Adventures with Sher: In Residence in San Miguel de Allende, MEXICO 2013-2014a

To all my friends, family and blog followers: my apologies for my long absence from these pages. Life is still an adventure---so much so that I find less and less time to blog. Our six month stay in our new home in San Miguel is drawing to a close and we will soon be back on the road to "El Norte" where we will settle once again into our small cottage on the Oregon Coast for the summer.

Before we leave SMA, I feel an urge to share some of the highlights of this past six months. However, I have a new challenge. On February 14, at the annual Writers Conference, I was dancing at the fiesta and took a fall, admittedly after imbibing a margarita and a half, and having a joyful time. The result was a seriously broken right wrist which ended me up, after a lengthy visit to the local hospital and some surgery, with a full arm cast, an adventure I would have just as soon avoided. Ah well, adventures do come with their hazards as Indiana Jones reminded us! The consequence of this mishap is that my writing and keyboard abilities have been greatly affected. As I perused the many photos I've taken this year, most with my iPhone, I realized I could share much of this past six months with all of you via a visual adventure. So hang on---here we go!

Viewing our beautiful Peroquia at night

baking in my San Miguel kitchen

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LIFE IN SAN MIGUEL SOMETIME SEEMS LIKE ONE LONG FESTIVAL, GOING FROM "EL DIA DE LOS MUERTOS," THE DAY OF THE DEAD ON NOVEMBER 2 TO CHRISTMAS AND THE MORE IMPORTANT DAY HERE IN MEXICO, "DIA DE LOS TRES REYES,"THE DAY OF THE THREE KINGS...IN EARLY JANUARY, WHEN THE CHILDREN GET THEIR PRESENTS.

THE three kinks come by horseback--not camels

they gather in front of the parish church to greet the mommunity

A SPECIAL TREAT THIS PAST NOVEMBER WAS PARTICIPATING IN "LIBROS SIN FRONTEROS" A NEW SAN MIGUEL PROJECT, THE BRAINCHILD OF OUR CONVERSATION GROUP AT THE CULMINATION OF READING FRANCISCO JIMENEZ'S WONDERFUL 3-PART AUTO-BIOGRAPHY BEGINNING WITH CAJAS DE CARTON IN WHICH HE DESCRIBES HIS CHILDHOOD AS A YOUNG CHILD OF IMMIGRANT PARENTS BACK IN THE FIFTIES. OUR COMMITTEE INVITED MR. JIMENEZ TO COME TO SAN MIGUEL TO HELP US PROMOTE LITERACY IN THE TOWN AND THE CAMPO. WE RAISED ENOUGH MONEY TO DISTRIBUTE BOOKS TO OVER 200 CHILDREN AND THEY READ HIS BOOK BEFORE HIS ARRIVAL. THE PROJECT WAS A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS AND THIS DELIGHTFUL MAN WON ALL OF OUR HEARTS, INCLUDING THE CHILDREN'S. WE ARE ALREADY PREPARING FOR NEXT YEAR'S VISITING AUTHOR, VIOLA CANALES, AUTHOR OF GUSANO TEQUILA OR TEQUILA WORM.

special treat this year was welcoming author, Francico Jimenez

Francisco Jimenez

La Calacas are ever present in San Miguel as are Monigangas...

giant puppets who appear for every occasion

THE BIG DEAL FOR ME WAS THE PUBLICATION OF MY FIRST NOVEL. I SPENT MUCH OF MY TIME PROMOTING MY BOOK AND DOING PUBLIC READINGS. SAN MIGUEL HAS A VERY ACTIVE LITERARY COMMUNItY AND OF COUSE, ANOTHER KEY EVENT WAS THE 9TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL WRITERS CONFERENCE...

At the local Organic Market, selling my book--- I'm very proud of my book cover, an image by Fernando Llort, El Salvadoran artist who kindly gave me permission to use his artwork for my book.

here I am with one of the keynote speakers, Canadian author of Life of Pi, Yann Martel

With my poet friend, Lois Read, after one of my successful readings

There's always something fun to see in San Miguel

People come from as far away as Mexico City and Monterey to have their wedding in San Miguel

It's fun to support the local crafts people---here, I'm having a dried flower garland made for my hat...

AND THEN THERE'S ALWAYS THE MUNDANE--- WORKERS RE-FACING THE OLD COLONIAL BUILDINGS...OR A MAN ON A STREET CORNER PLYING HIS TRADE, RECANEING OLD CHAIRS...