cloud-covered mountains

smelling the scent in the air

fragrance of tulips

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a blissful fragrance
floating through the open field
tulips in full bloom

a swinging hammock

heat of midday sun

striking the colored rooftops

a hammock swinging

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sunny mid morning

a lady on a hammock 

her eyes on the sky

remembering yesterday

scene of rolling hills
a flashback to my childhood
coconut frond rides


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a stretch of lush green
beyond the limit of sight
old dream remembered

ducks on parade

beautiful morning
jogging along a river

with ducks on parade


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lovely broken line
swimming family of ducks
accents a river

usual morning walk

glistening bermuda grass

kissed by the sun's rays

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morning breeze blowing

smoke from fire across the street

dancing in the air

When the sun is below the horizon the refection of its rays from the atmosphere produces a soft glowing light from the sky. This is what we call twilight! According to Wikipedia, it is the time between dawn and sunrise, or between sunset and dusk. We then have morning twilight and evening twilight.

I am reminded of the song "Twilight Time" popularized by the Platters, two lines of which I would like to borrow. 'Deepening shadows gather splendor as day is done. Fingers of night will soon surrender the setting sun'. Truly beautiful lines!

Looking at the sky at twilight time on evenings is one thing I enjoy. More so when a full moon is up there. I find it really so romantically captivating, the shade of blue akin to the ocean simply so soothing.

A little past six in the evening of Friday last week found me at our front lawn. I waited till the moon, almost full, would be just above the coconut tree across the street. The sky was a clear blue, so calming to the senses. In no time at all,voila, there it was, smiling shyly like a demure lady!

Here I am sharing the shot I took that evening twilight time.

moon at twilight time
shining amid a blue sky
homeward bound birdies


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moonlight before dusk
beauty unsung by many
 evening reverie


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Watching television is a favorite pastime for most people regardless of age. Unless there's something pressing that  needs my attention, I do watch some shows. Motivations vary. Updates on what's happening here and abroad, thirst for knowledge, vicarious travel. And of course entertainment - a good dose of laughter and smiles, sometimes even tears.

Just like many Filipinos I easily get hooked to soap operas. I used to sit on my rocking chair watching a string of telenovelas after supper. Not now anymore. There's only one I'm following and it's aired at noontime on weekdays.

This particular telenovela has definitely that kilig element that attracts millions of followers. The scenes are wholesome even for kids. It has really taken the country by storm. In fact, even Filipinos living/working abroad look forward to this time slot on TFC channel.

You sure know what I'm talking about folks!

waiting for my fave show

a long string of commercials 

i click up button

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yellow butterfly

flutters past the glass window

pleasant distraction

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rocking on fave chair
eyes on fave soap opera
lunch is getting cold

Having borne the brunt of summer heat for many weeks, the Bermuda grass on our lawn did turn brownish for some time. Thanks to sudden sporadic rains and drizzles they have slowly regained their healthy green color. Thicker and taller they grew too.

After a few days battle with a pair of shears, of course  not me holding it, our lawn  now looks prettier. A well-manicured lawn is surely a pleasant sight to anyone. So refreshing to the eyes. And the feel of thick green Bermuda grass on bare feet is just so comforting.

With stronger rains the past few days the green grass have turned greener. Still recovering though are small patches of brown. As more rains come, they'll soon disappear from view and nothing but green will remain. A scene I am looking  forward to with great anticipation! 

map of green and brown

handiwork of recent rains

and a pair of shears

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like small islets

floating in a sea of green

brown patches on lawn

Facebook is indisputably the most popular social networking site today. For many, a day is never complete without it. It shouldn't be shocking at all to know that there are young people who open and close their day reading/posting news feeds and messages on Facebook. 

While others my age may find it so unproductive, for me time spent on Facebook is happy, unwinding time. Through it I am updated of happenings in the lives of people who matter in my life. Links shared offer me insightful reads and moments of joy and laughter. And tears too if the story is so touching.

It is just so amazing how technology has made photo sharing so easy. A shot taken now can be seen by family and friends as close as a few seconds after it's posted on Facebook. No more waiting for the mail to come. Such a joyful relief to loved ones separated by oceans.

