Changing Places...

Coming back home...deciding where home is... these are such dilemmas...
It seems life is just so full of transitions...our life especially, from town, farm, overseas travel and jobs, overseas living with kids, and now, overseas home ownership...
Somehow, Mexico doesn't even qualify as 'overseas' and certainly not like Asia did.

So, from the ferry,  always a fun ride..



      to the plane...

Sofi
reading her Sky Mall mag  ;)


Anyway, Sofi & her mom were most happy to have their reunion...

and she continues to be a little clingy, not surprising after the many weeks apart....

watching a 3yr old process time, space, travel, connections, language...  is fascinating...
we look at lots of photos & have lots of chats...
trying to create memory and keep language alive...

             and then, on to the rest of the family

sons Nat & Abe with daughters Evie & Astrid

  

and daughters-in-law :
                   Rachel w/Violet
                             and Angie w/Frances... 

on a rare, springy day outdoors.

new baby, Frances Dane Christina...

and nothing like the eagerness to see a new baby granddaughter to be motivated for a visit home...

maybe while I'm home I'll find a class that will help me learn how to actually work with moving photos around
flipping them, & whatever...








 And here's the group,
    heading over to Grandma's farm
next door....


going over the river
( and through the woods)
to Grandma's...

(they did kid around saying that when they were kids...)

 




Grandma Sauer
with her 5 great-granddaughters....
  4 of whom have actually traveled to Isla at one time or another...

so, I have a feeling they will all learn  how to be 'ISLAND GIRLS '  (as  Sofi was sometimes called...)

and finally, there is just nothing like being welcomed back by your faithful pets.... I missed them too...

Earth Day....and...POCOYO

Today is Earth Day.  I've always been a huge proponent of Earth Day.
Perhaps it was because a senator from my state, Senator Gaylord Nelson....Wisconsin  proposed and was successful getting legislation to create the first EARTH DAY  in  1970.
Perhaps that was when I was first so aware and politicized and so eager to be on board with this idea
That was the 'good old days' when one was so proud of PROGRESSIVE IDEAS coming out of this state.    ah...the 'good old days'

Anyway, Earth Day has gone on to gather steam, internationally.  One little ambassador of Earth Day now is POCOYO, a little character much loved by Chiquitita.   Here's news from their blog...

Earth Day

Since Pocoyo is the official Ambassador of Earth Hour and this year’s Beyond the Hour campaign, he’d like to invite all of his fans to join him in celebrating Earth Day on April 22.

Earth Day, like Earth Hour, is celebrated all over the world.  The first time Earth Day was celebrated was in 1970.  One person had the idea to make a promise on this day to help the Earth’s environment.  Some people made a promise to use less water, other people made a promise to pick up trash, and still others planted gardens.
Pocoyo wants you to make a promise for Earth Day, too.  Visit the Pocoyo website (http://www.pocoyo.com/earth_hour_2011.html ) to download the Pocoyo Earth Hour activity book, promo, screensavers and wallpaper.  Maybe that will give you an idea about what promise you want to make on Earth Day.  And remember, do your best to reduce energy consumption, reuse materials and recycle.

   *******************************************               

Here she is, holding her Pocoyo DVD, which we found in Plaza de Las Americas Mall in Cancun just a short time ago. (more pics on that later...)

We had been getting the clips from you tube, but this is easier.
We have 2-- 'Donde Esta' Pocoyo?'  and 'El Baile de Pocoyo' (dance)

It's a nice way to continue hearing/learning Spanish...
and a nice way to decompress as we get used to Wisconsin again.

The clips are really cute. Pocoyo is a 3 yr old, like Sofi. I think she can relate. She loves all his compañeros:
Pato (the duck), Lula (dog), Sleepy Bird (Pajarito) & Elly.

Adios to Mexico...hola to snow

ugh...it had to happen.   we had to return...though someday may dream of just coming back for visits; but for now, had to say 'ADIOS' to that gorgeous turquoise water, sunny skies and warm days...
the beautiful orange flower had opened on the very morning Chiquitita & I had to leave...

