January 2017-Mourning, Celebrating, Hiking and Painting in the Desert.

It goes without saying that the inauguration of Donald Trump was a depressing, frightening and quiet day for us.  We got to laugh at the end of the night when we were invited to a Trump Pinata party out at Pilar Condos.  This was the invitation:

We welcome anxious, angry and/or ambivalent friends and friends of friends who would like to commemorate the anti-inauguration of Trump (Not our President)

with a sunset appetizer potluck and...

of course, the breaking of the Trump piñata. (All in lighthearted fun and informal) We will end the evening with the send off of Chinese lanterns and our hopes and blessings for the universe and a bonfire to purge Trump Piñata parts. 

5:30 pm at Condo Pilar - the sea wall in front of #128

Bring drinks and an appetizer to share. 

One of the ladies there gave me a safety pin to wear to let refugees, immigrants and the disenfranchised everywhere know that I would be someone they could approach to try to help them.  I wear it on my fleece vest which I have been wearing alot this winter.

Being that I couldn't be with my regular ladies group in Boulder for the Women's March in Denver following the inauguration of Trump, I met with 10 like-minded women at Diane's hacienda for a sharing of feelings, frustrations, and what we could do to support the causes we care about.  It was a lovely ritual and gave us a way to focus on our sisterhood in these very trying times.  Ariel led the group and read us this poem by Mary Oliver, my very favorite poet.  

We lost a dear friend, Karen Eakes in July this year.  Her husband, Jim and their two girls were in town to have a Celebration of Karen's Life at the San Carlos Yacht Club.  The three of them talked about Karen and presented a wonderful slide show of her life.  It felt good to be able to spend the day with others that loved and appreciated her.  This is a picture of Karen with Jim and their precious dog, Charlie, who now lives with Laura, one of the two daughters.

Laura and Jenny are absolutely wonderful women, talented, kind, funny
and just wonderful to their parents.

Cindy treated us all to a fabulous dinner at the Sunset Grill.

 The painting group continues to meet on Tuesday.  This day we drove out into the desert to meet up with Norma Nunez.  I stayed with her while the others returned to the Esterito.  I wanted to spend some time with Norma, a lovely woman, talented and fun.  She taught me alot this day about abstract acrylic painting.  Look at the colors she uses today!

This was the scene I painted.  

Rosie, Beth and Margene at the Esterito 

Norma and Judy

 And....as always, another beautiful sunset-the water actually turned lavender this night.  (too bad about the telephone lines!)

Bill is usually pretty darned funny, but you wouldn't know it from this
picture.  We went on an outing to the Dugout (spelled Dougout) in Guaymas.
Supposedly wonderful crab dishes are served here-not overly impressed.

 On Sunday we were going to go kayaking with our good friends, Bill and Cynthia.  It turned out that Cynthia fell and hurt (maybe broke) her thumb and couldn't manipulate a paddle, so we went hiking in Nacapule Canyon instead.  First we experienced the very well-thought of El Mar Sunday brunch.  It was very good and we had a delightful conversation.  Sadly for us, but nice for them, they have decided to sell their house here and move to southern California in a retirement community that sounds just perfect for them.

There were gazillions of scouts in the canyon today.
Alot of them tried practicing their English with us.

Cynthia and Jim and I rested while Bill
went ahead to check out the trail.

I love photographing the tiny things as well
as the incredible landscapes here.

Back at home, the Gila Woodpecker is scaring away the hummingbirds
and helping himself to the little amount of food in this feeder.

On the last day of the month, the painting group met at the Esterito cafe to paint.  Remind me never to try to paint a boat again.