Catching up: Day 18, part II (substituting Day 16) - on the way home

country roads...

Well, as I was returning to work after taking off for a quick pop-in at Clo's High School, I decided that this was my chance. Driving along the periférico at 2:00 pm is really enjoyable - there's so little traffic. This meant I could stop several times along the way to try to capture these lovely scenes that are quickly disappearing! It's true. Every week you can see new construction going on at some point on that highway. It's really given me cause for concern! Many of the sites are future housing projects, and that is not nice to contemplate, no matter how nice the architecture (and most of it isn't).

So I took this picture which I liked because of that blue pick-up in the distance. It was a challenge to get it in the right place at the right time but I got it on the second try.

I'm pretty sure that's a cornfield! I'll try to get a follow-up shot when the corn is ready to cut; should be lovely!

Day 20: Sunday driver

an orange-blossomed tree!

Another periférico shot! This one I missed and had to go to the next exit, turn around and come back. You might think that's no big deal, but I can tell you I was a bit worried about doing it as I was driving a distinctive car with expired verification stickers and there was an "operativo" of police (judiciales?) at the entrance to the periférico, stopping cars randomly... (this "operativo" has been going on all over the city at different sites for months now; they are looking for drugs and weapons transports but if they stop you, I'm sure they take advantage of the opportunity to get you for something or other! I hate having to pass that roadblock every day, and it's only one of about 4 that I pass on my normal routes!).

Luckily, they didn't stop me when I came around the second time, and I waited till I was around the bend from them to stop the car and take the picture. I'm wondering what those orange buds are on that tree???

Day 19: Umbrella Girl

Adios, Jefa

A couple of years ago, I dedicated some weeks to searching the internet for a certain 'umbrella girl' I'd seen as Fned's icon during our chat sessions... She was soooo darling, with long wet straggling blond hair, huge dark blue-black eyes and the most woebegone expression on her face under her dripping umbrella. She touched my heart and I wanted to be able to use that picture as an icon in a forum I'm in, or just have for future reference. Come to think of it, I probably would have used it here on my blog had I found it, but alas, it was simply not to be! By plugging "umbrella girl" into the Google search, I found all sorts of girls and umbrellas, and by plugging in 'sad-eyed umbrella girl', the results were narrowed down to a few, but the one I wanted never appeared...

Yesterday, as I was leaving the farewell party for my boss who is going on to bigger and better things, she got her umbrella and walked me to my car in the rain. We hugged, and, as I was clicking the remote key to open the cardoor, she turned to look back at her house, which is nestled in one of the true woodsy places left near Puebla, and sighed, "I love this view of my house." I whipped out my phone and said, "I'm going to take a picture of you in it. Just start walking back and turn around when I call 'Now!'" "But your phone will get wet," she noted. "No prob.," said I, "Just start walking and I'll do it quick."

Once again, I took the picture almost blindly, and once again, the result is more than I'd hoped for! I don't think I got her house in the picture (it's in back of her to the right; you can see the gate if you click to enlarge the pic), but in a way, you could say, I've finally got my umbrella girl!

Catching up; Day 18: She did it! (Graduation Day)

Graduation Girl - Sitting Pretty!

High School Graduation sure has gotten sloppy! No cap n' gown... no formal ceremony, no big deal at all! And this is the Public High School. They're supposed to make a big deal!

I gave up on the idea that there would be a ceremony after CLo went to her "Prom" night a couple of weeks ago, and then had a few more days of school, and then informed me that school was officially out.

But suddenly, this last Thursday, at 11:00 p.m., CLo gets an e-mail from the school Administration office - Please be at the school tomorrow at 10:00 for graduation papers. Dress nice.

That was the first acknowledgment we'd had that her class had really graduated - and even then, it wasn't clear if there would be a ceremony. So CLo called different classmates, who each told her their different interpretations of the e-mail, but in the end it was all speculation.

Of course, I wanted to go see her graduate! On the other hand, how could I cancel my classes at 11:00 at night? CLo said not to feel obligated, because there wasn't going to be anything official, just all the students taking pictures with their friends and getting their certificates. But my brain was working around the problem and I figured out a way to get to see her and take some pictures around 11:00 a.m. This being Mexico, I figured things wouldn't really start till around 11:00 anyway, so I'd be there in good time to surprise CLo and snap some shots of her and her friends.

