the beach house

simple joys

2009-04-15T14:08:00.003+10:00

it has been a long long time...a lot of things have happened in the last two weeks that have somehow upset the balance in my life. we decided about two weeks ago to try and put our house on the market to see what sort of response we're going to get. little did we know that we will sell the house on the very same day it was opened to the market. so while it is under contract, and we are awaiting the successful sale (provided there's no problem with the buyer's finance), i am stressed to my wits.

i only opted to lessen my time on the net, not entirely wipe it out of my system, but that's almost how i feel. i cannot even begin to think about taking photos or blogging at this stage. there are so many things we have to attend to. there's the task of finding another home or considering building a new one which will be more stressful, as it would mean we'd be homeless while the house is being built or we'll be renting, but the thought of moving, and then moving again is just way too much for my faint heart to handle.

i don't know... we didn't know two weeks ago we'd be in this position (not that we aren't glad. we are, because then, we can move into a much bigger home which would give the kids more room to move about, we just didn't think it was going to be this fast )...what i do know is that this "stress" too shall pass. and in a couple of weeks time, we'd be once again well settled hopefully, in a new home.

for the time being, there's the huge task of finding a house, packing up and moving on...i have come to love this place we call our home and i will miss some things here...but i think this is the best time for us to move ahead.

so today, i have made a conscious effort to stop for a while. stop worrying. stop feeling stressed and do something i love. take photos and blog. these simple joys are my life saver, in a time when my stress level is up to my neck.

green apples and their reflection- something about green relaxes me and i love eating green apples dipped in salt (i'm weird like that)

this colorful toy of my kids constantly reminds me life is beautiful!

the sight of this purple flower calms me and assures me things will work out fine

the sight of my little erin eyeing our organic lemon (which i will miss along with our dwarf avocado) reminds me that i am but a little girl myself, and that everything will be alright because mum and dad will take care of everything, just as i know He will look after us.

angel aizel

2009-03-27T12:47:00.002+10:00

unseen halo, invisible wings

my beautiful aizel,

endless joy she brings...

angel erin

2009-03-27T12:16:00.002+10:00

an angel sent forth from up above

my beautiful erin,

bearing gifts of joy and love...

angels on earth

2009-03-23T14:20:00.002+10:00

i truly believe in angels. and in miracles.

everyday, i am a part of a special miracle.

and everyday, i am in the company of angels.

two little angels with invisible wings and halos.

angels who are really sweet and gentle, yet can be rowdy and rough the next minute. often, they make me so proud and happy. but sometimes, they drive me nuts too, enough to want me to send them off flying to the heavens for a little while.

they have changed my life. it has never been the same since the day i laid eyes on them. but life has never been this good nor this sweet as well.

so, i suppose this is the tiny everyday miracle i have. and i will not have it any other way.

this is the miracle called "children"...the children that God calls "angels".

autumn blooms

2009-03-12T21:48:00.007+10:00

it is officially autumn in this part of the world. and today, it has been cold. i don't particularly like the cold, and i dread the onset of winter. but whether i like it or not, winter is most definitely on its way. there is not much i can do about it. it's just the way it is.

anyway, today, we went for a short drive to an old railway station nestled in some hill, just outside town. it is known for its country style cafe, and even more popular in the springtime when the hills boast of the most exquisite display of bright colorful blooms.

anyway, we got there. loved the place, but the cafe was closed. we were the only ones there except for the staff attending to the trains. little did we know that they only do business from friday to sunday, when most people flock, as the grounds are a favorite for picnic-goers.

but it wasn't all a loss. even in autumn, i found these pretty flowers, still blooming in perfection, serving as backdrop to a wonderful afternoon with the "loves" of my life.

in the end, that's all that matters. being with the people you love. and appreciating the beauty around you.

the guardian angel

2009-03-11T18:03:00.003+10:00

"We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another."

-Luciano de Crescenzo

These are photos of the little angel just outside our bedroom window, which the kids and myself love to check out every morning. He is our guardian angel, watching over us while we sleep, thus, in the daytime, he catches up on his sleep. It is a big task anyway, doing night shifts for us.

