Chestnut Munia In Our Garden (Mayang Pula)

 

(c) Tirso Paris 2011

At around past 1 PM today, I saw a unique bird perched on one of the leaves of our Vanda orchid. It was small, with a brown body, black head, and white beak. Then it flew immediately to a nearby Ficus tree in our garden. 

YOLANDA/HAINAN DIARIES 1 : What is a storm surge?

What is a storm surge?

During the presence of weather disturbances in our PAR or Philippine Area of Responsibility this year, PAGASA officials I believe were never remiss in their task of warning people in would-be affected areas about the possibility of a storm surge, most especially when the weather disturbance or typhoon is strong. However, despite the repeated mentions, it seems that nobody ever paid attention to it, primarily because nobody really tried to explain what a storm surge is.

A Timely Prayer.......

Have we been including Mother Nature in our prayer intentions?

         Mother Nature has been providing us with all our basic needs – such as air, water, and sunshine among many other things. But Man has become so ungrateful to her, through the omission of acts that will care for her, and through the commission of acts that continuously destroy her. The recent years saw us in the middle of Mother Nature’s fury. And in the middle of such, we prayed hard to God for our dear lives and possessions - the only thing that we can do that time. 

R A i N

        I like it best when it is raining. When the sky is dark, and with thick, dark clouds perched on it. It gives me that unexplainable thrill and adrenaline rush. I like rain period, but not the Ondoy type though. Just the right amount of rainfall from drenched clouds hovering above us. Enough to cool the air. Enough to hydrate Mother Earth. Enough to make seeds sprout. Enough to make me feel nostalgic and sentimental. 

        My liking for gloomy weather arises perhaps, from my pessimistic disposition in life. Sunny weather dampens my mood a bit, but not all the time to correct your misconception of me. I really do not know why. Maybe because I want everything subdued. Or maybe because I am an Aquarian. In case you do not know yet, my zodiac sign is symbolized by a water bearer. Coincidence or not, I love water! I love looking at a beautifully set up aquarium. I like ponds with waterfalls. The sight of a swimming pool is irresistible to me. The sound of raindrops falling on our rooftop is melody to my sense of hearing. And I love to shower albeit I do it only once in a day. Do I drink eight glasses of water a day? Next question please.

        Call me an unconventional creature of some sort. I am most active and most creative at night. During the day, I feel indolent and lethargic. Perhaps, I was a nocturnal being in my past life. Choosing night over day, and rain over sunshine, make an eccentric person that I am. I simply hate conventions. If only they could be thrown out of the window! One time when it was Valentine’s Day, I wore black (or was it midnight blue?) when the others were wearing spirited colors. During a sports activity, I wore a long-sleeved shirt when everybody was wearing a simple T-shirt. The interior of our house is white, while my room is splashed with earth-toned colors. And now the piece de resistance: during a faculty meeting, everybody was dressed appropriately except me. I wore shorts, quite decently though lest I lose my job!

        But I know very well that it will not rain everyday. That's why whenever it rains, I try to savor this moment to the hilt. When I was a child, me and my neighborhood friends used to play under the rain. How I miss those days when we were innocent and carefree. Not very conscious of ourselves and others. Unlike now, when we all live a fishbowl existence. But it has water still! So I am loving it. So the sun is up again. For things to dry up, and allow us to pick up the pieces in our lives.

        If only rain could wash away my sorrows and take away my pains, then I wouldn't mind if it will rain everyday. 

Most especially when your love's comin' down like.......rain.

So Close to Heaven by Dr. Gin Planes (guest writer)

Doc Gin or Ma'am Gin as she is fondly called, is a dentist, a registered nurse, an ISO auditor, a Christian Living instructor, an emcee, a former Karilagan model, a graduate of Dale Carnegie School, a badminton enthusiast, a mountain climber, a supportive wife, a loving mother, and a friend to everybody.

    At the bus terminal in Cubao, the excitement was all over everyone’s face. With our backpacks, tents, and wind breakers, each one of us weighed 30 pounds heavier. 

    Two hours to Cuenca, Batangas, we found ourselves at the foot of Mt. Maculot. Full of energy, after taking sumptuous adobo for lunch, and yummy halo-halo as  dessert, we started climbing around 1 pm.

Earl Sales : care for a drink?

       Taking pictures every few meters, gulping energy drink, and teasing each other along the way, were all that we did as we climbed up halfway to the top.

      At 2 pm I was almost breathless, numbed, and exhausted. My chest was pounding, my leg muscles were cramping, and my eyes were blurring.

         As I forced myself to climb, thoughts of quitting bugged my mind. “What am I doing here? It’s hot, dirty and remote! This is crazy!” I said to myself. “But we’re halfway there, I could not stop now.”

    Then I tried to recall my ultimate goal……to reach the top, to reach the top, and to reach the top. Being focused on my goal sustained me for the rest of the climb.

    Yes! We made it. At 3:30 pm, we were 2000 feet above sea level. As we set foot on the campsite, I felt an adrenaline rush and an endorphin overflow. It was simply ecstatic!

Doc Gin (with Mark) : so close to heaven.......

         We pitched our tents, left our baggage, and ran to climb the “rockies”, a cliff overlooking Taal Lake. The mountains were so majestic, the lake was so serene, and the breeze was euphoric. It was breath-taking! No wonder Jesus would go up the mountains to talk to the Father in heaven.

    As sun went down and the night fell, countless stars were covering the sky like neon lights during Christmas season in shopping malls. The constellations seemed so near, as though you could almost touch them.

 

    As I tucked my head to rest, all I could only do was to thank our awesome God for the wondrous sight I’ve seen, and for the gift of life in this beautiful world He created for you and me.

WCC Mountaineers: Dean Francis Tajanlangit, Dr. Gin Planes, Suzette Bueno, Gian Carlo Celedonio, Noriloyn Madarcos, Shara Ochoa, Nathan Pardiñez, Mark Regino, Earl Sales, and Vladimir Salum.

(pictures courtesy of Dean Francis, Suzette, and Nathan)