Tags
Ecuador, mindo, property for sale ecuador, Rio Cinto Ecuador, Timeout for Art, timeout for ecuador
Guess who flew in LAST NIGHT to help Zeebra?
Seeing Cotopaxi blowing off steam was quite sobering. (Photo taken from airport.
Standing at the arrivals gate, I held a sign that said, “Hummingbird.” – Many of you will know what this means! (The following photo was taken when she helped design the magic carpet; we had just finished painting the hummingbird for her home.)
(I forget how much taller I am than she is until I see a photo like this!)
Yes, my dear friend Barbara flew in from Panama last night and will be helping with various tasks in Mindo. I handed her a new pair of work gloves last night, and we’ll purchase the mandatory boots in Mindo! It will be fun to see what creative projects we tackle while she is here; for those interested, here’s a link to my friends’ property: A Little Bird Told Me
Speaking of gates, the all-seeing eye that watches over Casa Loca did not do the best job while I was in Mindo. My friends on the farm were trying to make the ‘bridge’ easier to use, but the workers forgot to clean up when finished!
An obstacle course blocks an easy entrance to the house!
In June, while recovering from chikungunya, I attempted to work on a study of an artifact in the Jama Museum. (See: Extended Sick Leave.) Last week, to reclaim my sense of calm after seeing the entrance to the house, I took timeouts for art and spent several hours each day at the Jama museum… This time the work went well!
Day One – Jama Coaque Figure – pencil
Day Two – Jama Coaque Figure – Pencil Study-
I also visited El Matal, and I join many others with concerns at the lack of progress with solutions to protect what little beach is left.
The waves continue to batter the coastline. (From June 2015)
In contrast, only a few kilometers away, there are calming scenes on the shrimp farms.
Near El Matal – Which is prettier – the flowers or the egrets?
Back to Mindo – There are so many stunning views at my friends’ property, and it’s a joy to be able to help them. (Hi Jim and Julie – all’s great here… – Julie, get well PRONTO!)
The sun peering over a ridge on the property.. ah, what a way to say, ‘Good Morning!’
Between tasks, I hope to take petite timeouts for art… like this study of a dried flower. (Below) Hopefully Barbara will participate in the same timeouts for art. She might, however, want to take timeouts for Barbara!
Acrylic study of dried Angels Trumpet blossom.
This beauty awaits its turn for a study! It deserves several days of attention.
Back to hummingbirds – Barb will be surrounded by a many petite hummingbird! I look forward to introducing her to her new cousins!
Barb is patiently awaiting for me to finish this post, and we’ll be shopping in Quito before heading for the cloud forest. The upper row of her laptop keyboard stopped working, so we’ll make a timeout to buy an external keyboard!
I’ve done this before as well, but that keyboard is a long way from Quito!
See you next week – we’ll surely have many stories to share!
(I am SO lucky to have more of the normal share of good friends. Thank you all, but thanks, dear Barb/Hummingbird, for being who you are!)
Z
Zeebra Designs & Destinations 
love the picture of the two of you with the hummingbird magic carpet
thank you gwen! i read nyour comment to barb here at the table as we had lunch! we’re having a great time and working hard as well.
thanks as always! lisa
Have fun with Barb. I look forward to what you come up with.
thanks; the time is flying by so fast, but we reflect at the end of each day regarding how much we’ve accomplished —- and how much we’ve laughed. there are lots of stories to share, though there’s a fine line in what to share and what to keep between us, just out of respect to photos that don’t flatter or do justice — we have one of barb that would work well for a ‘Tide Detergent’ commercial, as the product did get her clothes sparkling clean again! we are now on the coast and scrubbing casa loca and getting it happy again as well. a tour group will come through on friday, and then we’re going back to mindo then barb flies home to panama.
