Exploring

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Hello. Welcome to a Tao of Tea lunch expedition from a few weeks back. Gosh, do I love that place. I often wax poetic about the tranquil setting, akin to napping while fully awake, sipping world class tea and noshing on mouth watering vegetarian fare.

How is life? The hubster’s been under the weather, a stomach bug has him grumbling and sighing and sleeping copiously while I search the interwebs for places to enjoy a summer adventure. Eastern Washington, embarrassingly close, yet largely unexplored by the Sohn-Cooper household, will be our destination. If it were up to me, we’d be out the door tomorrow. I’ve got that kind of itch.

It is spring break, with Portland thoroughly spoiled, basking in sixty-plus-degree sunshine, as we wait for the rainy shoe to drop. Much of my time is spent enjoying warm air and the soft scents of spring, hatching new garden and landscaping plans and trying to keep up with weed pulling. The mason bees are emerging from the houses we made, zipping hither and thither, while I hope their labor brings a bounty of plums, apples, and cherries to the yard. Maybe this is the year we successfully make hard cider!

Then there is the everyday little and big. Dust bunnies seem ever-emboldened to win our house keeping battle and the windows sure could use a wash. I am going like gang busters with my poetry but utterly stalled in the story writing department, which saddens me some. But then I glance out the window and see the budding birch, billowing blossoms of plums, and the rosy peach of the setting sun and release any worry. Everything in its own time.

Happy Spring!

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Hello dear reader! I have the strongest urge to utter good morning, despite it being well into the afternoon, which pretty much sums up my life at the moment. How did it get to be so late in the day? I’ve got to skeedaddle! Off to appointments and errands and dinner and lunch. And then there is the heaviness, which may or may not be the Dakini Bliss,  curled up like a cat in my abdomen. Peaceful, but there. Should it be?

Without any answers, off I walked to maybe meet a friend, maybe not. I am not playing coy here, we just got our wires crossed, but the morning could not have been better, everything soft, the air so heady with ripe earth and blossoms and pine that it didn’t matter what happened. I walked at a near skip to our meeting place, cheerfully bellowing good morning at one and all before arriving at my destination. My friend was there, but not for me, and we laughed and made our next plan. It’s gonna be good!

On the way home, I was transfixed by all things small and spent much of my time squatting and admiring, also learning that caterpillars and snails move at a faster clip than I previously realized. The things we learn when we pay attention.

 

More photos from in and around our digs. Meet Eduardo y Blanca. They run a terrific restaurant, El Cardon, which was about a two minute walk from our place and where we had dinner nearly every night.

Eduardo makes a mean margarita, and Blanca is a wizard in the postage-stamp kitchen. These are her rellenos. A mi me gusta!

Sunrise on the Sierra La Giganta

We saw so many butterflies. Happiness.

This is a hummingbird nest! Though I question the mama’s placement, exposed over pavement, her construction method was lovely. It was about the size of a hacky-sack, and, in moments of stillness, the sweetest of tiny chirps could be heard from the babies.

Sunset at LAX

On our way home…

 

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Hola! It’s time for our day trip to Mision San Javier, which lies about 30 km to the west of Loreto. It was actually meant to be a day on the water, with this first photo taken on the malecon waiting for our boat, but the sea was muy bravo, so we had to save our time with dolpins, whales, and sea lions for our next trip.

These are paintings made by the indigenous people of Baja before the missionaries arrived and their lives were forever changed.

The Calvary Cross that greets visitors to Mision San Javier and the tiny town (150 occupants) that bears its name.

A close cousin of a matilija poppy, I think.

Mision San Javier

 

Built with great care by indigenous people whose populations would be decimated by hard labor and European diseases.

Our Lady of Guadalupe

It is a beautiful building, one of the first with pane windows.

Meticulously cared for, it is still used for mass.

This olive tree was planted by the Jesuits over 300 years ago.

The Jesuits taught the locals how to make use of the springs to grow things like olives, oranges, mangoes, and some very famous onions. It was pretty wild to see such a bounty in a desert, truly an oasis.

In a place where it rarely rains and the average low temperature hovers around 50 degrees, it is common to see walls made entirely out of palm. I was awestruck.

Greg makes a friend, of course. He’s cool like that…

Gato tranquilo

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Baja!

 Hola amigos!

Bienvenidos a Mexico and our home away from home in Loreto. It was a week of glorious sun with every possible moment spent out of doors. Lying in the sun. Reading. Knitting. Walking. Napping. Generally having a marvelous time. We partook of lots of delicious food, margaritas and beer, and encountered a bounty of gentle souls. Fellow travelers. American and Canadian ex-pats. Mexicans. Dogs. Cats.

It was a welcome diversion from the cold and grey of Portland, though the sun is shining here, for today, at least!

Have Bikini – Will Travel.

The above photos were taken in and around the development where we stayed. It is lovely and quiet and filled with some of the nicest people around.

My morning ritual – watching the sunrise.

The Sea of Cortez

Though it was not planned, Francisco became our driver during our stay. He was probably our age, but was very fatherly and protective of us. A sweetheart.

I am always dazzled by old architecture. Mision Loreto dates to the late 1600s.

25th October 1697

Come on people, feed this bird!

The Main Square

This fence is made with cactus.

Orlando’s – very good chile rellenos!

There’s more to come…

 

 

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