Bloomin' Bougainvillea

Moving to Mexico in October 2008 I was ecstatic about the gardening possibilities in a tropical zone. I love gardening, and especially love flowers. The entrance courtyard was perfect for a grouping of large terracotta pots that could hold a profusion of flowering plants. The ocean-side of the house had unlimited possibilities for a garden either in pots around the patio, or perhaps a few set into the beach area. We also have two upper decks that would look stunning with terracotta pots overflowing with brilliantly coloured flowers. I could hardly wait to get started.

Bougainvillea sprawling over Maria del Mar Hotel

The first plants that we bought were eight raspberry red Bougainvillea; that ever-present thorny vine that climbs and clamours over houses, hotels, restaurants, and fences everywhere in Mexico. Four vines went into the planter in the carport, and four more into a planter in the courtyard. I had thought to mix in a variety of colours, such as strawberry pink, flame orange and snow white, but decided to stick with one colour and build the colour palette with other types of flowering plants. The plants responded beautifully to their new home, quickly sending up four and five foot long shoots into the air, grasping for things to climb. And then the cooling winter winds started! Disaster!

Bird of paradise that lasted a few months

It turns out that the cool winds that enticed us to build our oceanfront casa on the windward side of Isla Mujeres are hell on gardens. Even though the temperature seldom drops below 20 degrees C (about 68 degrees F) tropical plants are a wussy lot, turning brown and dying back at the slighted dip in temperature, and especially when a cool salty wind blows across their leaves. Even the tough invasive plants such as the Moon Vine, a white-flowered, night blooming and very fast growing relative of the Morning Glory, turn black and wither into the ground waiting for the arrival of warmer weather in April or May. Sissies, they have no idea of what cold really is!


Our Flores de Mayo

But I was not to be deterred! I will overcome this minor setback. Out came the Bougainvillea, and in went a Flores de Mayo (Flowers of May otherwise known as a Plumeria). It did fine, offering a profusion of yellow-orange flowers, until the winds started. At that point every leaf on the plant dropped and we were left with a stark-naked plant to grace our carport entrance for the next six months. I have also tried Gardenias in pots along the outside wall of the courtyard with their heavenly scent perfuming the air, causing passersby to comment on the delightful smell. Died! They hated the winds in the winter, and hated the intense heat of the summers.

Then there was the month of Geraniums - cheerily displaying their blooms from various terracotta pots. Ditto the above results. At some point I even tried purple Chrysanthemums thinking them tough enough to at least survive the cool winters. Nope! The salty winds killed them as well.


My Favourite!  Orange Hibiscus with Red Centre

Finally - Hibiscus thrived on my upper street-side deck, tucked away from the winds. We have had months and months of delightful eight-inch vibrant orange blooms with a deep red centre. Stunning! Until August arrived - nearly killing the plants with the intense afternoon heat. Rats! We moved both pots out to the ocean-side of the house, playing a dangerous game of waiting until the heat abates on the west side, hoping to move them back before the breezes intensify on the east side of the house.

Our Ocean-side Patio

So what does thrive on an ocean-front lot? Coconut palms. We now have five pots of coconut palms on the patio. The upper deck has two recuperating Hibiscuses, and one presently healthy Rosemary plant. The courtyard currently has one palm, an assortment of citrus trees that I am experimenting with, a large pot of orange Canna Lilies, and another pot holding a yellow Hibiscus. So far so good. Not exactly the Gardens of Babylon but it's a place for small lizards, geckos, beach dogs, and cats to lounge.

It's still paradise for us, with or without the Bougainvillea.

Cheers from paradise. 

Isla Mujeres Mystery series 

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Pilates on a Moto

It's new!  It's easy!  And it's guaranteed to tighten up your core muscles (abdominal 6-pack, butt muscles, hamstrings, and calf muscles).  Be the first in your group to try Pilates on a Moto. Our exercise program is available for kids, dogs, men and women.

There are only two pieces of equipment required for this new and exciting exercise - a moto (either a scooter or motorbike will do) and a helmet.  Below are a few suggested exercises:

1.  I-Can-Carry-an 8-Foot-Extension-Ladder-on-my-Moto: Equipment required include the moto, helmet, and an extension ladder.  Hold the ladder with one arm, and get on the moto.  The balance and coordination required to start the moto, and move forward while holding the ladder will give your body a good all over workout.  Watch out for pedestrians and telephone poles while you are performing this exercise!

Exercise #1  I-Can-Carry-an-8-Foot-Extension-Ladder -on-my-Moto

2. My-Friend-and-I-Can-Carry-a-4-Foot-by-4-Foot-Mirror:  This exercise requires the participation of a second person.  The driver mounts the moto, holding it steady while the friend gets on behind holding a 4 x 4 mirror.  When the moto is moving the wind resistance on the mirror will provide a great workout for the rider, and increase his heart rate as he cannot see anything.  This exercise also works well with a 3-foot diameter plastic patio table, large boxes, or ventilation fans.  Use your imagination, try different items to get a full-body workout.

