Sonidos Serranos

Sonidos Serranos: Sounds of the Sierras...
Reflecting some of my family's interests: God's wonderful creation (especially mountains and hills!), music, and language...

Psalm 121:1-2 (NASB)

I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;
From where shall my help come?
My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.

27 June 2016

Welcome, Winter!

We’ve been experiencing colder than usual weather for a while, but winter arrived “officially” only one week ago. The winter solstice occurred at 19:35 on June 20 this year.

The sycamore trees that line many streets, including ours, are still hanging on to the last few of their leaves...

#BeautyEveryDay

Winter admittedly brings moments of discomfort; in general, however, we love living where we can enjoy the changes that four seasons afford. We welcome the winter season with a favorite among its typical scenes:


And we’ve already taken advantage (several times!) of a nice bed of coals, roasting chorizos & boniato zanahoria [“carrot sweet potatoes”] for suppers!

Quite unlike what has seemed to be the norm for the “double bloom” poinsettias in the back yard (reaching their peak in mid-June), they’re still working on blossoming fully this year. (Sadly, one of the three trees fell over from the roots during an extra heavy rain and wind storm in early autumn.)

They’re so beautiful...


These red gems are definitely a highlight of our winter season!

20 June 2016

“Día de la Bandera”

In Uruguay, mid-June means school programs.

“Flag Day” is celebrated on June 19, the birthdate of José Artigas, Uruguay’s greatest national hero and arguably the father of Uruguay’s independence.




This year, E was part of the group of students that formed the sun in Uruguay’s flag.

12 June 2016

Extended Family! ♥

We’re blessed to have some extended family close by...  

#SomosCelestes




10 June 2016

#ElEquipoQueNosUne

Duele perder. Duele más quedar eliminado. Pero duele aún más escuchar todos los insultos contra la selección y su cuerpo técnico. No puede ser que seamos tan olvidadizos o tan desleales o tan ingratos...

Es fácil dar opiniones estando sentados, mirando una pantalla. Pero hay que estar en los zapatos del que se metió a la cancha. Es muy larga la distancia del que juega al que lo mira...

Se trata de los hombres que, en conjunto e individualmente, nos han otorgado tantas alegrías en estos últimos años. Se trata del “Maestro” que les sigue inculcado valores que van mucho más allá del fútbol.

Photo: AUF

¡Fuerza, Celestes!

Hoy aprendemos y seguimos adelante, siempre con la esperanza de que lo mejor está por venir...

#UruguayNomá  #ElEquipoQueNosUne  #SomosCelestes

08 June 2016

“Excuse me! Your slip is showing!”

Seriously?! This type of (mis)information is being broadcast for all (including the educated world!) to see?! But it’s not on a handwritten cardboard sign; it was displayed on a high-dollar big screen in a multi-million-dollar, “world class” stadium in a nation that is recognized globally as a leader in logistics?! As an educator, I’m aghast! Where was the “research” done that is being publicly displayed?


Of course we have house numbers here in Uruguay – with exceptions on both extremes of the socioeconomic curve. Yes, it’s true that “vacation homes” in small coastal communities (incidentally, the ones that tourists love to visit!) are given names by their owners. And underdeveloped neighborhoods are works in progress, as would be expected anywhere...

And did those doing the “research” actually play through the alleged eleven stanzas of the national anthem – and time how long it takes to perform them all? (If you’re going to make a claim, do your homework first!) Was any of this information checked for accuracy? If so, please explain the gross error three days ago in the University of Phoenix Stadium when another nation’s anthem was played in place of Uruguay’s?


Could CONCACAF (the organizer of this Copa América Centenario) really have chosen to severely limit the “public relations” budget for this international tournament? Or is something more insidious going on? Are the recurring claims of corruption true in this event, too? Whatever the case, it’s sad that the USA, as the host country, is on the receiving end of most of the criticism and/or blame...

We live on a broken planet and, therefore, have to expect that “mistakes” will be made. But as Christians, as ambassadors for Christ, we have to choose to care about “details” that could build cross-cultural bridges – or, on the contrary, burn them! Ours must be a markedly different attitude.

During the World Cup in 2014, John Mark shared thoughts to that end:

...if I am unwilling—and a willing or unwilling attitude, I think, is key—unwilling to discipline myself to care about tennis, or cricket, or soccer; unwilling to listen when I have the right to speak; unwilling to learn which way is north (or south!); then I am exercising a right that may hinder me from being the global-minded, useful Christian that I otherwise might have been...

06 June 2016

Himno Nacional de Uruguay

Dani, con tres años y medio, se memorizó el Himno Nacional de Uruguay en junio del 2014, escuchándolo antes de cada partido celeste en ese mundial. Lo subo hoy en junio del 2016 para que el mundo entero (¡y especialmente CONCACAF, el organizador de la Copa América Centenario 2016!) sepa que nos importa más que nunca.

#SomosCelestes  #HimnoNacional ‪ #Copa100

03 June 2016

¡Copa América Centenario!

La Copa América Centenario comienza hoy en California, EEUU. Como familia, ¡ya estamos re-entusiasmados!

#Copa100 #ElEquipoQueNosUne #SomosCelestes

¡URUGUAY nomá!

01 June 2016

Family Photo Shoot Faves!

Besides the “sneak peak” pictures already posted, I’m challenging myself to choose my top twelve favorites from our family photo shoot in late April.

So, in chronological order, here are my faves:













Photo credits: FotoGonza