I believe in angels.

I even more so believe that there are more angels on earth that I see, than there are who dwell in the heavens. I think because, as angels, their main task is to come to earth, and touch somebody's life, so that in turn, that someone could do the same...be an angel to another.

I am so blessed to have been among the company of beautiful angels...special people who have touched my life. People who have made a difference when I was struggling, trying to fit in. People who have made me see my worth when I started doubting it. People who kept me company and made me laugh when I was too sad to even open my eyes. People who walked with me when I was enveloped in fear and people who held my hand when I started losing my grip. People who inspired me to get out of my comfort zone and start believing in myself again when I felt I wasn't good at what I was doing. People who I have not even met, and yet, have inspired me to do something I've always wanted doing, but didn't think I could, and the same people whose work makes me aspire to be better at this.

For all these special people who have seen me at my worst times, and those who rejoice with me at my highs...For those who provide inspiration, guidance and support, and those whom I draw strength, love and joy...Thank you for being my angels.

You know who you are. I only hope I could be to you what you all have been to me.

these tiny white flowers

2009-03-06T12:45:00.003+10:00

as per the previous entry, these were taken on the same afternoon. another weed, another beauty. it's amazing, because when it's up this close, there is no doubt what beautiful tiny white flowers they are...but when you see the big picture, they are but stray weeds that taint the garden.

if anything, i've learned, we are all flowers in this big garden of life. all a beauty, until someone determines what our purpose in the garden is. when we are without direction and we serve no good purpose, no matter how beautiful our blooms are, we are no longer called a flower...but a weed...pesky...and one that doesn't deserve a rightful place in this beautiful immaculate place.

but the big question is, who decides if we are a flower or a weed? who is mighty enough to make that big decision for us? because as far as i know, to the one who created us all, we are all but the same. i don't remember ever written that He created weeds, only flowers.

this purple weed

2009-03-05T18:49:00.004+10:00

my hands were itching! i needed to take photos, but i didn't have any good subjects. my kids are getting a bit tired of being mommy's victims. so out in the yard, we went. i let the kids play in the sandpit and run amok, chasing each other and getting crazy on the swing, i almost got scared. i surveyed the yard and thought to myself, it needed mowing. my hubby has another job in store for him on his days off. poor hubby. if only the grasses don't grow so fast and the weeds...they are any gardener's worst nightmare.

then, i noticed this purple weed lying amongst the dwarf bottle brush tree and the dwarf frangipani in one garden bed. the cluster of tiny purple flowers stood out, forming a big star against the earth-toned pine bark mulch. to a skilled gardener, it is another terrible weed, but to my untrained eye, it is but a beautiful bunch of purple flowers.

if there's one thing i've learned, flowers are but flowers until we label them weeds. the same with people. people are just people until we get labels, and then, how people respond to us depend on how we are labelled, which is sad...because at the end of the day, in the eyes of a child and in the eyes of the creator, we are but just what we are...without the label.

sunset

2009-03-02T23:16:00.003+10:00

"When I admire the wonders of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in the worship of the creator."- Mohandas Gandhi

because i have taken so many shots of this setting sun, and i have actually literally chased it in order to get a really good view, i thought i am justified in posting some more of it, rather than let these images get buried and forgotten amongst my other pc files.

i have always loved the sunset or the sunrise. i remember when i was very little, i get drawn to photos of sunsets on calendars or any artwork. i remember watching the sunset from my lola's veranda in bohol when i was about 4 or 5yrs old. i remember getting mesmerized by it while on a boat heading home, after a two-week vacation in baguio ,when i was in high school. i remember sitting on the seashore on many beach side holidays just to catch a glimpse of this wondrous ball, slowly falling from the heavens to gently sink in the distant horizon.

i remember dreaming about owning an SLR and shooting away at every beautiful sunset (this was before digital cams were invented and only the serious photographer could afford to buy one).

now, i am living that dream. i have an SLR. i am shooting away. i am still drawn to sunsets. and i think, i will always be.