So I'm heading out of the parking lot from work, and my phone battery is on its last little line, but I risk it to call CLo telling her I'm on my way... then I go for it!

Fifteen minutes later I get a TM from CLo saying: "Ya empezó y nosotros somos el B, así que APÚRATE!".... You mean there IS GOING TO BE A CEREMONY AFTER ALL???? UNBELIEVABLE!!!

Oh no, I'm thinking, will I make it? I need at least 15 or 20 minutes more to get there, park, and run to the graduation site. Oh please, oh please, oh please! But drive safe... get there alive...

As I'm parking the car, I hear the names being called - they're at the M's.... if it was her group (B) her name's already been called... NO! Please let them still be in the A Group...

But no, it was the B group! I missed her walk across the stage to receive her diploma! As I run up to the site, she sees me and comes out to meet me! We hug and shrug and I take some pictures after the fact! Just to show that she DID graduate... See her there??? Just look at that smile! She did it!

Catching up; Day 15: A Well-Trained Dog

Waiting for the command

This is another picture that truly captured the scene, even though I just aimed the camera in the general direction and snapped! Notice how this dog kept his eyes wide open for the shot. Now why can't I do that when someone takes my picture????

Catching up - Day 14

Caught!

This picture was such a surprise! I really love it. I took it the night Anto was packing. Samo was trying to hide behind the bear but I caught him just as he peeked up! And what's really amazing is that I couldn't really see what I was taking! It's so funny how the blinder I become, the better the pictures I take! It's like I can aim in the general direction and I get a great shot! It simply amazes me!

Day 17: Better than reality

View from the living room

I've got a new camera!

The picture above was taken from inside the house, through the glass door, and I swear, the real view doesn't look this good, even with the door wide open.

I'm still reflecting on that... a camera that makes a view look better than reality!

At the same time, there's a picture of me that captured my expression down to the last detail and beyond, and that was rather a shocker!

I suppose in the end, the poor little camera - a Sony and quite nice! - can't differentiate between good and bad... what it does is capture all the tiny details to produce an intensely vibrant picture... but if you're feeling less than vibrant, don't get in the way of the shutter!

I'll keep that in mind... meanwhile, I'll just enjoy getting the feel of this new little tool. The trick is to concentrate on becoming an excellent snapper, while steering clear of being the snappee!

P.S. Sorry I've skipped a few days but, haven't had any time to attend to the blog.

DAY 13: Time out

It's (not) a race against the clock...

I simply don't understand myself sometimes... I mean, am I really this much of a procrastinator? I have so many things to do (you know, there's no time like the present!), things that I actually HAVE to do like GET STUFF DONE... (a stitch in time saves nine!)

and if I don't want to do those things, there are things I COULD do that I don't HAVE to do, but that would be NICE to do, CONSTRUCTIVE things, HELPFUL things, SELF-IMPROVEMENT things, HOME IMPROVEMENT things, BODY IMPROVEMENT things, FAMILY-TYPE things, HOBBY things...

...but what am I doing? Looking for expressions with the word "time" in them to post on my blog!!! Well, I can tell you that there are sure plenty of expressions out there with "time" in them, but the question is not: "Do I have enough time to compile the list?" , but rather: WHY AM I HAVING SUCH A HARD TIME GETTING ON THE MOVE TODAY????

Okay, whatever... I know.... it's high time I get going... but before I go, here's a list ALREADY COMPILED, of time expressions: check it out HERE

Now, what I really wanted to do, was post a list of SONGS with the word "time" in them... but I can't find one already made up... however, I did find this for all you quiz-takers... actually, it's better for people who are learning English, but you need a pretty advanced level of English to do it, so it's a challenge even for some native speakers!

I am still looking for a website that gives you a list of song titles with "time" in them... but I'm running out of time, as you can see on the cuckoo clock above... so I'll leave it for now... if you find a good list, could you take the time to post it in the comments here?

Thanks!... till next time!

DAY 12: Some things never change

Dishes done

Went out and about taking pictures this morning and last night, and the photo of the washed dishes is the best. It looks so homey - so efficient, so warm and optimistic. It modestly proclaims: 'Here are people who have it all together! They cook huge meals and clean up so nicely! Nothing is too much for them! They've got everything under control.'

