Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Pic-of-the-Week for May 23, 2017

Hola Amigos,

Welcome to another POTW from sunny Baja.  Ben returned home on Sunday afternoon with his new toy, and has already been "playing" with it yesterday!  The carburetor definitely needs work.  It's hard to start, and hard to keep it going.  It was a trick getting it off the trailer!  But he succeeded, with George's help, and has it parked in the carport in the shade. He and our friends George and Carolyn helped yesterday to get the little black cab off of it.  We certainly don't need that cab here in Baja!




It took most of the afternoon unbolting bolts, unscrewing screws, cutting a breaking a few bolts and screws, disconnecting wires, removing seats, and crawling underneath with the proper tools; then some muscle power to get the thing off, but we got 'er done!  




Ben wants to have a roll bar cage built for it, and then we'll have a cloth top attached to the roll bars for some shade.  We'd also like a bit more comfortable seats, and the gas tank needs to be modified a bit (or maybe a lot!)  Anyhow, should be an interesting project.  It would be nice to use it this season, but hemay not get that far.  We'll see!  Won't I look cute boppin' to town in this to go grocery shopping or lunch with friends?  ;-) 

Ben is thankful that they had an uneventful trip coming back here to Baja.  No problems along the way, and he even found a nice new hotel in San Ignacio that he'd like to visit again when we travel north.  Hopefully, that will work out for us.

I don't usually get up for sunrises, but I noticed the pink glow in my bedroom windows one day last week, and just had to get up and take some pictures.  I took and few with my phone camera from the veranda just outside the bedroom door, then I had to grab the good camera and head upstairs for some more photos.  Wow!  It was gorgeous!






In preparation for grand-kids visiting soon, I moved some sand from an old sand pile (left over from some construction project) to an area under the Neem tree where it is shady most of the day.  I think they will like this!  And yes, I'm willing to move more sand if needed, but they might also like to play in the little mound of sand that's left and flatten it out for us!  Or, we can just go to the beach!  Plenty of sand there!


Ryan and Rebecca and David, Aaron and Eleanor will all be arriving on Saturday; Ryan in just a bit later flight.  Rebecca and kids are flying from the Middle East today to Chicago (to Tim's parents) where they'll catch their breath, and then fly down here on Saturday.  We sure are looking forward to having them here.  Their Grandpa Purkey even bought them a very nice looking inflatable wading pool, so if the weather starts heating up while they're here, they'll have a nice place in which to cool off.  They'll be here until the 13th of June.  (You can be sure the next POTW will have lots of pictures of cute kids!)  In preparation, here's a recent one from their vacation to Jordan in April.


I finished the main part of the latest quilt project, and Ben bought some fabric for finishing the border while he was in Oregon, so I hope to get that done very soon.  I made this one for Ben; I had the center piece printed a couple summers ago, and finally got around to using it in a special quilt for Ben.  I think it turned out pretty neat!  What do you think?  (Projects like this keep me out of trouble!)

George has a drone he's been flying around, and when I get my hands on his photos, I'll add some to the May 2017 album.  He flys it from our roof deck to out a mile over the water.  Today he found a bunch of Manta Rays and a turtle.  Very cool watching those videos!

Hasta la proxima vez (if I have time!)
Tus amigos en Baja

Harriet, Ben, Sam & Zoey  




Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Pic-of-the-Week for May 9, 2017

Hola Amigos!  

It's May!  Hooray!  My favorite month in Baja.  Lovely warm weather, but not too hot, and the water is warming, flowers are blooming, and the days are longer. Wonderful temps for dining al fresco on the veranda and bird watching (and lizard spotting).  I also celebrated another birthday, and tomorrow is Ryan's birthday!  Tomorrow is Mexico Mother's Day, so I guess I'll celebrate that, too, although I am here alone with my doggies.  






Ben is on his way to Oregon (probably nearing the California/Oregon border as I type this) to pick up his '56 Jeep, and no, I don't have any pictures of it!  He downloaded some to his computer, but didn't share with me.  He's got his friend George S. riding up with him, and George and his wife Carolyn will ride back down here when he gets the Jeep loaded and some things bought that are on his list.  He'll also be stopping in Bend to pick up some other items that we've ordered online.  He's made a rushed trip up, but hopes to make a more leisurely trip back down and give George and Carolyn time to enjoy the beauties of Baja.  George has a very nice drone that he brought with him, and he flew it around our house and out over the Sea of Cortez the first day he was here.  He showed me a bit of footage, but hadn't edited it yet.  I'm looking forward to seeing it and sharing it with you all when he's perfected it!  He's also wanting to stop several places along the trip back to run the drone as well.  Should be fun! They hope to be back here by the 20th.  

In the meantime, I'm sewing like crazy and getting a few things accomplished here on the home front.  I've planted a small crop of green beans that I hope will be producing when Rebecca and the grandkids are here, but I'm having some issues with the critters biting off leaves (lizards?  birds?), and some crazy all-night long west winds that we've been having drying up a lot of the leaves that are left.  Needless to say, the late-season bean crop is struggling.  I'm also trying to keep the sunflower seed bird feeder full; I can't believe how fast the birds go through that!  

And on several evenings, friends have invited me out for dinner.  That's always nice to be remembered!  Thank you Sandy and Debi, and Alexandra!  Perla (our Mexican house guest who is a waitress at La Playa) also asked me out last night for the Monday night Salsa music by a Cuban duo who are regulars there.  I politely declined, because I don't like driving in the dark at night.  Then later, Alexandra called and invited me, so I figured it must be "meant to be".  I had a great time and enjoyed the music very much.  (And someone else drove!)



Before Ben left, we had several windows replaced in our house, including our bedroom sliding glass door (which now has a much better lock AND handles on both sides so you can actually open and close it easily).  It reminded me of when the originals went in 15 years ago.  Windows here aren't "standard" sizes.  They measure the opening, then make the frames to fit.  It works well!  Here, they are removing an old frame.  The new frames are much more substantial, and seal and slide much better.


Our friend John Hirons visited with his friend Sue recently.  He flew his Cessna 185 down, landing at Punta Pescadero, after various other stops in Baja and mainland.  He also landed at his favorite Baja places on his way north.  What a great way to see Baja!


Sam and Zoey are living the dog's life here.  Not much to do but lie around looking cute!  Sam was a bit worried when Ben packed up a suitcase and loaded the pickup.  He kept a close eye on things and said "I see you haven't packed my bed or food, but I'm ready to go whenever you are!"  He was quite a bit relieved when I stayed home with him this time!  (But he keeps a close eye on me at all times!)  Except when he's sleeping!



 Like I said, flowers are blooming.  This one has a few buds year round, but it really bursts into flowers in May!  This is one of my Desert Roses, or Adenium.




I've started a 2017 May album with a few other pictures.  

I should make Ben write the next POTW, since he's the traveler in the family, but I don't think he's stopped to take any pictures (typical!!)  He was going to take our nice big camera, but it's still here.  I'll have to count on George and his drone, I guess!  

Hasta la proxima vez,
Tu amigos en Baja,
Harriet, Sam & Zoey  (and Ben in spirit, somewhere on Hwy 395)