Historically I've subscribed to more magazines that I can possibly read because, one, I tend to be a compulsive magazine reader, and two, I'm also cheap and loath to pass up a bargain even if it's for something I don't really need. So when I'm offered some ridiculously low subscription rate--some alleged "professional rate"--for even …
Author: Alfredo Lanier
My husband and I live on an off-the-grid ranch outside San Miguel, along with the challenging but dear company of four off-the-street dogs and three cats. My interests lie in politics, writing, photography and sundry forms of spirituality.
A fair to remember
Set against the crimson sunset, San Miguel's fairgrounds looked like a Shangri-la of striped circus tents, fluttering Mexican flags and hundreds of twinkling multicolored lights.As we drove up to the dusty parking lot the sights were not quite a mythical--ticket booths and guards frisking everyone as they entered--yet the excitement of going to an annual …
The biggest, baddest angel of all
September 29, the feast of St. Michael the Archangel is marked in bold letters in San Miguel's religious calendar. No surprise there: The town is named after that feisty angel.Except for celebrations surrounding Holy Week, it's the biggest event of the year among the faithful, and even among those who score only más o menos …
Living the American dream in Mexico
As deep as you may get into the heart of Mexico, hundreds of miles from the U.S. border, reminders of America follow you everywhere.Tee shirts trumpet American products and in some cases totally inappropriate American slang.You might see a very proper-acting middle-aged woman with "HOT MAMA!" emblazoned across her tee shirt. You wonder: Does she …
Las Pozas in the time of the butterflies
One of several spring-fed pools ("pozas") at Edward James's phantasmagorical jungle retreat. Hush and listen carefully. You may hear Edward James' snickering, giggling and even belly laughs coming from the myriad moldy crevices, rotting vegetation and crumbling concrete creations at his surrealist jungle retreat of Las Pozas. He started building it in 1945 and kept adding …
Design changes
The Google blogger machine presents you with infinite design and layout possibilities. Or if not quite that many, enough to leave you cross-eyed. Yesterday I spent a couple of hours picking a new set of elements that I think make this blog cleaner-looking and easier to read. I hope it works.Aside from changing the appearance …
Gobble-gobble on the range
On the way to town this morning Stew spotted a group of turkeys working their way diagonally through a field next to our ranch, pecking, pecking, pecking the ground for any trace of seed, worms, weeds or whatever turkey crave. At first we thought it might be a flock of wild turkeys, but then we …
A river of flowers
Rain has been scarce this year but that hasn't completely stopped the annual wildflower display around the ranch. Clever survivalists they are, wildflowers instead have concentrated their blooming and reproductive efforts along drainage ditches, the edges of ponds and puddles with some water still in them, and anywhere else the reduced amount of moisture has …
Changó in San Miguel
As I coursed through the menu, somewhere between the baba ganoush and the falafel, she caught my eye.Her gaze was tranquil but the huge sword on her left hand also reflected strength and determination. The crown on her head, the flowing white robes and a small crenelated tower to her right in turn suggested royalty …
The lure of memories
Though neither one of us is an antique-y, living-in-the-past type, Stew and I somehow have become archivists for both sides of our family. At this stage our collection of family artifacts, documents and photos, which has survived several moves and the death of all of our parents, is both impressive and a bit strange.Stew has …
El Rancho Santa Clara 