http://www.cowango.com/weblog/ Stefanie Graves and David Lucht are two artists with homes in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and Paducah, Kentucky. Follow along as they share stories from their lives in two countries. 2008-03-23T11:55:55-06:00 http://www.cowango.com/weblog/archives/2008/03/a_lesson_in_chu.html I just spent the morning shoveling sand and drinking beer with my Mexican muchachos. It's a community ritual known here as "corrado" (I think... don't quote me) where the guys in town get together and work to pour a concrete slab. All by hand, no concrete pumper truck, just a gas powered concrete mixture and 30 beer fueled Mexicans with... David's Entries dlucht 2008-03-23T11:55:55-06:00 http://www.cowango.com/weblog/archives/2008/03/the_paducah_for.html We are once again preparing for a trip to our home in Mexico. Our plan is to get down there twice a year if at all humanly possible. With the date fast approaching I am just now realizing that I haven't yet posted anything about Paducah. That would put me in the position of writing a blog post from Mexico... David's Entries dlucht 2008-03-01T21:52:39-06:00 http://www.cowango.com/weblog/archives/2007/10/peace_from_cent_1.html A horse at pasture in Alcocer Mexico is a place where the quiet daily routine is practically as old as the mountains behind our house. I watch my neighbor across the rock fence behind us do her laundry by hand and hang it out to dry. The shepherds lead their goats, sheep and cattle every morning to the small... Stefanie's Entries sgraves 2007-10-03T15:36:00-06:00 http://www.cowango.com/weblog/archives/2007/02/borrowed_eyes_1.html David's Entries dlucht 2007-02-14T14:54:44-06:00 http://www.cowango.com/weblog/archives/2006/12/what_of_silence.html I can sneeze again. And finally blow my nose. I can pick up something heavier than a gallon of milk. Oh yes, and one more thing. Best of all I can also hear again. This last and best thing is thanks to the wonders of technology by way of a new cochlear implant. All the other things were just nuisances,... Stefanie's Entries sgraves 2006-12-03T16:57:09-06:00 http://www.cowango.com/weblog/archives/2006/11/loop_de_loo.html In general, things don’t turn out the way you planned. Did you notice? If you can just accept that on principal life becomes one sweet kick in the pants; an adventure, instead of ruthlessly inconvenient. The problem arises from the fact that you have to make plans in the first place. We focus on our well laid plans in order... David's Entries dlucht 2006-11-10T10:13:18-06:00 http://www.cowango.com/weblog/archives/2006/09/la_vida_dulce.html The Instituto Art Fair - a lively, colorful happening We’re far from novices anymore at doing art fairs both here in San Miguel and the states. They still take a lot of preparation and forethought in ramping up to the actual event, but we’ve become accustomed to the routine of applying and the inevitable check lists to make sure... Stefanie's Entries sgraves 2006-09-09T20:03:46-06:00 http://www.cowango.com/weblog/archives/2006/06/tuning_the_immu.html Scientists have discovered that it pays to grow up in marginally unsanitary conditions in order to tune your immune system properly. Somewhere in this observation about the source of our currently epidemic levels of allergic reaction is a hard fact: Those dirty little snot-nosed kids you always complained about are all healthy, happy, strapping adults now. Except, of course, for that bully in my grade school class. David's Entries dlucht 2006-06-18T16:51:31-06:00 http://www.cowango.com/weblog/archives/2006/04/conveniences.html My day begins usually with my cat, Paintbrush, stepping on my feet and legs to wake me up for her morning ration of canned salmon cat food. I don’t have an alarm clock (or I do, if truth be known, but it doesn’t work. And that’s a whole other blog in itself.). The day begins more slowly than in... Stefanie's Entries sgraves 2006-04-29T10:00:52-06:00 http://www.cowango.com/weblog/archives/2006/03/art_fairs_and_c_1.html Sometimes the biggest obstacles are internal… as in internal combustion. Our well-traveled vehicle gave us great service and no surprises on the trip to Chicago and back over Christmas. Such is the case with aging autos that recent history provides no guarantees for future performance as our second major trip began less auspiciously. We left San Miguel for Florida in... Travel dlucht 2006-03-23T16:23:34-06:00 http://www.cowango.com/weblog/archives/2006/01/wishes_times_tw.html Stefanie standing at the threshold... Be careful what you wish for, as they say. That didn’t stop us from wishing for a piece of land in the hopes of building a house here in San Miguel. All came true in due course. And now our wall is going up around the property, looking enough like it belongs on some... Stefanie's Entries sgraves 2006-01-23T22:09:25-06:00 http://www.cowango.com/weblog/archives/2005/11/revolution_day.html The horses were first to water in Alcocer I’m sitting in Benito Juarez Park (Parque Juarez), a place newly fashioned into a prime venue for Sunday afternoon lounging. When we first came to San Miguel this park had a ragged, abandoned look. Those features were pronounced in daylight and truly intimidating at night. Now, thanks to the determined efforts... David's Entries dlucht 2005-11-20T18:44:22-06:00 http://www.cowango.com/weblog/archives/2005/10/buggering_on_1.html In a week we will begin our first real exhibition here in Mexico and the third joint show we’ve had together. We’ve busied ourselves over the past month with putting together all the promotional materials – postcards, posters, an article for the Atencíon as well as an ad. We found a caterer to pour the wine and refrescas we’ve ordered... Stefanie's Entries sgraves 2005-10-30T11:46:07-06:00 http://www.cowango.com/weblog/archives/2005/10/a_thing_about_c.html (On the eve of the World Series, I just had to include this letter I wrote to my dad, a life-long Cub fan, from his son the White Sox fan. I answered his e-mail which offered up some kind words of support just after the Sox won the American League Pennant.) A very generous interpretation of events from you, my... David's Entries dlucht 2005-10-22T12:42:25-06:00 http://www.cowango.com/weblog/archives/2005/10/will_the_nerve.html Where do I begin with all this? Of course this Katrina situation calls for somber appraisals and a good deal of finger wagging and shaking of the head. Believe me, I’ve tried chastising but I come off as someone firing from the hypocrite. I’ve tried the philosophical route but I keep seeing old Hegel back there with a megaphone shouting,... David's Entries dlucht 2005-10-02T14:17:31-06:00