The here and now... and what and why

Complacency is a trap. At least that’s what I was thinking when I up and left the comfort of a Yankee prep school gig, where I taught music, amongst other things, for 28 years. There was also that life long career as a composer, musician and artist.

First, it was a year in St. Thomas, USVI, working as a reporter and shooting photography and then, a year in San Agustin Etla, Oaxaca, Mexico.
Time passed.
More time passed and a year back in the Athens of America followed by a hasty return to Oaxaca where it is all happening.
A couple of years in San Sebastian Etla and now, just down the road in San Pablo Etla. Life is good.

Click on an image to see it larger.
For additional photography please visit my flickr page.
You can find my music on Jango (World & latin - Worldbeat) and at iTunes and most online stores.
¡Soy consciente de todas las tradiciones del Internet!
If you are coming to Oaxaca, please contact me for tours or advice.

Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo
The view from Corazon del Pueblo

The hereafter re me

My photo
Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico
Musician, photographer, videographer, reporter, ex-officio teacher, now attempting to be a world traveler

Monday, February 24, 2014

Aaahhhhhhh....... agua

It is so weird to go from the freezing cold, the snow, ice and slush of New England, where they are having a particularly tough winter, to Oaxaca, which is unusually hot, in the 90's, and such dryness.  Luckily, just before I left I ran into a campesino, who said he would water all my plants while I was away and he did an amazing job.  The plants look great and my cistern is almost dry.  It lasted quite awhile since it has not rained in at least four months and it is rain-fed during the rainy season.  So I got to buy my first pipa ever.  I always had a well before and living down here makes one very, very, water conscious.  Pipas are big water tank trucks and they are an everyday sight here.  It is just that I never needed one before and today....
You can see how dry things look.  I can't describe how it feels to go from being almost out of water to a full cistern, but it is almost a giddy relief.  I think this will last until the rain come..... not the giddieness, the water, silly.

As soon as the pipa left, the gas guys drove by, so I am now totally all set for a couple of months in that respect as well.  Ahhhhhhhh...
Posted by at

4 comments:

Anonymous said...


Tal vez sí tiene sentido para subir la colina, donde hay más agua.

February 25, 2014 at 9:21 AM
Christopher Stowens said...

Maybe, but my street is Lomas del Pastor, Foothille of the shepard, so I am already up there. Of course, there is nearby San Agustin Etla where there is tons of water, but with the water comes higher rents. I am quite happy where I am in San Pablo Etla. And remember in just a few months we will have torrents of water falling from the sky... ojala.

February 25, 2014 at 9:31 AM
Anonymous said...

Do you have a regular water supply other than the rain?

February 26, 2014 at 8:40 AM
Christopher Stowens said...

No, just the rain and pipas now. There is town water but it does not come to this house and I think it is more economical to buy pipas seeing as though it is up to the owner to pay for the town to run lines and connect, which I understand is close to $1000 US. Hardly anyone collects rain for water supplies. I am lucky this house has a collection system, but in truth, it could be so much better... like collecting every drop and a much larger cistern, but that ain't gonna happen. For now, it is pipas.

February 26, 2014 at 9:53 AM

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)