Fifth day at Instituto Cultural Oaxaca

Military Macaw — Rancho Primavera — Heaven for a bird

One of the many feeders at Primavera — A bird's paradise

Rooster and flock at Rancho Primavera

Week number one of my classes at ICU has whizzed by like lightning. After the first day's class I requested a third week instead of two and I'm ever so glad that I did. Mary Carmen is my "maistra" and she is both knowledgeable, fun, hard working and a really good instructor. I am able to walk in with a page full of questions which she patiently answers with examples and clears my mind of a few more of the endless blank spots regarding this beautiful language. She definitely believes in "tarea" — homework, and gives me plenty of it. What I am keenly aware of at this moment is how much I don't know and how much more there is to learn. I really wasn't aware of the rich complexities regarding habitual vs. unique, completed vs. ongoing along with all the obvious agreements of gender, number and mood. It's a mouthful. I don't really expect to ever know it all but it sure is fun trying to make a little headway each year.

Now that this weekend is beginning, I find myself thinking back about the amazing bird watching we experienced before my time in Oaxaca this year. Five bird filled days in Yelapa and then Art's two weeks at Rancho Primavera while I was in El Tuito at the tapestry retreat with Yael and Jean Pierre. I really had not known the pleasures of seeing and beginning to recognize so many birds in one little area. I'd love to go back with a few friends to the river at Yelapa for a few days and then up to Rancho Primavera with a guide to take us around the nearby area and then explore the outskirts as well. Pat and Bonnie are so welcoming to bird lovers and really make life staying at the ranch a pleasure. They know so much about the local birds themselves, prepare incredible meals and generally make it a fun place to be. We'll see what happens for next year.

Today is Skip's birthday. Hope it's as great for him on the other side as Pattie relates it to be.

Tomorrow is Valentines Day. Much love to all my dear ones.