And if you believe that, you've never spent 1 minute at our place. What I should have done was take the picture last night, when I came home from a concert. The person who's turn it was to wash dishes had received an invite to go out and had left without washing them. The kitchen was a horrendous mess. Did I clean it up? Are you kidding? At 2:00 in the morning? When I had to contend with an irritated husband who wanted to know why I'd come back so late? (which sure made me feel young - yeah, like a 16-yr.-old trying to defend herself to dad!).

No way! I took my pillows and went to get comfortable on the couch. But then the younger generation began to arrive home. They have the right to stay out late, you see! The first one home was Clo, and she went to bed, but then Lu, the awol dishwasher, got home. Naturally, he promised to wash in the morning...

So we all eventually slept, and this morning, we actually did get some work done in this house. Though, Lu did not do the dishes - it was Clo! She did a nice job! And now they're preserved forever, all washed and drying in the morning sun that slants across them through the window.

I keep telling myself things will change; we will get organized around here... I just wish I could believe it!

DAY 11 - It's Buddy Day!

Picnic on a summer day with some of my best buddies!

Whew! You know, it's really hard to keep up with this photo-every-day pace! I'm cheating a bit today because: 1) the photo above wasn't taken today, or even this year, and 2) I didn't take the photo. But cut me some slack because I'm trying to make a point here about Buddy Day.

This morning, you see, I received an e-mail from one of my oldest buddies, telling me it's Online Buddy Day! I haven't investigated to find out if this is true - I mean is it a new tradition to be honored by cyberfriends or something? - but I like the concept of it, so I decided to honor the idea with a mention on this blog. Of course, I wanted to post a picture I took of myself and J-Buddy the last time we got to see each other, but naturally, as I was so pressed for time, I couldn't find the picture!!! What folder did I save it in??? Why didn't I give it a name so that I wouldn't have to go clicking on all those code-numbered photos? (and who can remember what the numbers stand for anyway)??

As I was clicking around, I found the photo above, and it hit me that what it's portraying is precisely a buddy moment!!! I also like the anonymity of the photo, as it could be anyone sitting around that lovely round table outside on a sunny day, enjoying a delicious barbeque meal (hamburgers and grill-baked potatoes as I recall complete with ICBINB). Those who were there know who they are, and anyone who is not probably could have been on another occasion...

Don't you just love delicious buddy-moments like the one pictured above? Remember all those great meals - those great buddy moments we've shared and you've shared with other buddies? Yummy! It makes me hungry to share one with everyone right now!

Happy Buddy Day, you guys!

Day 10 - Leaving on a Jet Plane

Aftermath of a hailstorm!

This morning Anto went to LA to work for a time. I took him to the bus station in the madrugada... as in 'the wee hours of the morning'. More accurately speaking, he drove, while I rode shotgun, drinking my coffee and grilling him about the do's and don'ts, the should's and shouldn'ts, the "rules of traveling" (and just whose rules are those? why, mine of course!), interspersing the sermon with sudden bouts of: "did you remember to do this?", "did you remember to take that?"... you know...

M.D. was in the back seat, very quiet, except to exclaim every so often on the full moon - huge and yellow/orange against the bottomless black backdrop of the sky. Poor Anto couldn't take his eyes off the road to see it, but I did and it was so impressive, that I wanted to get a picture of it. But first things first, I thought, and he really needed to get to the bus station to catch that bus to D.F. in order to catch his plane to L.A.

Got a TM from him midmorning, saying he was boarding the plane, and this evening we got a call from M.D., who said she was chatting w/him if anyone wanted to connect up and join in. Computers being turned off at the time, as we had just been visited by a huge hailstorm, (which is portrayed in today's photo, taken from our carport after I'd driven home from work through the worst of it), I figured it was only fair to dedicate this blog-entry to him.

Good luck in LA, Tony Macaroni!

Day 9: Annual Check-up

Finger-prick blood test

Today I finally went and got my "annual" check-up. Actually, yesterday I went to the Seguro Social, just to see if the procedure was still the same, since the last time I went was almost 2 years ago. Naturally, they told me that, since our family clinic consulting hours are in the afternoons, I would have to come in the afternoon. But I was my nicest and sweetest and most earnest self as I pleaded with the jefa for permission to get the check-up done in the morning hours when I have a three-hour lapse between classes on Tuesdays. She said okay, so today I went. And I must say, I was delightfully surprised by the noticeable changes in the whole experience.