Sofi admiring the painted image come to life, full bloom

and what a sight, blooming a brilliant orange, right under the very wall where son, Nat, painted his fetching mural...and...its orange flowers!   What a coincidence....We didn't even know these plants would bloom, much less in orange tones.  Manuel planted these plants around Feb, I think, while I was in Merida, and Steve was in U.S.
What a nice surprise it turned out to be & must thank Manuel-

                         Here's a reminder of how well the wall
ties in with Casa Colibri'

A view from the side  front...

eventually, those palms against the inside of the wall will grow up and make more of a plantscape...

SO....from Mexico..........
                 to    the        snow.............oh  no!        tell me it isn't so....

Well, it's nice to be home...
    but suppose I am falling into the category of 'snowbird'  so, did I really want to see snow?

guess it's a good reminder of the difference in climates, latitudes, daylight, etc.

already here, there's a bit of light at 8pm, whereas it's fairly dark at 7:30pm on Isla.

I still need to wear boots--for the weather mix of mud, rain, snow...

It has its own beauty...nature...and scenery
but....   I can't walk out the door in flip flops...

      

yum...... Fresh LOBSTER!

OK...
I finally scored a lobster.
mmmmmm....I wish I could convey how yummy it was.

I've had lobster only a couple other times on Isla...the first time, a few years ago, not that great...think it was 'out of season' and I decided that because these were not cold water lobsters (the kind I'd previously had, and especially having been spoiled living in Maine a short time years ago, and getting them off the docks...) there was no way they could measure up.  But maybe it was an 'off' lobster.

Then, last year, I had a grilled lobster at Minino's (or was it Picus?) on the beach,
That was really fine...and 'in season'

But this was by far, the best.
And made in a local person's home-Sofi's preschool teacher, Irasema, had invited me over, and I've been tutoring her a few times a week for several weeks, in preparation for her English class, which she takes in Cancun on Saturdays...in an effort to improve her credentials.  She's had exams the last 2 wks.

The tutoring didn't used to be accompanied with food...just Coke or water, and I was happy to help her out, esp being a 'retired' ESL teacher, feeling very able to do the job.

Her 'novio' has a lot of work experience, being a chef in some Cancun hotels;  On this day, he received a cache of fresh lobsters that very morning...as a thank you from some guys he's been helping during AA meetings.

Apparently they'd gifted him these lobsters.
The culture here very much works around 'gifting' one another things, as one is able.
It does work.


I was happy to be on the receiving end of one of these lobsters...and as he said, when they're so very fresh, you just sautee them in butter...maybe a bit of salt.
(using garlic, etc.. spoils the fresh taste, and is sometimes more often done to 'cover up' the taste, esp if the lobsters are a couple days old.

He's a darn good chef; and I think Irasema & the kids think so too. I love to hear his chef stories.

He took great care to sautee it just perfectly.

After I'd polished off the lobster,
I was treated to lobster salad.

Irasema had taken more of the fresh lobster, and made a wonderful salad, using boiled cubed potatoes and carrots and a nice dressing.
It was also so fresh and tasty.
I couldn't resist.

And, she sent home a dish for my 'novio.'

I guess I learned more last night than she did.  She was so busy cooking, I mostly helped the kids with their homework.  It was a treat to be in their home, witnessing their daily/evening routine.
More pics on that later....   hammocks, bikes...play     life.

sneak peek at hammock tying, and the 'tricks' to not falling out.   my gosh;    who knew?

casa....se vende fsbo

anyone interested in a nice home on a beautiful Caribbean Island, with a gorgeous sea view?

 

It's a long story...

it's Mexico...there's always mañana

but our mañanas are running out  & we'd like to work on the place next door...

see the email on the bottom left....
sauerfarm@yahoo.com

I definitely need to redo the signage
& make it more visible....contacts, esp.

also, there is a Facebook page my other son made.

So, Nat gets credit for the wonderful mural & paintings on the house
Abe gets credit for helping design and maintain a website...

Facebook.com/RentIsla

We 're still getting it together.... need to add more pics, etc.
Guess if we can't sell, we'll really need to be renting   :)

 

view to the sea
there are some 'ruins' also, very picturesque



that lot is for sale, but for now... love it bare...

