It’s that waiting time of year again. While we once waited for Christmas, for birthdays, for the end of school, or even for the beginning of a new term of school, these days lakesiders are waiting, scanning the sky for rain clouds, and desperately begging for a cool breeze.
Even the rainbirds – those huge prehistoric-looking members of the locust family – are getting anxious. You can hear the impatience as they ramp up the volume and endurance of their screeching mating calls.
Mother Nature has some annoying habits. This year she’s taunted us, day after day with an afternoon sky full of low hanging clouds, enough humidity to make the air feel heavier than usual and long trains of low rumbling thunder crossing the sky.
My maid summed it up perfectly when she sighed the other day and said, “Ay, the weather is just like the politicians: there’s lots of promises but no action.”
Every culture has old wives tales to forecast approaching rain. I remember my grandfather gazing at the western sky and saying, “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight; red sky in morning, sailors take warning.” While that bit of wisdom surely belonged to the old wives of the fishermen and sea captains, it was effective there in the middle of North America.
My turkey-farming uncles watched for a ring to form around the moon. Knowing when it would rain was vital to their livelihood and 4,000 families’ holiday dinner tables. You see, it’s true that turkeys are among the least intelligent of the earth’s creatures. When they look up to see what’s falling from the sky, the raindrops drip into their tiny nostrils and they drown.
Then there are the different types of clouds. Cirrus clouds resemble mares’ tails. The high long streamers can mean bad weather is coming. Altocumulus clouds – the ones that look like mackerel scales give the same warning. Sometimes you’ll see mackerel skies and mares’ tails in the same sky. When that happens, rain is sure to fall the next day.
I’ve always watched for cumulus towers – those puffy towers of billowing clouds that flatten on top into an anvil shape. Those anvils not only predict showers later in the day, there’s a good chance of a good, old-fashioned thunderstorm.
Still, if you want to predict rain like a native, you’ll want to keep your eye on Mount Garcia on Lake Chapala’s southern shore. Locals swear, “When Señor Garcia pulls down his sombrero, we know it’s going to rain.”
Now before you go looking for the big hat in the sky, know that they’re referring to the thick layer of clouds that mask the mountain’s peak. If the top of the cerro is covered, you’ll want to keep your umbrella close at hand.
Ajijic Limpio
Paula and Scott Young, with help from Delegado Hector España, are reviving Juanita Reed’s litter project in Ajijic. Every Saturday morning from 10 to 11:30 a.m. these one-year residents are hitting the streets with a pack of eager kids intent on gathering every scrap of trash they encounter. The Scotts are determined to reinstate Reed’s clean-up project in her honor. Volunteers and donations to offset the cost of the materials will be needed as the program continues and grows. The group starts and ends at the intersection of Ocampo and Pancho Villa just west of Seis Esquinas.
Protest March Planned
Area residents are asked to dress in white and to meet at the Ajijic malecon amphitheater at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 24 to participate in the second annual silent march protesting genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and Monsanto, the world’s largest producer of GMO seeds.
The march will take protesters concerned about GMOs to the Ajijic pier, up Morelos, east on Constitución and then north to the church and then to the plaza before returning down Colón and Morelos to the amphitheater.
Millions around the world marched in the first protest held in 2013 on the last Saturday in May. To date 16 countries around the world have banned the use of Monsanto GMOs.
Bilingual Toastmasters
Tim Schubert will be representing the Lake Chapala Bilingual Toastmasters Club during competitions in Merida May 23 to 25. Winners of this contest will represent Mexico in upcoming international competitions
The lakeside group will continue alternating English and Spanish in local sessions The meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 27 will be in Spanish session, while on Tuesday June 3, the group will be speaking English.
The club meets at Loyala Institute of Chapala (next to the Lakeside Little Theater) at Allen Lloyd 151 in San Antonio Tlayacapan.
For more information about meetings, contact Tim Schubert at (376) 766-0920 or Maureen Jones at (376) 766-2338, or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . www.toastmasters.org.
Genealogy Forum
A webinar entitled “50 Year View: What I’ve Learned Climbing My Family Tree” will be the featured program at 2 p.m. on Monday, May 26 in the Sala at the Lake Chapala Society. The Genealogy Forum members and visitors are looking forward to viewing Tom Kemp’s tale of his half-century of research, including learning some of the many tidbits he found while chasing a multitude of obscure sources. This talk not only reminds researchers to look at everything; it vividly transmits the sense of excitement and joy that those involved in genealogy experience on best days of discovery.
For more information email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Lakeside Progressives
After discussions of various progressive issues during the May 13 meeting of the Lakeside Progressives, members were advised that the group now has a Facebook page. Those with similar interests can find information about the group, post or comment on the page by typing Lakeside Progressives into the Facebook search slot.
LCS Bus Trips
Lake Chapala Society (LCS) shoppers are on the move again with another trip to Guadalajara for Thursday, June 12. On this excursion, the bus will visit the Galerias Mall which is anchored by Liverpool, Sears, Sanborn’s, and Best Buy and is filled with dozens of smaller shops, boutiques, coffee shops and restaurants. Coming soon are P.F. Changs and The Cheesecake Factory.
Lakeside visitors will also have the opportunity to buy to their hearts’ content at the Super Walmart, Costco, Sam’s and Mega Mercado.
LCS passengers will pay 250 pesos per person to ride the private bus which leaves from the sculpture near the Auditorio del Lago in La Floresta at 9:30 a.m. and returns at 4 p.m. There is plenty of cargo space for packages, bags and bundles. Sign up at the LCS from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
with questions.
