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Mexico Trip … rambling around

The Essence of Now / by It’s a Beautiful Day / 1970
After a while the days start to run together.
As they should.

But who wants to worry about Time when you’re on Holiday?

Coati in a tree …

Not me. 

I just want to smell the … Roses?

And look at the birds …

Enjoy the ocean …

How sweet it is !

“You said something?”

There were about 5 cenote pools on the resort.
You could tell that people were once allowed to swim in them, but this had mostly been stopped except for one central lagoon. 

Too bad, because on a hot day that water is awesome. 

Now … if I could just figure my camera out … 

Coming up …
Visiting ancient Mayan ruins …

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herons in the mist …

White Bird / by It’s a Beautiful Day / 1968

“White bird must fly …”

I’m officially old.
I take pictures of birds.

See the source image
                                                                       A white Great Blue Heron / Net Photo.

Years back I saw a pure white Heron in a marsh outside of town.
Pure white. It was beautiful!
I knew this was rare because in all my years in Alberta
I had never seen one before – or since.
But what was that bird???
I thought it might be an Egret, but Egrets don’t range up this far.
Upon much investigation I think I’ve finally solved the mystery.
Wikipedia says this:
“The Great Blue Heron is found throughout most of North America …”
And it is known that Great Blue Herons can sometimes be white!!!

That’s right. Pure white.
The above images are of a white Great Blue Heron I found on the internet
and a Great Blue Heron that I photographed in Calgary last week.
I stitched the two photos together so show that it is indeed the same bird.
Amazing!!

Here’s the other pics we shot at the pond.
Rose first spotted the Heron flying across the pond
and I snapped a quick shot.

We watched where he landed and …

… were able to get a couple of decent shots.

He agreeably posed for us.

Great Blue Heron and friends.
                                                                    Great Blue Heron and friends.

Then he headed off.

There’s a big unresolved debate as to whether the white Great Blue Herons are a “morph” or an entirely different species.

I can only show and tell my own experience.
They look identical except for their color.
That’s all I know …
Except that they are beautiful to see.

For me, a decent day of amateur bird photography.

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Mexico Trip Day 2 … Still exploring …

Yellow Bird / The Brothers Four / 1966

Rose and I took over 2000 pics on our trip here.

                                                       Fuzzy Bananas … just outside our door.

In the days of camera film that would cost a small fortune,
but with todays wonder of digital photography you can just fire away
and you’re bound to hit something occasionally.

                                                         Don’t see this everyday in Calgary …

We end up throwing a ton of pics away – (some were
plainly awful) – and hope to end up with something of interest?

                            “ECO” – plants and animals – was the big thing at the Resort
                                                                 Spider Monkey lounging in a tree
                                                 Peacock Hen … not all the animals here are native
                                                                            Unusual looking ducks
                                Not sure why there were so many statues of Buddha around?
                                                                          Chickens and Doves

There’s a little bit of everything here …

Down at the ocean.

                                                       Japanese Restaurant at the Resort

… and lots more … 

 

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Spring Hail Storm

Get a few of these every year.

Most don’t do much damage, but on occasion
can destroy crops, houses, cars … you name it.
This one damaged the garden out back,
but only because it lasted about half an hour.
Otherwise the hail was small – pea size we call this.
Can be golf ball size or larger …

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Kevin Costner / Calgary Stampede Marshal 2022 !!!

Yahoo!

Love Shine / Kevin Costner and Modern West

Greetings from 2022 Calgary Stampede Parade Marshal Kevin Costner

Kevin can do this Cowboy thing:

See the source image

See the source image

See the source image

And my favorite Movie:

See the source image

 

 

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Michael Nesmith …

Joanne / Michael Nesmith / 1970

Michael Nesmith
December 30, 1942 – December 10, 2021

I swear I just heard this on the news a couple of days ago?
Have I been in a Time Warp or something?
And I’m certain a few dozen people more notable to History and Arts have passed in the time being, but I always liked this guy.
He was a legitimate Artist, Musician, and Songwriter.

