Of Beach Birds and Birthdays

He's got us in his rear view!

This season we see a tremendous increase in small bait fish along the shore of the beach.  We also see more fish arrive to feed on the small bait fish along the shore.  And then...the birds arrive!  No, actually it is more like, ARRIVE!  For a solid week we see not five pelicans doing "fly bys"....and spectacular dives, but more like 500 pelicans!  Oh, and then the blue footed boobies must hear of the buffet along the shores of Playa el Coyote as they join the party.  The herreman gulls and yellow footed gulls are not to be left out as they dog the pelicans with every dive to try and steal fish as the pelican puts it's bill into the air to swallow and sometimes a wee fish slides out...not to safety, but, to be gulped down by the gulls standing by.

Carefully ready to put bill "UP"...and swallow!

Can you say: FRENZY?

If you're wondering....does she really mean 500 birds at one time?  YES!  (remember I have those survey counting skills from my naturalist work)  But maybe there were 499.

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Jeepers!

Bird watching this week is not a quiet meditative affair.  It's a continual party with lots of party noise...right up until dark.  Then everyone must go to a home rock to sleep away the night and return with the dawn.

Another birthday or two occur this last week of January.  Glenna goes out for her morning birthday swim before the birds arrive, but look who suddenly appears to squeak out a few bars of that famous song?

Glenna out for her morning swim....

Dolphin

The dolphins are making a morning sweep of the bay, but today they come right up next to the beach and a speechless Glenna!

Birthday surprise!

Now that's the way to start a birthday!  We also figure out how to share some birthday wishes from the human community.  Remember...there's that crown!  Oh, and the 2015 jewels to pass around!

Birthday Queen Glenna

Appys

Palapa Steve and Bob

Norm and Jerri

No time to waste...as since it's Monday...that means it must be movie night.  We are all off to Estrella del Mar for another Oscar nominee movie.  Life is tough.

When the Kids Smile

Have you ever noticed when kids smile, you just have to smile back?  It's true.  And the smiles that grace the faces of the kids at Casa Hugar are no exception!

Welcome to Casa Hugar's Celebration!

 This home for kids in Mulege is special indeed.  Casa Hogar is a place where kids are cared for and live, either during the school week or in some cases, the entire week.  Our beach community has embraced this incredible "mission" to help kids who need support by helping to fix up the living quarters and raising money for food and care.  Before Christmas we had a beach fun day for the kids and there will be another one on Feburary 7th.  (more details about the work done at www.poodleinapod.blogspot.com)

This day in January was a celebration of one year of operation for the facility and we are invited to come for a full Mexican meal provided by many kitchens in Mulege, a raffle and silent auction.  This turns into a great fundraiser!

Tissue paper flowers are part of the drawing

Laura thanks everyone for their support

Over 100 people from both the gringo community and the local community come together to celebrate. We are happy to buy tickets for the event.  The woman in the center is the house mother who takes care of 13 children!  Oh, and she has a tortilla chip making business too!  And she's a teacher...of course.

To learn more about this important endeavor check out the Facebook Page that one of our beach friends created.

   Facebook and type in:  Casa Hogar en Mulegé    

A blog page has also been set up by friend Ramie.  Check it out! 

  www.friendsofcasahogar.blogspot.com

You might also like to take a look at Ramie's blog
  www.poodleinapod.blogspot.com

There are fabulous pictures of the kids and a great explanantion of how this winter has turned into a special one due to the ability to help others and make a difference in the lives of children.

MORE SMILES!

Off to Loreto!

Parque Marina Loreto

Today we are off to Loreto for a shop till you drop day.  It's windy on the beach, so why not a little trip to town?  It's an hour and a half drive down Mex #1, and one "check point charlie" by the Federales to get there.  We arrive about 11:30 and head for the marina for a little dog walk before we find lunch on the square.

Over the past seven years, as we visit Loreto, we notice improvements to the town and waterfront, probably aimed at the cruise ship business.  This year we notice the immense bronze sealions out at the end of the marina.

Gulp!!!

The marina consists of a new loading / unloading dock for cruise ship shore tenders and then about 50 pongas tied up all along the edges of the area protected by a sea wall.  Seven or eight huge sea lion sculptures grace the entrance.

Capitan Peter Pelicano at your servi

All is quiet in the marina today and on the streets...and the square...and the shops.  No doubt about it, Loreto needs more than one cruise ship a month for Dec. - March!

Tourist street of shops leading to marina

We find one restaurant open on the square and a wonderful meal of guacamole, chips (totopos) and a chicken enchilada.  Yum!  And sitting outside, the perros could sit with us...under the table.

No words needed!

We take a tour of the shopping street, finding shop owners tucked away in the back of the stores somewhere as there are no, as in NO, customers.  And we really have enough blankets....

Pottery....and more pottery...and more...

Sombreros??

