What a rain

Coyota slept in the bodega to avoid the rain

Look like a river bed? It was last night

Sewer pipe uncovered

We should have paid attention to the Internet weather because our backyard carne asada party got rained out yesterday. We cooked under the overhang and took all the food inside. Still had a great time and good food.

The big holes (charcos) coming back to Pinal Villa were full of water and as we came into Pinal it turned into a river. I turned into the community to avoid the section of road in the fotos. The water was easily over a foot deep and really moving. It rained again early this morning but the weather channel says it's over. Sun for the next week. Relief because I'm picking up friends at the airport this afternoon.

Poco lluvia

Lorena just sent me this foto of the road in front of her house - the main road to Pinal Villa. They were over here a little earlier and they must have had to swim home. My 10" deep rain bucket is almost overflowing. Glad we did our shopping yesterday

Tropical Storm Agatha

The first named Eastern Pacific storm of the year and another developing right behind it. Both are way east and almost north so at most we'll get a little rain. Rain is way overdue though we did get about two inches a few nights ago. The rain must have brought a good wind with it because my wheelbarrow inside the garage had water in it.

Knock, Knock

I fell asleep rather early last night watching Pirates of the Caribbean which is really a terrible movie but I'm sure it made billions and I had to (try to) watch it once. I awoke about 11 with the Blue Screen of Death on my TV which happens when rain clouds are rolling in. Shortly after the rain began I hear someone yelling out side my gate, no idea what he was saying but he came over to my open kitchen window and asked if I had ordered pizza. Of course I hadn't and off he went into the downpour and thunder  to continue his search. I should have said if you don't find your house I'll buy it but I was half asleep. From the level of my pool and others observations I'd say it totaled close to 3+ inches rain.

What to do with a rainy week

Make Bread

We've had clouds like these for the last 4-5 days with rain off and on. Hurricane Dolores passed well offshore but we got a little before and after weather from her. Working in the yard is not a lot of fun when everything is wet and there definitely is no painting or sealing the roofs. Last night we may have had the most rain and Melaque had it's normal flooded streets this morning. Took Yari into town for her next years school fotos along with a bunch more shopping.

Our rain clouds

Sitting in front of Foto Geity 

Followed a Ciabatta recipe

Really the best bread yet although a little moist/heavy inside. I even made a sour dough starter the day before which didn't get very sour so neither was the bread. This was a no-knead process that only took 4-5 hours rather than overnight like most others. I fed the starter after using some and it looks like what was described. I tried a little sour no-sugar yogurt to see if that will help

Rain and buggy bread

That really looks like rain to me but stick your head outside and it's a high overcast. What is over us now is not connected to Invest 98E further south which has a 90% chance of becoming a Tropical Storm latter today or tomorrow. The Eastern Pacific's last named storm was Ela but it ended up near Hawaii so we didn't notice it. Another storm using the letter D must have done the same thing. Guess that means this next storm will begin with an F.

According to the Weather Underground I am wrong about the names. There may be a Central Pacific area with a different set of names.

Tropical Depression Five-E formed Saturday morning and is currently located about 265 miles south-southeast of Acapulco, Mexico.

Tropical Depression Five-E is expected to strengthen into Tropical Storm Dolores possibly as soon as later Saturday and may strengthen into a hurricane next week.

On my last bread excursion I noticed little black specs in the wet flour and I picked them out as I saw them. Never saw any in the dry flour. Just in case this time I decided to sift the flour from a new bag and sifting is probably a good idea anyway. Sure enough at the bottom of each sift were 10 to 15 of these little critters and most were moving. Google "bugs in flour" and I found it's rather common and are called Weevils and Mites. They could have been in the flour at the store because I seem to remember a tiny flour leak when I bought them. 

On the other hand something was eating my Faba/Fava and Garbanzo/Guasanas beans a few months ago. I'd see little holes in the beans and powder in the bottom of the bag. Anything kept in plastic containers seems immune but plastic bags don't stop them.