Michael Nesmith & The First National Band - The Audiophile Man
Michael Nesmith

Silver Moon / Michael Nesmith / 1970

Of course, Mike had once been a member of the Monkees –
who I despised in those times as a commercial Group
that was fabricated to fleece Teenyboppers.
There’s some truth in that, but it prevented me from appreciating
anything they did. The years have fortunately softened me in MANY, MANY ways however,  (thank GOD) and I can now go back and amend
some of  the prejudices of my youth.
One of those prejudices is that I can now appreciate
some of the songs they did.
?

I wanna be Free

Daydream Believer 

I’m a Believer

Take the Last Train to Clarkesville

?

OK … moving along now …
just not quite so fast.

 

 

 

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Cancun 2022 … Still Looking around …

Peaceful World / The Rascals / 1971

Backtracking a bit … 
…. at last … 15 hour trip … from dawn to dusk before we reached our digs. 

About 9:00 o’clock

Palatial

Excuse the fuzzy pics … but we were feeling a bit fuzzy ourselves
at the time.

All we wanted to see right now was our room.

On the way … 

Buddha outside the Resort Japanese Restaurant …

Flash Buddha.

Buddha in Resort Spa.

At last …

Onward.

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Mexico Trip Day 2 … Looking around …

Mayan Ocarina Improvisation

Before I got distracted by those Mayans and Aztecs I was intending to post about our Mexico trip. Those past civs have a deeper pull on me than I knew. And I’m not finished yet.
BUT…
Day 2:
We continue exploring the Sandos Caracol Eco Resort.

This place is big.

It can take a day or two to look around at everything.

Boo Hoo … Life is so Hard

But mostly I was interested in two things:
The beach and the Food.
I was disappointed on both counts.
The beach was rocky with LOT of rocks in that water.
It was treacherous to go in there without some kind of footwear.

This was a major disappointment for me because swimming in the ocean is a huge deal for us landlocked prairie boys –
and definitely a main reason that I come here.

See !? Rocks. Lots of ’em. 

The food also proved not as good as previous Resorts we’d been to.
At first we thought this might be another affect of Covid – that has influenced so many things. But when we later went to
another Resort nearby the food was excellent.
I hate to complain about this because we are SO spoiled in Canada.

Pretty good really.

                                                                              What!? No caviar?

Other people in this world would consider this to be the feast of a lifetime.
It was just not as good as what we had experienced before.

All in all, still a great time. 

I’ve decided that in future I will take a lot more Videos instead of Still pics.
I’m not very good at videos yet, but it still think it gives a better
idea of things than Still images.

 

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Aztecs … Mexico Trip 2022 …

The Sun rises.
But it also sets.

Wikipedia says: “The Aztec Sun Stone is a late post-classic Mexica sculpture housed in the National Anthropology Museum in Mexico City,
and is perhaps the most famous work of Mexica sculpture.”
It measures 11.75 ft across …  and weighs (54,210 lb).
It is sometimes also sometimes called the Mayan Calendar, but since it was found under Mexico City – which was built on top the ancient
Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan – it’s an Aztec artifact.
However Mayan and Aztec cosmology were almost identical .

But despite their great achievements in Art, Architecture, Astrology, etc.
the Aztecs were undoubtedly among the most barbaric civilizations that ever existed. At times it’s known they were practicing human sacrifice on a mass scale -ritual murder many thousands of people a year.

That finally caught up to them, and they were slaughtered by an equally barbaric culture: the Spanish Conquistadores.
That’s Karma.
Bad Karma.

But do you really think you could murder thousands and thousands of people for years and there would not be some eventual reckoning?

I think not.

Tip: (And if you’re going to utterly destroy an empire,
be sure you build your stuff on top of it.)

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Old Henry … on Netflix

Finally got to see Old Henry.
I had ordered it from the Library,
but it showed up on Netflix.

Giving Old Henry an 8 out of 10.
I like it.

And a particularly unique firearm appears in Old Henry …

… which reminded me of another Western:

That I regard as a Western Classic.

Dead on.

 

 

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Spring 2022 / Rose’s Garden

For Rose / Happy Mother’s Day

Things are finally starting to pop in Rose’s Garden.

Seems a bit late this year, but the Weather guy says
we don’t usually get our rains until later in May
and early June.

I think we could use it right now.

Just have to wait …

 … and enjoy what we have.

