Every December, Zamora, the third largest city in Michoacan, is home to a chongos festival. However, the city has much more to offer than just its delicious milk curd dessert. The sanctuary, the cultural centers, the sprawling market, the Mercado Morelos, and the main plaza are all worth seeing.

Have you ever eaten a guava or guayaba? Here in Mexico we are very fortunate to have a guayaba tree on our property that blooms once a year. Guayabas are a versatile, nutritious, fragrant, and healthy tropical/subtropical fruit that are delicious in oh so many ways.

Some people believe that it is best to write about what you know. However, in writing (hopefully) informative and entertaining articles about the people, places, and things of Mexico, I am discovering that it is best to write about topics that I have a desire to learn more about.

In writing about Mexico as the editor of BellaOnline's Mexico site, I have developed and implemented my own personalized "mission statement" based on my values, principles, beliefs, interests, causes, and agendas. ALWAYS WRITE WITH INTEGRITY!

Thick-Billed Parrots are one of 11 species of parrots in Mexico that are on the endangered list. Unique members of the parrot family, it is estimated that 500-2000 remain in the wild. Known to be in Arizona and New Mexico until the early 1900's, will they be seen in Mexico for many more mananas?

Where I live in Mexico, the majority of the local residents have extreme apprehension, sometimes bordering on the phobic, in regards to what I refer to as "the fearsome trio"- bats, snakes, and scorpions. Of the three, it is the scorpion that poses the most prevalent threat to humans and pets.

Of all of the birds that occur in Churintzio, Michoacan, perhaps the most "exotic" of them all is the diminutive and whimsical-looking green kingfisher. For five or six months a year with unpredictable predictabilty, I am fortunate enough to see and hear one or two of them virtually daily.

What is the national bird of Mexico? Of the 1070 known species of birds that call Mexico home, which bird is that nation's symbol? Is it the golden eagle, one of the largest raptors found in North America? Or is it the regal-looking crested caracara? Or could it be that they both should be?

When the rainy season in Mexico makes birdwatching problematic, I insect watch and wildflower watch instead. To optimally do so, I use a pair of relatively inexpensive binoculars. Only one make of binoculars has the close focus capabilities to allow viewing their intricately wonderous details.

There are over 400 species of flycatchers in North and South America. Most are drab in color and nondescript in appearance. That is not the case with the strikingly beautiful and brilliantly colorful vermilion flycatcher. Not only are they gorgeous, they also exhibit some fascinating behaviors.