Dead Heads

Todays blog is just colorful! The Swell is redecorating inside and out! We have started landscaping the entrance, are adding lights to our outside beach dining area, and are revamping the great room with some color. This is the first of my contributions to the room. Seeing as we are a Mexican Restaurant, I chose the Mexican Day of the Dead design for my first piece, and there is another to come! I am really excited that it turned out so well and am kinda proud, seeing as I am not a real artist. It was super fun to do and gives the room some much needed color! Stay tuned for more to come...

Lanterns, Mint, & Insects...

Well today has been a mixture of good and ummm uncomfortable...and it is only lunch time!

First I woke up and had a wonderful hike to the top of Brio Hill with the puppies and Taj was so scared of a cow on the road that he ran and jumped into my arms like a little baby... sooo cute!Then when I came home I looked up into my skylight in the breezeway and saw the sun shining through the Beautiful Red Solar Lanterns my wonderful mother sent down for me! They are like a sunlit, red Chandelier blowing in the wind and it makes me happy every time I walk under them, and at night they send 6 moving rays of light into the hallway!

Then as I am cleaning out my room I shook out a towel that was in Junior's bed.... and out fell a small yet still scary Tarantula. At least I think it is a Tarantula cause it has fuzz on it and just, well, looks like one. I will post a picture because I know my brother is going to love it! He should be able to tell us all exactly the type of spider species he/she is too.... take it away Bowen!~

After that was all over and I snapped these few pictures I found this little guy... well, as far as Beetles go he is quite a biggie, but harmless. So I guess this is Nicaragua's way of telling me I officially greeted? I have seen every creepy, crawly thing possible and not just outside, but in my actual bedroom. Needless to say I do sleep with a Mosquito net.... tucked in!

When the excitement finally died down, although I know that is only temporary living in a thriving country like this one... I managed to capture a picture of my Cuidador Felix cultivating the Mint Pyramid. It has the bottom 3 layers teeming with mint and the top 2 with Culantro/Cilantro. It is his pet project of the yard and he takes good care to add bits of watered down manure to keep it fertilized and spreading. So next time you are THE SWELL BAR, you

will know that the mojito's are grown with love!

People...

I have been wondering for days what to Blog about next. I feel like nothing super interesting has happened lately, but just a bunch of small things.
1. I had a crew of 4 people (2 of which are friends of my parents from home) rent out my house, which meant sharing my space, which normally I am totally used to living down here with zero privacy, but since I have had my own house have been bathing in the luxury of having space to myself. However it was great to have Bruce and Marie here and made me miss home a little more than normal and of course my family.
then...2. I had a moral confliction with my best friend over pig wrestling at her Redneck Themed Bday party, which caused me an enormous amount of stress, but managed to go anyways and see my first episode of piggie in a barrel. I didn't want to be a hypocrite knowing I have had my fair share of meat in my life (albeit not much in my life these days), as well as I didn't want the ignorance of not knowing what it was I was against until I saw one for myself. Even though every animal rights group I am a member of is against it and trying to have events like this one banned. I managed to get through the festivities, with only one small outburst when I saw the little guy starting to limp and could no longer hold back. Ultimately I managed to get 3 teams to bow out and didn't completely f@%K up my friendship with my girly.3.

My new renters Ian and Melissa have arrived from Hawaii and it is great to be neighbours with such good people who you share common interests with and we now have a whole herd of doggies living up at Casa Swell. Junior, Taj, Macho (part time), Puna & Laya! Brad avoids the herd like a smart little squirrel and eats his breakfast on top of the fridge these days....
So overall, things are just plodding along day by day, without too much drama and I find myself happy & just living well!
Adios for now...