Our brief flirtation with electric cars During our frequent trips to Queretaro we've noticed an increased number of Chinese car dealerships, many offering electric models. Forget the familiar Chevy, Ford and Toyota names and tune your ear to exotic brands that sound like a dim sum buffet: Geely, Jac, BYD, Omoda, Danfeng, Saic, Baoyun and …
Mexico City's celebrations are among the largest in the world and also the liveliest and most fun The Stonewall Riots in New York, triggered by one police raid too many to extort and harass the customers of that gay bar, took place on June 28, 1969, a date that by now is marked in most …
Climate change? Heat dome? Or too much whining? For the past three or four weeks we've been hit with temperatures routinely in the 90s that on a few days almost reached triple digits. May is supposed to be our hottest month, but that has meant highs in the 80s, with only a few days in …
Blooms that bring cheer when we most need it A few days ago while brushing my teeth I noticed that an otherwise unremarkable-looking potted cactus the size of large grapefruit that had sat on the counter for months, perhaps years, had sprouted a beautiful bright-yellow flower on top. This fellow goes by the name of …
How i went from 'getting old' to 'being old' Lifestyle preachers may talk about "70 being the new 50" by profiling some 85-year-old guy who swims a mile a day in Lake Michigan in the middle of January. Such inspirational epistles never impressed us though. Less so after my husband Stew underwent serious spinal surgery …
What we've learned from the dogs that visit us daily When we bought the land for the ranch about 15 years ago, even before we began construction nine months later, a motley welcome wagon of "campo dogs" began coming to visit and indeed never left. Their numbers varied and sure, at first this bony, flea-bitten …
Deep in the Ozarks a most beautiful AND INSPIRING chapel During our travels Stew and I visit local places of worship of any religious persuasion, a quirky habit that has taken us from tiny, remote country chapels in Iceland to landmark churches that mark the center of some cities. Religious edifices can be imposing, as …
While in San Antonio, a side trip to Wåhdeføkken land IKEA's San Antonio store is hard to miss. A hulking box-like structure, with about twice the floor space of the average Walmart Super Center, rises slightly over its surroundings and is painted the bright yellow-and-blue colors of the Swedish flag, which flies alongside the U.S. …
This Halloween the news was particularly unnerving I always thought of myself as an optimist, at times perhaps a delusion-ist. For sure, I've suffered bouts of the blues but usually sprung back quite readily, convinced that most problems can be solved if broken down into smaller, more chewable bites. But this Halloween, and the following …
A welcome addition to San Miguel's bustling musical scene While some travelers favor shopping, museums or natural wonders, Stew and I head for places of worship regardless of their religious affiliation. Neither one of us is particularly religious yet sitting silently under the soaring vaulted ceilings of a gothic church, rays of sunlight filtering through …
El Rancho Santa Clara 