the negative things of the past year and just before midnight, throw the list into the fire. This will rid them from your life forever.
2) Wear red underwear if you want love and yellow if you want money.
3) Eat one grape and make one wish with each of the twelve strokes of the clock as it counts out midnight.
4) Sweep out your house before midnight. This rids the house of the negative forces that have accumulated over the past year.
5) Bringing your luggage outside at New Years will ensure you will travel in the upcoming year.
6) Make an effigy of a hated politician, stuff it with fireworks and set fire to it at midnight.
7) Visualize a huge cloud crossing the sky at midnight. People who are lucky enough to have a glimpse of the cloud are believed to experience good luck in the New Year.
Pleasant Surprise!
We were just finishing up a late breakfast this morning when a pickup stopped in front. It was our friend Rick from Rick's Bits 'n Bytes, Pics and News stopping in for a visit with Rylie. Rylie quickly found a comfortable spot on the back of the couch where she could watch the neighborhood while us humans chatted. Rick did a couple of tweaks on my computer that will make life easier for me.
Rick and Paulette are staying at The Sands, just down the road from us and Paulette was off on one of her excursions so Rick and Rylie decided to come and find us. It was a nice visit.
Rick and Paulette are staying at The Sands, just down the road from us and Paulette was off on one of her excursions so Rick and Rylie decided to come and find us. It was a nice visit.
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Just Wait, It Will Get Warmer!
Says my friend Brian who has spent several winters in Desert Hot Springs. Well, we are waiting.......
The nights are... what is the word... COLD! It warms up by noon, usually enough to walk around in shorts and t-shirt. The pool and hot tubs here are fed by the thermal hot springs and are always very warm and are open all night so we can always walk the fifty feet to the pool complex and have a quick dip in the hottest tub to warm up. That is what I did at about 9:00 PM last night.
Here is the forecast for the next 14 days (in Celcius):
We do not know what we are going to do after January 18 when our time here expires. We could renew for another month or we could head out over to Arizona. Our options are open and a lot depends on the chart above.
The nights are... what is the word... COLD! It warms up by noon, usually enough to walk around in shorts and t-shirt. The pool and hot tubs here are fed by the thermal hot springs and are always very warm and are open all night so we can always walk the fifty feet to the pool complex and have a quick dip in the hottest tub to warm up. That is what I did at about 9:00 PM last night.
Here is the forecast for the next 14 days (in Celcius):
We do not know what we are going to do after January 18 when our time here expires. We could renew for another month or we could head out over to Arizona. Our options are open and a lot depends on the chart above.
Saturday, December 27, 2014
Cool Nights, Sunny Days
We have had some wind lately with the motorhome rocking and rolling a bit. Mornings have been cool enough to justify long pants but it only lasts until eleven or so and then it warms up and the shorts come out. Our friends Rod and Sylvia are in Apache Junction, AZ and are getting some below freezing nights so it could be worse.
The excitement around here this morning was moving a 40 foot rig into a spot across the street. A couple from Pennsylvania sold their older class A motorhome and bought a 40 foot 5th wheel locally. It was a bit tight getting it in but with six guys watching and one guy working it went well.
It has been pretty quiet around here. The Christmas potluck was well attended with way too much food. Norma and I got roped into selling 50/50 tickets at the door and managed to raise $73 for the Social Committee. It is a good way to meet everyone.
We are five weeks into our stay here, the longest we have ever stayed anywhere for many years. The weather is good, the people friendly and the pools hot. What is not to like?
Another sunny day in the desert. Life Is Good.
The excitement around here this morning was moving a 40 foot rig into a spot across the street. A couple from Pennsylvania sold their older class A motorhome and bought a 40 foot 5th wheel locally. It was a bit tight getting it in but with six guys watching and one guy working it went well.
It has been pretty quiet around here. The Christmas potluck was well attended with way too much food. Norma and I got roped into selling 50/50 tickets at the door and managed to raise $73 for the Social Committee. It is a good way to meet everyone.
