The musings of a wandergeselle about faith, literature, music, dancing, culture, food, travels, art, fashion, photography, life experiences, and everything in-between from journée to journée.
Taga-Bicol ka kung alam mo kung anong mga ulam na gulay ang pwedeng lutuin sa mga ito. Meron akong tatlong putahe na naiisip – gulay na iba (kamias), gulay na lubi-lubi (niyog-niyogan), at gulay na ugob (camansi). At syempre hindi dapat mawawala ang gata at lab yu este labuyo. 😍
Iba / KamiasUgob / CamansiIto ang pinakapaborito kong halaman sa bakuran. Ang daling linisin ng mga dahon na nalalaglag.Perfect sa mga tamad magwalis. lolHindi pwedeng mawala ito sa lutong gulay ng mga Bicolano.Tanim pala ito ng mga ibon.Ready na pang-gata. May extra pang paborito ko – the smaller, the sweeter.Inunahan nga lang ako ng langgam.Tsk.Ito na ang itsura ng nasa loob ng niyog kapag malaki na sya. Hindi ka taga-Bicol kung hindi mo alam ang “bu-ay.” 😉Lubi-lubi / Niyog-niyogan
Ang hindi ko lang alam lutuin ang lubi-lubi. But they are very profilic growers in our garden. Madalas nga lang paputulin ni Mommy ang mga ito kasi ang gulo daw sa bakuran. Makapag-experiment nga kung paano lutuin kapag nakauwi na ako. Pero may question ako, gulay ba talaga tawag sa kanila? Hindi ba mga prutas (except sa lubi-lubi) sila? 😅
P.S. Kung ikaw ba ay manliligaw, tingin mo tatanggapin ba ng nililigawan mo kung bibigyan mo sya ng higanteng Pechay? 🤔
P.P.S. Praise God my executive checkup went well yesterday and today, but I still have to wait for the results. I’ll write another article about my experience as soon as I get the results. 😊🙏
“You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” – 2 Corinthians 9:11
My sister who’s in Bicol sent us these beautiful and lovely photos of the bougainvilleas I bought last year as part of our beautification/landscaping project on the farm. 😍 I am so happy that they survived and are thriving well because they’re almost dying when I left.
These bougies didn’t have flowers when I bought them. I just trusted the seller that she’s going to give me the right ones. 😃And I was surprised that she included a red one. My eldest sister prefers to have this on the farm.
I had to repot them, transfer them to a new location, prune them, and replant the cuttings hoping they will still survive. They haven’t bloomed for a couple of months when I was still there. One of them also had yellow spots on its leaves.
The first location where I placed them is a “dead spot” in our garden. I call it a “dead spot” because it’s in the middle of our backyard, but any plant that we try to grow there just dies. I think we need to conduct a soil analysis in that particular area because even the plants that are very prolific growers become sick.
My guess is that the soil might be contaminated by a toxic chemical that slowly kills the plants. I am just overjoyed to see that the bougies have all recovered. It looks like my sister and the new house help are also doing an excellent job of keeping these plants healthy (thank you, ladies 🥰). And I think Mom is still taking good care of her garden. 😍
Thank God the leaves have finally recovered. 🙏I plan to transplant them somewhere in the garden when I get back. But this time I am planting them directly on the soil. I just need to find the perfect spot so I can propagate them.
And of course, my sister included a photo of my first baby girl – Peekah. That’s her favorite sleeping position with her tail all curled up to cover her little girl. 😂
I miss you, my Peekahm.
I’ll see you soon my babies and my loves. You just have to wait for me a little bit more. And the biophilia in me also can’t wait to commune with nature for my regular dose of soul therapy. Ah yes, more patience, Tin. Just a little more patience. 🙏
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and the strength of His might.” – Ephesians 6:10
Just the right worship song to prep the soul for Holy Week.Do what your soul tells you to do.🙏
Disclaimer: I wrote this article to ask for prayers and any kind of help you could give after the onslaught of Super Typhoon Rolly and Typhoon Ulyssesin the Philippines.
