Glass Blowing in Tonala, Mexico

This craftsman is putting the finishing touches on a wine glass.

I thought this man was creating a beautiful vase...but no...

...he morphed it into a lovely large bowl!

Visiting a glass blowing factory in Tonala, Mexico was great fun. The craftsmen were friendly and let us meander anywhere we wanted to go. They work in pairs. One does the molding and the other adds more molten glass when and where it is needed.

It was such a surprise to see what I thought was a vase suddenly become a hugh bowl!!!

After touring the factory we went to the showroom for some shopping. The cost of these hand made items was quite low. A lovely wine glass cost about $3.00 US.

Click on photos to enlarge.

Sanibel Island...A Shell Seekers Dream

There is never a shortage of shells on Sanibel Island. This photo was taken at Blind Pass Beach.

The Sanibel Lighthouse

Sanibel Island is known as one of the worlds best beaches for shelling. There is always an abundance of shells to sort through on any given day. If you just like beautiful shells, often times small but whole, then you are guaranteed a fun day at the beach! Some of the more rare shells are often found after a storm has moved through the area. It is always fun to meet fellow shell seekers, many from foreign countries, all out for a fun day of sun, sand, and shells. Ah...life is good!

My foster pup and friend Peggy

This is my friend Peggy. We met when I rented an apartment next to hers. Peggy has lived in Ajijic for close to twenty years now. She was a joy to spend time with. She showed me where she shops for food and household things and pointed out the brands she likes. I don't speak Spanish so her help was grately appreciated. I look forward to seeing her again.

I was foster mom to this little girl on a trip to Ajijic three years ago. She was the sweetest little pup. She had been attacked by a larger dog and the vet operated on her and saved her life. She was about six months old at the time. I had her for a few weeks and found her a permanent mom before I returned to Florida. I missed her so much when I got home that I went out and got another puppy to be my BFF. When I return to Mexico I plan to get involved with kids and animals. What a great way to spend some time.

Mexico in 2010

The Lake Chapala Society is a favorite haunt for many local expats and tourists as well. Great place for visiting with friends over coffee or finding a peaceful nook for reading or meditating.


Hard to resist the fun of going to the Wednesday tiangus, aka the street market.


The Secret Garden is a favorite of mine. Delicious food and friendly staff.



One of many cute boutiques in the village.

New year...new decade and I have an urge to return to Mexico, the village of Ajijic in particular. I have not been there since 2007 and hope this will be the year when I finally get there and connect with the friends I made on previous trips. I miss the people...the mountains...the lake...the wonderful restaurants...the laid back atmosphere...the simple life.

These are a few of my favorite photos from past trips. I will add more Mexico posts soon. Enjoy!

2009 Fort Myers Beach Sand Sculpting Competition

Winter is coming is the theme of this sculpture. Click on any photo to see more detail.
Phoenix Rising! Very well done!
This sculptor went whimsical with her fish on a water slide. Cute!
I remember this style telephone from "the old days". The head set has a talking mouth on one end and a listening ear on the other end! Whew...phones sure have come a long way since those days.

This is the front view of "Lose Yourself". Beautifully done!!!
This is the back view of "Lose Yourself".
The above photo shows part of a hugh sculpture showing the names of sponsors of the event. All the sculptors work together on this project.


The above photos were taken at the 23rd annual Sand Sculpting Competition held at Fort Myers Beach, Florida the first weekend in November. The weather was beautiful with blue skies and lots of sunshine. Tropical storm Ida was churning in the Gulf of Mexico so it was more windy then past years. The sculptors used more Elmer's Glue then they usually do. No joke...they mix glue and water with the sand to give stability to their work. It is always a fun event!!!

No More Waiting

I am back home after spending all of October in Georgia. My son and daughter-in-law went to Taiwan to bring baby Ellie home from the orphanage. I took care of their two dogs and cat while they were away. Ellie just turned 9 months old a few days ago. She is such a sweet good natured baby and very laid back and easy going. We all adore her and look forward to a joyful holiday season with the newest member of the family.

Music and Ajijic

I received an email from a friend in Ajijic, Mexico this morning. I added the URL to my favorite web sites on the right side of this page. If you click on it you will be able to watch a video that was filmed in Ajijic. The web site has lots of information about the Tall Boys Band and the song "Somewhere In Mexico" has a lot of truth in it! I hope you will enjoy the sights and the music as much as I did. Any one care to comment?