Inspirational Quotes Wallpaper

Three topics today:

Coba and Birdwatching is Complete

I felt happy as I put together the scenes for the Coba section of the Yucatan Travel Video. Today, I finally finished the bird-dances-to-music. When I showed it to John, he laughed out loud and had to see it again. That made me feel so good. Many birdwatchers come to Coba because the tropical songbirds around the lakes are phenomenal. There are also crocodiles. And, of course, the ancient ruins, which are always so fascinating. The first time we visited Coba, in 1999, hardly anyone was there. The parking lot had not been paved. No tourist buses parked there. The road to the site contained potholes from one end to the other. Now, everything is paved, spiffed up, touristy and very pleasant.

Diving into Coba Today

I am really looking forward to making the tropcal birds living around the lakes in Coba fly in slow motion while putting together the Yucatan Travel Movie. One lovely little yellow songbird fluffs its wings while sitting on the top step of a tropical plant. A gorgeous irridescent huge blue heron-like bird drifts in for a landing. Can hardly wait to make them look gorgeous on film.

Coba is the Flavor of the Day

Today I made my shot list for Coba, an especially beautiful but also wild and wierd archeological site in the Yucatan Peninsula. I especially like the plethora of wild birds chirping and yodelling in the morning. With the camcorder filming, I was thrilled when a two to three foot tall brown speckled wading bird not only gave out three large squawks, but it also pooped and then flew away . . . all on camera. It is the Coba lakes that attract the tropical birds. Most of the land surface of Yucatan Peninsula is dry and without any rivers, streams or lakes. The inhabitants have to collect rainwater or haul water up from underground.

Apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Izamal

Another fantastic day working on the Yucatan Travel Video. I love remembering my visits to the wonderful colonial town of Izamal where the town’s people, modern-day Maya, live among the ancient Mayan ruins . Alas, an overzealous Spanish bishop, during the time of the Spanish Inquisition, dismantled one of the pyramids and used its stones to construct a convent. Obviously, the location is a powerful sacred site. As it turns out, the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary at this convent is attributed with having been an apparition because legend has it that the statue could not be moved from the convent. When we were there in December, the town had a huge celebration on her behalf complete with a carnival, a procession, and refreshments stands. Pope John Paul II made a pilgrimmage to the site.

Images of Itzamna

Here’s a link to a number of images of Itzamna, the great god of the ancient Maya: http://images.google.com/images?q=itzamna&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-US&oe=utf8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=4HLFStLoM4ee8AaSpKQ5&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4

He is usually toothless, sits in a lotus position, sometimes has a beard – very unusual since the pure blooded Maya do not have beards. Verrry interesting.

Today, I am including the search for an image of Itzamna at Chichen Itza in the Yucatan Travel Movie.

Izamal was Izamna’s City

The present-day beautiful colonial town of Izamal is the next topic of the Yucatan Travel Movie because it was the place where Izamna, the ancient Maya’s exalted god, made his capital.

Yucatan Travel Video Includes Itzamna

Itzamna was a very important god of the ancient Maya. He is one of their founder gods who oversaw all the other gods.

Carol Chapman

Book Signing in Norfolk, Virginia

Today, I attending the Books in the Park in Norfolk, Virginia, which was sponsored by the downtown Barnes and Noble store. Although the day started out wet and rainy, by afternoon, the sun shone brightly and those of us whose booths were located where the sun heated us, moved our chairs into the shade. I met many wonderful people and received fantastic suggestions from them for my work and business.

Carol Chapman

Inspirational Quotes Wallpaper Almost Ready!

Well, it has taken two days but the new computer wallpapers, soon to be available at Inspirational Quotes Wallpaper, are almost ready!

My favorite is on my computer now. It shows two daffodils almost bowed by the force of the snow and cold, that, nonetheless, keep their blooms intact in spite of the difficult circumstances they are in.

The encouraging Edgar Cayce quote that is embedded in the image is:

“May we indeed inculcate in the lives of others that like the rose, that like the baby breath, like every flower that blooms. For it does its best with what has been given it by man, to glorify its Maker with all its beauty, its color, with all of its love for the appreciation of spring, of the rain, the sunshine, the shadows.” That inspirational quotation is excerpted from Edgar Cayce Reading 5122-1.

This “Daffodils Triumph over Cold and Snow” computer wallpaper is the nature photograph and inspirational quote that goes with the March 2010 calendar page of the Edgar Cayce Calendar.

Carol Chapman