the sunset, for me, will be a constant reminder of how great God is, and how blessed we are to be given all these beautiful things around us...for us to appreciate, if we only take a moment to look...and for us to give thanks...because with every setting sun, goes with it another day of our lives that we will never get back. as to whether it is one that we want to remember forever or one that we hope we can forget, the sunset reminds us...we need to give thanks for the day that has been and to look forward to the promise of a fresh new day.

chasing after the sun

2009-03-01T09:07:00.003+10:00

the other day, i decided to pack my two little girls in the car while dad was at work, to chase after the sun. i drove a couple of miles outside town to a small rural countryside to capture the magic of the setting sun. i parked by the roadside opposite a vast stretch of farm land, and waited for the sun to set behind the big hill, and took one shot after the other, until the sun was no longer visible on the horizon, and the sky was painted a crimson red. the kids were marvellous...they behaved quiet well, and were patient enough, although after a while, they kept saying, "mommy, you're so dugay". that was my cue, we drove back to town while the heavens started to get dark. as a treat, i took them to "maca's" (mcdonald's) to eat chicken nuggets, fries and apple pies and to play in the playground. then we went home, and everyone was happy.

sometimes in life, we too, have to go out of our comfort zone to chase after something we really want for ourselves. be it a dream or an opportunity for success or a chance at love or a shot at happiness. sometimes, it doesn't just come to us...sometimes, we too, have to be prepared to chase it...only then, can we be truly content and happy. (although sometimes too, the one thing we've been chasing for doesn't necessarily bring us the happiness we have always hoped for...but it is always worth a try... or you'll regret never knowing).

pitter patter

2009-02-26T18:55:00.003+10:00

there's nothing like the pitter patter of tiny feet in the house. my kids are at a stage where they like to dress up like mom. they're always ransacking my shoe closet, which always nearly drive me crazy, although often, i find it really adorable when they manage to walk in heels with their really tiny feet barely filling half of the shoe. today, they've been up to it again, which reminded me of these old photos i took of some of those times, still using auto settings.

it has taught me that we, as parents have such a big responsibility in bringing up our kids, because how they will become depend so much on how we raise them...because one day, they also have a task of filling up our shoes...and hopefully, when that time comes, we have prepared them well for the long walk ahead on life's highway.

erin in mommy's shoes taken using a point and shoot camera (olympus) sometime in early 2008

aizel in mommy's shoes taken sometime last month

aizel's feet in sepia

erin's feet in black and white

fairies

2009-02-24T23:24:00.003+10:00

i have decided to spend more time with my kids, and do away with the computer for a while. i am still taking photos though, and i try to be more experimental this time, avoiding the use of auto settings.

tonight, as i put my little ones to sleep after reading them a fairytale, i noticed these two fairies (one sitting [photos 1&2] and one standing with the long hair [photo 3] on their tallboy. with subdued light from their night lamp, i explored different depths of field. photo number 2 appears blurry than i had hoped for. i want to blame camera shake...haha! and photo number 3 has made me realize this fairy actually looked weird rather than cute, up this close.

if there's one thing i've learned, it's that, there is still so much to learn about photography. the more you learn, the more exciting it is for the one learning. i am enjoying this even though i feel i have not improved much at all. never mind, it goes to prove, it is not the end result that matters, but the journey to get there.

little tot's stuff

2009-02-19T19:28:00.004+10:00

because all i see nowadays are my kids' stuff scattered everywhere...the kids' mess that i constantly have to clean up, on a never-ending basis. the things that remind me i am so blessed to have two beautiful, healthy kids who color my world, who drive me nuts at times, but always put a smile on my face. and although i get so tired, the mere sight of them happy is enough to chase the blues away and put the energy back on my day.

the kids' sandpit in the backyard

their favorite musical toy

the kids' bling-bling ( hair accessory that they sometimes use as a bracelet)

valentine

2009-02-14T14:12:00.004+10:00

my dear vinot,

because i know i am a better person because of you...

because i am so happy, i've never known such happiness until the day i met you...

