I am back to work after three weeks of vacation while the center was closed. I enjoyed the time off but am happy to be doing what I came here to do. I did some painting inside my house during my free time and added some touches of home. My décor is minimalist, at best, but the place has good vibes and I look forward to going home at the end of the day. And by the time I have other visitors it will be comfortable and accommodating. I also went to Ixtapa, Guerrera, with two other volunteers; one of them owns a condo there. It was a great change of pace, but it was so hot and humid I was even sweating in the pool. The bus ride took nine hours but we traveled at night, so it didn´t seem so long.

I spent my birthday having lunch with my beautiful sons via Skype. It was great -- they sent me an e-mail inviting me to lunch, with instructions to make or buy lunch and be on-line at 12:30. They both went to Jonas´s house so I could see them together, and the three of us ate lunch and visited. Afterward, I was able to Skype with my twin brother, Daryl, too. That´s one birthday I will never forget.

All PC volunteers have a secondary project, and I found one from heaven. I will be working at a local botanical garden, tiny in comparison to other urban botanical gardens but an absolute jewel. The garden is non-profit and supported by admissions and workshop fees, plus sales from compost, live and dried plants, botanical-themed gifts and revenue from the cafe. I am working on a workshop reusing recycled materials, and am also going to donate my artwork for calendars and other items to sell in the gift shop. The director also said I was welcome any time and could paint in the garden. I am thrilled at the thought that my art can be used to help support this beautiful place and that I am leaving a legacy of my art behind in Mexico.

I attended a family confirmation party with my host sister in a pretty little private garden, of which there are many in Mexico. It was a lovely day filled with wonderful homemade Mexican dishes and desserts, and beautiful people. I was the only gringo but could not have felt more welcome. Her family has adopted me as their own, and the mother, who is my age, said as I was leaving, "Mi familia es su familia."

Earlier this month there was a battery of bell “fire” from my neighborhood church, signifying an important festival in honor of the Virgin Mary. The people created a beautiful carpet on the church floor with flowers, and celebrated with live music in the little park across the street -- a scene repeated in many of the churches throughout the town. Most of the festivals and holidays in Mexico center around the Virgin Mary, moreso than Christ. September marks another festival, this one to honor the Virgin of the Remedies. Many artisans will be converging in the downtown area for the month. I´m saving my pesos to find some Mexican treasures.

More soon.