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Our new Bird Bath!

SongBird / Eva Cassidy / 1998

I’d been wanting a Bird Bath for quite a long time.
(I got tired of all the dirty birds around here)
Truthfully though I just love to watch those little birds
splashing around in the water!
I’m sure I could have made one myself and I see lots of ideas for that
on You Tube. But I finally found this one at a local garden center.
Most of the Bird Baths I saw are pretty expensive, but I knew I’d eventually find something that suited my budget and tastes.
So … Here it is!
It’s just plastic, but it looks pretty good.
Cost 60 dollars.
I don’t think the birds will care one way or the other.
We put it out in the back yard and I’m eagerly awaiting our first guests.
Then I’ll take some pics and post ’em.

Have a great Spring!

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Spring … Alberta

Miles from Nowhere / Cat Stevens / 1970

                                                                                 click to enlarge

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your true colors …

no mountains were moved …
no seas were parted.

I’ve had a very fortunate and favoured life.
I’ve experienced many miracles.
But most miracles are not large.
They are small.
Yet no less important or wondrous.
I recall one such small miracle that occurred many years ago.
I was depressed that day. (I think most of us get that way at times).
And I was sitting on the edge of my bed …
thinking about how unworthy I was Spiritually.
Then I suddenly got a nudge:
“Turn on your radio.”
I listen to those nudges.
I leaned over and turned the radio on.
This song was playing:

We are God’s children.
And no matter what,
You are Loved unconditionally.
Forever …

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Spring 2022 … The Mighty Crocus

This Storm Shall surely Pass / Fraser & Debolt / 1973

“A single crocus blossom ought to be enough to convince our heart that springtime, no matter how predictable, is somehow a gift,
gratuitous, gratis, a grace.”
– David Steindl-Rast

Could you spend 4 days under the snow and then just pop up and carry on
like nothing had happened?
I don’t think so.
But the mighty little Crocus does it all the time.

Look at those guys!

Wikipedia says: Crocus (plural: crocuses or croci) … The crocus has been known throughout recorded history, mainly as the source of saffron … It is valued as a spice and dyestuff, and is one of the
most expensive spices in the world.

“Croci!” Really? “Hey Rose, the Croci are lookin’ good.”
That just doesn’t work.

Saffron? Don’t recall ever using that, for anything.

But it’s history is possibly longer than my memory.

“In saffron-colored mantle from the tides
Of Oceans rose the Morning to bright light
TO gods and men.”
– Homer

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Mexico Trip 2022: The Wheel of God

Windmills Of Your Mind / Dusty Springfield / 1969

Life is full of mysteries.
The Mayans (and Aztecs) didn’t seem to know about the Wheel.
They moved things around by other means?

Click to Enlarge

YET! …
The Mayan Calendar is round …
A Wheel.
In fact, it’s full of Wheels.
It’s Wheels within Wheels.
But none of them ever hit the ground.
Go figure …

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Spring Blizzard … 2022

Camelot – The Final Scene / Richard Harris / 1967

God heard me whining about the snow.

I should have kept quiet.

 

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Winter passing by … Spring

The Pied Piper /  Crispian St Peters / 1966

Yellow Crocus ... in our back yard last week
                                                Yellow Crocus … in our back yard last week

We had a good Winter.
Only one cold spell.  Not much snow.
Only had to shovel a couple of times.
But Winter never leaves without a passing dump.
Like so …

It’s a cool wind out there today, but per usual, the Sun is shining.
So we might be able to go out for bike ride.
Hope so.

Also hope you are having a good Spring so far …

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Let’s go to Palenque / Mexico Trip 2022

SHAMANIC MUSIC -_Yucatan – Mayan Ritual Call_- Marcus Viana

                                                       Pakal the Great

 

                                                                                   Click to enlarge

We will probably never physically visit Palenque.
Or Rome. Or Greece. or Stonehenge …  or a thousand other places …

However !
Through the wonders of modern media we can still
have a visit to all these places without even leaving our homes!
Check this out:
A movable video image:

https://youtube/kd8fBAaKU90

Now click on the screen.
Although this 1:42 video was taken Live
you can move your viewpoint around 360 degrees!
Amazing!