because i feel your love in the gentleness of your touch,

in the warmth of your smile...

in the wickedness of your laugh...

and in every little thing that you do...

because your love sustains me,

i must be truly special to deserve someone like you...

to the man who loves me in a way i never thought possible,

the bestfriend,

the biggest fan,

the most honest critic,

the partner,

the husband,

the better half who makes me whole,

the soulmate,

the kindred spirit,

the one true love of my life...

a big thank you

for being my valentine...

every single day of my life.

i love you...

more than you'll ever know.

love,

your kitang

a ten-year old card accompanying a bouquet of roses for my birthday, displayed on my computer desk

resilience

2009-02-13T14:46:00.001+10:00

"What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the Master calls a butterfly."- Richard Bach

If there is one thing I am amazed about the Aussies, it is their resilient spirit. Despite the tragedies of the last weeks (with floods in the north and bushfires in the south), this nation has stood united, and the outpouring of support and donation is just unbelievable. Even the flood victims have declined the donations originally collected for them, and instead, have requested that they be sent to the victims of the bushfires, because they reason that, at least, they still have their homes, while the others have lost not just their homes, but their loved ones as well. And even the ones who escaped the fires have said, they are not victims, they are survivors. Amazing indeed the human spirit...to show resilience in the midst of grief and utter loss.

If there is one thing I am proud of, it is to be a part of this beautiful nation (but i am also proud to be pinoy...because, i think we, as a people are as resilient as the caterpillar... coming out of its cocoon to spread its butterfly wings).

flame

2009-02-10T16:00:00.002+10:00

Mother Nature is so generous as to provide us with infinite beauty around us. Everyday, she has in store for us a different view. The sunsets are never the same...the heavens, always a joyful work of divine art... All these, in the hope that we may look up... notice... marvel... appreciate... and give thanks.

Although I have posted similar photos before, they are not quite the same. That is why, I have learned to always look up, so as not to miss a beautiful ending to another day, that we will never ever get back again.

These flame-like shots were taken on a cloudy day, just as the sun was slowly setting on the distant horizon. I chose to upload these shots to give HONOR, RESPECT and DUE REMEMBRANCE to the hundreds of lives lost during last saturday's bush fire in Victoria (Australia), where entire communities were literally wiped out from the map. Homes and properties reduced to ashes...people burnt down to their painful deaths, trying to protect what they had, or trying to flee the raging inferno.

I am sad. I am in mourning even though I do not know a single soul (of those who perished or of the grief-stricken loved-ones left behind). Sometimes, when mother nature goes in rage, there is nothing we can do. I only ever hope that the theories that it may have been deliberately lit by arsonists is wrong...because if not, these people deserve the same kind of wrath or an even worse kind of death for their "mass murder".

aerial perspective

2009-02-07T23:55:00.003+10:00

inspired by everyone's conscious effort to better oneself, and to acquire more knowledge and skills in photography, i decided to do some reading of my own. because i find it amazing that everyone in my network seems to know a lot, and i happen to be the only one still using auto settings, how embarrassing that may be. i went to the public library to borrow some digital photography books, and even bought two for reference at home. during my readings, i came across aerial perspective, and i remember these shots i took of the "table top mountain" from "picnic point". i think these are what aerial perspective is about, although i could have done better, if only i was equipped with the right know-how and skill. but never mind, there's always room for improvement.

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their freshness into you while cares will drop off like autumn leaves."-JOHN MUIR

"There is a way that nature speaks, that land speaks. Most of the time we are simply not patient enough, quiet enough to pay attention to the story."- LINDA HOGAN

"Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts."-RACHEL CARSON

calm

2009-02-07T09:26:00.002+10:00

i find a sense of calm watching ducks paddling in a pond. the ripples they create in the water provide much needed serenity amid the noise and haste of this fast-paced world. sometimes, it is easy for us to forget that our souls get weary...and sometimes, all it takes is a couple of dancing ducks to splash and create ripples to mend our broken hearts, renew our worn-out spirits, refresh our vexatious minds or to simply just entertain us.