We are five weeks into our stay here, the longest we have ever stayed anywhere for many years. The weather is good, the people friendly and the pools hot. What is not to like?
Another sunny day in the desert. Life Is Good.
Thursday, December 25, 2014
It's Aliiiiiiive!
So I was sitting here thinking... Yes I know it is Christmas Day and no, I guess I really don't have what you would call a life. I was thinking about what to do with my dead Windows 7 laptop that I recently replaced. Salvage the hard drive? Try to turn it into a Linux machine? Run over it with the motorhome? Then (better later than never) I remembered the set of three DVD's I made when I first set it up. They were tucked away in my computer bag. Maybe it is not totally dead...
I dug out the disks, put #1 in the optical drive and hit power. It recognized the disk and asked if I wanted to restore the computer from the set of disks or from the Recovery Partition! I told it from the Recovery Partition and away it went. It eventually opened up like the day it was born. I installed Chrome and MSE Anti Virus and it is working!
My work was interrupted when I could not convince Norma that fixing the computer was more important than going to the potluck Christmas Dinner here in the park so I had to leave it in a state of limbo for a couple of hours.
It was still alive when I got back and is now busy downloading updates. I will let it do it's thing overnight and re-start it in the morning. Maybe I will end up with a reliable backup computer!
All this reminds me that I better make a set of backup disks for the new computer. Do we still do that with Windows 8,1? I will find out.
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Christmas Eve!
Here it is Christmas Eve already! We managed to talk to Brooks, LindaLee, Jayde and Sierrah on Video Skype this morning and Norma got hold of her brother in the hospital in Victoria so it was great to talk to everyone!
The photo above was taken on a drive to nearby Julian, CA where a friendly bear is standing in as Santa's Helper! He says, "Have a Gurrrrreat Christmas!"
We are having some friends from the park over for snacks later today so Norma is busy digging treasures out of the freezer. It will be a nice, warm evening here in Desert Hot Springs so we will do it all outside!
We want to take this time to wish a Very Merry Christmas to all our family, friends and readers wherever you are!
We are also having a bit of a White Christmas! There is a little snow on one of the peaks way off in the distance! You have to look closely to see it!
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
Joe
I just had to re-post this video from my friend Bill's Blog. So long Joe Cocker, you were one of the best!
Few entertainers put so much of themselves into their music. Janis Joplin is one other one that comes to mind.
Few entertainers put so much of themselves into their music. Janis Joplin is one other one that comes to mind.
Christmas Traditions In Mexico
You have not been subjected to much Mexican "stuff" on this Blog for quite a while but I want to share this write-up of how Mexicans celebrate Christmas.
In many Latin countries there are actually 12 days of Christmas with much of the gift giving done on Three Kings Day. Many will be partying from before Christmas until after Three Kings Day. Lots of fireworks. Lots of drinking. Gunfire New Years Eve. Here is a little more……….
January the 6th is a special day in Mexico. Known as 'El Dia de Reyes' (Three Kings Day), this holiday represents the height of the Christmas season. The date marks the culmination of the twelve days of Christmas and commemorates the three wise men who traveled from afar, bearing gifts for the infant baby Jesus. The children of Mexico in particular look forward to this holiday as traditionally, gifts are exchanged on this date, not on Christmas day.
In Mexico and many other Latin American countries, Santa Claus doesn't hold the cachet that he does in the United States. Rather, it is the three wise men who are the bearers of gifts, who leave presents in or near the shoes of small children. The holiday is also known by the name of the Epiphany which dates back to the 4th century. A grand feast would be held on this day to honor the occasion of Jesus' baptism and to pay homage to the three wise men.
