A Procession

Thanks, Mom, for writing a blog for us.

Well, it’s about time! Mom’s been busy helping write Dad’s blog and forgetting all about us.

Now, Princess, don’t be so demanding.

Why not? You don’t get much if you aren’t! Yesterday we went out for lunch with Celia Dollmeyer, a visiting American professor doing research on women on the Camino. That includes me, of course. And SHE wrote Mom an email saying we were SO well behaved we should get to go out more often. And the wait-staff at La Codorníz seemed to really like us.

You’re right. We should get out more often. But enough of that. Mom wants to tell about life in our small town.

That’s right. This morning we heard band music—drums and some kind of horn—and looked out our balcony. We saw folks dressed like shepherds dancing with staffs around the plaza. They were leading a procession, followed by the band and then the Cofradía de Jesús Nazareno carrying a flower-covered paso of San José. He’s the patron of the brotherhood.

Living on the plaza is a real experience in small-town Spanish life. We sure are lucky!

It is indeed amazing how much pageantry there is in this little town of 2500 people. And there was our friend Paca, the matriach of the Luna-Tovar family! She's the short woman in the dark skirt and red sweater in the second photo, standing on the sidewalk, looking at the paso.

Mom went downstairs to learn more and ran into an acquaintance, who told her the Association of Pastores (Shepherds) of Joarilla de Las Matas were the folks wearing sheepskins and dancing with their staffs. Apparently it’s a traditional Leonese custom in that village.

Leonese? LIONS? OH NO!

Not lions. Leonese--the adjective for people of the province of León, named after the Legio Septimo, the Roman Seventh Legion, based here nearly 2000 years ago.

Well, that's a relief! Though I'm sure Brown Bear would have kept us safe if there had been lions! And we’ve got the PRIMO location, with a balcony on the plaza mayor!

We sure our having fun. But I hope we get out more often, now that Celia has encouraged Mom…. Just listening to the murmur of the crowd down below us makes me want to get out and dance!

Really, Brown Bear?

Really. You've heard of dancing bears, haven't you?

You are full of surprises!

An Outing (We Guess)

Our good friends, German and Peggy invited us out to a fair yesterday. We rode in the front seat with them and enjoyed the countryside.

But, we didn't see any of the wonderful sights that they talked about. Pooey!!

Yes, it was a bit disappointing, but Peggy is really fun to be with and it was good to get out of the apartment for a day.

Boring!! I wanted to be admired by the thousands of people who came to the fair.

I don't think many Spaniards would know what to make of us, Honey Bunny.

Well, that's just their fault. I got very tired and, on the way home, I took a long nap in Dad's arms. That made up for a lot of the rest of it.

Yes, and Peggy took good care of me too. It was a fun outing.

Mom's Meditation Space

Mom got her meditation space finished today and we got a place of honor looking out over her altars and outdoors to the terrace.

The room is kinda like a glassed-in porch. It's sort of an inside-outside kinda place, with brick and white-painted walls, and a nice wood floor.

Mom and Dad say the space feels really great.

There are some cats that prowl on the terrace, so I'm glad we are safely inside.

Me too. I actually saw a cat catch a bird out there today and it wasn't pretty.

I averted my eyes. It was just too much for my delicate sensibilities.

Yes, we know how delicate you are, Princess.

SO?

We're considering staying out here most of the time. It is just such a special place, and we are not far from Mom and Dad at night.

Mom was SO excited a few mornings ago--she woke up early and looked out from the bed through the windows in the sunroom/meditation room to the sky above the rooftop terrace, and there was a sliver of a waning moon rising. Talk about romantic!

She even nudged Dad so he'd wake up and see. Talk about romantic!

Our New Home

Here we are in our new home. Mom and Dad have been working so hard to get us here that we haven't even asked for a new post.

Now that they are finished with the move we will demand some more photos to show everything we have in our new place.

We've had several visitors and they have enjoyed meeting us. They have all admired my knife a great deal and commented on HoneyBunny's attractive attire. Our Spanish is not very good, but they understand (at least when Mom or Dad speaks for us).

