Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Helena Jerolyn Pippins, Sept. 01, 1990 - Nov. 17th, 2007

The pictures that are about to follow, I made in the first few days after Helena's Pippins death. I have never placed them on the web (until now, two years later). I hope that they bring you some clarity and remembrance of those days after she passed, for those of you who know her. I can only hope that they provide you the same sort of comfort and power they give to me. They have helped me to process a period in my life that was hard to see at the moment. Or maybe it was hard not to see anything but it. I am not completely sure how one goes about processing and letting go of accumulated grief. However, I am learning quickly. I do know that this gift that has been given to me does help.

I also know that those of you who have been with Helena, my family and I, in physical, in spirit, and in prayer during these times are forever in my heart. I am so grateful to all of you out there. Thank you so much. I hope that you know your worth in the lives of other people.

Helen, you were as beautiful in death as you were in your physical life. That has been a great lesson to me. This lesson was reflected through the friends and family who I have heard, seen, and touched since your passing. I will live my life to you, and to the highest for all my days.

We love you Helena!

Thank you,
I love you,

Nicholas Pippins


























































Thank you!!

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

I need to post.  I have been busy, busy.  I am now a school teacher living in Little Rock Arkansas.  I have a wedding to edit and show you.  Also I need to take some good pictures of some of my classes, and put them up.  I hope al is well with you out there in blogger land

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Much Belated Last Post From Oaxaca....



YAAARRRR! It's me! On the way up into the mountains de La Sierra Norte! ¡Que chido! ¿Ya? Anyway, it was very curvy. Very! However, Mexicans from this region have been driving them since they have been driving. So, they drive fast. I got a little queasy feeling, and that never happens to me. Never. I can go on crazy American (and Mexican) carnival rides and eat all that funnel cake and cotton candy and keep going. So it was curvy.



On the way to Calpulalpan we stopped in Ixtlán de Juárez. Which is the birth place of
Benito Juarez. Benito Juarez was the first president of indigenous blood. He came from a Zapotec family in the rgion of Ixtlan. He was also the father of the reform in Mexico. Kind of a Lincoln of Mexico. Pretty cool dude, considering the rest of Mexican political/military history.
Also, in Oaxaca they LOVE him....well some people. Not everybody.




Went to the museum to Benito Juarez in Ixtlan, very nice. Some good prints and sculpture on Juarez.




"The men of the Reform"




Portrait sculpture of Juarez


Me and the man.


In the summer these Scarabs are everywhere! Especially at a little higher elevation. In the little mountain Pueblos there were thousands of them. Strangely, the majority of them were on their backs as well. But I found a few that weren't. They were big too. Like as long as a silver dollar, or maybe two digits of your finger.



Also, the day that we were traveling was voting day in the State of Oaxaca. They were state elections. Mexican politics are so confusing that I am not even going to comment. I just tried to do some extra research, could not make sense of it, and am going to hold my tongue. But PAN vs. PRI and the history of Oaxacan politics and the teachers strikes etc. are a very interesting thing to study, if you feel so inclined.


They did not like it when I took this picture, I had to leave...



Basket in Calpulalpan



The church there was gorgeous and very old. We had to walk around and find someone to let us into it. Finally a young man let us in to look and take pictures without flash.



Virgen de Guadelupe, beautiful.



I devoured fresh river trout caught and cooked up right there in the mountains. Very good. With mezcal and beer , a very good meal. Straight Oaxacan, really more like Zapotec, but whatev. Delicious, and real.



Then I slept in a hammock in the mountains, and waited till my friends found me. Ha! Excellent day. Thanks for looking!! As always.

-Nicholas Pippins

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Miscellaneous Images From The Last Week in Oaxaca


Iohan and Donaji. The oldest and youngest children of the family I am living with. They are both really nice. Also, extremely sweet to each other. I think we forget how wonderful our siblings are. I sure am thankful for mine more recently.



Rosaries made from ceramic "Barro Negro". The area near Oaxaca is famous for this pottery. Is it very beautiful, and worth the trip to the pueblo were it is made. This art is traditionally made in San Bartolo Coyotepec, it is a very nice and tranquil place, compared to Oaxaca. The church there is also very nice looking. However, it was closed while I was there, and I could not go on the grounds.



Some sandals out in the Campo



The flowers in the rainy season here are very beautiful. The wild flowers are still a little far and few. This only makes them more beautiful.



A forgotten shoe in the road near my families home outside the city.


Me, in the forest!!



My friend Donald. I had the pleasure of running around with Donald for two weeks. He has now left Oaxaca for his land in Michoacan. He is an Austin native, an alum, and retired employee of UT.

Thank you as always for stopping by and taking a look!

Monday, June 22, 2009

¡Hierve El Agua y Mucho Mezcal! ¡Ayayay!



The Church of Santo Domingo. The churches here are absolutely gorgeous. Also, within the walls of this church is a museum and a botanical garden. I plan on going to the museum tomorrow.




Hierve El Agua (The Water Boils). These springs literally come bubbling up on the side of a mountain. They are not hot or cold. However, they are heavy in mineral content. Because of the heavy mineral content there are formations of travertine (sp?) all over everything. There are beautiful pools that extend to the edge of the ridge.




Some formations.




A photograph from in the pool (yes I took my camera in the water!)




More formations. The amount of wild looking formations are endless.




The postcard shot.




Another photograph in one of the pools




This is a a little stream of the water coming out of the rock. The heavy mineral content creates many colors.




Another spring in a different part of the mountain.




This area, at least during the rainy season, is green and beautiful with many plants that become ready to bloom during this season.




"Viva Mexico" scratched into the red bark of a tree on the side of the mountain.




¡¡Maguey!! This region is also famous for its Mezcal. The wikipedia article after this link is good and correct about the production of Mezcal. Mezcal is a close relative to Tequila, and some of it is really good.




This young girl was helping with a stage in the process of mezcal production. After they cook the roots of the maguey plant, they smash it with a large stone wheel.




Maguey or blue agave.

P.S. I bought a bunch of this stuff. But they don't really bottle it at the factories. So you have to fill up a plastic bottle you have on hand. I have since found a store that sells glass bottles and tops specifically for this. I have bought one to put my mezcal in. I have a feeling that on of these weekends might get a little borracho.