El Camino Real y La Lucuna

I love to read. Most of my pleasure reading is centered around Mexico. This weekend I checked out 2 books from the library. This top one, The Royal Road is a beautiful picture and text book about the road between Mexico City as far North to Santa Fe. Very interesting and I learned a great deal. The photos are wonderful and the history is more exciting than fiction.

WARNING! Shameless photo of Gordy in the background being cute. He spends most of his leisure time on his back watching me read, cook and Blog.

The other book I read was The Lucuna, a Novel by Barbara Kingsolver. Interesting writing style and one of those books that contain fiction and fact. I call them Faction. " takes us on an epic journey from Mexico City of Artist Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo to the America of Pearl Harbor, FDR and J. Edgar Hoover, The Lacuna is a poignant story of a man pulled between 2 nations as they invent their modern identities." I loved this book and devoured it in 3 days.

This guy was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Gordy pouted the rest of the day when he had to go inside while his catch made his escape.

The above books are excellent reads. Now I await notification from the Library that my other choices are ready to be picked up. Until then I surf the web gleaning what ever I can about the country of Mexico.

Tis the Season...

for baby quail that is.

This little guy was found by Gordy our cat on the patio late yesterday afternoon.

Gordy did not harm him, he was just watching and trying to smell him, but I understand at this age, they have no scent. Cats wont eat what they cannot smell. Good thing for this baby.

I put him in a box and went looking for the parents. We had the same thing happen last year and we were able to reunite the family.

2 hours passed without the parents making an appearance. Although this baby PEEP PEEPED like crazy, there was no answer.

We ended up taking him to the Quail Rescue lady just 5 miles west of us.

She said that "Pip Squeak" was less than 24 hours long and she put him in one of her many incubators.

There were hundreds of baby quail and many other birds there as well.

Peacocks, Killdeer, Love Birds, Dove and even a Conure. Amazing that she runs this place all on her own and as a volunteer.

Lots of babies get separated from their folks right now. She raises them until they are able to go it on their own and then releases them.

She does a a few adults that are pets now and she takes them to schools and programs.

When we arrived, there were 2 other babies being dropped off as well.

I thought Gordy found another one this morning, but rather he had found a HUGE lizard that I wanted to survive, so I snatched the cat up and he is pouting inside now.

My Mexican Grill

Well Dang, it's been a while.

I wish I could say that I have been soooo busy that I have not had anytime to write. Actually I just have not a lot to say.

Although I have been to Mexico and I have lots of those photos and memories, I have yet to organize an original thought how to Blog about it.

I could also write about the new Senate Bill 1070 here in Arizona and suspect that I would get lots of feedback.

You can read it here
http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/49leg/2r/bills/sb1070s.pdf

I have read the law. I support the law. Nuf said.

Anyway, while in Nayarit last month, I was fortunate to spend a few days in remote locations that had me grilling on rustic stone and brick charcoal grills. I fell in love.

So being the most wonderful husband in the world, my husband offered to build me one.

When we moved onto this acre property in Scottsdale Arizona, it had lots of brick and rock around, so we gathered up some and made the below grill.

I tested it tonight by grilling a bacon wrapped fillet Mignon. The natural oak charcoal heats up quick, cooks evenly and has a nice earthy flavor.

I have not forgotten that I need to continue my story on how we first purchased ocean front property in Mexico back in the 90's and came to the hard decision to sell it. It's a heart breaker and will take some noodling for me to put together.

I the mean time, I am happy with my little piece of Mexico in my backyard.