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The question is: which family head is the head of the family?

(Hmm. Yeah, probably Dot’s.)

Hot season is upon us. It’s heading well into the 90′s here, even in the shade. Waiting at traffic light in midday with moto gear on is like a recipe for melting – and not in a good way. I’ve been wearing SPF wherever I go, and still I’m getting darker. Who knows. Maybe if my skin continues to darken, I’ll actually begin to look Thai.

Eh. Who am I kidding? People will still think I’m Indian. {“Dots not feathers.”} Ten points if you recognize the quote.

But while we’re literally languishing like lizards in the heat, (how’s that for L’s and alliteration?) there is one thing in Thailand that makes it bearable – and sometimes divine: fresh squeezed fruit juices. Passion fruit, pineapple, mango, strawberry, litchee, orange, lime…so many different types and all served on ice. Thai people also do something really interesting (and inspired). A lot of the juices are so naturally sweet from the fruit, they don’t even need to add sugar. But what they do often add is salt. It’s a little adjustment for the taste buds, but easy to adapt to. It’s brilliant, though, because in this tropical heat you sweat a ton and if you drink a lot of water, you’ll mess up your water-to-salt balance in your body, which actually can be really dangerous. Adding that tiny hint of salt makes for a WAY more refreshing drink that quenches your thirst immediately and gives you energy. (Kind of like the electrolytes in Gatorade.)

A few nights ago we went shopping in the Sunday Night Market and had our first taste of lime juice (Or maybe limeade is a better term for it. Kind of like lemonade but made with limes and a wee pinch of salt.) And I was hooked. I made T buy a kilo of limes so I could make some for us at home.

And all was right in the world.

Here ya’ are: legs, limes and a little limeade.

When life hands you a lime…

…make pinwheels!

Sorry. Was that a little weird? I just thought the squeezed lime bits looked like pinwheels.

All right. On that note, you can look for and link up with loads more L’s at Beth’s.

Unlike many You Capture participants, I’m not anywhere near Snowpocalypse 2011. And I figure ice cubes and ice cream would also be well-documented this week.

So, how, in Thailand, where the coldest thing is a supermarket, can I capture cold?

I’m going the route of alternative interpretations.

Cool tones….

A cold shoulder…

cold, adj.: lacking affection or warmth of feeling; unemotional

Ok, so this is a gelaterie. Apparently, I couldn’t stray too far from the ice cream. Who am I kidding? I can never stray too far from ice cream.

(And despite the “cold”, it’s actually one of my favorite photos that I’ve taken since we got here. Don’t ask me why.)

Revel in the cold at Beth’s!

I actually took a lot of pictures of red this week, but I am distinctly and unequivocally not in love with any of them, and after a seven hour day of sitting in Thai-style bureaucratic hell (wherein I saw a lot of red – figuratively speaking), I’m just not in a mood to go traipsing after more red or to toy with the ones I’ve got.

Save for this one. I like this one.

It’s just dripping scarlet, isn’t it?

And this one? I might like…I’m not sure.

But it sure does make me want to play around with a square format more. So I might forgive its faults if it inspires me to take photos with a new eye.

{Sorry I’m such a grump-meister. But I’m typing up the whole story right now, so you shall soon see why! Still. Apologies for being Captain Negative just now and I promise I’ll be back to my usual self shortly!}

In the meantime, you’ll find more (and likely cheerier) red at Beth’s!

UPDATE: The story is now written and posted! The Story of Mr. Pig – Or Why You Should Appreciate the DMV

Circles

Beginning again

Coming back around to the start of things

Repeating, Reliving, Rewriting

Encircling, enfolding, enveloping…

Embracing.

And because I cannot NOT share the out-take from this shoot:

She winked!!