Then it's off to the "health food store"....which always impresses me as more of a "feed store" and the smells take me back to the horse days long ago.  But, never the less, this store has the BEST granola ever and we buy 2 kilos!

Lots of choices....many many grains and beans and....???

Candy sprinkles for your baked goods.....

Spicy peppers anyone?

We can't go to Loreto without a trip into the new Super Ley Store....a larger type grocery store that appeared last year.  There is any kind of sugared cereal you would want, or sugared pop...and...yes...

Chicken FEET!!!!

If you have no use for the feet of the chicken...(all these for about $4.50 U.S.)....well then, maybe a....

Pig's HEAD...???

None of this is on my menu....nor do I have any (ANY) idea how to prepare it, although something rings a bell in my teacher head about a children's book called "Chicken Feet for Lunch" or chicken soup...but using the feet?  Ok, educator friends...you remember this book.....

Happy about our granola purchase, and with daylight driving time closing down, get back on the highway and head home to the beach.

Baja Birthday.. #68?? Where Does the Time GO?

Just to be clear....Coyote Beach, Baja California Sur...is a pretty perfect place for a 68th birthday!

View of Playa el Coyote from Mex #1 

The morning starts out with the birthday crown(s) and jewels!

Oh my...exactly where DOES the time go?  I find myself wondering about this sometimes.  Today the time goes to what beach birthdays go to...that would be, paddle boarding, photography, reading, walking, a fabulous lunch and a wonderful happy hour...all wearing the birthday crown(s) and jewels!

My paddle board present from Steve!

Fashion-ista!

The water is perfectly flat this morning, so perfect for a paddle up and down the beach.  Hard to beat the design on this board by CREED.  We picked the board up in San Diego before crossing the border, so I have the luxury of an extra month of use before the actual birth-day!

A little photography opportunity comes along with a Little Blue heron who stops by to tap his toes to the birthday song....the same song the dolphins squeak as they cruise through the bay today.

Little Blue

Common dolphins cruise Coyote Bay

Good advice 

It's always great to have some designated reading time, so I enjoy more chapters of King of the Moon, a novel about a Baja fishing village and family.  Great book!!

How about fresh caught shrimp from a vendor, cooked by mi chef, Steve...and hand made tortillas?!

Perfect!

The afternoon winds down with a little impromptu happy hour around our small propane campfire.

Happy appys....

The piece of cheese cake that feeds all of us!!

Campfire propano

Glenna tries on a new shirt....Hawaiian that is!

Pedro and Janet pass the cake around....a second time!

Birthday crown on birthday Queen

A wonderful way to begin year #68....still wondering where the time goes?

Double Trouble coming up in 2015!

Go Dog Go...Go Girl Go...Go, Go into 2015!

People Come, People Go...

What's new on Coyote Beach this week?  People come and people go.  The French family is here for 10 days or so, with three darling kids, but are now headed north on their way to Florida and then Montreal and then Paris.  However, first to celebrate the oldest daughter's birthday on the beach.  Since they are nomads this year of travel, mom borrowed used a RV oven, baked a cake, cut it into tiny pieces, and they travel the beach, stopping at each campsite with birthday cake.  Of course the 7 year old also raked in a few presents from generous campers all missing their grandchildren at home!  Her mother had told her in advance, since her sister's birthday was celebrated at a remote camp spot, (high in the mountains) she had to share all her gifts with her!  I'm betting the pink poodle purse is a hard time share.  We broke out the ukes for a rousing Happy Birthday song....but fail at the French!

Saying goodbye

Ohhhh, love at first sight!

Elan....quite the young man!

Hip, Hap, Hop, Happy Birthday!

Yum!

Our Sundays begin with breakfast "out" at Bertha's Cafe on the beach.  65 pesos ($5.00) gets you a nice meal and starts the day.  This Sunday we continued on with a great music jam on the beach, ukulele players and three guitars today.

Hot cakes and eggs.....Americano

Senor Steve

Lots of folks today

This year we bring a few ukes to try and pass on the magic of uke to others....and we sell two of the three... the other is being played by another new convert!  Yikes!

Ukulele Dave

This week the farmer from the orange grove up the valley came out to the beach.  We buy all these oranges and tangerines for about $2.00.

Orange farmer from the valley nearby

2 1/2 kilos

And of course, our rug vendor, Manuel, returns with more pillow encasements.  Ok, so I mentioned last week,

I'd probably buy "just one more."  What colors!  What choices!  Let me know if anyone wants me to bring one home for them!

Mi casa is really looking "Mexican"

There are some nice flat water mornings for the paddle board and Steve gets a chance to try out the Go Pro mount on his board.

Perfect fit

Now for the subjects to appear....

So that's how the week goes...oh, and John and Deb arrived too.  People come, people go...the boats and boards go in and out, the vendors come and leave with less, the days pass by with morn and eve....wind and wave, flat and quiet, sun and cloud....Baja.