Las Flores- The Flowers

A small town called Camichin de Juaja is less than a kilometre from the family property in Mexico. It is typical Mexican community with rows of low adobe homes in streets around the main zócalo or town square. To the average American or Canadian it appears very poor but what is a true measure of wealth? Beautiful orchids bloomed in the courtyard of a home where a woman stood outside scrubbing her laundry by hand on a stone wash board. My father asked if I could enter the gate to take a picture of the flowers and she graciously let me in.

My brother Philip pointed out the star cactus flowers blooming at the front of his house. They smell like carrion and attract flies but I did not personally try to find out if this is true. Regardless of the plant's diet, the blooms were beautiful and unusual.

This Tabachin tree flowered outside the window of the guest room. I loved the vibrant red colour and the tree attracted many birds and butterflies. Mom had willed it into holding its blooms until I had seen it but by the time I left the rains had caused most of the flowers to fall to the ground.

Bougainvillea and Crepe Myrtle (lower right)

I put more of the many pictures I took into these collages and all but one, the yellow tree in the lower set, were taken on the family property. It was always interesting to walk around the grounds to see the many flowers and fruit trees.