If you want to see more pictures of our house and our wonDerFUL view--Mom says it's a view most Spaniards crave--our balcony looks right out on the plaza mayor!--anyway, if you want to see more pictures, visit "Dad's" blog at http://havingfununtilidie.blogspot.com

Semana Santa

Well, it is about time that someone put up a post for our adoring fans. Mom and Dad have been really neglecting us these past weeks.

Now Honey Bunny, you know that they had to work very hard to get us out of Santa Fe and all set up here in Spain. Give them a break!

I’m still in a snit about how long it has been since we have had some recognition. But Dad has promised to do better in the future.

Well, you’ll have to admit that riding on the paso -- that's Spanish for a religious "float" -- for the Holy Week procession was pretty special.

You know as well as I do that we were left at home and Dad just did one of his tricks to make it look like we were there.

OK, I’ll admit that we were there

 only in spirit, but I’m not sure I would have wanted to actually see some of the stuff they were parading around with. It all looked pretty bloody to me. We bears are mostly vegetarian and I don't go in for blood.

Bloody, yes, but dramatic 

and you know how I go for drama.

Yes you certainly are a drama queen, that’s for sure.

I don’t think I like the sound of that.

Well, drama queen or not, you are my princess.

Oh you say the nicest things, Brown Bear. You are my best friend, too.

By the way, if you want to see a lot of Holy Week photos go to Dad's blog: http://havingfununtilidie.blogspot.com

My New Bag

I’ve got the best mom in the world! She found this wonderful leather bag to put my new knife in. Now I can reach it whenever I need to cut up a salmon or dig into a bee’s nest! I’m so happy I could dance for joy (with a little help, of course).

Brown Bear, I’m so jealous of your new treasure. When has mom done ANYTHING for me, that’s what I’m asking!

Now Honey Bunny, mom launched her new book at the pilgrims gathering in Albuquerque this weekend and you know all too well that you are a featured player throughout the book. I only come in at the end as kind of an afterthought.

Well, that’s true, but did mom let us out to be the star of the show?? Did she? Did she?

People will need to read the book, then they will be lining up to meet you and get your autograph, just like a rock star. You wait.

Waiting is not a part of my agenda. I want it ALL NOW!

Patience, Princess. Don’t get your ears in a tangle over this. You’ll be as famous as you want to be before you know it. And besides, fame isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Why, a relative of mine became quite famous, and now he is featured in all sorts of cheap and cheesy toys, and they even have made movies of him that don’t do him justice.

Oh Pooh!

That’s his name all right! You wouldn’t believe what Walt Disney studios did with him. The last I heard, he was hiding out somewhere in the north woods, ashamed to show his face in public.

You’re just trying to change the subject. I still want fame right now. I don’t care if it comes at any price.

Now, Princess, you are famous with me. Isn’t that good enough.

Oh, Brown Bear, you say the sweetest things.

It’s all that honey that I eat, Princess, and you know that your name is honey on my lips.

Oh, Brown Bear! You are the loveliest bear. How about a little kiss??

Don’t get any ideas. 

More of our friends

'Mom' had taken more photos of us and our friends! I can't wait to share this with you! There's Bronze Owl, who is the best friend of Snowbird. And there's the very first fiberalchemy, The Green Man.

He looks kinda sad, I think.
He's been all alone here. No plants or anything to keep him company!
Poor guy.
We tried to cheer him up.







'Mom' and 'Dad' have been SO busy--finishing 'Mom's book, Walking Through Cancer - A Pilgrimage of Gratitude on the Way of St. James.
Makes me tired just thinking about all that walking!
Yeah, well, without shoes it would be kinda hard.
But at least we didn't have to walk--we got to ride in the Bunny Bag!
It was quite a journey, wasn't it, Honey Bunny?
Yeah, and we have a featured place in the story, so I hope our loyal followers will read it!
Is it available already?
Maybe by the end of the month....
Maybe sooner if 'Mom' weren't taking so much time writing our blog...
NO WAY! BTW, I think she should buy us special gifts for talking up her book. Whatdayouthink?
I think you should quit while you're ahead.