3. I-Can-Push-My-Friend's-Moto-to-the-Gas-Station:  It takes a lot of coordination and balance to perform this exercise correctly as one moto is stopped dead, out of fuel, and must be pushed slowly by the driver of the working moto -using only his right foot - to attain driving speed.  The person on the non-functioning moto will achieve some degree of exercise anticipating the movements of the driver who is pushing him.

Exercise #3  I-Can-Push-My-Friend's-Moto-to-the-Gas-Station

4. My-Dog-Can-Drive-the-Moto: This exercise will require the participation of your canine friend who must keep his or her front feet balanced, at all times, on the handlebars of the moto.  This is a very popular exercise amongst both the gringo and the local community. It gives your pet a complete body workout as well as providing a bit of humorous distraction for other drivers.

Other exercises in our exciting series include:

We-Can-Drag-the-Cement-Mixer-to-the-Next-Job-Site

I-Can-Pull-My-Friend's-Juice-Cart-Home

Let's-Carry-a-Step-Ladder-Sideways

Watch for our DVD's and with companion illustrated book appearing soon on Amazon.com or Sony Book Store!!!!

 Okay, enough with the silliness. 

                        _______________________________________________

Aging Pets:

A few weeks ago I asked my friend Dr. Delfino Guevara - our local veterinary - what happens when one of our cats or dogs dies?  I guess it was on my mind because we were going to be away for two weeks visiting friends in Canada, and I wanted my sister Joann to have the information - just in case. 

Delfino popped by our house with a booklet on pet cremation.  Wow!  I knew it was available in Canada and the USA, but never thought that it would be available here in Mexico.  Delfino said the cremation service employees in Cancun will come over to the island and retrieve the animal, and then return the ashes to the island. The prices were definitely better than Canada.  Depending on the size of the animal, (cat or dog) and whether or not I wanted the ashes returned to me, the prices were anywhere from around $50.00 to $175.00.  Good to know as we have one cat "Tommy" who is 12, a beach dog "Missy" who could be somewhere around 8 or 9 years old, and "Odd" the other beach dog who is probably about 6 years old, and crazy little "Chica" my Mexican kitty who is only about 3 years old. 

Isla Mujeres Mystery series 

available on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, Nook and more.

E-books and paperback!

                       

Lost our Marbles … over Sea Marbles

A marble?  A perfect black and cobalt-blue marble somehow had made its way to our beach. 

Huh! I asked Mr. Goggle and discovered that there appears to be a number of theories as to how marbles arrive on beaches.

First of all, there is the obvious reason - kids playing with them. However, we have not actually seen any kids on this island playing with marbles, and marbles in general seem to have lost out to other more sophisticated toys in the middle to later 60’s.

The second possible reason is that house painters have been known to toss a handful of marbles into a paint can to help stir the ingredients while they were working. Back in the “old days” it was acceptable to dispose of empty cans in the ocean, thereby allowing the ocean currents to work the marbles out of the remaining paint and eventually deposit them on the beach.

The third possible reason is the one that really fascinates me - they were used as ballast in ships’ holds. Cool! Maybe there is a sunken treasure ship just waiting to be discovered.

1983, Rusty Duck Antiques on Bowen Island BC

In one of our previous incarnations, when we were still working for a living, Lawrie and I owned an antique store on Bowen Island in British Columbia Canada. (My apologies, for using that four-letter word - work.) 

We have always been interested in things antique, or classic.  

Lawrie had an enormously varied collection of classic English and American cars, and a 1959 mahogany Continental Chris Craft speedboat. 

When we travel we enjoy researching our Irish, Scottish, French, and Canadian genealogies. 

Lawrie fixing my Overlander delivery truck

Before moving to Mexico we owned a collection of antique furniture, toys, and hand tools. When our friend and nearby neighbour, Marcy Watt, loaned me a book “Pure Sea Glass” by Richard LaMotte, I was hooked.  I started sorting through all the bits and pieces that I have collected from the beach along this side of the island and have found a few really interesting shapes, colours, and patterns. 



One large fragment had an embossed design. Unfortunately that photo is hiding somewhere in my vast collections of photographs. 

(I searched my photos again this morning and found the image! I still have no idea what the letters or design mean.) 

The marble that I found is in much too perfect a condition to have survived a number of decades, grinding its way from the deeper parts of the ocean, across the reef in front of our house, and onto the beach. 

Interesting book about sea glass

But the romance of a sunken ship somewhere in the deep waters east of our island ….well, that’s just too good to let go without a struggle.

Hasta Luego

Lynda, Lawrie & Sparky

~

Isla Mujeres Mystery series 

available on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, Nook and more.

E-books and paperback!