Flamingos

I thought about enhancing the color of these flamingos, but decided against it.  I think I read somewhere that it's what they eat that makes their color more pink.
 I guess in captivity they don't get alot of whatever that is. 

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These all seemed pretty light in color.

A trip to the Bronx Zoo

It's pouring rain here--They're predicting we'll get one month's worth of rain in 2 days!( I wrote this on Mon. & it's raining even harder on Tues.!) Nothing much going on, so I started looking through old photos ( not too old) and found ones from a trip to the Bronx Zoo a few years ago, so I thought I'd post some.
Lets start with the giraffes

They are so tall & skinny!

But they stretch their necks and eat from the trees!

I'm still not sure what I was doing wrong, but everything seems to be working ok now.  I've been playing around with some older photos.  This was taken on our trip to Alaska--love this one enhanced!

Having trouble with my blog--I uploaded a few photos but they aren't showing up, so I thought I'd shut down & start again.  So this is just a photo I took a few months ago & enhanced  with Picnik.  This bunch of turkeys were outside of our barn.  everything seems to be working again, but I still can't post the draft that I did......

Will have to spend a little more time trying to figure out what I did wrong.

Lost a Tree yesterday

Got up yesterday morning, looked outside & saw that a large tree had fallen during the night. The tree used to be about 70-80 ft. tall--a maple. Here you can see where it broke off & what's still upright! The trunk--lucky for us it fell in the woods and didn't damage anything else.

We have a friend who is coming over & cutting it all up for firewood. Right now the birds are having fun flying in & out of the branches.

Flowers, inside & out

Love this striped crocus--they are so striking in early spring--a bright spot in an otherwise dull landscape! Another variety of crocus

A closeup

An amarylllis that has started to bloom inside. We were given it about one month ago & it's just started to open. Nice candycane red & white stripes.

Saw this hydrangea at Aldis a few weeks ago & decided to purchase it--the colors are different than what you usually see. I like the contrasting mauve & green.

A Little Optimistic!

Driving through town today & saw this paddle boat in the water in one of the ponds. It's only 36 degrees today! Actually, I think it probably was left in the water last summer & the pond just thawed out & set it free!

Yikes! I think I've become a Country Bumpkin!

I went to Greater Hartford this morning to take a friend to the hospital for a routine test. She had to have someone take her & be around for awhile to make sure the drugs they gave her wore off. In the early afternoon I took her to her brother's house on the far side of Hartford & then drove home.
Of course, it was pouring rain all day, so the spray from all the tractor trailer trucks was brutal!
At the hospital I drove around the complex 3 times trying to find a parking space--after the 1st time, I dropped my friend off at the door & kept looking. After the 3rd time, I stopped in front of the building to go in & tell Jenny I couldn't find a spot--someone that worked there comes over & says" go park in the handicapped spot & just sign in at the desk."......
I hadn't planned on staying while she had the procedure( was going to run some errands), but thought I'd probably never find another spot so I stayed! They actually gave me a coupon worth $1.30 to use in the cafeteria!
When I moved to CT in the mid 70's I lived & worked in Greater Hartford for 10years or so until I got married & moved to the country......guess I'm finally more country than city!
I was never so happy to get back to our small town with no traffic lights.... we do have a rotary in the center of town and a few stop signs!

Curled Up!

It's gonna be that kind of day! But we should be happy it will only be rain....ahd enough snow for this year! Stay warm. Squeak , curled up by the woodstove

Yesterday I was out working in the yard & the birds were chirpping away! Thought I'd share a little of the welcome sounds of spring!


This video is a little shakey ---I was walking down the driveway--the closer I got to the end of the trees, the louder the birds!

Here, Kitty, Kitty!

A few photos of the cats I would see as I walked around Isla. This one was in a tree across the street from Hortensia's. On one of the cross streets , maybe Abosolo, early one morning.

This little beauty was behind the Police Station

Along with this cutie--they were jumping up & down and all around on the dumpster back there, and then would peek out...

The tortoise looking one was an adorable kitten !

And a tuxedo that lived right on the corner next to Cabanas del Prado. When we walked by, he would pounce out of the bushes & meow. We always miss our cats & dog when we're on Isla so we enjoy seeing these cuties on our daily walks.

Erin Go Bragh!

Happy St. Patrick's Day ! With a maternal grandfather named Peter Patrick Carney, I am definitely part Irish. He came to the US from Ireland by way of England in the 1880's and landed in Philadelphia --they then settled in Trenton, NJ. He passed away when I was 3 or 4 so I really didn't get to know him very well, but he had an interesting life.

A little open water...

Stopped by the nearby lake this morning --what a sparkling day! And I was happy to see small areas of open water!

Around the edges of the lake have started to thaw--we're supposed to have temps in the 50's & 60's this week, so it should melt quite a bit of the ice...Yay!!!

West Cornwall Covered Bridge

A very New England scene! Cornwall is the next town to us ( actually our road ends in Cornwall) and this beautiful covered bridge is in the West Cornwall section. The whole town probably has less 2000 residents & is divided into West Cornwall, Cornwall Bridge and plain old Cornwall!

Flowers on Isla

I love hibiscus and there are beautiful ones growing in the courtyard at Maria del Mar. I always make a point of walking around in the pool area & taking some photos.I also saw some pretty hibiscus along the road that bisects NaBalam--on the pool side of the street.

Not sure where I took the rest of these--I just like looking at them. It's pouring rain here & very windy--Good possibility we could lose our power later today--got the woodstove going!

Saw this also in the courtyard at MdM---growing off a palm tree--anybody tell me what it is?

Books, Books & more Books

We have full bookcases in every room in the house! These are floor to ceiling in the spare room...Photo albums from the past 20 years and books galore! Probably can spot a few Stephen Kng in the bookcase--maybe because his books are so thick!

And James Patterson in this one....... I went to the library this morning---I had requested a list of new books a week or so ago--5 will be ready to pick up tomorrow! I am buying very few new books now--one way to save a little money ( Actually just bought the latest from Erica Spindler, but that will be it for awhile). So I will have the new books from Jodi Picoult, James Patterson, Jackie Collins, Kristin Hannah and Michael Palmer--guess I'll be doing alot of reading in the next 2 weeks!

Finally!

I've been checking every day since the snow started to melt & finally today I saw some signs of spring! These snowdrops are the 1st flowers to come up in the yard..... There are small little spikes of croci coming up, too! We're supposed to get rain for a few days so maybe it will wash away the rest of the snow! Can't wait for more flowers!

I deleted the post I did yesterday because there was a spam comment that I couldn't get rid of! Hope it was an isolated incident--if not, I will have to initiate comment moderation.

Seso Loco's--Isla Mujeres

Love the new location! We found Seso Loco's in the 1st week it was open about 4 years ago. We enjoyed going there over the years and were sad to hear that he was closing the Hidalgo location and moving mid way down the island. "Seso" ( Jesus) chose a great new location; not too far from town & more convenient for many people. We ended up going out 3 times in the 2 weeks we were on the island!

"Seso"

The dining area--they also do a great take out and delivery business

The bar

Geraldo and Seso

One of the many varieties of pizza offered

Mayan Chicken--chicken with achiote, peppers & onions wrapped in foil & baked

Aztec Soup--yum!