Secret Spots, Sacred Spaces

Every now and then some kind of disruptive element jars our ordinary day to day lives. When this happens and we find ourselves battle fraught, we need some kind of sanctuary, a space all to ourselves where we can put in some order, at least internally. 

Lucky are those who have arranged for pockets of space tucked in somewhere not many people notice. I have found such spots in one quaint bed and breakfast which was itself not that easy to find. Perfect for a hide away which is what I am wont to do when I need to distance myself from the world, or to simply recharge.

Fruition

Sugar Apple

Sharing with you a photo of the fruit from our backyard. An unassuming lanky tree stunted by the lack of garden space, our atis tree is at it again, providing us with its sweet bounty. This summer, as with the past four summers, it has never failed. 

You guys should see the tree at night. Its tiny greenyellow florets are like fireflies alit on the tree. They do not glow but seem to against the leaves when the light is turned on. 

Thanks to those small flowers, we can now enjoy its delightfully sweet fruit.

Florante Remembered

Amused by what popped up from my memory filed so many years ago -- think high school -- when I saw this lovely orchid strapped to a tree trunk: scenes from one of the masterpieces of Philippine literature Florante and Laura. Florante, similarly strapped to a tree trunk, bemoaned the following:  his lover Laura who he thought unfaithful, his father who died, and the bad fate that had befallen his beloved country. That's as far as the files go.

Anyway, I always pictured Florante wrapped in a top of yellow velvet with trimmings of gold over a pair of red leggings. My imagination.

Grace in a Bouquet

A balm to the soul. A lift to sagging spirits. This is how this bouquet of carnations, and roses, accented with lime green mums made its mark on me. Yes, at this particular time when turbulence has once again dropped in unannounced in our home. I love how the soft presence of grace appears ever so gently to soothe things over and somehow remind us that though we are rudely shaken by the events in our lives, there is always goodness, and hope.

So, much as I am tempted to give full vent to the turmoil within, I am reined in by love and compassion.

Paper Flowers

Sharing stolen shots of an event's decor. The organizers used artificial flowers they themselves crafted. Usually when the budget is big enough to hold the party at a hotel ballroom, fresh flowers are not scrimped on. But more and more parties, lavish at that, make use of hand-made blooms.

And why not?

They are also gorgeous. And they never wilt.

But fresh ones always trump hand-made.

I Spy

Snapped a photo of this sunshiny flower while doing grocery shopping. I do not know if I spotted it myself or it had some kind of strong magnetic pull that drew me near. I came to the conclusion that it is the latter as flowers --- any kind, but most specially those that stand out ---seem to call our names, beguile us, and leave us smitten.

There was a post doing the rounds of social media about a mother and her daughter who were pilfering sunflowers from the avenue of a Diliman campus. They parked their car and irreverently uprooted some and harvested broke off stalks from this year's batch. They were smitten, no doubt.  

Instead of stealing (yes, that's what it's called), they could have easily gone to a flower shop or grocery store. Or better yet, buy some seeds (as many packets as they want) and cast them all over their yard or bury them in some pots to enjoy their OWN sunflowers. Naman.