Be like a duck. Calm on the surface, but always paddling the dickens underneath. -Michael Caine

country drive

2009-01-31T07:59:00.002+10:00

sometimes when the world seems to get the better of me, or just when i'm weary of the hustle and bustle of city living, a short scenic drive in the country is all i need to revive my worn-out soul or lift my sagging spirits.

all photos taken inside our moving vehicle. of course, my hubby was behind the wheel while i was behind the lens.

dejavu? well, i just have a love affair with clouds. i can't get enough of them. and i think the clouds provide much-needed contrast to an otherwise boring country scene.

mellow yellow

2009-01-29T00:45:00.007+10:00

inspired by my friend's (jopie) post about the color yellow, and the happy feelings conjured by such color, (she had a beautiful yellow chrysanthemum on her blog), i decided to dig out old photos of my erin wearing yellow, because i've always thought yellow suits her well, and these are some of my fave shots of her.

yellow was always my favorite color when i was a kid (it's lime green now), but i don't think i carry yellow very well, but nonetheless, yellow is such a happy color. i never realized how much a color affects your mood or how you feel until i saw that bright yellow crysanthemum. maybe because the flower also happens to be my birth-flower (november).

my erin has a very happy disposition, always bubbly and smiling... that's why i think yellow suits her well...she's sunny and lively...but mellow at the same time.

a lot of people think she's a mini-me. well, she has my sense of humor...(and the round face, like that of the sun).

black and white

2009-01-28T14:39:00.003+10:00

i am still in high spirits over finding my supposed-to-be missing files. i scanned through images after images, and i came across these ones of my kids. they were taken sometime during the colder months. i thought i'd try the black and white treatment because eventhough sometimes it feels like everything is only written in black and white, i know in my heart, my world is rich in colors because of my kids.

focused on something

there are times when they can't seem to stop bickering, but when they have moments like this, they simply light up my life and color my world

the cam focused on her hand rather than her face. it somehow draws my attention to her reflection

i believe i can fly

2009-01-26T18:09:00.003+10:00

it is indeed true that good things happen to those who believe. things are looking up for me. for one thing, my nephew fiddled with my pc yesterday, and discovered all my missing files hidden under a different user name, the reason why i couldn't find them. he also managed to install programs that needed re-installing. it means i don't have to buy a new pc after all, and it's even working a lot better this time. plus the fact that i am just feeling good about myself. and a big bonus that my hubby looked after the kids this morning so i could get a restful sleep after night duty just made my day.

so i am still looking up. and i will continue to do so...

i've always loved the song "i believe i can fly" because of its very strong positive message, and because i am feeling good, i want to sing out loud...

"i believe i can fly, i believe i can touch the sky. i think about it every night and day, spread my wings and fly away."

looking up

2009-01-24T22:08:00.011+10:00

today, i feel like looking up to the heavens, because i am hopeful that there are many beautiful surprises in store for me, especially after the "gloom" of last week. it wasn't just my pc bugging me, a lot of things seemed to have dragged my spirits down the last few days, but i feel the dark cloud has lifted, and i want to raise my head up again... ( and literally speaking, the heavens did not disappoint. i managed to take a couple of shots of beautiful cloud formations today, but it will have to wait because i haven't uploaded them yet)...

so, i will have to contend with these old pictures i took in sydney... the surprises you get when you don't fail to look up...

nurses walk- this got me excited!!! how special of us nurses to be given due recognition!

the soft glow of lamplights against the earth-toned brickwall...because i am drawn to lamps... and especially these ones, because they are suspended up high, which adds more character and romance to this beautiful old building

blur

2009-01-22T22:10:00.003+10:00

my head is spinning... my mind still a blur! while i may have fixed (or so i thought) my pc, little did i know that i only managed to restore the system in its factory settings. and this means, unfortunately for me, losing all my files and programs. the only good thing about it is, internet speed is at its best, because the pc isn't loaded with programs to run. but still, a part of me seemed to have died, because i feel that some of my pictures and documents i will never ever recover. and the task of trying to download and/or install all the programs again is so overwhelming, not to mention CONFUSING!

