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

Sunday, February 19, 2017

Learning from the masters...

The people who prune the shrubs and trees here are so knowledgeable.  They have years of experience.  I have watched, observed their work and finally, learned how to come close to the quality of their work.  This bugambillas or bougainvillea is one of my pride and joys.  It was in the worst imaginable shape when I moved in to this house,  just a hideous stump with no leaves or flowers.  And now its four meters of blossoms fill the front wall... I love it!

Update:  Someone asked how they do it.  You can see from my example that it has been shaped using hedge clippers.  The ones in the city are prime examples of this.  It takes a couple of years to get old plants back in shape.  You have to cut the suckers off, get a good central trunk and then use the clippers, knowing that even though it seems brutal, the plants will fill out.  I drive by some great examples of old shaped plants on my drive into the city in the median strip just after Santa Rosa.  Really beautiful topiary work.  I also love how they prune ficus benjaminas.  The same principle using hedge clippers.  The ones in the parking lot of Plaza del Valle are amazing.  If you look up through them you can see they are actually cylinders with a hole cut at the top to let light in.  I'll have to take photos of them.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

So tell us the secret!! I have some serious stumps.

sonya melescu said...

Look like Art.......It is ART!!!!