My flour Mites

BTW - this try was another brick

Flying ants can't swim

They must have swarmed last night because the pool was covered with them this morning. I remember seeing what I think were Termites after a swarm up in Jocotepec but they were much smaller and didn't need to drown to die. The only good sized ants here are leaf cutter but these are larger .... so what are they? I did find the info below that says winged ants are usually larger than the worker ants so they could be leaf cutter.

After a nocturnal nuptial flight

Periodically, usually following by 3-5 days a heavy rain, the winged reproductive forms emerge from the colony in large swarms. Such swarming behavior is usually synchronized by other nearby colonies so large numbers of winged ants suddenly appear. All mating for the species takes place, often over the course of a single day. The males die and the mated females disperse to attempt establishing a new colony.

Alates (winged ants) are typically larger than the worker caste of wingless, sterile females, so are more noticeable for that reason as well.

Covering the palapa

Just want one more year out of it before I probably replace it with lamina. It was great while it lasted but this is only year 3. So I put up the blue tarp (lona) a couple weeks ago and a gust of wind blew it apart. Someone suggested that the silver/grey tarps are stronger so I picked one up at El Pollo hardware. I was getting ready to put the new one up when it suddenly started to rain with thunder and lightning. That is a tricky enough project without the extra complications .... so until later or another day.

Most of this type of palapa installation are attached with twine but these guys nailed them down. Not looking forward to stripping it down to the frame next fall. Also have to look into the angle of the ridge covering piece of lamina because the inside angle is less than 90 degrees. Thin metal should be flexible. 

What's left will stay there

Corners and sides are stronger but the body of it ??

Later in the afternoon

Wouldn't say it went up easy but .....

Tie these to the front corners, toss on each side and pull from below

Better than trying to ride the palapa like a horse or a monster ladder

Smell that rain

Tropical Depression One-E Has Formed; The First System of the 2015 Eastern Pacific Hurricane Season

Tropical Depression One-E has formed about 685 miles southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico.

Tropical Depression One-E is expected to strengthen to a tropical storm soon, and a hurricane Friday.

Rapid intensification - an increase in sustained winds of 30 knots or more in 24 hours or less - is possible over the next day or so, due to low wind shear and warm sea-surface temperatures.

Once it strengthens into a tropical storm it will receive the name, Andres.

This system will likely remain well off the Mexican coast, eventually weakening over colder water early next week.

High surf appears to be the most likely indirect impact along the Baja peninsula, including Cabo San Lucas, this weekend into early next week.

The First System of the 2015 Eastern Pacific Hurricane Season

Had a nice rain this morning and expect quite a bit more through the weekend

Necessary improvments

My front sidewalk was in need of some help. Not that it wasn't well built but we just didn't think of everything. Three downspouts dump water on it causing erosion, ants build caves under it, chickens excavate the edges looking for bugs .... and then there's the kids who like the sidewalk and the dirt in front of it. I told Hugo generally what I wanted and let him make the design decisions. I like what he came up with. A little more on the driveway to go.

Then there is my north wall.  Because someday (maybe never) there will be a house up against that wall I didn't worry too much about the stucco and it is pretty sloppy and very ruff. I also cut corners on properly sealing and painting it. Shoe had a couple 5 gallon buckets of cheap paint that was old so I mixed that with a little sealer and some decent paint but not semi-gloss. I'll only paint with semi-gloss from now on.  

So I figured I'd clean it up, primer a few areas and let Hugo go at it with a roller. Turns out I have wire brushed and/or cleaned with Clorox almost the whole wall. Also it's so ruff that doing a good job with a roller is almost impossible and you can't see your holidays 10-12 feet above you.  I will end up painting that whole 20x4 meter wall with a brush. Plenty of other painting for Hugo.

The second sidewalk

North wall mostly painted - sealed the bottom section today

20 meters by 4 high

Global Warming vs. Climate Change

I find interesting the conversations that come up when trying to answer the question about what might be the cause of this extremely rare weather occurrence that just passed from the Pacific through the middle of Mexico. Most interesting are the deniers who don't seem to believe in Global Warming, Climate Change or even El Niño. For some reason raining when it shouldn't, colder than normal and unusual droughts are better defined as an aberration rather than a pattern ... man made or not. Very strange

There have long been claims that some unspecificed "they" has "changed the name from 'global warming' to 'climate change'". In reality, the two terms mean different things, have both been used for decades, and the only individual to have specifically advocated changing the name in this fashion is a global warming 'skeptic'.

