Tag Archives: IMAGES OF LA MANZANILLA

Four Days in La Manzanilla

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Click on photos to enlarge and read captions.

What is this photo of a light plug doing here? The triangle in front of my house has about 8 of them sticking out of the cement in a high-traffic zone. At night each is covered up by the table of a restaurant that crops up magically at sundown, but during the day, people crossing the little plaza just have to avoid them–crossing at their own risk. It pays to pay attention when walking in Mexico. And always look down.
The painting in the La Manzanilla gallery, entitled “Infancia” is by Alvaro Chavarin. Love it.
Gallery Courtyard

Rick’s Painted Posy

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Rick and Christine have been painting over every door in the Puesta del Sol.  Here is a detail from one of my favorites: Flowers and Iguanas.  The central flower is probably about 8″ across.

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Here is the entire door and window surround:

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and a photo of the artist:

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For Cee’s FOTD

What Was So Funny?

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Our birding trip through the lagoons near La Manzanilla yielded more laughs than birds. For Rachel and Gloria, who had never made the trip before, the hour and a half long trip down the mangrove swamps yielded more surprises than I had counted on. Click on the below photos to read the story as well as the photos:

After initial problems stepping into the muck to get into the boat, all started out smoothly enough.
The channel was wide,
we saw a few birds, although not as many as usual.
Plenty of crocs were in evidence, but their swift emergences and disappearances didn’t afford much of a photo opportunity.
More birds
and more,
and a few more.
Due to extrememly high water levels, the banks were verdant
All was calm
and serene…..until
This rattling of usually serene mature ladies?
What knocked my shoes off
and caused this kingfisher to reel in shock?
What brought Gloria from her perch
and set Rachel to reeling with laughter?
Brought us all to the floor of the boat?
R.O.T.F. certainly had more of a personal meaning for us by the end of our tour.
Could it possibly have been due to a series of impossibly low mangrove limbs that because of the high water were only inches above the top edge of our boat? Yes, indeed, we went under at least four trees like this that extended completely across the channel, as well as a low-hanging footbridge. And then got to repeat the experience on the way back. For now, trips through the mangroves are definitely not for sissies. We earned our gin and tonics that night!!! (Look again, now. All of those low-lying trunks of trees pictured behind us were ones we’d just gone under!!!

Above

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jdb photos, 2018.  To enlarge all photos, click on any one.


Above

By putting so much beauty so far beyond our reach,
what truths of the universe might nature try to teach?
One story told by earth and sea, here within our clutch,
another told by what’s above, that only eyes can touch.

 

The prompt today is above.

Sunset, Feb 13, 2018

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I said I wouldn’t, but I did. More sunsets. Plus a capture of a pleasant blog setup after the dinner guests have gone.  Nice to have some quiet time out on the deck with Annie. She didn’t cotton to it unless she was on my lap. Her first time out of the house since we got here. It was housecleaning/ sheet and towel washing day, so the porch was completely covered with washing in front. I thought it was good planning to have a dinner party because the housecleaner would have just been here, but forgot that linens would be hung out to dry. Oh well. Gave us privacy.

Click on photos to enlarge.

La Manzanilla Sunset, Feb 11, 2018

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Beat this sky, if you can!!  One of the best of countless fabulous sunsets in La Manzanilla.
(Click on photos to enlarge.)

                                              Sunset Rating Society of La Manzanilla, Beach Bar Chapter.

Circling Closer: The Magnificent Frigate Bird

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When the pelicans stayed away for the past few weeks, the frigate birds were out in full force. Usually, it seems to me that these birds soar high above, swooping down only to steal other birds’ prizes, but two days ago, when the pelicans and fish came back as well, they appeared by the dozens, swooping down on the beach to claim bait left on the beach after the fishermen cleared their nets. It was an amazing display. Here are some of the hundreds of  photos that I took of them that capture their numbers and antics to a small degree. Please click on the first photo and then the right arrows to proceed through the enlarged photos and to read the captions that tell the story of their visit to civilization:

Circling Closer:

It was hard to capture the pure numbers of the frigate birds assembling.
They came in long curls and swirls and lines in the air far above.
Soaring
Circling
Swooping.
Solo acts,
Duets,
and beautiful wind-choreographed displays.
The ballets executed by these swooping and soaring birds was exquisite.
Then they flew lower,
Swooped up again
and came closer to the bait
Cronies from above deserted the veiled sun to join them.
You can see the fish dangling from the beak of this brave bird who nearly brushed me with his wings as he swooped in for his desayuno.
These ladies were as surprised as I was by the birds’ seeming nonchalance regarding our presence. The feed was all! The End

 

The Magnificent Frigate Bird

They polonaise up higher,
far above the rest.
Not once dipping to the land.
Do they ever nest?

I never see them fishing,
foraging or chewing.
As though their wings are made for art
but are not made for doing.

A gentle crease within their wings
looks folded and unfolded,
but keeps its shape no matter what,
as though it has been molded.

This rhyme is not so fragile
nor so graceful as these birds.
I guess such elegance as theirs
cannot be caught in words.

 

(I wrote this poem a few years ago and published it in a series of poems about La Manzanilla. It seemed appropriate to publish it again with these photos.)