SUMMER COLORS IN PUERTO VALLARTA—Mountains, Doors, Flowers, Sunsets, and More

 Summer Brings Rain And So Much More

Oranges Are Common in Puerto Vallarta Summer Sunsets

Summer in Puerto Vallarta means rain. Fortunately, the days are still sunny and the rain usually waits until evening to begin. And then it lets loose in a downpour that quenches the thirst of the palm, ficus, and parota trees. The surrounding hills turn a healthy green.

The Day Before a Storm, Blue was the Dominant Color

Even the Clouds are Amazing as They Gather in the Afternoon

Dinner at Di Vino Dante Gallery Surrounded by Color

The Colorful Market Under the Bridge in Centro

A Floral Mural Next to A Gate in Old Town

Orange is a Dominant Color in Gardens

Yellow and Gold Sunsets Offset the Dark Summer Clouds

We see so much more when we walk around our neighborhood, Emiliano Zapata, the Romantic Zone of Puerto Vallarta. The days and evenings are often free of rain so we can enjoy the beach and Old Town sights. 

The Changing Colors of the Los Muertos Pier are a Favorite

Our Orchid from Vallarta Botanical Garden is Still Blooming

Our Caladium Transplant is Happy During Summer

The Mountains Behind Our Condo are Green After the Rain

Our Pirate Ship Adventure in July was a Colorful Event

I invite you to SIGN UP for my "Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico Newsletter", published monthly with stories about our latest adventures, my recent blog articles, and news about my books.

Have you read all of the books in my Healthy Living in Mexico series? 

Book #5, Living in Mexico More Lessons Learned, was recently published. Thank you to everyone who has downloaded it.

Happy Travels!

Terry

Terry L Turrell, Author

Beach Time is Great now that Semana Santa is Over🌅

 Our Favorite Time of Year in Mexico

Dancer Dressed in Indigenous Costume

     The beach in Puerto Vallarta is more peaceful and less crowded now that many vacationers have returned home after their Easter holidays. As "pata saladas" (salty feet), those of us who live in this beautiful city full-time, we enjoy the low season the most. The weather is still wonderful and the city is still fun!

Women Dancing in Costume

     The entertainers include drummers and dancers dressed in costumes to imitate indigenous people. We tip them even though their garments and dances may not be authentic. They work hard to make a simple living.

Men in Costume Playing Drums and Flutes

     These musicians were especially talented so we paid them for one song, as did the people at the tables on each side of us. We asked for a happy, Mexican song, so they chose "Guantanamera" and did a very happy rendition of it.

Watch Guantanamera Video Above   

     Sophie settled down on the cool, damp sand under our table at La Palapa restaurant and enjoyed watching the birds, waves, and people. She's learning to be a well-behaved Mexican Chihuahua at only six months old.

Sophie in her "Big Girl" Harness

     While waiting for sunset, we decided to share an order of churros with a dollop of vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. Yum!

     Sunsets at La Palapa restaurant are always wonderful, changing by the second. The true beauty has to be seen in person as photos don't do them justice.

Sunset Behind the Fishing Boats

     Sitting at an ocean-front table, the sound of the waves is so soothing. What a wonderful retirement life we have here in Puerto Vallarta!

Waves Crashing near our Table

     Thank you for reading my books and blog articles. I hope you enjoy following our retirement in Mexico. Check out my Retirement Before the Age of 59 book and others in the Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico series. You might also like my In Sickness and In Health novels about retired life in Mexico.

Retirement Before the Age of 59 eBook

     Follow me on Facebook, BookBub, GoodReads and Twitter!  I invite you to Sign UP for my Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico monthly newsletter.

     I wish you healthy and happy travels!

Terry L Turrell, Author

WINTER COLORS AND TEXTURES OF OUR TROPICAL GARDEN: Year-Round Gardening in México

 This is Part of the Reason We Moved Here!

One of Three Bougainvillea Plants in Our Garden

    The cold weather in Oregon drove us to spend winters RVing in México for many years until one day we realized we didn’t want to return to the United States. The warm weather, beautiful colors and textures, and the simple life make us happy here.

Colors and Textures Run Wild in Our Tropical Garden

     I love gardening here in Sayulita—the weather allows me to garden year-round. Warmth and humidity keep the plants green and colorful. A weekly watering using my drip irrigation system keeps the plants healthy and minimizes the amount of water we use—an important factor in a town with a limited water supply.

     I wasn’t a fan of orange and yellow in the garden until we moved here. Now I see them as sunny, happy colors and love that they attract the hummingbirds.

     Amazingly, our tropical garden doesn’t require much work. A heavy pruning before the rainy season starts in June keeps it under control. Three months of nightly rain in the summer gives everything a nice growth spurt. I appreciate that the rain usually comes during the night leaving the days bright and the air clear.

     We live four blocks from the Pacific Ocean, sheltered by hills covered with coconut palms and parota trees—this is significant for our tropical plants to grow well. Years ago, I was walking on the beach in San Carlos, Sonora when I stopped to talk to an older lady working in her beachside garden. As I admired her flowers and cacti, she explained to me that it is difficult to grow much next to the ocean because the salty air and windy conditions allow a limited variety of plants to thrive. That was a lesson I tucked away for future reference.

      Chachalacas visit our garden when the palm berries turn red and ripe. Yesterday, one discovered it was time to eat these delicacies and hid in the palm tree. After a few minutes of his quiet “wheet-wheet” calls, there were three of these large pheasant-like birds hiding in the tree. They are camera-shy, so it was challenging to capture a photo of them, but if you look closely, you will see all three waiting for me to leave so they can strip the berries from the hanging branches.