El clima esta loco!

Arroyo Seco was a trickle last Friday

For those that may have missed it, a weather system just came in from the Pacific that dumped 12-14 inches of rain (equal to Hurricane Jova in 2011) on the Jalisco coast over the weekend and continued into Central Mexico. The weather experts say it's a result of  El Niño and the warming of Pacific waters enough to release moisture to the atmosphere. Here we get back to - is ocean warming an aberration or is there a pattern of causation. Then the skeptics say there is no El Niño because an El Niño would break the drought in Texas and California. All I know is nobody remembers much rain in March, let alone a rain equivalent of a hurricane.

Weather system without a name - should have had one

La Manzanilla had 14 inches of rain

I realize we can't run out and do something just because we fear humanity may be doing this to themselves and the planet. Very little an individual can do at all. On the other hand it sounds like science deniers and climate change deniers come to their conclusions from hopelessness. All that does is end the conversation and we might as well throw up our hands.

A wet weekend

Good time to stay home  and take it easy

Temperature in the 60's, very grey overcast and constant drizzle

Wondering if I'm suddenly in Seattle

That is rain

Rain this winter in Jalisco due to El Niño

8 January of 2015.- The months of January, February and March are traditionally dry. However, the first quarter of 2015 could record sporadic rains in Jalisco, due to the presence of El Niño, which occurs when the waters of the Pacific Ocean have an increase in temperature, reported Meulenert Angel Peña, professor and researcher of the Institute Astronomy and Meteorology of the University of Guadalajara (University of Guadalajara).

"If the tropical Pacific warming more than normal, can cause an imbalance in the atmosphere and that imbalance manifests so that in some areas of the planet rain when it's not the rainy season" said the expert.

Entre enero y marzo habría lluvias en Jalisco por El Niño

A little rain two mornings in a row

About eight this morning we had our second morning rain in a row though yesterday was not quite as dramatic. That is, no interesting cloud formations and no rainbows (arco iris or Arcoiris). Looking at the weather for the following week it looks like we may get real rain starting next weekend. It has been overcast here for at least the last week.  A meteorologist from UNAM predicts more rain than normal this winter due to El Niño. We'll see!

Front walk

Kinda rain clouds to the south

Brilliant rainbow to the north

It was actually a double rainbow from horizon to horizon

I borrowed this from the La Manz board - by Sue

The double rainbow I didn't get a good view of

It rained so much last night

It rained so much I have fish in my pool and a bridge washed out just south of Emiliano Zapata north of Tenacatita. There is an alternative route from near Punta Perula up to the Villa Purificacion area and back down Highway 80 but it will double the distance lost on Highway 200. Primera Plus said they will be using that alternative.

We also did our shopping in Cihuatlan today to avoid Buen Fin .... the Mexican equivalent of Black Friday shopping in the US. Cihuatlan had more sand in the streets from last night than I've ever seen except when the river flooded. Heavy rain last night.

Fish in pool

Getting too cold for a pool anyway

Washed out bridge

And on to the Nahima tooth adventure ...

Sad to say she has a mouth full of bad teeth and the first of them became infected a few weeks ago. She wasn't able to sleep nights the last few days. I got a message about a woman dentist in La Manzanilla that would work on kids but she was on her way to a 2 week vacation. We had to try Dentista Woo Junior or drive to Manzanillo.  Woo Senior does not want to work on very little kids.

So Woo Junior agreed but she had to be on antibiotics for 5 days before he could pull the tooth. Yesterday at 1:30 was our appointment and we knew it would be traumatic but how traumatic ??  The whole procedure required mom holding her feet and me holding her hands above her head against the chair top.

