Beautiful World

Can't help but be filled with a sense of wonder and amazement just looking at the beautiful lavender hues of these flowers. Even without touching them I know they are soft and fragile things, like the softest tissue that has ever touched your skin. 

Take some time today and look around. Open your eyes to the beauty that surrounds you. 

Roadside Zinnia

Just lovely. You made my afternoon stroll so much more pleasant. Never content to stay upright and be lost among your kind, you had to bend down and cross over the pavement. How can one not notice how pretty you are -- in baby pink, bright yellow and sienna? 

Thornless Euphorbia

China's flag. That is what immediately crossed my mind when I saw these lovely red flowers with yellow centers. I was delighted by this plant's showy state. In a row, the planters gave the illusion of glowing embers popping up simultaneously to light up the place we found ourselves in. A closer look and you'll see that the blooms are very simple. They are actually the yellow parts in the middle, the red outer part is what botanists call the floral envelope.

Nice Touch

Yes, you may have noticed that flowers in vases on the wall never escape my eye. And they always take me to places in my heart that's warm, calm, and evokes home. Sure, those in the photo must be faux flowers, but they still have that charm, lending grace to the entrance of this quaint fresh milk shop in the south. 

Tiger Lilies for Mother

Paid a visit recently to my very dear mother's grave. My siblings and I made sure to lay a bouquet of Tiger Lilies with small white aster flowers, the former being the flowers she loved the most. If one's personality were to be judged by the kind of flowers one loves, it would be confusing. The Tiger Lily signifies wealth and pride, so say many floral dictionaries. Pride my mom was never known for. Wealth she certainly did not have. But we, her children take pride in the fact that we had a mother such as her who was loving, gentle, kind; who did the best she could do for us, and never gave us any reason to be ashamed for such was her integrity, compassion, and benevolence towards others.

Wealth. Such is what we have in our hearts as we feel blessed to have had her in our lives.

Rooted in Grace

Tree with flowering vine, Baguio City

Mutual Support 

~ Thich Nhat Hanh

You are me, and I am you.

Isn’t it obvious that we “inter-are”?

You cultivate the flower in yourself,

so that I will be beautiful.

I transform the garbage in myself,

so that you will not have to suffer.

I support you;

you support me.

I am in this world to offer you peace;

you are in this world to bring me joy.

Just got back from a few days visit to the place my father and most of my relatives call their hometown, the City of Pines. I get to visit this city every now and then because work brings me there. I thought that this time I got to enjoy the place (not the touristy spots) the way its residents do: soaking in the cold rainy weather, reveling in the misty fog, and just finding joy in whatever I set my sights on from the confines of my room.

Despite the ugly developments of the city, there is still so much to enjoy and fall in love with.

Especially the warmth of dear family and friends.