(Almost) Winter!

Glimpses of the “extratropical cyclone” that swept through our region – with lots of wind and rain! – over the last three days...

Thankful I took pictures of the poinsettia trees when I did. They’re practically bare now... But still standing, thankfully!

June 17: “ciclón extratropical”

June 18: wind gusts up to 90km/h

June 19: satellite view of the “extratropical cyclone”

A great time to enjoy a colorful late-autumn vegetable stew!

Late Autumn Foliage!

It’s late autumn – almost winter now – in the southern hemisphere, and the fall foliage everywhere we turn is beautiful! I’ve tried to capture some glimpses while running errands...

JM and I agree that this autumn season has probably been the most beautiful we’ve experienced since we arrived in 2013. One key may be that leaves have stayed on trees longer this year; we haven’t had multiple wind storms like we’ve had in past years – not yet anyway! And the weather hasn’t turned too cold, too suddenly, this year. So we’ve been enjoying an abundance of color – and cool weather!

That said, the weather guy I follow (via fb) said that last night the city of Mercedes (in Soriano on the western side of the country) got temps down to freezing (-0.4°C) for the first time this season. And cold(er), stormy weather is supposed to be arriving soon...

The sweet gums continue to be favorites for our family. This year we’ve been enjoying the multiple shades of red on the one we pass on the way to the school gym where E has class.

And our poinsettias are in full bloom now.

It’s practically impossible to capture the amazing curtain of color lining the back wall of the yard! Thankfully, the three main poinsettia trees seem to be recovering nicely from the storm damage suffered three years ago.

The ones in front are (only!) cuttings I pushed into the ground when I trimmed the original center tree late last year.

But yellows (and browns) are more typical autumn colors for us here in Montevideo.

These are branches of two of many sycamores lining our avenue.

We ♥ Autumn!

Enjoying our pedestrian culture on a rainy, windy autumn day...

☔🍂🍃

#WeLoveMVD  #LittleJoys  #PlusPrimaryColors

“Singin’ in the Rain!”

Autumn Colors!

As the days grow gradually shorter and the weather turns steadily colder, we’re enjoying the added colors that Autumn is painting in Montevideo’s streets and yards.

Golden hues seem to be favorites this year!

Sycamore, Bird of Paradise, Poinsettia, Fresno

(clockwise from upper right)

Glowing on the tree outside our home office window,

one of many bright leaves now adorning our streets!

Back again...

When I asked DJ tonight how his first day back to school went (after the scheduled 10-day break), he answered (quite matter-of-factly):

“It was good to be actually back to school.”

Then he added: “Because of the work. And the cursive writing.”

Those who have been following our family’s educational journey (and its specific challenges) can appreciate how wonderful it was (and is!) to hear these words!

Waiting at the second bus stop of the morning

Reading The Chronicles of Narnia, perennial favorites!

Birthday Drive!

Minas has been a favorite destination for our birthday drives. And realizing as we drove by on our recent trip to Treinta y Tres that JM had never been to “Salus” (on the western outskirts of the city) clinched it as our choice for this year’s birthday outing.

Known as “Parque Salus” when I was growing up there in Minas, it was recently rebranded as “Reserva Salus” (allegedly due to changes in ownership as well as to the fact that the hotel and restaurant remain closed for the time being).

In spite of the changes (since Minas holds my favorite memories of childhood and adolescence), we enjoyed the outing.

And I treasure so many childhood memories in the city’s central plaza... Being there was especially nostalgic this year...

SO thankful!

“¡Bienvenido, Otoño!”

Recent travels took us through Canelones and Lavalleja to the city of Treinta y Tres in the department by the same name, on the eastern side of the country. The weather was perfect early autumn weather, and we thoroughly enjoyed the drive!

The new growth in the eucalyptus groves reminded us of “Christmas Tree Farms” in NC.

Cerro Verdún, an iconic landmark of Minas, Lavalleja

The occasion for the trip was a church service, honoring a recent graduate from the Bible Institute program there in Treinta y Tres.

The pampas grass in full bloom – in the light of the setting sun – put the crowning touch on the return trip!

“¡Bienvenido, Otoño!”

“Welcome, Autumn!”