The photo shown below was posted by my son just a few hours ago. I so love it that I decided to make it the subject of my post today. How I miss this threesome! 

lazy afternoon

 sweet scene of cuddling threesome

papa with twin sons

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lips caught in motion

a pout a frown and a smile

papa with twin sons

One reward I get from maintaining this blog, among many others understandably, is the knowledge I gain on whatever topic I search on the net related to my post. Questions I need answers to are easily settled with a mere click or two on my laptop. Thanks to the power of Google search!

Is a bug an insect? I had to be sure and a Google search came to my rescue. Indeed it is! All bugs are insects but not all insects are bugs! If I were to explain it mathematically - the set of bugs is a subset to the set of insects.

Funny but I just recall a lesson in Geometry on plane figures. Is a square a rectangle? Of course it is! All squares are rectangles but not all rectangles are squares!

What a way to end this short essay!

while having my walk

 a lovely bug on a leaf

catches my two eyes

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seldom seen insect

flies in and hops on a leaf

i pause from my walk

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sun-kissed vine leaf

welcomes multicolored bug

sniffing its flowers

One late afternoon  at Novotel Ploenchit my sponsor friend suggested  snacks before we go out. Shown the attractive choices on the menu card, I gladly settled for a slice of black forest cake. For one thing, I wanted to satisfy my curiosity on how delicious it would compare to the rest I've savored in the past - Goldilocks, Red Ribbon, or where else.

The moment of truth came when the plate was delivered to our table. Wow! My eyes opened wide in  great delight at the artistic presentation. Curly strips of dark chocolate surrounding an icing-like mixture topped with a luscious red cherry. And for added effect, a tapering ribbon-like chocolate strip, with rows of flower designs on one side, winding its way upward. All these as toppings of the main cake. 

Such a mouth-watering sight before me! Nothing remained on the plate for I consumed everything to the last bit.  The best black forest cake I've ever tasted in my whole life! 

the rain still falling

a mouth-watering plate

taste buds' great delight


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pleasant crunchy sound
as choco topping crumbles
inside my sweet mouth

In one of my posts last March I highlighted one of the tourist attractions in our province – the Loboc River Cruise. For today’s post I would like to share an experience cruising along a different river in a foreign land - the Chao Phraya River. It is the major river in Thailand and it flows through Bangkok.

In the evening that followed our Grand Palace Tour  we were treated to a sumptuous dinner while on board a luxury boat - the Chao Phraya Princess. The atmosphere inside the boat was just so romantic. There was live music from a versatile saxophonist. And a lovely Thai lady entertained us with sultry songs, a few in Thai, as well as lively ones that made the guests want to dance.

A day cruise along Loboc River is so refreshing because of the fresh air and lush vegetation on both sides. Cruising along Chao Phraya River at night offers a totally different experience. Ethereally enchanting! What makes it so? On both sides of the river are historical landmarks of Thailand that glow during the night. The lights seen from a distance made me feel as if I was in a different world.

on a river cruise

savoring bangkok by night
long time dream no more

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ethereal feeling
cruising along chao phraya
the glow of landmarks

Thailand has been in my dream list of travel destinations in Southeast Asia for quite a time. A little over three weeks ago this dream came to reality.  Thanks to the generosity of a friend who sponsored my trip with her.

A visit to Bangkok is not complete without seeing its most famous landmark – the Grand Palace. Built in the late eighteenth century, it used to be the official residence of the king of Siam, now Thailand. Around the turn of the twentieth century Thai kings stopped living in the palace. Every year however, royal ceremonies and other official events are held within its walls. These facts were relayed to us by our English speaking Thai tour guide.

The palace complex houses several spectacular buildings. The beauty of the architecture with intricate details failed not to dazzle my eyes. Situated in one corner of the outer court is the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. So revered for its holiness, no one is allowed to enter the temple with his footwear on.  And... no clicking of cameras inside.

To my readers who have plans of a Bangkok trip don't ever miss the Grand Palace Tour. 

summer day in may

grand palace at a distance

holds me in great awe

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thai culture inhaled

as we gaze at old buildings

artwork so dazzling

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footwear left outside
holy temple so revered
not a shot allowed

after a siesta

 aroma of hot coffee
pulls me out of bed



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reading a good book

sipping coffee with no cream
the telephone rings

Time spent at the beach always give me a different level of joy. Simply gazing at the sea and the vast horizon has such relaxing effect on my being. So soothing it is to hear the music of the waves rolling to shore. So refreshing it is to be able to stretch my eyes far and wide where the sea meets the sky.

