Bay of Concepcion/Coyote Bay

A LITTLE NEWS

  I finally got brave and had my hair cut. I'm very pleased with the results, but I will need a perm soon!

Our favorite brand of ice cream bar usually only found in Europe.

Many people have warned us of the dangers in Mexico. The only danger I have encountered has been boating. The scrapes on my leg were achieved by trying to get in the kayak in choppy surf in water with barnacle-covered rocks. As you can see---the rocks won. I omit all the photos of the bruises I get with every boating excursion!!!

Bob made wonderful strawberry crepes on Valentines!!

A LITTLE OF THIS AND THAT

(The above photo was 'borrowed' from Deb Morrow.)

Last week we had one heck of a thunderstorm which brought us 2 inches of rain in six hours! 

 As you can see, we again

Have Coyote Lagoon behind us. Unfortun-

Ately, it takes this ‘puddle’ weeks to evaporate and the ground does not drain well. With the new ‘arroyo’ going thru his campsite, Raven Gary built a dam across it. However, the water and wind will always win!!!

Bob keeping the water out of the palapa! You may note my strings of shells hanging there.

Mexicans appear to be very resourceful people, probably because they have to be. As you can see in these photos, anything can be used to warn of a hazard. (These photos were ‘borrowed’ from my friend, Jerri, and her blog.)

This is my granddaughter, Josie. She's not in Baja, but I just thought I'd include her picture!!

Our garlic/lime baskets

More Baskets!

Here are a few more pictures from our craft class that didn’t get included with the last blog.

A turtle gourd

I made these earrings!!!

BASKETWEAVING 101

Every Thursday afternoon, several of us from Coyote Beach go to a neighboring cove/beach called Posada for a crafting experience using natural materials.

We have fashioned beads and medallions using polymer clay; several kinds of baskets using sea grass, reeds and gourds. This week we will learn wire wrapping of shells, agates, etc.

I was very surprised one morning a couple of weeks ago to see a rather large ship approaching the north end of Coyote Beach and proceed to park (I know, it’s called anchoring!). It wasn’t cruise- ship large but large for our cove. Word is that it is a National Geographic ship that was touring about. It was only here that one day.

NEW YEAR!

We made it!!! A brand new year~~~I hope this proves to be a great year for everyone. I am told that I look pretty tan~~boating in the sun will do it every time.

On New Year’s eve morning, a bunch of us leaped into our zodiacs and motored out to the middle of the Bay of Conception looking for the top of a submerged hill referred to as a submerged rock. One of the boats had a GPS and the co-ordinates. When we arrived at said point, there was a fisherman anchored on the rock. Most of us (5 boats) did not see the submerged rock even though the fisherman finally left (we were probably scaring the fish away).

Bob and I then ‘buzzed’ over to some rocky shell beaches.

I pickup not only shells in good condition but broken and/or holey shells which I can string and then hang on our palapa. I put beads randomly between shells; it looks quite lovely!! Bob gets disgusted that I pick up so many broken shells. It’s been said that I go for tonnage (quantity instead of quality).

We had another potluck on New Year’s day attended by over 60 people followed by a pinata. Bob finally got in a good day of sailing!!! Our neighbor, bird Gary, took photos with his telephoto lens.

We have just come off of a two-day blow (very high winds in afternoon) so we went yesterday to a beach that gets lots of shells. Bob hit the jackpot with ‘bubbles’ and made a necklace out of the larger ones. Looks lovely, don’t you think?

The Christmas Experience

Today is Boxing day, the day after Christmas. We have endured gale-force winds for the past 4 days which caused a certain amount of

Problems for the next door Christmas display. We woke up Friday morning to discover that wind and high tide caused the star and tree display to topple over. By Friday evening it was up, anchored and lighted again; it survived that night and Christmas eve day.

Many pitched in on Christmas eve to help set out the luminaries and

Then get them all lit at dusk which was about 6 pm. At 6:30 we had

Fireworks to celebrate the birthday of the Christ Child. When we looked out at 10:30 pm the luminaries were still burning and the star and tree display was still standing. Christmas morning the star and tree were down again but were shining bright again by night!!

On Christmas day we had a potluck at 2 pm followed by a pinata

Filled with candy for the children on the beach. Afterward, I went

Along the beach looking for shells as the storm and high tides had

Thrown a lot up high on the beach.

We received sad news today on the beach as one of our favorite vendors had a 19-year-old nephew who was in a car accident last week died on Christmas day. There are many, many roadside memorials as the locals drive much too fast and often pass on curves.

HAPPY NEW YEAR everybody!!!!!!

Holiday Activities in Baja

Although weather and scenery do not suggest winter and the rapid approach of Christmas, we are preparing for said holiday. Bob suggested and designed a Christmas tree on the side of the palapa made from palm fronds and decorated with shells. I think it looks terrific and we have had many compliments on it More lights are going up all along our beach. Ron, the man next to us, puts up the tree and star. On New Year’s Eve, he adds the number of the new year at the top.

Potlucks are frequent here. One is planned for Tuesday, the 20th, (I don’t know of any particular holiday reason). We will also have one on Christmas day. On Christmas eve, our neighbor, Ron, lines the entire beach with luminaries. These are paper bags anchored inside with sand and a tea light. Of course, everyone helps out with setting this up and the lighting at sun down.Bob has suggested that everyone with Sirius radio tune to the holiday classics channel and

Blast it out the window. Should be very festive and we are all looking forward to it. On New Year’s eve we will set out luminaries again!!

I went to an art show recently at an artiste’s home in Mulege. I was quite taken by the shell and tile murals she had on her wall. I include a photo of one. If you can, zoom in as much as you can on the fish mosaic. I love how she has used shells and parts of shells.

You get used to seeing all kinds of watercraft downhere. But the morning I caught sight of this I first thought was a very large bird floating on the water. I understand that balance is the only issue with the paddleboard. I don’t think my balance is good enough these days to be able to stay on it.

Feliz Navidad to you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!