Thank you, and may God continue to be with us all always. 🙏🏻
The Mini Greenhouse
Wala ito sa kalingkingan ng matinding pinagdaanan ng mga nasalanta ng bagyong Ulysses. Pero share ko lang din paano naka-survive itong mini green house dahil akala ko mahina lang ang bagyo kaya hindi ko siya niligpit at ipinasok sa loob ng condo.
It’s made from very light metal and plastic materials. Yaong kapag walang laman, kaya syang patumbahin ng isang tulak lang ng iyong daliri. May maximum weight din na pwede mong ipatong sa kanya.
Thank God, both the balustrade cover and the mini greenhouse survived the strong winds brought by Ulysses. 🙏🏻
Keeping It Safe
Dahil dati nang malakas ang hangin dito sa condo na para bang laging may bagyo, nakatulong ito para siguraduhin kong secure ang mga gamit at alagang pananim dito sa 10th floor terrace.
Naisipan kong dagdagan ng pabigat ang base ng mini greenhouse pero yaong kaya lang nyang dalhin. Ito ay para sya ay maging matibay at hindi agad liparin o matumba gaano man kalakas ng hangin.
Saved By Grace
It worked out, at sa awa na rin ng Dios, na-withstand ni mini greenhouse ang sobrang lakas na hanging dala ni Ulysses. Buong direction sya binayo at ito rin ang dahilan kung bakit madaling araw na akong nakatulog dahil nakikita kong nayayanig sya ng sobra.
Pero sabi nga ng asawa ko, “Hindi sila matitinag. They will be fine.” At nakatulog sya ng maaga, samantalang ako ay nagaalala pa rin at napapaisip kung ipapasok ko ang mga pananim o hindi sa gitna ng paghampas ni Ulysses.
Building The Foundation
Ngayon ko lang napagtanto na tayo ay kahalintulad ni mini greenhouse at akong gardener ay parang si God. Alam ng Dios ang mga paparating na mabibigat na problema kaya binibigyan Nya tayo ng mga “pasanin” na oo, mabigat, pero kaya nating dalhin.
Pero dahil doon sa “pabigat,” nagagawa nating maging handa para sa mga susunod pang mas “mabigat” na pagdadaanan natin. At dahil din sa mga “pabigat” na ito kaya lumalim ang ating pananampalataya na syang nagsisilbi ngayon bilang ating matibay na pundasyon.
God Is A Firm Foundation
Kaya naman anumang unos ang dumating, yanigin man sa kaliwa at sa kanan, mananatili pa ring nakatayo. And the Bible has the same sentiments about it:
Jesus said, “As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock.
When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation.
The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” – Luke 6:47-49
May we all build our foundation securely – not on something temporary, but on something that is firm. It may be a rock, and it can be God.
Praying for strengthalways,
P.S. Next bagyo (apat or lima pa daw ang papasok bago matapos ang 2020 sabi ng PAGASA) ipapasok ko na silang lahat para makatulog ako ng matiwasay.
Which reminds me, too, na it looks like I still have such little faith. Kaya kailangan pa siguro ng marami pang “pabigat” para maging solid ang foundation. 👍
Dahil andito na naman ako sa moment na sabi ko kay Bri, susukuan ko na ulit si Kamatis. 😅 Dahil naabutan na sya ng rainy season, laging makulimlim at wala na silang sunlight na nakukuha.
Dahil wala ring araw, parang nagkaroon sila ng fungus at nanilaw at nalagas ang mga dahon nya. Natuyo rin ang ibang mga bulaklak.
Nagbabalak na akong palitan sila ng Poisoin Ivy at Aglaonema, mga proven na resilient kong plants, this week. Pero naisip ko na patagalin pa hanggang sa tuluyan nang matuyo ang mga kamatis. At hangga’t may green akong nakikita, patuloy ko silang didiligan.