Further:
A 3:33 drones eye view of Palenque!

https://youtu.be/Zu3LBky75Nw

Even if you were physically there you wouldn’t
get this viewpoint.

And below:
There are several excellent Videos on Youtube of Palenque.
I like this one.

Lastly:
A google virtual walk of Palenque:
Below: Copy this URL and Load it up.

https://www.google.com/maps/@17.4886792,-92.0466124,456a,35y,180h,44.86t/data=!3m1!1e3

This image will appear:

I just saved you thousands of dollars and hours of travelling misery.

You’re welcome.

Enjoy!

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Mexico Trip Day 2 … Pakal the Great

Native American Flute Maya Drone in E
– Daniela Riojas – Quetzalcoatl Flutes

Throughout the the Resort we discovered at least 4 busts of
King Pakal, the Great.
This might not mean much to most people? But I have a direct recall of a past life here as a Mayan. (I was a peasant woman – not a Queen or King).
And I just love Archeological history.
Otherwise I would usually think that a visit here is just good luck.
But it’s not. I’ve simply returned to a place
where I have an important connection from the Past.

The first statue of Pakal (below) was the Resort entrance.

These busts are a rather poor interpretation of the original sculpture of
King Pakal (below) that was found at the famous Mayan City of Palenque.

So we have a pretty good idea of what Pakal looked like.

Four of the statures were accompanied by a plaque
telling us something of ancient Mayan culture.

Click on the photo to see an enlarged image of the plaque.

The Spanish were likely very disappointed with the Mayans
because the Mayans didn’t value Gold – they valued Jade
and thus had very little gold, which is what the Spaniards were after.
That didn’t deter the Spaniards from their brutal behavior however,
part of which they (sadly) burned all the Mayan books they could find.
What a treasure that would be for us now!

Below: Pakal’s jade death mask and jade necklaces found in his tomb.

With the restoration of many the many ancient Mayan Temples,
Cities and artifacts, I’d guess there’s been a strong resurgence
for   the Mayan people and their culture.
And though the brutal Spanish chased the Mayans into the jungle
they were not decimated as were the Aztecs.

Click on the photo to see an enlarged image of the plaque.

Below: An artists vision of Pakal based upon archeological finds.

Next: Pakal the Great discoveries …

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Blade Runner … an incidental ‘revisit’ …

“I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe.”
– Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) from Blade Runner: The Final Cut

Flipped on the TV today and the final scene the film Classic Blade Runner was showing. This was a somewhat of a coincidence since last night I had watched “The Last Duel” (2022) also Directed by Ridley Scott. (It’s not a Classic and I won’t be watching it again.)

This version of Blade Runner was Director Ridley Scott’s Final Cut (2007).

I favor the Original version however, and I’ll tell you why.

Blade Runner (1982), poster, US | Original Film Posters | 2022 | Sotheby's
Blade Runner Original 1982 poster
Harrison Ford ,Blade Runner 1982 classic movie poster silk fabric print 12x18.20x30.24x36.27x40 inch print Wall Decor|harrison ford|blade runnerprint wall - AliExpress
Blade Runner – The Director’s Cut Poster 2007

Wikipedia says:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blade_Runner

“Versions of Blade Runner:

Edited by me (MFW): 

Several versions of Blade Runner have been shown. The original workprint version (1982, 113 minutes) was shown for audience test previews … in 1982. Negative responses to the previews led to the modifications resulting in the U.S. theatrical version. The workprint was shown as a “director’s cut” without Scott’s approval … in April 1991, … Positive responses pushed the studio to approve work on an official director’s cut. A Sneak Preview was shown only once, in 1982, and was almost identical to the U.S. theatrical version but contained three extra scenes not shown in any other version, including the 2007 Final Cut.

(Confused yet?)

Two versions were shown in the film’s 1982 theatrical release: the U.S. theatrical version (117 minutes), known as the original version or Domestic Cut, and the International Cut (117 minutes), also known as the “Criterion Edition” or “uncut version“, which included more violent action scenes than the U.S. version … The International Cut was later released and Criterion Collection in North America, and re-released in 1992 as a “10th Anniversary Edition“.