The Seguro Social is not recommended by many. In the same way that most people here will tell you that public schools leave a lot to be desired and they would do everything they could to make sure their kids got into a private school, so they will also tell you that the Seguro Social is only to be used as a last resort. They would rather spend their money on private hospitals and clinics, than go to the Seguro Social.

However, I have always preferred the SS over other alternatives, mainly because it's there, it's certain, and I hate searching for doctors! Today I was actually impressed with the service! I arrived at close to 10:00 a.m., thinking it would be swamped with people and that I would wait in an interminable line. Thus, I came prepared with a book to read, some German homework to do, and my new cellphone manual to pore over as I waited.

Lo and behold, although there were quite a few people, they were waiting at other doors, so I was the second person in line at the door I needed. I had exactly enough time to finish my German homework before I was called in.

The girl who took down all my history was friendly, quick and efficient. She was visibly impressed when, in answer to her questions about births and birth control methods, I told her 5 births, all natural, and that I'd used every type of birth control on the market, respectively. She laughingly remarked that she could see why I'd finally opted to have my tubes tied.

When she had cleaned my fingertip with alcohol and was about to prick it for the glucose test, I whipped out my phone and said, "Wait! I want to get a picture of this!" She asked why, and I gave her an abbreviated explanation about the 30-day photoblog. "It's either the glucose test or the pap smear," I said, and she laughed and let me take the picture.

After the blood test, I was weighed and measured, got my blood pressure taken, had the breast exam and pap smear. Everything was done smoothly in an examining room that was clean and ready for business. By 10:15, I was finished and getting back into my clothes. When I came out of the bathroom and picked up my bag and books, there atop my Seguro Social appt. card was a strip of condoms! I held it up and looked quizzically at the young woman, who shrugged and shook her head as if to say, "I know, but it's policy."

With a final conspiratorial smile, I said, "Okay, no problem! I'm sure my sons can use them."

Day 8: In the Wild

So yesterday I ended with something about preserving the wild... and here's a picture of some of the wild around my house.

Actually, it's also a sign that we've been waiting for rain...

Now that it's really begun to rain steadily, this kind of view is not the norm around here.

'Better get this picture taken while I can,' I said to myself when I went for a walk!

Day 7: In the Name of Consciousness

Back Road Closed!

This is the scene that meets your eyes as you are coming up the last bend of the road to our house. You are on the "main" road (dirt road with rocks and holes to spice up the ride), and there's a turn onto a smaller road to the right, which runs along the back part of our property.

Note: If you clic on the photo to enlarge it, you can even see one of our combis parked on the side where our house is.

But look!! What is that? A chain running across the entrance? A sign reading "CALL POLICE"?? What does it all mean?

What it means is that the person who owns the property through which this small road has been forged - by people desperate to get to the main road when there was no other access due to bad weather and/or trucks or construction obstructing the other entrance - decided that the little path was becoming entirely too traversed, and they should put a stop to it. Hence, the sudden appearance of the chain-bar and threatening sign (though why they should put a sign saying "call police" on it escapes my powers of comprehension - who is supposed to call the police; the people driving through??).

Now there are only 5 families who would ever need to access that little road. Those are the families that live in the 5 houses to which said road leads. Two of the families lives right on the juncture of the main road, and their driveways each connect to the main road, so they really have no need to turn their cars into the little road, although, when their friends visit, of course they find it very convenient to use it in order to park their cars in the areas off that road.

Our house is next, and it's true, we are a 6-car family. What can I say? I live with mechanical-minded, combi/camper-lovers. At present we have 3 campers, plus two other cars to get around in on a day-to-day basis, plus another combi in repair. We must park at least 3 cars out back, so it's been nice to have that backroad access. Five out of six of our household drive, so on any given day at any given time, there are probably at least two vehicles in use. Still, we do not abuse the right to have automobile transportation. We take buses and walk when possible. Sometimes we go places by bicycle instead of using a car, but unfortunately, with factors like time shortage, packs of stray dogs terrorizing bike-riders, and having to carry everything on your back (i.e.when going to market), such biking expeditions end up being thwarted many a time. Also, now that rainy season is upon us, it's even less feasible to go somewhere by bike.

