Thursday, March 15, 2007

Home again, home again...

And suddenly it's spring at home! After warming my tootsies in sunny Mexico for a few weeks I came home to find that all the huge snow mounds had melted, my street was no longer a one-lane plowed track, and the tulips and daffodils were poking up. I swear I brought the warm weather home with me. Also lots of memories of Mexico. And a new life bird.

I'd stopped to admire this Royal Poinciana tree on the way to breakfast one morning. This is not something I ever see at home. I thought the flowers looked like tulips until I looked at it closely. The individual blossoms are actually orchid-shaped but they grow in large clusters. While I was taking it all in, this guy landed.

This is a Golden-Cheeked Woodpecker. Wow, what a bird! As soon as I spotted the red and yellow head I knew it was a life bird for me. And since I've misplaced my Mexican bird book somewhere I had to immediately head off to the American Book Store and look it up in their Mexican field guide. Such excitement. I treated myself to this great Pina Colada for breakfast.


And then I had the entree. I did gain six pounds while I was gone. I made sure to eat a lot of fish for dinner but I think that was probably offset by the lovely breakfasts like this, and perhaps the Pina Coladas.

Mostly, I hung out on the balcony and watched the ocean and the people on the beach, and read books. I brought nine along and had to scrounge a few more left behind by departing tourists.

I did get up occasionally and move around. On one of those occasions I visited a new botanical gardens which was started two years ago. Look at all those bouganvilleas. They make the lone plant that I winter over look pathetic. The hacienda below is the main building for the gardens. It not only houses an impressive collection of botanical books to peruse but also a restaurant and a gift shop (they didn't take credit cards which is probably a good thing for me). The owners live in half of the second floor. Nice set-up.

There's something about gauze curtains blowing in the breeze that speaks to me. Add flowers, birds, the ocean, and warm weather and I'm in tropical heaven.

So, back to reality. It's a good thing we now have an extra hour of daylight so now that I'm finally caught up at work, I can spend some time in my shattered garden in the evenings. Then catch up on all your blogs. And dream of lazy days in Mexico!



17 comments:

Melissa said...

WOW Where did you go! It's beautiful! I'd love to visit too, it just looks so stunning and relaxing!
Glad you had a great trip! It's spring for us too already have Daffodils blooming and the roses are starting to leaf out! Yeay!

Mary said...

Welcome back! Are you relaxed, tanned, and energized?

Sounds like a wonderful trip and I love that woodpecker!

I like the way you created a mood with your photos. Great job.

Charley "Apple" Grabowski said...

Looks like a great vacation! I love tropical vacations but have only gone to Mexico as part of a cruise. We're still awaiting spring here so I'll go look at your pictures again and dream.

Annie in Austin said...

Welcome back, Lost Roses - no wonder you like to go to Mexico once in awhile for some tropical luxury. The bird is spectacular so congratulations on adding to the life list [although I would have toasted with a ChiChi instead of a Pina Colada].

Whenever I see blowing curtains I think of the old Italian film The Leopard rather than tropical America... but I don't think too many people know that movie.

Your tulip & daffodil leaves are up so you got back in time for the spring show!

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

Anita said...

Welcome back home, I am glad to read that you had such a great time in sunny Mexico! Thanks a lot for shariny these photos - I am now longing for summer!

I am already looking forward to seeing the first photos of your spring garden now as all the snow has gone!

Happy gardening!

LostRoses said...

Melissa, I was in Puerto Vallarta. Used to be a little fishing village until Liz Taylor and Richard Burton showed up in the '60s while he filmed Night of the Iguana. Now there's 300,000 people and a lot fewer iguanas but I love it.

Your roses are starting to leaf out? Mine are trying!

Mary, that woodpecker was amazing, I was so thrilled! I'm sort of tan, and I was relaxed until I went back to work and played catch-up for a week! Thanks for your compliment on the "mood" photos!

Apple, tropical vacations are like being in a different world for me. And I guess that's the whole point, isn't it? Something very different for a short period. Did you go to Puerto Vallarta on your cruise?

Annie, a ChiChi? I had to look it up. Sounds like it's right up my alley, but with vodka instead of rum. I love those frou-frou drinks, they fit so well with the tropical location!

I'm going to have to watch The Leopard for your reference to the blowing curtains. I see our library has it.

As for the tulips and daffodils coming up, I find myself counting them every day. I now have two resident wild rabbits who appear to be grazing on anything green. My old dog died last spring and little did I know that he must have kept that type of wildlife at bay all those years!

LostRoses said...

Anita, I'm going to have to rake up a million or so pods from my Honey Locust tree before I can see much going on in my flower beds. They're covered with them! The snow did hide a lot of "unfinished work"!

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

I'm glad you're back and hope you had a marvelous time. Such lovely pictures! I've never been to Mexico- might have to put it on the list! That woodpecker is amazing! Kind of looks like he had too much coffee!!

Carol Michel said...

Welcome back. Sounds like a wonderful place and your pictures are "warming" to read, if that makes sense.

It is interesting how we have a few tropical plants inside, and then when you see the same plants actually growing in the tropics, it almost seems cruel to try to keep them as houseplants.

Carol at May Dreams Gardens

Gotta Garden said...

What a treat to find your blog and visit Mexico with you! It sounds divine! I want to go! Especially today when it is cold!

Congrats on the bird and the great picture! Somehow, he fits, doesn't he!

Welcome back...

Boxwood Cottage said...

Oh welcome back LR :D! I came here a few times while you've been away to see if you're back! I've missed you! Beautiful holiday pictures, lucky you, oh my looks like pure bliss! xox

LostRoses said...

Lynn, that woodpecker was amazing, I was very lucky to see it. I agree on the "hyper-look" he has!

Carol(May Dreams), good thing our tropical plants don't know what they're missing! Thanks for your kind words about my post.

Gotta Garden, glad you found my blog! I'll soon stop by and visit yours. The minute I stepped off the plane in Mexico I forgot all about cold weather, so I just had to share some "warm" photos!

Carol, how nice to hear from you! I'm still trying to catch up on all my blog-reading. I bet you have many more wonderful pics for me to ooh and ahh over!

Susan Gets Native said...

That is the weirdest woodpecker!!!

SO glad you had a nice relaxing time.
Jealous!!!

Diana LaMarre said...

Welcome home, Lost Roses!
Wow, what a beautiful place to vacation. That breakfast waffle and pina cola looks like a breakfast of champions to me.
So glad you had a great time.

Leann said...

Welcome back.glad to see you had a great time.its what we all need a time to just get away.
I plan on going some place for a few days and just freshing,and spending time with the Lord.

thank you so much for sharing with us.God bless.

MariaJ said...

Welcome back!!! Wow, I could watch that woodpecker pic the rest of the day...What colors! The nature is SO amazing....Thank you for these wonderful photos.

LostRoses said...

Susan, yes, one weird woodpecker! I'm always surprised when I see birds that look a child went crazy with the crayons. Nature does have a sense of humor!

Zoey, somehow I thought you might like that photo of the waffles, you are always cooking up something wonderful and making us drool over your pics!

Lean, thanks, it was lovely to get away. Seems like ancient history now though. Hope you get a chance for some "away" time.

Maria, thanks for stopping by! And I wish that woodpecker would fly off course (way off!) and come visit me here.