anyway, these are "accidental" shots i took of a lamppost at picnic point, taken about three weeks ago. because i wasn't using a tripod, and i set the camera on night mode, it came out blurry, as i couldn't keep my hands from shaking. i was about to delete these ones when i thought the blurry effect is almost dramatic. and apt to how i feel.

the promise of a new day

2009-01-16T23:51:00.003+10:00

i have much to rejoice tonight. i managed to restore my computer back to its working order after three days of getting frustrated, because i couldn't access my files; much more the internet. i panicked, i got upset and i was on the verge of depression (hahaha... just exaggerating!). after all, my pc was also on the verge of a big breakdown. i hope it's not about to crash on me...i should save all those photos asap. i'd like to think i've learned my lesson well. anyway, just those three days without the internet made me realize how much dependent we are on modern technology. i grimaced at the thought of going to the bank rather than doing my internet banking in the comfort of my own home...we should think what our great-great grandparents did in their time of "lamparilla". anyway, i am very grateful that i finally have internet access again and i can blog again. i didn't think i'd feel complete again...(exag again!!!)...i am also grateful that i managed to restore it myself rather than be at the mercy of over-charging IT technicians...of course there are those who are honest, but the problem is where and how do you find them when the yellow pages seem to scream a lot of them. it's hard to tell.

anyway, i have posted here some twilight pics we took of that day we went to the japanese garden. on our drive home, i just had to ask my hubby to stop so i could capture these. unfortunately, i only shot them from our car's window without a tripod, thus the blur...they're actually not my favorite pictures because they're not sharp, but tonight, i decided to post them anyway, because i feel that they're very apt...knowing that these photos promise us a new day and allow us to let go of the day that is past ...that's how i am feeling... there's this surge of new life...and even on those times that i didn't have the internet, i was hanging on to the hope that tomorrow will come, and everything will be alright... and that the frustration, i will eventually be able to leave behind with the setting sun.

the toowoomba japanese garden

2009-01-12T22:27:00.001+10:00

this is one of my favorite parks in toowoomba, about 10minutes drive from our place. here, kids find the perfect playground, lovers get romantic, parents find solace, and visitors get drawn to come back over and over again...

the little tree in the middle of the creek

the pagoda and its reflection

the bamboos that remind me of the place i grew up in

the little hut, providing shade and much relief from the heat of the summer sun

girls on a bench

2009-01-12T22:00:00.001+10:00

still at the japanese garden, my girls found this bench, and decided to take a little rest...after all, feeding the ducks was such a big task...

now, resting is a must!

shoot away while they're not looking...nothing like a candid shot!

and because i want to try the drama of "black and white"

feeding the duckies

2009-01-12T13:20:00.007+10:00

last friday, we drove to the japanese garden to feed the ducks. we brought day-old bread and some chips to throw to the ducks. the kids enjoyed the afternoon so much, they didn't want to go home yet even when it got already dark.

erin throwing out some food to the eagerly awaiting duckies

erin still asking for more food to throw while aizel is busy handing out the food scraps to the ducks

the girl by the creek

2009-01-11T00:12:00.010+10:00

Finally, a big photo! I would like to take this opportunity to thank a wonderful woman, a kindred spirit (we were never really good friends back then, when we attended the same high school...but only recently discovered we shared a lot of interests through the net), a person I have just begun referring to as a FRIEND, and actually mean it...because in her, I have found a special kind of friendship; one that does not require us to be hanging out together in the same city or country nor do we have to be constantly on the phone talking. She is the inspiration for this new look. The driving force for me to better my craft (if I may be so privileged to call it that). A person so thoughtful (to think of me and how to improve my blog) and so generous to actually spend time sending me a couple of emails detailing the instructions on how to enlarge my photos. I am so deeply touched, because it only means that she is one selfless person for her to bother and go through all the trouble. And with that, I am very honored indeed to be called her friend. And so, I am very grateful...and I truly appreciate the very person that you are, Mrs. Josephine "Jopie" Pestillos-Quijada. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

