The Ajijic Quilt Guild Heats Up La Casa Nov 2010

Networking!  It works.

Sheila met Betty.  Betty had quilts.  

Sheila said she knew some cold little old folks on the south shore

who could really use some quilts.

Betty said - Let's go!

Jim and Betty Parker of the Ajijic Quilt Guild

display the 8 quilts they brought and donated

to the patients at La Casa -

a quilt for each patient.

Each one of these beautiful quilts were made by

Kit and Bill Vincent of the AQG.

Thank you Kit and Bill, how generous of you.

This group of very energetic quilters have made quilts

for the kids at Shriners Hospital in Mexico City,

25 quilts for the Chapala orphanage The Hope House,

and 20 quilts for the kids at La Ola in Ixlahuacan.

And these are just the ones I know about!

Take a look at some of their work. . .

Ajijic Quilt Guild

Check out the quilters and their amazing quilts. 

And yet MORE amazing quilts. 

What do you think?  Pretty impressive, huh?

And if that wasn't enough,

Jim and Betty kept going back to their car

for yet more stuff.

This time, wonderful dolls donated by Arlene Warmoski!

Each patient got a doll.

Thank you Arlene, muy amable.

Think they liked them?

A besito!

Madre Mireya, beaming behind the mask.

Thank you, Sheila!

Think they stopped there?

Not a chance.

I just got this email from Betty:

"We took two more dolls out there today, plus 5 walker bags, another quilt, some staples and some homemade Christmas ornaments.  Made arrangements to go next Monday to paint and provide soup for comida.  I figure 4 hours max  11-2 there.  We can bring the ladder, t-square, paint brushes, roller, drop cloths, and soup, plastic soup bowls and spoons.

White paint  (small amt to do over the burns first) then if there is a nice blue or green (can be mixed with white if it is dark) will then give a border to the doors."

Anyone in the area who would like to come out and

help, meet everyone and visit, or bring things to go with what we're doing. . .

COME ON OUT! 

But please, don't come empty handed. 

Madre Mireya and Hermana Miriam scrape and stretch pesos

to feed, diaper, clothe, medicate, and shelter

every one of these very needy patients.

A bag of fruit, a couple of kilos of tortillas, tomatoes, a chicken, milk,

yogurt, tp, diapers (adult med), cleaning supplies,

well, you get the idea.

If you are not in our area and would like to donate to help the

nuns at La Casa,

just click on the Buy Now/PayPal button on the right side of this blog

and leave a note that you would

like your donation to go to La Casa.  

I will take the money over for you.

Looking forward to seeing you!

Monday, Dec 6, 2010

11 - 2

La Casa Sagrada Familia 

Rancho el Salitre
Carretera Mazamitla - 7 km from Jocotepec
Phone: 34 81 06 92 71

Jim and Betty Parker can often be found

at the Upscale Resale Bazaar in Riberas

or email them at:

casaparker@gmail.com

Happy Thanksgiving One and All! Nov 2010

¡Feliz Dia de Gracias!

Guatemalan artists association.

Things That Make You Go Hmmmmm. . . Nov 2010

 

Things That Make You Go YAYYYYYYY!!! Nov 2010

Back story:  Things That Make You Go Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr. . .

Things That Make You Go YAYYYYYYY!!!

Las Pescando Sillas (The Fishing Chairs)

are coming back! 
Good news for the people of Jocotepec!

The Presidente has commisioned the same artists

to recreate their sculptures, bigger and better,

in the same location on the malecón.

Artist apprentice, José, prepares the wire frame

and plaster that will hold the little tiles.

 Julio Martinez, famous for his Tlaquepaque

murals and sculptures, oversees the project.

Julio says he is second-in-command to

Camilo Ramirez who headed up the original project.

We're so happy they're back to do it again!

 

 The original plaque commemorating the original

sculptures

.

Dia de los Muertos Ajijic 2010 Nov 2010

Mexico's Day of the Dead

A Celebration of Life

Ajijic Style

Today Mexico celebrates the lives of friends

and family members who have passed from this earth.

By no stretch of the imagination is it a day of mourning,

or sadness.

Instead, it is clearly a celebration of life as 

they stream in to decorate the graves, share a meal,

and spend another night with their departed loved ones.

I'll leave Wikipedia to fill you in on the history

and details, in case you are not familiar with this tradition.

DAY OF THE DEAD

Instead, I'll provide a pictorial of the scene at the

Ajijic panteón (graveyard) as the hustle and bustle

began in preparation for the evenings festivities.

As soon as night falls, tables and chairs are set up, 

Mariachis tune up, grills fire up,

candles light up, and the super grand fiesta begins!

You have to experience it to believe it!

Witness a little of the joy. . .

Vendors begin to set up in the streets and at the entrances

to feed the hundreds of people

who will attend this 2010 Dia de los Muertos.

Riots of color in all directions!

And the graves!  Oh, the graves!

 Sometimes it looks like the families may have moved on

or become too elderly to participate.

Or perhaps, there just wasn't the pesos for it this year.

Note, however,  that it is spotless.

 Descanse en paz.