Having my twin grandsons with me at the beach spells a lot of fun. How they love playing on the sandy shore - running around, digging mini swimming pools or building whatever they fancy. But nothing beats the experience of enjoying the shallow sea water with granny!

A smile is on my lips as I recall this happy moment.

midday at the beach

grandsons enjoying the ride

waves and granny's back

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cute waves of laughter

 playing horsey with the twins

midday at the beach

After a long chat with my son today I felt drawn to open old albums. Leafing through the pages was like walking down memory lane. There I was, lovingly looking at every picture and reliving in my mind the moment associated with each one. Happy moments they were.

Pictures of my three sons in their childhood years are just so precious. They make me smile. They make me laugh. And they make me cry.

For this post I have chosen a photograph so dear to my heart. 

from an old album

a pic that stirs memories

missing my dear mom

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faded photograph
sweet smiles of mother and son
my eyes get misty

Summertime is when beaches are so crowded with bathers and picnickers. For latecomers, chances are that all huts in a beach resort shall have been taken already.  The exciting option?  Lay down a mat right on the beach under a makeshift shade of tree branches!

On our way back home from our town fiesta, my party of three decided to go to a swimming pool instead. It was still mid morning but the sweltering heat of the summer sun was already on. We had two choices: Roxas Park in Garcia Hernandez and Badiang Spring in Valencia. Since the first one is out of our way home we opted for the latter. What a refreshing option!

As expected, the big swimming pool for adults was not ready yet for swimmers when we arrived. Not ready in the sense that it was only half-full yet. Waiting was no problem for we knew it won’t take long for the pool to be filled to overflowing. With tons of spring water cascading right into the pool, in about thirty minutes  it was almost full.

Swimming in a chlorine-free pool is a real treat. More so if you see where the water comes from and you know that water in the pool is always fresh. This is what Badiang Spring Resort offers - spring water flowing freely in abundance. For a very minimal fee one gets to enjoy a double treat - swimming in the pool and water massage from  the striking waterfalls.

tons of spring water

cascading to the blue pool

bathers watch and wait

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spring-water-filled pool

glistens in its cool freshness

time to beat the sun

It is a known fact that we lose so much muscle as we age. In fact, by the time we reach 70 we may only have half of our mass muscle left. The younger ones may not feel threatened yet by this staggering reality. However, for one who is already advancing in age, this is undoubtedly a serious concern.

I have seen in my own parents how weakness and frailty comes with aging. A comforting thought though is the assurance that  this can be counteracted, as studies have shown. Do I have to wait till I'm well above 70 before starting on a fitness program? I feel the time to act - for building up bone density and muscle - is now! Who for that matter wouldn't want to age gracefully? 

Considering its benefits, I have decided to embark on a simple but regular exercise. Aside from my morning and evening walks, I have befriended my pair of blue little dumbbells. No need to go to a gym for the real strength training. Right at home I spend 15 minutes daily sweating it out with a 3-pound weight on each hand. 

Senior women and candidates out there, pick up your own pair and let's drive osteoporosis away! 

before dinnertime

halfway through her exercise

a voice at the gate

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up down up down up

barely sweating...sudden pause

special friend arrives

In the late eighties to the early nineties Nintendo games were so popular.  With three sons in the family, our family computer then was barely given a chance to take a breath whenever they were around. On weekends they used to invite friends to come to our house to play. Video games gave them such fun!

Very seldom did I get the chance to play on the family computer during daytime. It was only in the silence of the night that I grab my time to take over the thing. I remember staying glued to a game even till the wee hours. Of course, these happened only on weekend nights when there were no pressures from my teaching job. Really so addictive! I can only laugh now at the reminiscence.

It tickles me to think that I am having this flashback. The trigger? The boat-shaped moon! Up in the evening sky it floated, poised like that famous gobbler in one of the highest-grossing video games of all time. The distant stars seemed like scattered pellets. Yes, my mind saw something else – Pacman! 

early evening sky
 smile of quarter moon tickles

happy memories

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golden quarter moon
laughing at the distant stars

 pacman comes alive

across the swampland

fearless we tread the long bridge

creaking sound unheard

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 while crossing the bridge

i hear ripples down below
birds chirping blend in