Ridley Scott’s Director’s Cut (1992, 116 minutes) had significant changes from the theatrical version including the removal of Deckard’s voice-over, the re-insertion of the unicorn sequence, and the removal of the studio-imposed happy ending. Scott provided extensive notes and consultation to Warner Bros. in creating the Director’s Cut.

Scott’s definitive The Final Cut (2007, 117 minutes) was released by Warner Bros. theatrically in 2007, and subsequently released in 2007. This is the only version over which Scott had complete artistic and editorial control.”

(Whew!)

OK. However, strangely?, I can’t recommend Scott’s Final Cut (2007) Firstly because I liked Harrison Ford’s “voice-over” narration in the original. Secondly, because I also liked the original ending in which Deckard (Ford) reveals how Rachael was “special” – she had an extended (eternal?) lifespan – unlike other Replicants. A happy ending. That worked for me.

Like “tears in the rain”.

In all, I wonder how many viewers eventually figured out that Deckard (Ford) himself is a Replicant? This is what made him “the good one” as a Replicant hunter – and also tells us how he was being blackmailed by the authorities into doing so.

Despite it’s versions and variations … still a Classic.

 

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Mexico Trip Day 2 … Orientation and Exploration

Mayan Fire Flute / Xavier Quijas Yxayotl

Orientation:
A closer look at where we are:

Map of Central America, Mexico
and the Yucatan Peninsula.

Map of the Yucatan 
showing location of Resort, Tulum and Coba.

Below:
Map of the Sandos Caracol ECO Resort.

The Resort is pretty good size area so we decided to spend our first day just exploring the place.

But my first task was get a better photo
of the first thing you see when you arrive here:
a bust of King Pakal the Great.

This guy was rather amazing
and deserves a bit of a write up. 
That’s next. 

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Obi-Wan Kenobi Update … May 25, 2022

May 25, 2022

The initial information that Kenobi was
being released on March 25 was incorrect.
Not my fault.
My source was Twitter.
So we wait.

Do I still love Star Wars?

Obi Wan poster | Fandom

You bet your sweet Light Sabre kid.

Sam R Bentley on Twitter: "'Kenobi: A Star Wars Story' Teaser Poster With the rumours of a @mcgregor_ewan lead Obi-Wan Kenobi film, I thought I'd whip up a teaser poster/concept for it!

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Mexico Trip … Day 1

South of the Border / Patsy Cline / 1961

Travelling.
It’s such fun.
So here’s what you do:
Get up and 6:00 am. (In the dark)
Call Taxi. Load bags.
Go to Airport.
Haul bags in; Check in;
Go through Security; Covid crap; etc. etc.
Then Wait.
At about 11 am. you get on the plane.
Plane gets de-iced.
Takes Off.
Flys South across the US.

Crosses Time Zones.

                                                                Are we there yet? Is that Florida?

Arrive in Mexico at 8:00 pm.
5 and a half hour flight.

Get Taxi. Go to Resort.

Sandos Caracol Eco Resort

Outside I take a blurry pic (or is it just me?)
of Mayan King Pakal.

In the Lobby:
Check In: 10:00 pm. (In the dark)
16 Hours travel time?

Theme of the Resort is posted in Lobby.

“ECO” – Nature is the theme here. Jungle and animals.

Lobby pics.
Pardon my poor photos.
I hope they will still give you an idea of the place:

Looks pretty nice.
But we’re tired and hungry.
Grab a bite. Head to our Room.

The first thing we really wanted to see:

Did I ever dream I would be having such experiences?
Never.

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Spring Fever …

Starting a New Life / Van Morrison

Daffodils,
That come before the swallow dares, and take
the winds of March with beauty.
~ William Shakespeare

The steeds are out of the barn.

My Steed
Rose’s Steed

The Bow River / Calgary. Used to be that I would shortcut across here in the Winter. And I could judge if it was Spring or not when the ice disappeared.

The water on one side of Prince’s Island. In Grade 3, my brothers and I played hockey here. It was a slough back then – where people threw junk and garbage. It made for an interesting hockey game though, stickhandling around tires and stuff sticking up through the ice. 

Geese that used to fly south for the winter. 

Ancient elevator.
Need a workout?

Time for some Thai Food.

Not bad at all.