Okay, but getting back to the point; all in all, there are probably 6 other people who might be interested in keeping the road open. We found it hard to understand the motives of the owner for suddenly closing it. One of our neighbors had originally secured permission to use that road, as long as he didn't abuse the privilege. The rest of us just followed suit. And we all thought we were observing his wishes in not abusing the privilege.

About a week after the sign and chain appeared, I had a chance to talk with the owner of that land, who is rarely around as they live in another city. I asked him why they had arbitrarily slapped a chain bar across the entrance. Why had there been no notice to us? We thought the action a bit rude to say the least.

He explained that they were simply alarmed by the amount of use the road was getting. He said they didn't want to see the land parted in two for a road for vehicles. They wanted to conserve the expanse of open green space.

Well, I have to admit, a big part of me agrees with him. We do need to keep this area as natural and uninhabited as possible. I can't stand the idea that one day there may be a housing division or an apartment bldg or condos within sight of our house. And it's true that while the road was open, we saw vehicles driving by the back of our house on a regular basis.

So, I'm of two minds about the whole dilemma. On the one hand, it would be nice to have that backdoor access, in case the only real road, which leads to our front door, is blocked. But on the other hand, having that entrance closed means more privacy which is nice too. And at least the owner assured us they are not planning to either sell their land or build on it. They just want to keep it wild.

I guess when it comes right down to it, so do I.

DAY 6: Come Saturday Morning...

Saturday morning Kibbitzing

This is the usual procedure for Sat. morning... get up, go put the coffee on, turn on the computer, go to the bathroom, get dressed, check computer progress and plug into internet and msn, check mail, go down and get coffee and maybe a bagel or toast (if either are available, as there are no guarantees that either will be, or that there will be butter/cream cheese/jam to put on it even if there is), come back upstairs and start chatting away. Chat Time begins anywhere from 6:30 - 8:30 a.m.

Who are the chatters? Why we're the weekeend mother-and-daughter KIBBITZERS! On today's chat, one of us had to leave soon into the chat, which maybe is lucky as I wouldn't have been able to get so many kibbitzers in one picture! Lucky for her, we kept her included in the main window, so she'll be able to find out what happened after she left!

What do we kibbitz about? Well, today's chat themes included things like Father's day, which is tomorrow, the horrendous economic situation we are all facing and our subsequent dread of grocery-shopping outcomes, remembering people from the past, informing each other of things going on in our different lives, one of the kibbitzer's latest feats, which happens to be spinning her own yarn, congratulating and motivating each other onward through the fog, lots of laughs and kudos, and a special appearance by Dad coming into the chat long enough to get photographed for this blog (see below).

Dad in the Chat

Now some folks might call chatting a huge waste of time, and I have to admit that when you sit there and chat for two hours, your butt gets pretty numb! But we live over a thousand miles away from each other, so give us a break! We need to keep the bonds strong! And there are added bonuses, like when we get a sudden appearance by one or more of our far-away offspring, which has happened upon occasion, or when our juices are really running and we're on a roll with wit and rapport... now who could possibly find the heart to scold us or tell us we are wasting time??? And anyway, usually one or the other starts breaking it up before we get to the butt-numbing point. Either we need refreshments, or a husband/child/dog is calling, or it's a beautiful day and we want to go outside, or we have plans to go out for some reason or another, or we've got HOUSECLEANING and other unappetizing chores to carry out, or just because our fingers are tired and we know our our butts will be numb soon!!!!

I promise I'll search for a more grown-up, serious and social-issue type topic tomorrow to blog about (I've already got the picture ready for it), but for today, come on! It's Saturday, and a good Saturday-morning kibbitz session can do wonders for ya!

Go ahead, give it a try!

Day 5: Complex Simplicity or Simple Complexity?

Simple Squere (sic) by CLo


You know how you feel when there's been too much input and you're still trying to put it all into perspective? Or how about when things are going wonderfully well but you just can't explain why or share your feelings about it with anyone?

Or when there's an idea right there in front of you, and you can see that there's a definite pattern but you can't seem to shape it into anything...


You know how it is when life is chaotic but in a good way... when you seem to be living inside a kaleidascope...

Or how about when you've figured things out perfectly, and you have no doubts about anything even though, when someone asks you to tell them about it, you're suddenlyat a loss for words...

