In Celebration of Trees

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admiring trees, Mindo Ecuador, protecting trees, rio bravo reserve, tree quotes, trees

The other creatures with which we share this world have their rights too, but not speaking our language, they have no voice, no vote; it is our moral duty to take care of them. –  Roger Tory Peterson

Mindo Ecuador –    Sentinels of our communties, trees posses a strong power.   They plant their feet firmly and stretch their arms toward the heavens as if tickling the sky.  Horizontal branches provide support for a child’s  dreamy afternoon respite or a house cat or even a jaguar! In the Neotropics, trees provide a unique ecosytem, where bromeliads, orchids, vines and ferns provide food and shelter for insects, birds, reptiles, mammals, etc.    The dense shade cloaks the ground with welcome relief from extreme heat.  Ah, who hasn’t expressed gratitude when stepping beneath the canopy of a large tree on a sultry day?

The people in the tree had the best seats for the game!  The ones on the ground clustered beneath any shade! Jama Ecuador

One friend long ago mentioned ‘custom harvesting’ a tract of land, and he knew that it bothered me.    He explained, “But the trees are going to die anyway, so we might as well harvest them while the wood can be used. ”

I mentioned the dead trees’ importance and reminded him that dead trees were important habitat for the presumed-extinct Ivory-billed Woodpecker.  “Where will YOUR chidren take their children to see a really-big tree?”  

This past week while sorthing through old drawings and sketches, I paused when reviewing three or four pages of attempts to illustrate a quote.    Then Rebecca Budd /Clanmother shared a quote about trees, which nudged me into bringing that sketch to life.

Those lovely sentinels watch over us, yet many times we forget to acknowledge their presence or worth.

Join me in this celebration of trees!

A Sweet and Distracting Melody

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Mindo Ecuador –  Garbed in raincoat and mud boots this past Saturday around dark, I trekked past Mindo’s  Catholic Church on my way to the market.  Through the whoosh-whoosh sound of my rain gear and the drizzle hitting the roofs and sidewalk, a stronger much-sweeter sound brought me to a halt.  

Mindo’s Main Street

“Is that a violin?” I wondered, then followed the beckoning music until I stood in the doorway of the church.    The church was empty aside for one lone figure standing to the side near the front row.  In formal attire, perfect posture and with violin at his chin, he seemed like a mirage.  Or was he a life-sized poster?  No, that was a real person standing there, and his music was pure and sweet.

Captivated, I listened for a very short time, and decided that my presence was most likely an intrusion.  I bowed slightly and backed away, all the time wondering who was this person and why was he in this empty church?   I resumed my trek, bought my token items and returned for one more discreet glance before going home.

A second person was peering inside, and this younger woman and I exchanged mystified expressions.  Who was this person, and why was he there?

Eye to Eye = Soul to Soul

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4 minutes experiment, Eye to eye, eyes, Judging others, Kris Cunningham, Mindo Ecuador

(Another photo follows at the bottom of this page.)

Kris Cunningham, who lives in the Republic of Panama, shared a ‘4-Minutes Experiment’ video that greatly affected me.   Follow the link, open the video in the largest format possible, get still and very quiet, then select ‘play.’

CONNECTION – By Kris Cunningham

“Do not judge—or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?” Matthew 7:1-4.

Holy Week/Quito Ecuador – “Capes of a Different Color” – Acrylic

What surprised me were the negative comments on the video’s Youtube page.   I pondered my own story, one of being embraced by the people of various Latin American countries.   I did not have to prove my worth – they accepted me into their communities with amazing trust.  Thank goodness they have not judged me based on negative PR regarding the USA, whether it’s caused by a single tourist or the military or our administration.

Sometimes we fill our days with too much chatter, when the best way for two people to communicate is eye to eye — or soul to soul.

No Mistakes – Only Lessons

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“You will fail many times but in failing you’ll learn and in learning you’ll find your way. Remember, there are no mistakes in life but only lessons, and lessons will keep on repeating until learned.”  Paulo Coelho

I’ve been quiet, but that might mean that I’ve been busy!  Are you curious?!

