Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things

I love this song. It warms the heart. And those things listed would really make most people smile. But, I have a different list, from various periods of my life and from different circumstances. Here it is:

Spider’s web in the garden – I was a child when I first noticed the beauty of a spider’s web. I was in our garden then, playing, when looking up, I saw the pattern of the spider’s web. At first glance, it wasn’t so visible. But from a certain angle, there it was! So beautiful. Aside from the symmetrical net, there was also a circular line in the middle, with the line looking thicker and whiter. Having drizzled, the tiniest dops of water still clung to the net.

Sonya’s Garden midnight flower – One of the attractions in Sonya’s Garden is the Queen of the Night. It is a kind of flower that only blooms towards midnight and you can only catch the full bloom for a few minutes. I only stayed for one (1) night there back in 2022 and I missed the exact moment that the flower opened because I had a massage first. But around 11p.m, I went out, walked around a bit (not too good ’cause most path lights have been turned off and it seemed like everyone already retired for the night, except for one blogger that I crossed paths with). But still, the flower was a sight to behold.

Sampaloc patch in Sirmata – I went to Sirmata in March 2024 for our Office’s team building activity. The place is lovely — spacious, lots of trees, quiet, serves delicious food. One of the activities I liked was going to this area where sampaloc trees are planted, with my two work colleagues. I realized I wasn’t talented in choosing the just-ripe sampaloc. So for the five (5) sampaloc pods I got, only one (1) was just right. But spending a few minutes there picking sampaloc just as sunset was approaching was one of my best experiences there (aside from my solitary walks and jogs).

Feathers and leaves from a dear friend – A friend from France went to the countryside. When he came back, he brought me these feathers and leaves. I felt touched that he remembered me while ambling. So cute!

Macaroni soup – This hot soup welcomed me after a harrowing experience going home to Novaliches, Quezon City from Morayta, Manila during onslaught of Typhoon Ondoy in Sept. 2009. I was in school for my morning classes, when heavy rains fell. Classes were suspended around 12nn but it was already flooded when we went out.It was impossible to get a ride using the usual route (FX taxi from Morayta to SM North; jeepney to Novaliches). We waded from Morayta to LRT1 , then to MRT 3 EDSA, and rode all to way to SM North hoping to get a ride to Novaliches from there. Gosh! It was not possible; the flood was too high to allow taxis or jeepneys to travel. By then it was early evening and there were only two (2) choices: wait it out in Trinoma mall or brave the flood along Mindanao Avenue to reach home. What takes 30mins by taxi (if traffic is light) took almost 6hrs on foot in flooded streets, at acertain part reaching waist high. So you can imagine how I relieved I was after a warm bath and macaroni soup!

Sunrise in Sagada – I went to Sagada for former high school classmates. Our first activity on our second day was hiking up the Marlboro hills from 4a.m. just so we could witness a marvelous sunsrise. It was surreal, magical, breathtaking. I would do it again if I had the chance. It would be good to experience it alone, but it would be great too to view the sunrise close to the clouds with loved ones.

2024 Birthday scrapbook – When I celebrated my birthday early this year, my team at work prepared a surprise for me. Not just a cake and a song. Not just a handwritten birthday card, but a special scrap book containing photos and hand written messages. Each page was beautifully-designed and personalized. I was so overjoyed receiving it. It added to the surprise that I never noticed my team preparing it. It must have taken over two (2) weeks to make!

Libraries and Bookstores – I love libraries and bookstores. I could spend the whole day there. They make me feel peaceful and relaxed. They make me happy. When I was an undergraduate student in UP, I would go to the library to read, write my research, and borrow books. When I borrow books, I would get the 2-3 I need then the rest, I’ll just pick randomly after going from aisle to aisle, picking whichever caught my attention. When I started teaching in Morayta (Manila), I felt so happy that the campus is in front of Merriam-Webster bookstore (& school supply). On the 2nd floor, I discovered a portion with lots of books , novels & magazines just put together in 2 shelves. They weren’t even organized properly but I looked forward to getting lost in there for half an hour or so, finding a “treasure.” Same with the Book Sales in malls (SM Manila, Robinson’s Fairview, etc.) For a few months while I was teaching in Morayta, I lived so far (Bagumbong, Caloocan). I’d travel from Morayta to Fairview, then Fairview to Vicas, then tricyle ride to Bagumbong. It was a long tiring trip. But what I looked forward to was going to the bookstore (Book sale in Robinson’s; not sure if it’s still there by now) and looking for a book. When I was posted in Paris, I went to Shakespeare library several times and Taschen and that bookshop that’s open during weekends; when I visited Vienna for a few days, I made sure to go to Shakespeare & Company and Morawa.

Travels – I love travelling. Going to new places exhilarate me. Trying new food. Seeing different architecture. Exchanging some greetings with the locals. Most of all, walking around.

Nature – Nowhere else do I feel happiest and most peaceful than when I’m in the midst of nature. Having grown up in the beauteous province of Albay, I was constantly surrounded by trees, blue skies, and the majestic loveliness of Mayon Volcano in the horizon. Our house is also a brisk 25-minute walk to the sea, which we frequented in the course of my childhood. This made being with nature an essential part of my life.

Art – I love art. It pleases my soul. It warms my heart. I have a small collection of paintings now, all of which were painted by Filipino artists based in Paris, Bulacan and Baguio. When I was in Paris, I fell in love with the Atelier des Lumières in Paris. So I was overjoyed when a similar show was held in BGC recently, albeit in a smaller scale.

Food – I love food. I love to try new cafes or restos. I love picnics too; this I did several times in Paris, but here in Manila, not so much because of the weather and because there are no nearby parks and gardens. These are just some of the photos. There are so many. ^_^

Chiffon Cake from our local bakery in Albay – This cake is my favorite. I don’t know if it’s nostalgia that’s making me look at it differently, especially since I have tried so many different cakes and pastries not just here in the Philippines, but abroad. I got sick for for over a week in the 3rd quarter of 2023 and I posted about craving for this particular chiffon cake. A dear friend saw my post and a few days after surprised me with the cake that was delivered from Albay, all the way to Manila.

Cats and dogs – I love them. We have had pets since I was a kid. But it’s only in the recent years that we have so many of them. It’s because we started rescuing a few years back. I would have taken in more but house space and finances limit me as of now. They are so many to have photos of. All with names; all with different stories. Here are a few of their photos:

Thank you so much for reading. I hope that you’re having a happy weekend.