February 14 is Valentine’s Day in Mexico, just as it is in the US and numerous countries around the world.
When it comes to celebrating the day of love, there is not much differente South of the border. Flowers, chocolates, special dinners, and heart shaped everything from cakes to jewelry prevail.
Especially prevalent here are globos (balloons), the word of the day.
No matter the shape, sentiment, or occasion, Tweetie says it best.
Because I wrapped a bright colored Mexican shawl around my waist to dress up an outfit, someone accused me recently of becoming Mexican. Yeah sure, with my command of the language. That’s funny.
But then this cool front came in… 
and the temperature dropped to the mid-sixties. I had to laugh as I found myself rolling my pant legs down and reaching for a jacket.
65 degrees of frio (do I sense a book title there?) Yep, I’m turning Mexican alright.
Well sort of, I am not wearing a winter coat like some people.
It is a beautiful day in the neighborhood!
The water has been “falling” for long periods of time for three days. Every day I would turn on the bathroom faucet hoping to see water come out.
No, no, nope!
This morning I turned on the faucet and, lo and behold, water. Hooray! No more heating water in the kitchen (which adds 20-25 minutes to my morning routine), or carrying a bucket of hot water up to the fourth floor to take a bucket shower.
With an extra person in the house, who I just learned shares the water in my tank, resources are still scarce so I compromised. I got wet, turned the water off and soaped up, then turned the hot stream on again to rinse off. OK I luxuriated an extra moment under that heavenly stream of hot water (do you blame me?) but not much. I want this tank of water to last awhile.
Funny thing is, I just got my shower back here and I am going to the country for a week and it is back to a bucket shower.
Will give you a full accounting of my trip when I return.
Hermoso del amanecer!
A friend sent me that text to say what a lovely dusk it was. That is what they say here since the sun sets long after it drops behind the mountains. Only rarely does Taxco get a glimpse of color like this at the end of the day.
So I went out on my balcony to see and not only did the sky have a nice blush behind Santa Prisca and the Ex-convento, but it was filled with cometas (kites) high and low; dozens of them from the Zocolo to the Cristo statue.
Look closely and you will see at least 4 in this photo; many more are in the shadows below.
What do you think Mexicans would make of the expression, “Go fly a kite!”
Good morning!
Another cloudless sky — the norm for this time of year.
Though the rainbow of color the sky generates when there are no clouds to add accent is pretty, seeing it day after day in a photo without the whisper of the breeze or song of the birds to enhance the experience might get rather boring for you.
With this post, I think I have shown you just about all the variations of a cloudless sunrise that are possible, and I will revert to just posting the spectacular images or maybe the week in review. What would you like?
Besides there is much more to write about than sunrises. Stay tuned.
The perfect description of a sunrise with a cloudless sky.
This is a banana flower. (A platano, in Mexico.)
Looks a little like Audrey II, the man-eating plant in Little Shop of Horrors, don’t you think?
This flower bud, which is probably 8 or more inches long, opens, petal by petal, exposing a ring of long, tubular yellow flowers with red tips.
When these have had a chance to be pollinated, the covering leaves drop to the ground and a new set opens revealing another ring of sweet smelling golden blossoms.
When the flower has opened completely, all that remains is a bunch of green bananas to grow and ripen – upside down of course.
Then the plant sends out another flower and the process begins all over again.
Here area a few more photos.
Tasty beauty don’t you think?
John Denver sang those words. He was not talking about sunrises but it is a good adage anyway.
Each day awakens differently, some to sparkling brightness that illicit “oooohs” and “ahhs” as if watching fireworks. Others are more sedate in nature — cloudless days that offer a simple glow that grows from dark to light. This was one of those days.
Whether spectacularly colorful or a simple glow, each day’s beginning is still beautiful.
I have been asked for sunrise pictures EVERY DAY! I am not sure I can grant that request but will give it my best shot! (OK you language junkies, noodle on that one — shoot who?)
I just love how the sky changes with each passing minute, growing in intensity before brightening. I am so thankful to have such a glorious way to start each day.
Watch this to see the whole show.
I stand corrected.
Recently I wrote about chicken feet in my soup.
I have heard from my readers and confirmed with my hostess that chicken feet are a delicacy to be savored not just here in Mexico but in other parts of the world as well. 
Now, I have eaten some strange things out of politeness but if offered chicken feet, I’m not sure I could eat one.
Reminds me of a scene in an Indiana Jones movie, where he was served monkey brain soup with eyeballs floating in it. Ewww!!!
Of course that is what they said when I told them that I had eaten alligator, raccoon, and rattlesnake.
And, no, they do NOT taste like chicken.
The Adventures of Blue Bear 