People’s choice screenings
Cinemas del Lago at Plaza Bugambilias continues its Cine-ME program benefiting local charities with the double screening of a silver screen classic on the bill for Tuesday, May 27, at 12:30 and 9 p.m.
The film title will be selected through a people’s choice voting system based on the number of “like” clicks and favorable comments registered for choices displayed on the Facebook page of proprietor David Reynoso.
Once again, half of the box office will be donated to Chapala’s Love in Action children’s home.
Center for Spiritual Living
At the Friday, May 30 meeting at Center for Spiritual Living, attendees will explore “Global Chants and Dances.” The chants and simple dances express the depth, beauty and harmony of different spiritual traditions. Participants will discuss if the cultures are more alike or more different.
The Thursday discussion group is sharing the book, “A Thousand Names for Joy” by Byron Katie. The program begins with an optional meditation from 10 to 10:20 a.m. followed by group discussion from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
A July 14 to 20 retreat in Ajijic will become entitled “Despierta & Escucha” (Wake up and Listen) featuring John Waterhouse, world president for Centers for Spiritual Living. Call Tim Schubert at (376) 766-0920 for details. All events are held at Nicolas Bravo 17 in Ajijic.
Buddhist Community
The Heart of Awareness Buddhist Community meets in Ajijic for meditation and dharma teachings at 4:30 p.m. every Wednesday at Encarnacion Rosas 9. The subject of the Wednesday, May 28 dharma talk is “Parami (Perfection) of Renunciation.”
Heart of Awareness is a non-sectarian Buddhist practice community grounded in the original teachings of the Buddha as preserved in the Theravada/Vipassana tradition. Membership is open to everyone, and includes people with Zen, Tibetan, and Shambhala backgrounds as well as with no prior experience with meditation. For more information, call Karin Miles at (376) 766-0020.
Open Circle
“The Joy of Connecting” is the topic author and traveler Rita Golden Gelman has chosen to describe her presentation for the Sunday, May 25 Open Circle meeting. Gelman talks of living with Zapotec Indians in Mexico, with a royal family in Bali, with Maasai tribesmen in Tanzania. She tells of getting to know teens in a slum in New Delhi and singing in New Guinea with tribesmen who hunt with bows and arrows.
Gelman will share her current passion, encouraging teens in the United States to experience other cultures before they go to college. She is the author of “Tales of a Female Nomad, Living at Large in the World” and more than 70 books for children. When she divorced in 1987, she decided to spend the rest of her life living her dream. She gave away her belongings and took off to connect with people in other cultures. After 27 years, she has no home, almost no possessions, and a wealth of memories.
Open Circle begins at 10 a.m. each Sunday with a social time over coffee, tea and sandwich bites. The presentation follows at 10:30 a.m.
Unitarian Universalist
“Growing Non-Believers” is the topic Norman Woods will present at the 10:30 a.m. Sunday meeting of the Lake Chapala Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at Plaza de la Ribera (formerly Sol y Luna) at Rio Bravo 10A in Ajijic. A coffee hour will follow the presentation.
For more information call 765-7231 or visit our website at www.uuflc.org
The Little Chapel
“Since we just elected a new elder, I think the sermon on Sunday, May 25 is the perfect time to look at Paul’s list of qualifications for elders,” reports Rev. Gene Raymer, pastor of the interdenominational congregation of The Little Chapel by the Lake.
A refreshment period is shared with the Christ Church Anglican Fellowship before the 11:15 a.m. regular Sunday service. After the service members gather at a local restaurant for a fellowship luncheon.
The church is located on the mountain side of the Carretera in just east of the Chula Vista Golf Course.
St. Andrew’s Anglican
Visiting Supply Priest at St. Andrew’s Anglican Church Fr. Michael Schirmacher’s sermon for the 10 a.m. Sunday, May 25 service will be titled “A Reason for the Hope Within You.” A weekly time of welcome, refreshment and fellowship in the garden follows the worship service.
During the slower season months, St. Andrew’s has just one service at 10 a.m. Children’s Sunday School begins at 9:45 a.m. St. Andrew’s is located at Calle San Lucas 19, just a block south of the Carretera in Riberas del Pilar.
Lakeside Presbyterian
Pastor Ross Arnold’s series of sermons based on the Book of Psalms continues with Psalms 3 and 4 featured in “Secret to a Good Night’s Sleep” during the 10 a.m. worship service on Sunday, May 15. The struggles of King David, author of these chapters are reflected in his cry in Psalm 3, “Lord, how many are my foes.” Both Psalms reflect David’s ability to sleep soundly, no matter the situation.
Fellowship and refreshments in the garden follow the service as will the discussion. Lakeside Presbyterian Church is on the Carretera in Riberas between Vigolari furniture store and S&S Auto. Just watch for the LPC sign: “You have family at Lakeside!”
Christ Church
Fr. Danny Borkowski will speak on the subject, “Another Advocate,” during the 9:30 a.m. Sunday, May 25 Christ Church Anglican service with Communion Rite II. Borkowski is drawing on John 14:15-21 as the inspiration for his sermon.
Following the worship service, the members of Christ Church will join the arriving Little Chapel by the Lake congregation for a joint coffee time in the fellowship hall with refreshments courtesy of Julie Ray of Christ Church.
The Fuego del Cielo class, part of an interdenominational Bible institute study guide to train Hispanic men and women for mission work, meets from 6:15 to 9 p.m. on Monday, May 26.