Mindo Ecuador – The tragedy of last year’s earthquake has had an unusual effect on me;  my patience and tolerance, thanks to several challenging lessons, have strengthened.   A project-in-progress for the ‘Artist’s Nest’ has tested that statement!

Two local workers have been helping with a 3-day project that has stretched into eight.   If I sweep the sawdust and debris five times, there’s always a sixth, and most likely a seventh, though at the end of the day these two sweet workers clean the entire area well before leaving.

When I grab the broom to sweep the steps yet again, I find that I don’t sigh and say to myself, “Again…” or get frustrated at redundant tasks.  I think, “What those people who have no home would do to have this problem!”       In addition to lessons learned via my nephew Don, “While the Worlld Outside My Window Goes Insane”   , I think of those on the Pacific coast that lost so much, and I ‘Let it go’ instantly.

Whoosh!  Gone.  Not worth it.  That post (above) connects me back via the photo tribute to Don;   with 124 comments, it’s surely one of the most popular ones for inspiration.

And the lack of stress and frustration is genuine! There’s no psyching myself into trying to dump the stress; it’s never allowed residence or even a Timeout Corner as each day brings new surprises.

Measure twice – cut once. I watched as they measured, stated outloud the measurement, then the apprentice went outside to cut the section. He returned and —- “Whoops…”  he cut it at ’06’ instead of ’16.’  No problem – he learned an easy lesson! They lengthened it with a second section and wired the two together.

The workers are so kind and sweet, and Perejil (a nickname) does amazing work.  He’s very patient and goes to great details, so the work has taken longer than expected.   It’s worth the extra days, and in the story of my day, my week, my life, what is important is the quality of each day — and each day as been crammed with positive experiences.

Are you curious to see the project in progress?  Put on your hard hat, as there’s no hand rail, the main reason this project began!

…Delicate and Fleeting as a Life in the Universe…

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dragonfruit, Dragonfruit farm, fragrant plants, Mindo Ecuador, Nocturnal blooming plants, Pitahaya

Selenicereus megalanthus, better known as ‘Dragon Fruit’ – or ‘Pitahaya’ in Ecuador.

“And I think of the night-blooming cereus, a plant that looks like a leathery weed most of the year.

But for one night each summer its flower opens to reveal silky white petals, which encircle yellow lacelike threads,

and another whole flower like a tiny sea anemone within the outer flower.

By morning, the flower has shriveled. One night of the year, as delicate and fleeting as a life in the universe.” —Alan Lightman – The Accidental Universe: The World You Thought You Knew

Mindo Ecuador –  Dec. 01, 2016  (Rabbit-rabbit!)

Yesterday morning my friend Clemencia emailed to say, “We are having some flowering in the pitahaya, if you would like to come tonight… if you want to invite Cynthia, please do; she wanted to see the flowers too. It is not a big flowering, but the nights have been beautiful so even with a few it will be nice.”

Art? My Mother Didn’t Tell Me about Art…

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apartment ideas, ART, Mindo Ecuador

Detail/ Tres Manos Copyright Lisa Brunetti 2012

“Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.” – Mary Lou Cook

Once upon a time, long long ago, a precious four-year old burst into tears when the art teacher stepped into his classroom on the second week of school.   “Art?” little Sam whimpered, “My mother didn’t tell me about art….”   He cried and cried and eventually stopped — about the time class was over for the day.

Students loved inspecting my basket of art materials…

A week passed, and I again disrupted his normal routine, and he cried again.. Not so much, but my presence made him uncomfortable…  He cried during the first part of class, but then calmed.  I think by the third week he accepted this strange interuption and in another month, he embraced the concept of art and all of the surprises that the art teacher shared with his four-year old peers.   I often said that teaching those four-year olds was a bit like jugging one too many balls; their attention spans were short, so I tried to provide many options each week to hold their interests …

Four years later when that same cluster of students was drawing one of their classmates who sat in one lone chair in the middle of the room, I silently marveled, “Wow.. they are getting a likeness, not just an icon, and they probably should not have the skills to do this at this age – but no one has told them that they couldn’t… and Mrs. B believes in them – therefore they did it – and did it well!”

