Gift a Day

This is the time of year many messages are related to thinking about life in a new, better way; new beginnings; clean-slate sort of thinking. Resolutions and forming new habits.  I guess I like to think of a new beginning as the winter solstice, when the days begin to get longer again. In NC, when the darkness begins by 5:00 in the winter, I look forward to longer days. In Oaxaca, we'd better be on the roof by 5:30, or we'll miss the sunset. But, I also think of spring-green leaves on the oak trees, daffodils, first tomatoes of summer, and picking grapes in September as new beginnings.  And, I think of Jan 2 as a new beginning, when life gets back to normal in places that use the same calendar I use! 

The past couple of weeks have been so fun.  Jess and Sally's visit was a gift.  Two years after meeting them in Peru, they came through Oaxaca on the way south, and it was a wonderful week. They left all sort of other gifts with us:  laughter and conversation; stories of wonderful things they've experienced in the past two years traveling around the world; Sally's minty trail mix; hand-made paper from Thailand (Jess, correct me on that, please!); a watch for Stuart and the box it came in for me to play with; meals and drinks; socks!; and knowledge of all kinds of things! 

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I took one more cooking class at La Cuisine, with my friend Allie.  See the fun we had, after eating one of the best meals I've ever tasted! Jean Michel gave us good food, and he gave us the power to create on our own.  Thanks, Jean Michel!

 Jess and Sally, in the weekly market in Ocotlan, eating empanadas con amarilla y pollo.Rico! 













In the Parque San Felipe del Agua.  It's the mountains above Oaxaca, with trails meandering in multiple directions.  A bread crumb trail might help get you back out, if you don't know north from south!  Stuart and Sally, pausing by the small stream, just before we found the Snuffy Smith part of the trail. 

A hike through the fields of lettuce, cilantro, radishes, state-fair-sized cabbages and flowers, between Zegache and Ocotlan.













Sally and Jess at the San Pablo textile museum.  More about that in another post..












New Year's Eve on top of the ruins at Yagul, one of my favorite places in the Central Valley.  Sally, Stuart and Jess, high above the fields, watching the caracara's flying below us.

New Year's Day.  Dozens of city buses were lined up by the church at Llano Park, decorated with flowers and bows, for the blessing from the church.  A prosperos New Year!  This is Horatio's bus...

 ...and this is Horatio.  Like many young men from Oaxaca, he lived a short time in the US, made some money, and happily came home.  I'll look for bus 336 from now on!

 Adults with giant sparklers on New Year's Eve!  What a great party!  Thanks, Ellie and Carol!

New Year's Day found us at the beautiful home and gardens of Jan and Pierre, in Xoximilcho, where we ate very well, and enjoyed mimosas with friends.  Here, friends who were helping cook and serve show off the beautiful brunch. A perfect way to begin the year!


My New Year's Resolution?  To spend a little more time on this blog.  I'll start with the next post.  Happy New Year!