These are some of the colors we enjoy in autumn here in Uruguay! Yellows and browns are the most common, but oranges, reds, and pinks sprinkled throughout also help to liven the landscape!

The bright pink of the Silk Floss Kapok continues to be a family favorite!

And we finally saw acorns here – in Parque Batlle y Ordóñez, commonly referred to simply as Parque Batlle, home to numerous species of trees and plants, native as well as non-native, and home of our Estadio Centenario, the original World Cup stadium!

We recently enjoyed a little family outing to the park.

Changing Seasons

A few moments from mid to late autumn and early winter...

“A Little Orange Outing!”

Candy from my childhood!

Sycamore Leaves & “Mini Moon”

Winter Weather?!

¿¡Cuántas estaciones!?

When our much-anticipated date to the Teatro Solís (hence the title and pictures) was cut short (initially due to work obligations and subsequently due to one of the worst migraines in years), my man watched over me with neck and foot massages and herbal teas while simultaneously taking care, more than ever, of our Little People and multi-faceted demands of the household here.

“Selfie at the Solís”

“Las Doce Estaciones” was the title of Tuesday’s concert, featuring works by Lamarque Pons, Vivaldi, and Piazzola on the last evening of autumn. (The pain and nausea forced us to leave before intermission...)

One night’s “sick headache” developed into a series of debilitating and discouraging migraines over the next two days but I’m thankful that – as we keep working on bettering our communication skills (well over “twelve seasons” in!) – my very best friend on earth takes careful, on-purpose care of me in all the “normal” ups and downs of daily life as well as in such details as buying ingredients and working to prepare “Chicken Noodle Soup” from scratch (when that’s the only food that sounds good while trying to recover from these latest migraines), going out to get tickets for the next major soccer game (before limited reduced prices ran out), and buying my preferred herbal toothpaste (two tubes!) just because I think the cheaper off-brand makes my gums sore right now. In so many ways, big and little, he inspires me to believe portions of the Scriptures I might otherwise doubt...

I ♥ you, JM! Thank-you for choosing to travel this journey called life with me!

We ♥ MVD!

Aunque crecí en el interior del país, también disfruto la vida en Montevideo.

Salida del sol, por una callecita capitalina... ♥

#MVD  #sunrise  #BeautyEveryDay

Acabo de enterarme que, mientras yo sacaba esta foto, mi sobrina también sacaba una – a la misma hora – pero en el Obelisco.

¡Me encanta que hayamos pensado igual!

Photo credit: Florencia ♥

Late Autumn!

We’re experiencing the first few days of truly cold weather for 2017.

I love the late autumn weather – and the beauty of fall leaves and flowers! The emblematic bright yellow leaves are almost gone now, but the last of the muted yellows and browns of the ubiquitous sycamores are still clinging to trees that line many of our avenues here in Montevideo.

Throughout the day, as we come and go, we enjoy the views from both extremes of the long hall that divides the downstairs of this house almost exactly in half.

Poinsettias & bougainvillea!

The poinsettias, greatly affected during last winter’s wind storms, are recovering nicely!

We’ve now harvested all but the last dozen or so from the guava tree in the back yard, bringing this year’s crop to over 400! I’ve quartered and then frozen most of the fruit (for use in smoothies throughout the year) but may also try canning some jam (like we did two years ago).

About three dozen comprised yesterday’s harvest!

“Mother’s Day!”

“Mother’s Day!” is one of mixed emotions for me, emotions that (among other things) make me thankful for the blessings that are mine today...

At school on Friday, I especially loved the smiles I got when E and DJ found me in the crowd!

DJ recited a poem from memory with his class – quite a bit more bravely than he did last year! E played the part of a little girl in her class skit and sang with the (newly-founded) school choir.

On Saturday evening E organized her own “Treasure Hunt” for me – with clues that led to further clues and finally to my gifts: a cuddly capybara (which I’d requested) and dark chocolate (which she’d purchased with her own pennies). DJ added a mint chocolate bar to complete the stash!

We tried to get some “good” pictures yesterday... And we ended up with snapshots of real life – which I love!

SO thankful for my family! ♥

DJ is in an especially mischievous stage right now; he loves to tease his favorite girl – in typical boy fashion!