      In the evenings, as we settle onto our covered patio with a glass of wine, we enjoy our wild, colorful, low-maintenance tropical garden and know we chose the right place to retire. Bella agrees. There’s just enough room for her to chase her football and retrieve it for treats.

      After five runs, she rests in the plants where she can get a head-rub and back-scratch from the leaves. A tiny casita, a small garden, a simple life, and sunny, blue-sky weather year-round—this is what we wanted when we retired early and moved to México. I'm grateful to have been able to retire before the age of 59.

     I invite you to SIGN UP for my Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico Monthly Newsletter, with stories about our latest adventures, my recent blog articles, and news about my books.

     To read more about “RETIREMENT Before the Age of 59: Healthy Living in Mexico #2”, check out my book on Amazon, available worldwide.

Amazon.com

Amazon.ca

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.com.mx

Amazon.com.au

     Follow me on Facebook at "Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico" and "In Sickness and In Health Novels" for more information about life in Mexico as well as living with illness in Mexico, and my Amazon Author Page for updates on my books and blogs. If you enjoy my books, please tell your friends and post a brief review on Amazon. As an independent author, I am greatly appreciative that my readers help in spreading the word about my books and blogs. Thank you.

Terry L Turrell, Author

Vallarta Botanical Gardens--We Can't Get Enough!

What a Delightful Place to Take a Fresh-Air Walk!

The Blooming Orchids Change Each Time We Visit

     We typically visit the Vallarta Botanical Gardens once or twice a year at different times of the year to see what is currently blooming. We always look forward to their delicious fish tacos and Margaritas at the restaurant in the Hacienda del Oro.

     This year we decided to attend the Thanksgiving Event and it was wonderful! We made our dinner reservation for 4:00 in the afternoon so we had time for a walk through the gardens beforehand. Our stroll in the fresh jungle air and sunshine was delightful, a perfect way to work up an appetite for their delicious turkey dinner. Masks were required, but once we were distanced from others, we could remove them and breathe the floral garden scents.

Signs Say, "For Your Safety, Don't Touch the Plants"

This Flower, Imported from Africa, is Toxic

     The orchids that are blooming change each time we visit. We always spend the most time in the Rhododendron House where many orchids, hanging baskets, Tropical Rhododendrons, and other tropical plants are artfully displayed. Signs posted throughout say "For Your Safety, Don't Touch the Plants", as some are toxic.

Our Lady of the Garden Chapel

Beautiful Stonework Path Up to the Chapel

     Our Lady of the Garden chapel, previously the family chapel, is now used for weddings. I enjoy sitting inside for a few minutes of peaceful reflection and prayer. The beautiful stonework path up to the chapel is worth seeing.

The Pineapple Garden Accented with Coleus Plants

One of Many Varieties of Exotic Coleuses 

     We could hear the river flowing over rocks down the hill and decided to hike the Rio Path down. On the way, we passed the Pineapple Garden accented with coleus plants. We had never seen this garden on previous visits, so it might be new, and we found it very interesting to see pineapples growing. I fell in love with the many varieties of exotic coleuses on this trip.

The River At the End of Rainy Season

View of the Back of Hacienda del Oro from the River Path

     In November, it’s the end of the rainy season so the river was still flowing well, adding a musical sound to our walk. Some people were playing in the pools near giant boulders upriver, but it looked too cold for us to dip our toes in. On the way back up we caught a view of the back of the Hacienda del Oro and hoped we would get to dine at our favorite table on one of the balconies overlooking the valley and the river.

     We strolled through the butterfly garden looking for the newly arrived Monarch butterflies. The butterflies arrive at their roosting sites in this area of Mexico in November and remain during the winter months before migrating north again. We thought we saw a Monarch, but he flitted away so quickly we couldn’t be sure. It was time to browse in the gift shop for glass hearts to hang in our garden at home and then check in for dinner. Our stomachs were growling in anticipation of turkey, dressing, gravy, and pumpkin pie.

Wood-burning Oven Where the Fresh Bread was Baking

We Did Get to Sit On the Balcony Overlooking the River!

We Were Entertained by the Golden-Cheeked Woodpecker

     Dinner was delicious, the pumpkin pie with sweetened whipped cream was exquisite, and the setting was perfect. The hummingbirds and woodpeckers entertained us and the sound of the river drifted up to our table. We enjoyed the water gardens and giant coy on the way out and then rested on a bench in the Vallarta Conservatory of Orchids and Native Plants. 

One of the Water Gardens Viewed from the Hacienda

An Orchid Inside the Conservatory

     The staff was extremely helpful in calling a taxi to pick us up. After we each had two Margaritas with our dinner, it was great to relax and let someone else chauffeur us to our Airbnb condo in Puerto Vallarta. Even the drive along the ocean is a pleasant experience. 

     I wonder what will be blooming next time we visit the Vallarta Botanical Gardens.

     Follow me on my "Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico" Facebook page for more information about life in Mexico and my Amazon Author Page for updates on my books and blogs.

Have you read my book, Retirement Before the Age of 59: Healthy Living in Mexico #2? I hope you'll read it and tell your friends and family about it!

     

I invite you to SIGN UP for my Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico Monthly Newsletter, with stories about our latest adventures, my recent blog articles, and news about my books.

Terry L Turrell, Author