When God’s Plans Prevail
Pag-check ko ngayon, nagulat ako na may bunga na pala ang kamatis. Sya ang kauna-unahang bunga at sana hindi rin sya ang huli. 😁
First fruit of Tomato and first blooms of Chili Pepper. 🙏❤️😊
Napa-smile lang ako at napasambit na, “Kakaiba ka talaga, Lord. Heto at gusto ko na i-give up ang plant na ito pero parang lagi na lang binibigyan mo ako ng reason to keep it kahit pa ang nakikita ko sa kanya ay wala na syang chance mabuhay pa.”
Parang tayo lang ngayon. Andaming adversities sa paligid natin. Pakiramdam natin ang hopeless ng mga nangyayari. Pero what if tulad kay kamatis, there is something good pala sa kabila ng mga ito na hindi natin nakikita sa ngayon?
The Start Of My Vegetable/Urban/Container Gardening Experience
Napaka-memorable sa akin itong first experience ko ng pagtatanim ng gulay dito sa condo. Dahil against all odds ang pagtatanim ko given na hindi ideal ang planting environment dito. Napipilitan ako to think outside the box palagi to keep my plants thriving.
When I got the first “tugging” na magtanim, alam ko na malabo kaya ‘di ko sinunod. And yet persistent din ang Dios at ang sabi lang Nya ay gawin mo what I asked you to do, all the rest ako na ang bahala. Aminado ako ang hirap magtiwala sa Dios lalo na kapag andaming problema na dumarating at wala kang solusyon na mahanap.
And yet, this is what faith is all about. Sabi nga sa Bible, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see“ (Hebrews 11:1).
Faith That Can Move Mountains
I believed, against all odds, na mamumunga si Kamatis. Although may konting doubts, but still, I held on to my faith. True enough, hindi naman ako binigo ng Panginoon which only shows na faith can indeed move mountains.
Kaya sa mga nangangamba ngayon, heto si Kamatis, una kong tanim, matagal kong inalagaan, nasa 30% ang survival rate as of writing. 2 months ago, muntik ko na rin syang i-give up. And yet she made it this far.
Ang aantayin na lang natin ngayon ay kung lalaki itong fruit at ma-harvest namin. If that happens, then ito lang ay patunay na God fulfills His promises whatever the circumstance that surrounds you. 😊
Kaya mga ka-urban gardener, stay tuned. Ia-update ko ulit kayo sa final phase ni Kam at kung mamamatay ba sya bago ko i-harvest o magagawa kong i-harvest ang bunga bago sya mamatay. 😃
In everything, let God’s will be done. 🙏
Afaithful gardener,
P.S.
Isa ding fighter itong si Labuyo. Kumulot at nanilaw ang dahon pero namulaklak pa din. Panibagong story din ito na aantabayanan natin. 😅👍🏼
It’s just funny how a tiny sign of life no matter how minute it is can be enough to give you the hope that you need. Much like humanity these days. Every single sign of life, we get to appreciate more and more with each passing day.
These are the roots of the mustard greens I planted. I didn’t do my research on how to propagate mustard greens so I ended up cutting the entire plant and leaving just a one-inch stub above the roots. When I searched the net, all the propagation info I found suggested cutting all the leaves but leaving the center as is since it’s a rosette.
I was close to giving this plant up after not seeing any progress for 5 days. But hubby told me to give it a couple more days. The next day, new leaves came out. Yay! Indeed, it is one resilient plant, and yet I am still praying God will let them grow well.
This is my first time to grow this plant along with other vegetables i. e. tomatoes, spinach, garlic, and green onions. So we’ll see in the next couple of days if my own style of “cut-and-come” method is successful. I almost killed it. 😂
We also have other challenges in growing these vegetables such as minimal sun exposure and very strong winds during the day. I guess in this case, I’ll just ask the Great Gardener, Himself, to watch over them for me. 🙏❤️😊
The Journeyman's Moments 