Many believe mysterious events preceded Jesus' birth with perhaps the most notable being the appearance of the Star of Bethlehem. This new star appeared in the evening sky just prior to the arrival of Jesus. Three wise men or Magi as they were then known, whose names were Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar, traveled a far distance to pay homage to the Christ child. They brought with them fine gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Three Kings Day remains an important holiday for the people of Mexico. In addition to the gift-giving aspect of the day there is also a culinary treat that is specific to the holiday. Known as 'Rosca de Reyes' (King's Cake), this holiday dessert offers much in the way of symbolism. Shaped in the round to signify a king's crown, this sweet bread holds a special surprise. Baked inside is a small plastic figurine representing the baby Jesus. Whoever finds this token is obligated to host an upcoming party for the occasion of 'Dia de la Candelaria' (Candlemas Day) which occurs each year on February 2nd.
The effigy of the baby Jesus, hidden inside the cake, represents another aspect of the holiday. The reason Jesus is 'hidden' inside the bread is to symbolize how in life, the Christ child's birth location also needed to remain secret, in order that his life be spared. The ruler of Jerusalem at the time, King Herod, had been appraised of the mystical signs that indicated the new and rightful King of Jerusalem was soon to be born. Herod's reaction to these predictions was swift and horrible. He ordered his minions to murder all male infants recently born in Bethlehem. However, as destiny would have it, Mary and Joseph found their lodgings in a manger, not an inn. Herod's henchmen didn't think to look for an infant in such a location.
Another lovely custom associated with the Three Kings Day holiday centers around the evening meal. Traditionally, the supper served on this special day is delicious corn tamales accompanied by hot chocolate. This makes for a perfectly quintessential Mexican meal and one that is enjoyed by everyone in attendance.
Western Christianity celebrates the Magi on the day of Epiphany, January 6, the day immediately following the twelve days of Christmas, particularly in the Spanish-speaking parts of the world. In these areas, the Three Kings ("los Reyes Magos de Oriente", also "Los Tres Reyes Magos" and "Los Reyes Magos") receive letters from children and so bring them gifts on the night before Epiphany. In Spain, each one of the Magi is supposed to represent one different continent, Europe (Melchior), Asia (Caspar) and Africa (Balthasar). According to the tradition, the Magi come from the Orient on their camels to visit the houses of all the children, much like Sinterklaas and Santa Claus with his reindeer elsewhere, they visit everyone in one night. In some areas, children prepare a drink for each of the Magi. It is also traditional to prepare food and drink for the camels, because this is the only night of the year when they eat.
In Spain, Argentina, México, Paraguay and Uruguay, there is a long tradition for having the children receive presents by the three "Reyes Magos" on the night of January 5 (Epiphany Eve) or morning of January 6. Almost every Spanish city or town organises cabalgadas in the evening, in which the kings and their servants parade and throw sweets to the children (and parents) in attendance.
Every year thousands of horses from all over Mexico make the peregrinacion (pilgrimage) to Cubilete near Guanajuato - then a cabalgata to the top on or around Three Kings Day. (Many pictures online).
El Cerro de Cubilete (Cubilete Hill) is located 15km west of the city of Guanajuato in the heartland of Mexico, a region known as the Bajio. At 2,579m (8,460 feet), Cubilete Hill is the highest mountain in Guanajuato state and thought to be located at the exact geographic center of Mexico.
Marvel at the towering Cristo Rey (Christ the King) statue, a 20m (65 feet) monumental sculpture, religious site and museum situated atop the summit of Cubilete Hill, and enjoy stunning panoramic views of the surrounding area. The statue faces the city of Leon and can be seen for miles.
Erected in 1950, the bronze Christ the King statue is one of the most historically important religious shrines in Mexico. It replaces a smaller statue that originally occupied the same spot atop the hill and was destroyed during the Cristeros War, an uprising against the Mexican government over anti-Catholic provisions added to the Mexican constitution during the first half of the 20th century.
