What's new?

Another month has come and gone...where does the time go? As our days drain away, so it appears do the months, all of a sudden they're over and another beginning. Wow, time flies! 

August is the month of the San Jacinto festival, so neighborhood and beach clean ups are going on, painting in El Centro, and vacationers spilling into town. The first of the festivities was the other night, crowning of Miss San Jacinto. (According to the calendar of events, this was to take place after 8pm, but the next day this picture was posted on Facebook...)

The next events are this weekend, Friday, a night of recognition for important townspeople, and Saturday a "night  of culture". 

In other news, The sand is coming back to our beach. The boats were all lined up, for a couple days not a single boat out front, the boat parking looked like in this aerial picture we found. (You can't see our house, but it's behind the white one on the point)

But...one day last week

The sand formed a barrier, then the water came in from the side, filled in the low area, and this water can't get back to sea. It's an even larger pool today, not threatening, but making it difficult to get the boats in and out.

So interesting to watch how the water, sand and fishermen change over time. We have five boats that usually park here, they are all getting the prime parking spots at the road entrance, further from shore, but safer from high tide. The other boats forced to park here are giving us new fishermen to connect with, yesterday I was given these.

This is a dinner plate, the big one is the size of a banana, no joke! So after I bonked the little one on the head to get him to quit squirming,( that's how fresh) I continued to clean them, then I cut a pineapple and took it out to share with my new neighbors.

Have been working on some painting, have a table set up in the living room, this is the "view from my art studio"

Walking and beach combing everyday this week, low tide was in the morning, and I'm on the hunt for wood. I have a large project in mind, but must gather the materials, and wait.

We had the opportunity to kayak up the PortoViejo River last weekend, it was great fun! Got up early, skipped market and got on the water before 8am, kayaked almost 2 hours, then had brunch and mimosas, what a lovely day spent in the fresh air with friends!

There were so many Pelicans, frigates and heron back in these mangroves, (hard to see without a zoom on the camera), but it was such a sight, and sounds! Awesome, and the marine layer held on just til we were done, which was nice, so we didn't get cooked. We will certainly do this again!

Lastly, we have a new dinner place to add to our rounds, Shawarma by Fransisco in San Clemente. He used to work for Pablo, so he has the recipe down pat. We went Friday before last and it was Muy Rico! We will go again, and get some meat to go...love leftovers!

Life is good! And Fresh...on the coast of Ecuador! Stay tuned, the adventure continues!