Glad Barb can be there with you but we miss her here!!! At least every Wednesday we see the large hummingbird painting which reminds us of her and of you!!! Have fun and can’t wait to hear about all the crazy adventures you two have!
hi judy!
i read your comment to barb as we had lunch. she’s being a great help and we’re laughing a lot but also working hard and making amazing progress. she talks so fondly of you! z
Enjoy… and loved your pencil study.. And I enjoyed all of your photo shares.. Take care.. Hugs Sue
thanks so much, and i miss you and your posts! will be oinline next weekend, most likelyh with much more online time!
I have been off line all week.. 🙂 We do what we can when we can, so please not to worry 🙂
My you do live an exciting life! Have fun with your good friend!
we are having a great time while working really hard each day… we work until reaching the day’s goal and sometimes keep working, but we also respect the need for a balance. the best ingredient is the laughter, and we laugh a lot. we switch ‘lucy and ethyl’ roles throughout the days!
I really do like the photo of the egrets and blue flowers. It’s just lovely. And just below the sketch of the dried leaf, what in the world is that interesting red plant? It’s amazing — I can’t wait to see what you do with it, eventually!
you’ve been busy and the posts are on my screen. hopefully they will keep/stay there until i get back to the property.
the red flower is a ‘torch’ ginger.. that particular flower is about five feet from the ground, and its foliage stretches high high high (giving shadows) and the tips are probably 12 or more feet high. i’ll need a really big canvas if i want to paint that with accuracy!
Woohoo! Hoorah for good friends and hummingbirds! Thrilled for you, amiga 🙂
amiga! how are you and where rare you.. we’re working hard on the mindo property but online about two hours a week. i am so far behind, and cuenca seems like it’s an entire planet’s distance from here!
Oh, enjoy your time together! Love the art.
My comments may be spotty for a few weeks. Road trip! Watch my blog (if you’ve the time and energy and electricity) for lotsa photos and a log of the trip. WOO!!
ha! road trips are wonderful! i’m online about two hours a week so am way behind, but it will be great to read your story!/stories..
Wow, that pencil study is amazing.
thank you; a pencil study is hard for me to photograph, so the subtle shading came out ‘harsh’… it’s an interesting artifact that is very similar to one in a museum in guayaquil.. only the one in guayaquil is about three feet tall. this one is petite – maybe six inches tall.
Have a great visit with your friend Barb! Thinking of you and love your perspective of the Jama Cuaque Figure.
thanks amiga, and glad you liked the post. barb anbd i ar4e having a quick interent session before returning to the property. we’re making amazing progress and are laughing a lot as well!
As always, we love seeing notice of your posts in our mailbox. Your photos and pictures are so beautiful, but your words relating life at its’ fullest inspire us and brighten our days. Have a great visit with your friend. We have to visit with you again soon. God Bless.
hi from jama! it’s great knowing that you’re ‘only several hours away by car – probably three by bus! that’s much closer than mindo, which takes 7 or 8 by bus!
barb is helping me scrub the very-neglected (abandoned?) casa loca, as i’ve not spent a night there since early july! today we’ll be working in the very thirsty garden and trying to repair the broken gate. next trip, the old gate will be replaced by a new design that i look forward to creating.. the old ‘eye’ will probably be transferred to a panel and framed!
i loved the cruzita bicycle post… there’s another that i keep trying to load and it keeps going to a white page.. it’s my connection and not your post, but hopefully i can coax it to life before we head to the house today.
love, lisa
Love you and miss you both!
you’re with us in spirit! miss you as well!
Your poor battered shores. As always I enjoy your art and photos. How fun for you having Barb come to visit. You two will create something amazing I am sure. Hugs to you chica and be well…. ^..^
yes, barb and i are back on the coast for a short trip, and the shores look really horrid.. mother ocean is not being too maternal right now, and el nino is brewing.. not good.
barb has been a huge help, and we’re squeezing the most out of each day. how are things in the foothills? i need to check your gps position and compare where you are to where the fires are located…
What a pleasure for you to have Barbs come for a visit. I know you will have so much fun together. I look forward to hearing of it all when you next surface in town.