Signs of Life: Smoke Signals (Under the Volcano)

Kids, don’t do this at home, but the rush of life lately has caused me to break some general rules of sane behavior.  Let me preface my confession by saying the past three weeks have been crazy as I’ve been trying to balance life with construction projects, art exhibitions, doggie problems and packing to leave for two months at the beach.  As a result, I’ve missed several of Cee’s photo prompts–which I try to never do.

So, jump ahead to yesterday (which sounds like an oxymoron, and I guess it is.)  I finally have the car loaded to the ceiling with art supplies, kitchen gadgets, groceries, clothes and boxes of retablos for an art walk I’m participating in at the beach.  My house and canines are left in the accomplished hands of Maggie, my house sitter.  True, I forgot to fill up the car, check fluids  and check on why the “maintenance” light has been on for the past month, but at least the guy at the first Pemex station I come upon notices that all of my tires are 10 lbs. under the prescribed pressure and has filled my power steering fluid up to the prescribed level–even though the warning on my car says to use only Honda power steering fluid.  Where outside of Guadalajara would I find Honda power steering fluid?  It’s probably just like that warning to only use genuine HP laser cartridges in my color printer (at $100 a pop times four as compared to the $10 generic ones).  At any rate, I’m off and thinking about prompts missed when I suddenly catch my first sight of Colima volcano!!!

That’s it…that little breast-shaped mountain to the left of the far right tree on the horizon.

I do pull off the road whenever I can, but also start snapping shots through the windshield as I drive.

No, I’m not focusing by taking my eyes off the road.  I’m glancing up, putting the camera more or less where my eyes are and snapping shot after shot.  I’m holding the camera out the window and shooting.

235 shots in about an hour’s period as I approach the volcano, pass it and OMG!!!  As I look into the rear view mirror, I notice that THE VOLCANO IS ACTUALLY VENTING!

At the end of the day, after 5 hours of driving, I reach my destination, immediately run into someone I know, find my rental agent out of her office, make a call but no answer.  I sit in the car, air conditioner running.  (Yes, it is hot at the beach) and review my photos in my camera.  Thanks to the Lala truck that drove in front of me for a good distance, I’ll be able to use my photos for both the ABC  prompt and last week’s “Compose Yourself” prompt, but I think I’ll put those pictures in another posting.  I think the venting of a volcano as one drives by is excitement enough for this post, don’t you?

I call Juani from Juani Rentas again and finally get her.  She’ll be here in 5 minutes.  I shift to a parking spot opening up across the street from Casa Gaviotas––my home away from home for the next two months.  I unload the car with the help of Israel, across the street, put my frozen stuff in the fridge, duck over to Daniel’s for a fast tequila toast to the sunset and set off for a music jam night at my friend Carol’s house.  Home at 10:30 to finally have a better look at my volcano shots, and here a few of them are. By the time you see my “Compose Yourself” and “ABC” posts, your trip to here will seem as long as mine has been, perhaps.  Sorry Ann, sorry Audrey–two friends who always advise less is more, but who would I be if I took their advice?  Certainly not me!!!

I’ve shown you what I did this week.  Now, here are my answers to the weekly wrapup questions:

1. Do you believe in extraterrestrials or life on other planets?  Yes.
2. How many places have you lived? You can share the number of physical residences and/or the number of cities. Murdo, South Dakota; Laramie, Wyoming; Wollongong, N.S.W., Australia; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Cheyenne, Wyoming; Huntington Beach, CA; West Los Angeles, CA; Boulder Creek, CA; San Juan Cosala, Jalisco, Mexico.  I guess that is  9 places.
3. If you given $22 million tax free dollars (any currency), what is the first thing you would do? I’d build a cultural center in the little town I live in–San Juan Cosala.
4. The Never List: What are things you’ve never done? Or things you know you never will do? I will never bungee jump, mountain climb or eat worms!!!

http://ceenphotography.com/2016/01/16/cees-weekly-wrap-up-january-16-2016-and-wpc-alphabet/

(My alphabet pictures will be in another post.)

Since my learning style is experiential and this trip has certainly been a experience in excess photography, I’m posting it on the Daily Prompt page as well!  https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/learning-style/