WILD SALSA - Colourful

Wild Salsa is one of my favorite restaurants in Dallas. The idea behind “Wild Salsa” was to bring authentic Mexicana and cuisine to downtown Dallas. And this restaurant succeeded in its goal.

So why a skull at the entrance you ask? One might expect food to be poison laced or have some other deadly explanation for the skull, but in truth, the skull makes reference to the Mexican holiday Dia de los Muertos.

Dia de los Muertos—Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday celebrated, not only throughout Mexico, but also around the world. The holiday is a gathering of family and friends brought together for the purpose of remembering those who have passed before us. The holiday is celebrated on October 31, November 1 and November 2, in connection with All Hallows' Eve a.k.a. Halloween. Traditions include building ofrendas, private altars honoring the deceased, using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the dearly departed's favorite foods and beverages. (I'm sure those beverages include tequila as my favorite drink there is the swirl margarita.)

Dia de los Muertos can be traced back hundreds of years to an Aztec festival dedicated to the goddess Mictecacihuatl.

In Aztec mythology, Micecacihuatl is Queen of Mictlan, the underworld. She rules over the afterlife with another deity, her husband.  Her roll is to watch over the bones of the dead and preside over the ancient festivals of the dead.

So all this talk of the dead isn't very appetizing, but I can assure you the food at Wild Salsa is. If you are looking for TexMex this isn't the place for you, but if your taste runs toward the authentic, take a drive downtown.

Wild Salsa
1800 Main St., Suite 100
Dallas TX 75201

Linking to Saturday Photo Hunt's prompt - Colour

Lent and Black and White

In case there is someone who does not know what lent is, it is a solemn religious observance of many Christian denominations. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer through prayer, penance, repentance of sins, almsgiving, atonement, and self-denial, which ultimately culminates in the joyful celebration on Easter
Sunday of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

I sometimes add something during Lent, such as religiously reading a scripture, but other times I give up something, such as sugar, chocolate, or ice cream. Once I gave up white foods. This included sugar, flour, salt, and potatoes. If it was white, I didn't partake. You can bet I raced out of church to indulge in baked goods and potatoes.

This year I gave up negativity. Of course, the moment I walked into work yesterday, that one was in jeopardy. However, with the help of my co-workers, I will try to stick it out.

March is also the month of the Lakeland Photography Exhibit. There are several catagories, with one theme chosen by the committee, which is different each year. This year's theme was Street Photography.  Below is my intended offering.

However, since I live in the middle of nowhere, I had to drive an hour to the city in order to buy an appropriate frame. Of course, this horrid winter prevented travel during my days off, so I wasn't able to submit a photo this year.  Hopefully, next year.

Anyone giving up something for lent?

A Rose is a Rose

Missing summer and my roses. This one is from last  year.

We are supposed to have temps up into the 50s next week. Looking forward to it!
I'm going to place an order for some flowers to plant along the fence. Having trouble making a decision though. Everything looks so nice in the plant catalogs. I need something that grows well in partial shade. Any suggestions?

Marion County Illinois

I recently attended a meeting at the Marion County Courthouse in Salem, Illinois. I enjoy visiting courthouses in other counties. I hated history in school, but have found most of my vacations now revolve around some kind of history and have developed an appreciation for most things ancient.

The Marion County Courthouse was built in 1910. Marion County was organized in 1823 from portions of Jefferson and Fayette Counties. It was named in honor of South Carolina's Revolutionary War Gen. Francis Marion, the "Swamp Fox".

Most of you may not realize The Swamp Fox was a TV series back in 1959. It was a Walt Disney Production and starred Leslie Nielson. I was but a mere child, but I remember the series. The series was set during the American Revolutionary War about a band of guerrilla soldiers who each week battle against the English conventional forces.

It was freezing cold with a nasty north wind, so I didn't feel inclined to take pictures outside. Below are pics from the inside.

 According to the sign, this canon was used during the Civil War in Shiloh, Tennessee on April 7, 1862.

 Domed stained glass window in the ceiling.

Looking up from the lobby. I wish I had taken more time to go upstairs. I could have gotten a better shot of Lady Liberty.

Off to brave the elements. It's yet another work day. Enjoy your day!

Fergus the First Six Months

Okay, so I know I haven't been posting in forever. Too much work, too little time to play. I am going to try to post at least once a week, which should help me get back into the groove.

Well, there hasn't been much to take pictures of anyway. Mostly just snow, snow and more snow—and ice— or a trash barrell stuck in the ice.

Hope this snow we are expecting misses you.