Well, the picture I'm putting up today is kind of the synthesis of all these ideas and others too which I'm sure you can relate it to... CLo created it when she was first experimenting with powerpoint on the computer. I've had it hidden away since two computers ago, always including it in the stuff I put into the next model - even though its really heavy bytewise. I don't often clic it open, but I know it's there, so sometimes, I decide to have a peek. As soon as I see it, I feel like everything is right there in front of me, perfectly explained but in some other language that I have no idea how to speak. So I just stare at it and absorb as much as I can of what it conveys to me with absolute certainty - namely that, regardless of other things that may carry weight in our lives, its things like color and form that drive us on!

Have a look!

Day 4 - Angel? But why the dagger?

I can't figure her out - but that just adds to the aura of dangerous charm that surrounds her. Can you see the dagger strapped to her thigh? And what about those exquisite wings?

You probably can't see the baby dragon that is at her feet. It has wings similar to hers. Is she some kind of mutant?

Whatever the weather, I adore this creature!

Do you ever reward yourself just for having come through the fog, or gotten something done, or finished a particularly challenging project? Well, that's what this little figure was to me - a reward! A treat! Compensation! Inspiration to keep up the good work...

All I need to do now is name her... maybe something like "Mystic Angel"...?

Day 3 - On the way Home

Driving home this evening, I saw the Popo, smoking from its peak and surrounded by swirling white clouds. I pulled over to the side of the periférico twice to try to get a shot of it with my phone camera, but I knew the photos wouldn't come out right, as all the white clouds and smoke blotted out the volcano itself with their blinding, sun-dazzled brilliance.

What I should have taken a picture of was the sight of other drivers having stopped their cars too, and gotten out to just feast their eyes on the view. Right in the middle of the periférico! Truly brave we were, with cars and trucks whooshing past at going-home time from work.

So, I started up the car and zipped back into the traffic without having gotten a good shot and then, as I exited from the periférico, I realized that I was now facing the Popo head-on as I began the last stretch to home. The sun was fast going down behind the volcano by then, so I looked for a place to get off the Libre, and snapped what you see here. Click on it, and you'll see what I mean about the Popo's majesty... though in the end, I guess you just had to be there.

Meanwhile, I want to add a P.S. for yesterday's picture - I couldn't show the complete Marushka set, but now I can, so here it is:

That's the five sisters and Mario...

Day 2 - Marushka

I have always loved the Matroyshka nesting dolls from the first time I got to open up a set and see all the little sisters standing in a row - I think my grandparents must have had a set at one time or another, or maybe it was when my sister went to Russia and brought a set back. Anyway, I knew them as Marushka dolls (and interestingly enough, Marushka is my sister's Russian name), but I've never really known much about their origin until now! As you can see in the picture here, I have a set - although unfortunately you cannot see the four little sisters of Ana, who is portrayed here. The problem was, I couldn't get the dolls to close once I'd taken them all out - they close up fine inside each other, but when they have to stand alone, the threads don't want to mesh right. Maybe it's symbolic (see the story of Ana) or maybe the constant rain* is affecting the wood! At any rate, I'll try to get another shot of the all the sisters (this set has five) on another day.

Meanwhile, what I want to say about these dolls is how I got them - it was in a trade! As I recall, it was a trade with Fned, but I can't remember what she got from me in exchange. I seem to recall that it was a piece of jewelry, but I must say that I think I got the best part of the trade. Isn't she a doll????

* I am not complaining about the rain... yet!

30-day photolog - DAY 1

Window cubbyhole going up the staircase


Wow! what a great idea! Thanks so much Fned, and thank you too MissChris, who by the way, shows an incredible wealth of creativity and savoir de la vie in her blog... I think it's an excellent way to chronicle and later remember a month of your life. So here's day 1.

First, though, a little background; I've been dragging myself around waiting for the rainy season to begin, and finally, FINALLY, we've started to have those daily afternoon black-cloud-buildup and subsequent pouring rain. It started on Thursday, and we've had some rain every day since, so today, I went out and planted my tomatoes! I've had the plot ready since late April, anticipating rain "any day now" all during May.

Alas! When I went out to plant the tomatoes, I realized my camera batteries were dead and I wouldn't be able to take a picture for this photolog! So, I've decided to put in a picture of another plant... not a tomato, but one of my indoor plants.

You can't see it in the picture, but nearby is another maceta that has some tomato seeds embedded as of today!

Oh yeah, and if anyone knows the name of this plant, please advise!! I've forgotten what it's called!