Today, the Christ the King statue is a favorite Guanajuato attraction. Its history and location at the heart of the country hold significant importance for the people of Mexico and each year in early January thousands of people make the pilgrimage to the shrine to celebrate the Epiphany.
http://www.traditioninaction.org/History/B_010_Cabalgata.html
This movement of Mexican men riding their horses to the shrine of Cristo Rey is called the cabalgata of Guanajuato. It is a mixture of a pilgrimage and a procession on horseback that ends at the foothill of the Cubilete. There, in a solemn ceremony, the riders receive a special blessing during an outdoor Mass. After the Mass, the pilgrim riders rest, don clean clothes, and then ride up the mountain individually or in small groups to venerate the famous statue of Christ the King.
http://www.briansue2.blogspot.com
In many Latin countries there are actually 12 days of Christmas with much of the gift giving done on Three Kings Day. Many will be partying from before Christmas until after Three Kings Day. Lots of fireworks. Lots of drinking. Gunfire New Years Eve. Here is a little more……….
January the 6th is a special day in Mexico. Known as 'El Dia de Reyes' (Three Kings Day), this holiday represents the height of the Christmas season. The date marks the culmination of the twelve days of Christmas and commemorates the three wise men who traveled from afar, bearing gifts for the infant baby Jesus. The children of Mexico in particular look forward to this holiday as traditionally, gifts are exchanged on this date, not on Christmas day.
In Mexico and many other Latin American countries, Santa Claus doesn't hold the cachet that he does in the United States. Rather, it is the three wise men who are the bearers of gifts, who leave presents in or near the shoes of small children. The holiday is also known by the name of the Epiphany which dates back to the 4th century. A grand feast would be held on this day to honor the occasion of Jesus' baptism and to pay homage to the three wise men.
Many believe mysterious events preceded Jesus' birth with perhaps the most notable being the appearance of the Star of Bethlehem. This new star appeared in the evening sky just prior to the arrival of Jesus. Three wise men or Magi as they were then known, whose names were Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar, traveled a far distance to pay homage to the Christ child. They brought with them fine gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Three Kings Day remains an important holiday for the people of Mexico. In addition to the gift-giving aspect of the day there is also a culinary treat that is specific to the holiday. Known as 'Rosca de Reyes' (King's Cake), this holiday dessert offers much in the way of symbolism. Shaped in the round to signify a king's crown, this sweet bread holds a special surprise. Baked inside is a small plastic figurine representing the baby Jesus. Whoever finds this token is obligated to host an upcoming party for the occasion of 'Dia de la Candelaria' (Candlemas Day) which occurs each year on February 2nd.
The effigy of the baby Jesus, hidden inside the cake, represents another aspect of the holiday. The reason Jesus is 'hidden' inside the bread is to symbolize how in life, the Christ child's birth location also needed to remain secret, in order that his life be spared. The ruler of Jerusalem at the time, King Herod, had been appraised of the mystical signs that indicated the new and rightful King of Jerusalem was soon to be born. Herod's reaction to these predictions was swift and horrible. He ordered his minions to murder all male infants recently born in Bethlehem. However, as destiny would have it, Mary and Joseph found their lodgings in a manger, not an inn. Herod's henchmen didn't think to look for an infant in such a location.
Another lovely custom associated with the Three Kings Day holiday centers around the evening meal. Traditionally, the supper served on this special day is delicious corn tamales accompanied by hot chocolate. This makes for a perfectly quintessential Mexican meal and one that is enjoyed by everyone in attendance.
Western Christianity celebrates the Magi on the day of Epiphany, January 6, the day immediately following the twelve days of Christmas, particularly in the Spanish-speaking parts of the world. In these areas, the Three Kings ("los Reyes Magos de Oriente", also "Los Tres Reyes Magos" and "Los Reyes Magos") receive letters from children and so bring them gifts on the night before Epiphany. In Spain, each one of the Magi is supposed to represent one different continent, Europe (Melchior), Asia (Caspar) and Africa (Balthasar). According to the tradition, the Magi come from the Orient on their camels to visit the houses of all the children, much like Sinterklaas and Santa Claus with his reindeer elsewhere, they visit everyone in one night. In some areas, children prepare a drink for each of the Magi. It is also traditional to prepare food and drink for the camels, because this is the only night of the year when they eat.
