Author Archives: lifelessons

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About lifelessons

My blog, which started out to be about overcoming grief, quickly grew into a blog about celebrating life. I post daily: poems, photographs, essays or stories. I've lived in countries all around the globe but have finally come to rest in Mexico, where I've lived since 2001. My books may be found on Amazon in Kindle and print format, my art in local Ajijic galleries. Hope to see you at my blog.

Extraordinary!!! WordPress Photo Challenge

EXTRAORDINARY THINGS!!!!!

Version 2I made the beads and the bracelet and this extraordinary woman offered to model it!

Version 4I ran into these jaws on the beach and not in the water.  Extraordinarily lucky!!!

DSCF1724Have you ever seen a sunset that wasn’t extraordinary?  So many combinations of beautiful!

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/extraordinary/

Travel Theme, Letters

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Can you match the place with the picture:  Lima, Peru; Villa Salvador, Peru; California; South Dakota; Patzcuaro, Mexico; Missouri.

Travel Theme, Letters

http://wheresmybackpack.com/2015/10/16/travel-theme-letters/

Kitchen Retablo for “Away With Words!”

P9090365The miniature copper and clay pieces in this retablo are all handmade, as is the little hutch.  The doll, too, was handmade by a woman in San Miguel, although I added the red shoes and apron.  This retablo is one of a series called “Sacred Spaces: Women’s Special Places.”  I’m showing this one in honor of Lew-Ellyn Hughes, whose blog you can see HERE.

Doggie Palace 3 (Hereafter to be known as Doggie Domain!)

Well, the walls are 1/2 up and it is laughable how tiny this room is for all the hoopla that has gone on.  I’m showing pictures of the week’s work below. I must say, they do things right in Mexico.  These men have been working so hard with only one break a day and are so professional and precise.  Here is their work in pictures so far:
IMG_6531I was surprised when they started chipping away at my stone patio.  Little did I know!

IMG_6571A day later, they were waist deep.  This little room will probably be standing when the rest of the house is rubble.  Long after I’m rubble, hopefully.

IMG_6589I heard a truck drive up and went out to see what new was happening in my neighborhood.  Oh!

IMG_6597Soon, men were walking by with those big stones on their shoulders. They weren’t interested in using my wheelbarrow.
IMG_6681And in the street, they were mixing up concrete. IMG_6690Which this poor guy carried back two buckets at a time!!!

IMG_6694To fill in the spaces they’d just chipped out with a pick axes and mortar and chisel!  IMG_6700Father and son decided to look busy when I asked if I could take a picture.  This doesn’t look too staged, does it? Note those nice new foundations which we all know go down at least a meter deep into the earth! Chino tells me that they construct their own castillos because the welded ones don’t flex in case of earthquake.  These are wired together so they can move a bit and the structure doesn’t crumble during tremors.IMG_6701We have walls!!  Well, the beginning of walls.IMG_6705The only injury so far was my toe–cut on a shard of rebar. Some alcohol, Neosporin and a bandaid corrected most of the damage. A pedicure will take care of the rest.

IMG_6710Morrie inspecting his new domain.  The minute the men left for their lunch break, he must have gone in to stake his claim.  You’ll see his addition in the dirt in front of him. I removed it! Trust Morrie to wreak a little mayhem even before the walls are fully up.

IMG_6716All in all, now that I see the size of this new room, Doggie Palace seems a bit excessive, so I have altered its name to Doggie Domain.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/faq/

Heart of a Small Pueblo

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I wrote to this question for an article in “Mexico Insights” (a now defunct magazine)  a few years ago–long before I started blogging; and although I’ve printed the story once before on my blog, I think it warrants a second retelling.  Go HERE to read a story about a remarkable man.  Since I wrote this piece, he has gone on to found a 150 piece children’s orchestra and a children’s chorus that I talked about in another story. His is the restaurant where we staged the week-long Camp Estrella and where I’ll have 160 children decorate sugar skulls for Dia de los Muertos next week.  His restaurant is the hub and heart of our little town.

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “FAQ.” Interview someone — a friend, another blogger, your mother, the mailman — and write a post based on their responses.

Plumeria (Mixed Messages): Cee’s Flower of the Day, Oct. 16,2015

IMG_6246                                                            Plumeria (Mixed Messages)

How to honor the last three frangipani (plumeria) blooms on a tree doomed to the axe? This tree has grown to block the view, and for 14 years I’ve suffered from its scent that others find intoxicating.  Finally, weeks ago, I told  Pasiano it must go.  He hasn’t been swift in following requests.  I haven’t been swift in asking why.

 

http://ceenphotography.com/2015/10/16/flower-of-the-day-october-16-2015-day-lily-in-black-and-white/

Our Lady of Forgetfulness


Version 2                                                       Our Lady of Forgetfulness

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “A True Saint.” In 300 years, if you were to be named the patron saint of X, what would you like X to be? Places, activities, objects — all are fair game.

Find my saintly self-confession HERE.

Orange Bougainvillea: Cee’s Flower of the Day, October 15, 2015

IMG_6336Couldn’t resist another bougainvillea!

http://ceenphotography.com/2015/10/15/flower-of-the-day-october-15-2015-dahlia/

Plethora: Cee’s Compose Yourself Challenge, Week 3

Version 2 Version 3 Version 4 Version 5 IMG_5871 IMG_5872 Version 4 IMG_5874 IMG_5875 IMG_5876 IMG_5879 IMG_5880 IMG_5882                                                          Plethora

Cee says to take lots of shots and I won’t fight her on this..I’m a great believer in the fact that the more you take, the more likely you are to find one you like.  Sorta like chocolates! (Sorry, Forrest.) Believe it or not, I’ve weeded out my shots.  Some need cropping, but I’m leaving them to show the difference. I like the first one best, but I would  crop it to remove the computer power cord.

http://ceenphotography.com/2015/10/14/cees-compose-yourself-challenge-week-3-always-take-more-than-one-photo/

Spooked and Mysterious

DSC09478Your sea serpent made it to Mexico, Cee!
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http://abstractlucidity.com/2015/10/14/shannons-creative-photo-challenge-spookymysterious/#like-3299