First the topical numbing stuff and then 3 separate injections .... crying and fighting all the way.   That took by far the most time with waiting in between. The extraction is actually very fast and was no worse than the rest of it for her. Yogurt, ice cream or just about anything soft and not greasy for the next few days. Sadly she is going to suffer more of these over the next year or two but at least none are permanent teeth.

Tired out after dentist ordeal

a Raton Perez to put her too in

Peregrinación to the church in Pinal Villa

Nuesta Senora del Rosario - Colonia Pinal Villa

Each day of the nine day celebration a different community in our area makes the trek out the road to Pinal Villa finishing at our local church. We pass them every day on our way into Melaque. These are two separate groups on different days below.

The weather has not been kind to our roads or to outdoor activities. Looks like we have a dry spell that may last awhile but September was the wettest month on record. No sign of the entertainment stage like last year, no kids rides, no food or beer booths.  Almost wonder if there will be a Castillo. Hope this sunshine will improve the spirits.

Down from the clouds

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Just descending into the clouds over Los Angeles

Down from the clouds in more ways than one.  Mexico is down and on the ground is down. There seem to be clouds everywhere.  Seattle was overcast and raining much of the time.  There are plenty of  clouds here in Melaque but no rain yesterday or today. 

The annual week long Pinal Villa Fiesta starts tomorrow and our little church is a favorite of many in the area. There will be a Peregrinación (religious parade) tomorrow afternoon but our road is a real mess from past rain and lack of attention from the Municipio. After a heavy rain it is almost impassable. I just gave enough for 2 loads of road fill and the guy will donate his front-loader for smoothing it out.  That is if it does not rain tonight or tomorrow morning. Road improvement will make my daily bus driving into school a lot easier.

Feels good to be back down in Mexico even if  under the warm humid clouds. 

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Starting decent into Manzanillo

A Storm I Will Miss

Tropical Storm Odile

a French saint

Because I'm up in rainy Seattle.  Sunday was bright, blue and almost warm. Now I'm waiting for a little sunshine so I can do some sightseeing, shopping and business.

The flight Saturday was pretty uneventful except it had been awhile and I was not prepared for uncomfortable seats and cool temperatures. No longer do flights supply blankets and pillows I was happily informed by the Stewardess. The plane on the leg to LA seemed new with nice seats and a not out of control air conditioning. The flight to Seattle was not as comfortable but I grabbed some warm clothes out of my suitcase when we switched planes. BTW - the flight is Alaska

One odd thing that happened entering LA was that I was told by security (TSA) I was "flagged" for the alternate security lane. The procedure was the same except I didn't have to take my shoes off and no waiting in line. I asked the TSA people and they had no idea why. Whatever sets the flags for TSA is total BS since I've never given them a reason.  Oh well, I went through security before most people on our flight.

Well ... two more weeks here and I'll see if I can find a few interesting things to do and get a few fotos.

Rain, rain, rain from Norbert

Well not that close and not that big but closer than other storms this year and big enough. I don't know where Norbert gathered all it's water but it's been plenty so far.  La Manzanilla reported 7.5 inches since noon yesterday at 8am this morning. Barra de Navidad just reported 16 inches in the last 36 hours. That is some crazy rain. No thunder and lightning ..... just never ending rain

School was closed today and will be tomorrow.  We can'r get to Melaque due to water levels on our road. The lagoon was opened to avoid flooding. All the water from Pinal Villa heads for the lagoon as well as Jaluco, much of Melaque and anything in the mountains behind us. Neighbors said the erosion on their street is so bad the water distribution pipes have been uncovered

My yard with drain below gravel but earth is saturated

A flat street next to my house

Street with slight slope becomes a river

A Weather Sandwich

We get storms on opposite coasts now and then and sometimes the weather becomes pretty interesting. These two don't look all that serious but really you never know. It is something to think about when you are gong to fly out within the next week. Seemingly unrelated to the distant Invest 93E is today's weather in the bottom graphic. Actually not all that uncommon this time of year and the wind and rain has started from that big red/pink blob.

Pacific 5 day potential

Atlantic 5 day potential

Today Monday the first of September

Melaque is right in the middle of graphic