In Spain, Argentina, México, Paraguay and Uruguay, there is a long tradition for having the children receive presents by the three "Reyes Magos" on the night of January 5 (Epiphany Eve) or morning of January 6. Almost every Spanish city or town organises cabalgadas in the evening, in which the kings and their servants parade and throw sweets to the children (and parents) in attendance.
Every year thousands of horses from all over Mexico make the peregrinacion (pilgrimage) to Cubilete near Guanajuato - then a cabalgata to the top on or around Three Kings Day. (Many pictures online).
El Cerro de Cubilete (Cubilete Hill) is located 15km west of the city of Guanajuato in the heartland of Mexico, a region known as the Bajio. At 2,579m (8,460 feet), Cubilete Hill is the highest mountain in Guanajuato state and thought to be located at the exact geographic center of Mexico.
Marvel at the towering Cristo Rey (Christ the King) statue, a 20m (65 feet) monumental sculpture, religious site and museum situated atop the summit of Cubilete Hill, and enjoy stunning panoramic views of the surrounding area. The statue faces the city of Leon and can be seen for miles.
Erected in 1950, the bronze Christ the King statue is one of the most historically important religious shrines in Mexico. It replaces a smaller statue that originally occupied the same spot atop the hill and was destroyed during the Cristeros War, an uprising against the Mexican government over anti-Catholic provisions added to the Mexican constitution during the first half of the 20th century.
Today, the Christ the King statue is a favorite Guanajuato attraction. Its history and location at the heart of the country hold significant importance for the people of Mexico and each year in early January thousands of people make the pilgrimage to the shrine to celebrate the Epiphany.
http://www.traditioninaction.org/History/B_010_Cabalgata.html
This movement of Mexican men riding their horses to the shrine of Cristo Rey is called the cabalgata of Guanajuato. It is a mixture of a pilgrimage and a procession on horseback that ends at the foothill of the Cubilete. There, in a solemn ceremony, the riders receive a special blessing during an outdoor Mass. After the Mass, the pilgrim riders rest, don clean clothes, and then ride up the mountain individually or in small groups to venerate the famous statue of Christ the King.
http://www.briansue2.blogspot.com
Friday, December 19, 2014
Hummingbird In The Hedge
We were sitting out with some neighbors yesterday evening when suddenly, "Whoosh", a tiny hummingbird flew right past my nose! He had a branch picked out in the hedge and I was sitting between our feeder and his perch. He was giving me fair warning that this was his flight path and that I was in it!
I saw him in the hedge and he did not seem to be in a hurry to leave so I quietly got up to get my camera. He waited patiently while I sat back down and found him in the finder. He is only an inch or so tall so it took a minute to find and zoom in on him with a high magnification level of 50X or so. The light was not good as the sun was setting behind the hedge he was in so the camera insisted on setting a high ASA setting which introduces some grain as well as delivering less contrast that the scene deserved. I managed to add contrast with Picasa so here is the best I could do at the moment. I will keep my eye open for a better chance as he seems to be happy here on our patio. Maybe he has a girlfriend he will introduce us to.
I saw him in the hedge and he did not seem to be in a hurry to leave so I quietly got up to get my camera. He waited patiently while I sat back down and found him in the finder. He is only an inch or so tall so it took a minute to find and zoom in on him with a high magnification level of 50X or so. The light was not good as the sun was setting behind the hedge he was in so the camera insisted on setting a high ASA setting which introduces some grain as well as delivering less contrast that the scene deserved. I managed to add contrast with Picasa so here is the best I could do at the moment. I will keep my eye open for a better chance as he seems to be happy here on our patio. Maybe he has a girlfriend he will introduce us to.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
