Since 2007, we have been snowbirds, spending our summers RVing in the US and Canada and our winters in Ajijic. Now that we no longer have an RV, we are spending more time in our Mexican villa in  a development called El Parque. Spending summers in Ajijic is uniquely different. It is the low season, thus much quieter and relaxing. It is also the rainy season, when 80% of our annual precipitation falls in four months. This picture was taken at night during a lightning strike from our patio during one of the thunderstorms that rolled through Ajijic dumping two inches of rain. In fact, we had 8.5 inches in August.

It is not unusual to see horses ridden through town, but rarely do we see a horse being led by a motorcycle. Horseback riding through the village is one of many tourists' attractions, mostly kids from Guadalajara.	Even though it's the low season with over half of the homes vacant, our recycling effort still reaps a bountiful harvest. We are on the recycling team picking up recycling goods bi-weekly, with help from Miguel.
Here we are dining with friends David and Karina, who make Ajijic home fulltime. We first met on a week-long Christmas tour of Mexico City in 2014 and have remained friends over the years.	They retired from California and love to travel. They will spend three weeks in Amsterdam in September. They invited us to spend time with them at a beach town along the Pacific Ocean in January. Can't wait!
While walking through our neighborhood we noticed a lot of building or remodeling projects. The cemetery across the street to the east of us is getting a new face lift with this awesome mural.	This mural is still being painted. Many parts are in 3D and reflect this spirit of  the Day of the Dead. As we walked by, we chuckled at the makeshift scaffolding that would not be allowed north of the border.
On the south side of El Parque is an open air Music Chapel, where musicians come to jam a couple nights a week. The new restrooms are the only building under cover in the Chapel area.	Next to the Music Chapel is a new sports complex being built. It consists of eight pickle ball courts and two racquet ball courts. It is scheduled to open from 7 am to 9 pm sometime in September.
To the west of El Parque is a shopping mall and the newest addition is going to be a Starbucks Coffee shop. And across the street, rumor is that construction is underway for a Home Depot.	While some think we are losing the Mexican culture, we only have to walk a block north to fine a goat herder tending his flock of goats. We save our leftover fruit and vegetable peelings to give to the goats.
This year we have gotten back into dancing. This is a Wednesday evening at a restaurant overlooking the west end of Lake Chapala. The rain clouds hovered over the lake, but did not rain until after we got home.	Bill and Kathy, Wayne and Maureen, and Richard and Annie (who came after this picture was taken) are the core to our dance outings. The area behind us is a large dance floor. The bands play lots of Rock'n'roll.