Two of my favourite things…

After a long and satisfying walk which at this altitude is quite a challenge, I found I needed to have a wee rest. Of course it was all downhill leaving, making it all uphill on the way home. A good workout for both Mali and myself, one which we both enjoyed. It feels good to get some exercise again breathing in fresh air and looking across the amazing vistas here.

I didn’t feel up to writing or reading when I got back, so just sat for a few minutes. I realized that I had not brought out my art books since arriving here and knew that this was what I needed to do today. I couldn’t think of anything new I wanted to draw so I decided to finish a picture started long ago in Maple Creek.

I enjoy sitting on the edge of the balcony here where I can see the birds landing on the bushes and flowers below where I sit. It’s quiet and I am usually alone with the exception of Mali who is happy to be wherever I am. Since her plane ride, she has wanted to stay pretty close and I have not discouraged it. I love being able to spend so much time with her – it was what I promised her each day that I had to go to work.  It wasn’t easy knowing that she would spend most of her day cooped up in the back  seat of the car because she has always hated to be left behind.

Since the break-ins at my house over the last year, I had trouble leaving her at home. It never failed though, if I did leave her home on those +40 days, I would come home to find her on the front lawn. She would be so freaked out and terribly thirsty because she had no water. It was hard to get her back into the house, her fear very apparent. Whoever was coming into my home was abusing her and because I could not get any help from the RCMP (they felt she was getting out on her own) I began to feel more a victim.  In the end the best solution, which seemed to suit us both, was to have her along no matter how uncomfortable it was. It was for these many days of discomfort that I made the promise to Mali  we would one day have a better life, one which allowed us to spend much more time together, enjoying our days, just like we are now.

 So I put some tunes on, sat with my legs hanging over the edge and began to colour. Mali curled up beside me with her paws just over the edge too, her body pressed against my legs. The definition of joy; drawing while listening to good music with your best friend sitting beside you. While I was finishing this picture of a hummingbird, I looked up to see my first long tailed hummingbird land in the bush below me. Unfortunately my cell phone did not allow me to get close enough to get a good picture, but it was amazing to watch non the less, it’s long tail  flowing back and forth behind it.

I looked up the different hummingbirds of Ecuador and I believe this is the one I saw…

This exact flower is in the garden here at Pakarinka, but it was not the flower the bird was on.

 It is the long dark line on the red flowers to the left of the tree. Had I known earlier, I would have had my iPad with me because I just discovered that the camera on this iPad has a zoom lens and would have captured it perfectly. Had I only known.

Well I have plenty of time to take more photos and will keep trying to capture the beauty of this place each day. I’m not sure if this little guy resides here in Ecuador, but I just loved him no matter where he lives. These birds represent joy, so are welcome at any time in my life.