I was running an errand the other day, dropping off a bag of clothes from my now somewhat more organized closet to Michel at the Lloyd's property management and real estate office. Michel will take them to the hospital here in San Pancho, where she is helping out hugely by purchasing and collecting supplies for the 1400 babies who are born there every year, and for their families who travel from all over this area for their new baby's arrival. Some of them come in threadbare clothing, thus my donation of women's things. She says she has enough now for the mamas but still needs men's clothes for the papas.
We had a lovely chat. She said she bought a whole lot of diapers on sale the other day.
We talked a bit about needs and opportunities, and what we choose to do in our microcosms in hopes of doing a bit of good. She's chosen a wonderful way to contribute and has my love and admiration for her devotion.
I was just turning my car around after our visit when I noticed Mark and Jeremy walking toward the beach. The father-son team were obviously on a mission. They were carrying a big green kite and a couple of tricky sticks with kite string on them.
I rolled down my window. "Test fly?" I asked. "Yup," they said. "Come watch if you want to. It's our new model." So I re-parked and followed them to the beach.
By the time I got there, they were already setting up.
Jeremy and Mark own San Pancho Aire, a kite shop in which they feature beautiful designs which they engineer themselves, all of which are manufactured on site. They're always excited when they execute a new design, and I always enjoy watching the test flights. I've shown off their kites in previous blogs.
This new one is called Bowtie. It has two controls and four strings (I think), which make it highly maneuverable by its operator, and it flies in very little wind.
Sure enough, like all their completed designs, it took to the air like a bird...
...then spread its wings and soared.
It's a cool kite. It did lots of tricks up there in the blue, dipping and dancing and turning as the guys took turns at the controls and the birds flew in for a closer look. They're always curious when one of these colorful flying creatures enters their air space.
Up the street at the kite shop, the colors and shapes are a marvel.
San Pancho Aire shares a great old building on Avenida Tercer Mundo with Judith's and Jesse's Serendipity Gallery, where one can discover some of the most sophisticated and intricate Huichol art to be found anywhere.
Judith and Jesse work with a group of Huichol friends whom they've known for over twenty years, supplying these indigenous craftspeople with beeswax, forms, and the tiny beads which they implant one by one in the wax to make their traditional beaded art.
They also have a magnificent Huichol yarn painting on display, in which the design is formed of yarn pressed into beeswax.
Down at the beach, we've had more goings on, as a couple of weeks ago two Olive Ridley turtles came up to nest. One was reported by visitors from Guadalajara, the other by the Flores family. Both groups of discoverers contacted San Pancho Turtles, who dug up the nests and took the eggs to the nursery for protection until they hatch. The photo below is from the San Pancho Turtles facebook page.
An earlier batch of baby turtles was released last night. We wish them well, as always.
We're up to lots of things here in San Pancho. Things in the air and things on the ground, all births of a sort. Giving light to babies and art and friendship and beauty and fun.
Jeremy says he'll have a video of Bowtie on their website soon, which will be ever so much better than still photos.
And if anyone is moved to donate a few dollars to Michel's Baby Project, email me at the link on the right and we'll figure out a way for me to bring your donation back for her when I return from the States in mid-summer. She never stops buying diapers.
I'm sure you're up to something wonderful in your part of the world. Don't you stop, either!
Post Script:
Exciting news kite fans, we have yet another new kite deep into the design development stage. Troubleshooting the fact that it makes a loud whining noise when it flies. I also seem to take great pleasure in crashing it into the tops of palms and discarding it for the birds. Focus groups seem to favor naming it "the Travis".
Posted by: Mighty King Jeribus | May 17, 2014 at 09:24 AM