An Aha! moment is described as a sudden
revelation that elicits joy from a new understanding.
Since coming to San Miguel, I've had many.
Traveling:
From Guanajuato, Dolores Hidalgo, Queretaro, Morelia, Patzcuaro, Puebla, Guadalajara,Tonola
,Tlaquepaque,Toluca and Mexico DF to the sleepy little town of Santa Rosa, there have been so many Aha! moments I quit counting.
On the Mexican Tourist Board’s list of 50
cities, I’m about to discover the other 20 I’ve not been to. There are certain
to be lots of Aha! moments down the road.
Hiking:
There are so many beautiful places near
San Miguel that I would have never seen if it were not for the Sunday Hiking
Club. One Sunday you are doing the easy hike – if that’s what you call 16 river
crossings both ways - and the next week it’s through remote villages.
You never know what to expect from one
week to the next except Aha! moments.
Fiestas:
From Mexican Independence Day to Day of
the Dead, Mexico’s biggest holiday, Aha! fiestas are one thing that Mexico does
exceptionally well. In fact, there are so many of them I have to reference my
Catholic calendar.
Michael Coon cooks Marcella:
Casa de Cocinas is part of
my culinary routine every month. This month, in my opinion,
Michael Coon did an Aha! tasting - one of his best - honoring Italian chef
Marcella Hazan.
Stuffed Spaghetti Frittata
with Tomatoes, Mozzarella and Ham
Polenta with Grilled
Portobello Mushrooms in a Balsamic Reduction
Fricasseed Chicken Abruzzi
Style with Rosemary, Marsala, Cherry Tomatoes and Olives
Italian Chocolate Mousse
with Raspberries
Aha!
Expect The Unexpected:
What I love the most about San Miguel is
that I can turn a corner or go down a street and I never know what I’m going to
find. Expect the unexpected. Just when you think that you’ve seen everything,
something new appears for yet another Aha! moment.
Art:
I’ve finally learned to appreciate all
forms of art…a major Aha! for me who only saw it in photography.
Kids:
The purity and playfulness of a Mexican
child is amazing. I’m in awe of all the Aha! moments they have given me.
Friends:
After 15 years, San Miguel
brought me together with old friends. The moment was so powerful even we cannot
explain why it happened and dismiss it to the magic of San Miguel.
I meet new people every day. Today I met the woman who
teaches a course on Miracles.
Little miracles and Aha! moments happen nearly
every day.
Food Sources:
Unlike most small towns, San Miguel has a wide variety of direct food sources. This amazes me.
From the Tuesday Market to the Organic Market
to Mercado
Ignacio Ramirez and all of the specialty stores, I’m spending and enjoying more
time in my own kitchen.
Plants:
It’s
exciting to me that I have poinsettia plants growing in
my garden.
Plants have taken on Aha! status here and
I find myself wondering how many species of plants there are in Mexico.
The girl with the brown thumb has grown.
San Miguel:
There’s something almost divine about the
light here, particularly in the late afternoon when all of the weddings and quinceaneras
flow out of the cathedral and everything is aglow.
As a photographer, light is everything so
Aha! moments happen daily.
Food:
Is there food more complex than Mexican? Food preparation
for family and social events is considered to be an investment in order to
maintain social relationships.
The more I learn the more I realize that
there is so much more to discover.
Another Aha! moment.
Buen Apetito!
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