torito de pucará...

"There's a legend that says that Amaru, ancient god with the shape of a snake, emerged from the bottom of a lake and turned into a bull, an animal characterized by its strength and size which is always willing to help them plowing the soil. This brought fertility and wealth.

In order to honor Pachamama (or Mother Earth), the natives celebrate a ceremony in which they make lacerations on a bulls skin to make it bleed (without killing it), then put hot peppers (rocoto) on the bull's nose and set it free. This makes the bull run freely towards the sacred mountains while spilling its blood on the soil, which was believed to make it fertile.

In order to obtain fertility, some people put little ceramic bulls on their roofs when the houses are first blessed. This sculpture is known as Torito de Pucará (Pucará is a town where the bulls were originally sold)."

(Information Source)

© Anna Johnson, 2012.  All Rights Reserved.

indica the great...

To our beautiful girl Indica:  Only four years old and one of the weirdest members of our family; you were taken from us too soon.  It seems something is missing from the house now that you're gone, but we will never forget the comfort and love you gave to each of us.  You loved to eat, loved chasing those little toy mice and were our 5am alarm clock every morning.  Your poor little sister Sativa misses you more than anything and it breaks our hearts to see her looking around for her best friend.  

We love you forever and always pretty kitten cat.  Rest in Paradise.

© Anna Johnson, 2012.  All Rights Reserved.

the llama tamer...

Little Peruvian girl walking her llama up to the Saqsaywaman ruins.  Quite a large load for such a little girl but she somehow managed to pull that llama into place for the picture.

© Anna Johnson, 2012.  All Rights Reserved.