Thursday, December 20, 2012

blooms on the wing


I did not move to Mexico for the weather.

It is usually one of the primary reasons expatriates list for moving here.  Along with The Food.  The People.  The Culture.  And, for a few bluntly honest souls -- because the cost of living is affordable on a Social Security check.

But, now and then, the weather starts to seduce me.

Tomorrow will be the first day of winter.  There is no sign of that in my courtyard.  At least, not what I usually expect of winter in other pars of the world.

The bougainvillea are in full bloom.  Red.  Purple.  Salmon.  Attracting waves of butterflies and skippers.  But mainly skippers.  Darting around in small squadrons.  As if they were Spitfires defending the Dover cliffs.

This seems to be the time of year when those colorful pieces of confetti start setting out territorial boundaries or choosing mates.  Sometimes the behaviors are indistinguishable.  In insects and humans.

To watch them is to enjoy life.  To photograph them is like trying to film water spray.  Lots of activity, but nothing stays framed very long.

So, I snapped a few photographs and set the camera aside.  Instead, I just watched the skippers provide the show and the flowers to provide the backdrop.

Proving, once again, that Mexico is more than dead dogs and parasites.  No matter what I write.


10 comments:

John Calypso said...

Home is where the weather never gets below 65 F ;-) Like you we didn't move to Mexico (just) because of the weather - it was a package of issues. We are beginning our eighth year - no regrets.

Andean said...

Beautiful photo!
But I do miss the weather amongst other things.

Steve Cotton said...

Even I like the weather these days.

Steve Cotton said...

It is a good life.

Andean said...

A friend told me told me it is an absolutely perfect morning.

barbara eckrote said...

Great photo. Your description of attempting to photograph is quite apt...........patience is a virtue.

Steve Cotton said...

I considered the Audubon approach. Shoot it. Then photograph it. This skipper must have realize pausing was a better option for both of us.

Gary Denness said...

None of you would move to Mexico just for the weather, because none of you live in the UK. :)

Andean said...

I know someone from the UK and he totally understood your comment. :)

Steve Cotton said...

Even though I am qute fond of English weather, I will concede Gary's point. There is something in the English soul that searches out hot places.