Timeout for Ballet?

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“Sometimes I need only to stand wherever I am to be blessed.” – Mary Oliver

A small poster in dramatic reds and blacks caught my attention last weekend; a stunning photo showcased a cluster of performers for the National Ballet, scheduled to perform on Tuesday September 6th. Taped to the door of the closed tourism office, the poster radiated a mystical allure. “Lazos de Tierra – Fiesta en el Mar” – A Free Event – Ballet Nacional de Ecuador.”
“Oh well,” I mused, “It would be nice to attend, though I don’t plan to go to Quito.”

Before resuming my errands, I decided to check the fine print for the location. Otavalo and Cuenca often have cultural events, and I was curious about what city would be hosting the performance.

Mindo! A ballet in petite Mindo?

I looked again to be sure I had read it correctly.

Yes, the National Ballet would be performing on Tuesday night! I enthusiastically passed the information to friends, and they seemed as surprised as I!

……. Fast forward to “Hora:  19:30 — Martes 6 de Septiembre”…..

Since my camera does not work well in low light, I wasn’t expecting to take many photos. Cynthia pointed out that the entire front row of chairs was basically empty, so we scampered forward and claimed a prime vantage point!!!

The curtain rose in almost total darkness, and the audience peered with collective expectations. As the lighting increased, the darkened forms of dancers began to rise from prone positions. I groped for my camera and managed to get a few blurred shots. The scene quickly morphed to full throttle, and as dramatic lighting showcased these talented dancers in stunning costumes, the camera performed quite well!

(A grayscale version of the top image is a bit easier to decipher…)

What follows is a pictorial summary of the event.

Ladies and gentlemen – please take your seats; the lights have dimmed!   Enjoy the show!

Short & Sweet – This is a Test!

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Drumming Circle Ecuador, Mindo Ecuador

Mindo Ecuador –

This is a test – only a test – to see if the video (below) makes you smile!   That’s my friend Cynthia in the center, and she participates in a drumming circle each Saturday night in Mindo.

Cynthia radiates happiness as she interacts with the locals, no matter if she’s on the coast or the highlands or in the cloudforest.   I think that the music is the icing on her happiness cake – what do you think?!

If it’s possible, leave Cynthia and her friends a note on YouTube – or share the link via your social-media options!

 

June Solstice – from the Equator

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Sunrise over the Ridge – Mindo (Rio Cinto) Ecuador

Have you done anything special for your Monday Solstice? Hop over and enjoy the morning with me at the A Little Blue Bird Told Me site! It’s been a great day, starting with sunshine and finishing with gentle rains.

SUNLIGHT & SHADOWS – JUNE SOLSTICE FROM THE EQUATOR

Thank you so much for such entertaining feedback on the Smiles, Mirror and Serendipidy posts… Your comments warm my heart, and hopefully soon you’re due a worthy reply! For now, I need to return before dark catches me on the muddy roads!

See you later this week!
Z

Black Solitaire (Bird) – Causes Quite a Buzzzzz

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bird sanctuary for sale ecuador, black solitaire, Entomodestes coracinus), Mindo Ecuador, Property for sale Mindo Ecuador

Black Solitaire- Entomodestes coracinus

Perhaps it was an omen, because six hours after the bird appeared, the earthquake turned our world upside down.  Aside from a flash of white on the side of its face, the black bird would have passed without catching my attention.

“What in the world was that?” I wondered, and as soon as the bird perched in the Bromeliad Tree straight in front of me, it soared away to a lower level on the property.  Club winged Manakins and half a dozen species of Tanagers kept me entertained from the nearby canopy until that flash of white caught my eye again. Catching it via a few poor faraway shots with the camera, I wondered what in the world bird that could be…

That evening I studied the reference books and thought, “Hmmmm. Black Solitaire… New bird for me.”