flowers

2009-01-08T22:09:00.002+10:00

lately, it has been very very hot. summer has definitely arrived, and it has kept its promise of being the warmest season of the year. while i used to love summer when i was much much younger because it meant beachtime, or what i used to refer as the sea, sand and sun season, i cannot seem to bear the heat anymore. perhaps, i am getting too old now. and i miss spring, when it is cool but not cold, warm but not hot...and everything seems refreshing. when it brings with it the promise of hope, as seen in every budding flower. a time when flowers are in perfect bloom, and beauty just surrounds you...so, i just had to dig up those old spring photos i took of last season...to remind me there will be some relief to this heat.

"Each flower is a soul opening out to nature."- Gerald de Nerval

"The earth laughs in flowers."- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Flowers leave some of their fragrance in the hand that bestows them."- Chinese proverb

"What a desolate place would be a world without a flower! It would be a face without a smile, a feast without a welcome. Are not flowers the stars of the earth, and are not our stars the flowers of heaven?"- A.J. Balfour

sisters at play

2009-01-07T22:34:00.000+10:00

they loved that afternoon we spent at kearney's historical park. we went for mini steam train rides and they ran around with their friends. and then, when our friends decided to leave before us, because i still wanted to stay and take some photos of my girls, the two obviously enjoyed the many sights...

fascinated by the log...

thinking of something else to do now...

another log, another seat...

looking out far beyond the creek...

by the creekside

2009-01-07T21:43:00.001+10:00

these are actually photos taken last month at kearney's historical park, by the creekside. they are of the same bacth as the previous photos of enrica-arvianne i already posted.

the girl on the log

she loved that flower

loving the wind against her face

curious child

twilight

2009-01-06T13:50:00.002+10:00

Twilight: a time of pause when nature changes her guard. All living things would fade and die from too much light or too much dark, if twilight were not.- Howard Thurman (American theologian, clergyman and activist)

and it creeps slowly everyday, this twilight that we don't seem to notice until it paints the sky a golden red, almost like an orange flame, so that we may pause, look up and be mesmerized...and be grateful that we have such a mighty God ending a day and yet, promising another...

it was quite accidental my discovery of this display of heavenly art. i was getting dinner ready when i looked out from the kitchen window, and noticed this flame-like hue...it was spell-binding like the way the thick fog or the soft moonlight makes everything magical...and i felt like i was in a trance.

aren't we blessed those of us who take the time to gaze at the setting sun or sit outside in the twilight? because we know that we are a part of this heavenly canvass that God paints on.

and i thank you Lord for this opportunity to witness another yet of your gentle miracles...for this chance to reflect on what the day has meant to me, and this promise of a new day...slowly unfolding before me.

evergreen

2009-01-06T09:38:00.000+10:00

Even the grass has beauty if we only take the time to notice.

Fluffy white flowers or disturbing weeds? It is only a matter of perspective.

Even a weak stalk of grass when leaning against a solid post can weather the harshest weather.

But the grass isn't necessarily greener on the other side of the fence. Sometimes, it just depends on where the light falls.

arien-ezabelle

2009-01-06T00:41:00.001+10:00

those big innocent eyes that i so adore...

like a flower in constant perfect bloom...

like a breath of fresh air on a drab and muggy day...

the little angel with no wings, enriching my world with bliss.

birds

2009-01-02T21:45:00.003+10:00

i went for an early morning walk while we were in brisbane over the holidays. my hubby and kids were still fast asleep when i crept out of bed at five in the morning for a short stroll...in the hope of catching sight of "early morning glory" and capturing the moment. it is indeed true that the early bird catches the worm. in that case, i am more resolved to be an early bird this new year...and put tardiness behind. had i woken up late, i would have missed these glorious moments.

this early bird getting ready for a fancy flight

early morning love birds ready for some loving

there has to be a worm there somewhere, a reward for an early riser

warming up in this beautiful sunshine (five o' clock in summer and the sun is already mighty high in the sky)

alone in the park

2008-12-23T18:10:00.002+10:00

we're so blessed to live in toowoomba where parks abound just about everywhere. i have absolutely lost count of the number of parks, because there seems to be a park just about any corner. and of course, we love taking our kids to the park whenever we can. no matter how many times i have visited a certain park, there seems to be always something new that catches my eye. and always something new to look forward to in the next visit.