 

    also, there is a nice little path, that goes right down to the sea

A lot of people go there and then turn left (to go North toward town), or right (to go south, Punta Sur, to the end of the island, really very close.)
 

the rocky coastal cliff does remind me of Maine

your
hammock
     awaits............

Godzilla

Well, ok, not Godzilla.....IGUANA

If you thought that the installation at Punta Sur of the Goddess Ixchel was a bit much
what do you think of this?

          again...what is it with having to super-size these structures?

          

the sign says:   Iguana (reptile)

Icon of the region which are the native species most representative of the region and live to reach 15 years.

personally,
I still like the old sign
(which is still there  :)

            way off to the side


and the real thing!
you can barely see that little guy below on the rocks

           I know I have, and can get, some better real iguana pics

so I'll work on that.









but no matter what,
they're going to be overshadowed

by this guy...

I so had liked the way Punta Sur overlook was coming together
with the nice structure...the 'energy' of the easternmost point of Mexico
showcased under this nice sructure with a compass rose or star embedded into the walkway in center

I'm not sure the new installations add anything though    in fact, rather the opposite
so, I just have to lump it together with the 'sculpture garden' things scattered throughout
the natural beauty and awesome landscape which needed no embellishment

As a neighbor and longtime resident here said,
after Wilma they all went down and secretly hoped that category 5 hurricane had swept away the recently installed sculptures....
                         no such luck

Goddess of Punta Sur

New installation.... at Punta Sur, most southern point on the island...  just at the overlook...
  seemed a little overwhelming at first, and maybe too brazen, as if a bit of Cancun is seeping into the island... in fact, a couple other statues downtown, also nudes of the sea... feature similar form...

But this is just so...so....well, statuesque....  check it out...   shocked me upon first seeing it...

   It's the Goddess Ixchel...most favored goddess here in Mayan history...so, it is suitable...

as the inscription says:
   ... the principal Mayan goddess
Goddess of the rainbow, water, fertility, abundance, the moon, love and of medicine.

this statue has more color than others..

and in a way,
is more fitting and real to the island


I'm still getting used to it though...
It just caught me by surprise I guess.

see the smaller concrete head in in a square
mounted on the wall in background...

I assume they're also Mayan goddessess,
and maybe even Ixchel also...(not sure)

but they've been around awhile & I'm used
 to them...












 the name IXCHEL figures into a lot of things on the island...
   houses, (casas)    hotels    figurines    Ixchel this & Ixchel that
you kind of almost forget she is embodied as a person....
   the statue does help you remember that!

 So, these are the 'ladies' of Punta Sur...

Fun Times with Cousins Evelyn & Violet (Evita y Violeta...)

For Chiquitita (Sofia), having cousins come here was super fantastico.  She and Evie had great times together, and strangely enough, probably played more here than at home on the farm...where their usual visits happen. 

    So....some fun beach times...   (wish I'd gotten more pics...)



 


these  are from St Pat's Day, which they don't celebrate here too much...but, we tried....





Getting to know
Violet...
still a 'new' cousin...

I can't believe they remembered green clothes!

But, St Pat's is big for them, so they were prepared

The highlight was watching 'Fire Boy'
perform downtown.  (pics of fire boy later...)

Chiquitita often goes home and 'plays' fireboy, with her float ring...(aka, 'ring of fire')
  'Gracias' to 'Fav. Aunt Cindy'  :)
   for leaving her floaty ring...

 (it gets used more for playing 'fire boy' than for floating, at the moment....


 more beach

sand







pools...

                                                                      

luvin the hammock swing

  I do too ...
who wouldn't?
It's my favorite thing to do...

more good hammock swing pics later...
   (have some cute ones of las niñas..)





eat outs...
and Isla is famous for lots of good places to eat....
so, there was either good food on the table...
or..in as on the left...kids on the table!

                                                            mmmmm
we went for 
the
chocolate
trifecta
at Como No...    it looks too good to eat
but, we managed...                                                   

 Cousins...   Primas   (I like the sound of the Spanish better here...)
                                                          Good weather   and   Good times..........           Hasta La Proxima....