a lonesome tree at captain cook oval, bent sidewards, as if reaching out to the sky

the lone bench and the tree's shadow, still at captain cook's oval ( i wanted to take a photo of that particular tree, but a rubbish bin was tied next to it, so i had to contend with the shadow)

the windmill at kearney's historical park standing alone, but mighty high and proud next to the gum trees

the trees seem to be bowing in respect of this great log, alone on the ground, still at kearney's historical park (giving up its life so people tired from walking in the bush could sit)

enrica-arvianne

2008-12-22T21:44:00.004+10:00

how fragrant this flower seems to you, when it really has no scent...

why this pesky weed (a dandelion) that often taints the garden... in your hands, becomes a flower?

why is something so ordinary as picking a weed becomes such a joy to see?

why my girl?...because you see...you are such a sweet flower to me...

always fragrant, never taints and forever such a joy!

heaven so close

2008-12-21T20:20:00.006+10:00

last friday, i was driving past captain cook oval (another park near our area) when i happened to look up, and saw all these clouds hanging so low. i felt as though i could almost reach them, and i felt nostalgic again. as a kid, i used to make figures out of cloud formations and used to let my imagination get the best of me. so, i just had to stop and snap some shots, or risk having the moment pass me by. after all, it's not often that you get heaven so close like this.

it's just such a shame the pictures didn't turn out as good here as they originally appear on my cam and pc file...sigh!

birthday bash

2008-12-18T23:14:00.001+10:00

one of our kids' friends celebrated his birthday just recently at "little legs", an indoor activity area for the kiddos. there, the rich bright colors reminded me how much our lives are enriched by our children's very colorful characters...and how much joy the colors bring their lives.

the balloons

the "doughnuts and cars" cake

Chad, the birthday boy eager to blow the candle

i love the way Deiv's outfit matches everything in the place

kids

2008-12-18T22:21:00.000+10:00

because they are just soooooooooo adorable...

my girls with their good friends (from L: Andrea, Stef, Aizel, Erin and Lorenzo)

all smiles (Erin with ate Stef)

framed by the "rope net" (Aizel with cousins Deiv and Denice)

Lorenzo (Mr. Future-Heartbreaker)

in the spirit of christmas

2008-12-18T17:50:00.004+10:00

Christmas is definitely in the air. It is the sound of christmas carols I so often hear now. It is the sight of these festive lights at the park, at the neighbor's or at home. It is the excitement and glee of my children when we put up the christmas tree. It is the wonderment in their eyes when Santa handed them some candies at the shop. It is the never-ending questions about the little baby boy in the manger at the church's nativity scene. Why is the baby sleeping with the animals daddy? Are they "looy" (pitiful) mommy? Christmas is indeed for the children...and for the children at heart.

the kids waving their magic wands at the christmas light display at queen's park

my daughters' favorite magical tree. this was actually leaning against a real tree- photo taken by my hubby (i do not have steady hands and we didn't bring a tripod)

fascinated by all the lights

the little angel on our christmas tree

into the woods

2008-12-15T22:17:00.000+10:00

somebody once said that there is much to learn from trees because they remain grounded while continually reaching heavenwards.

three seasons in one season (red leaves on a tree like the ones that autumn sheds; a tree so bare, it's almost dead like the ones in winter; and a tree so lush and green like the ones showcased in summer...and all three taken in the middle of last spring)

the tree trunks...i think they are nature's antiques because they can stand for hundreds and hundreds of years in perfection, until man cuts their life short to make way for items that man himself will regard as antique in the years to come.

and into the woods...i got lost...mesmerized by all these gracious trees swaying their leaves to greet me and their shade sheltering me against the sun's harsh rays .

by the shade of the trees

2008-12-15T13:15:00.003+10:00

i have a love-affair with trees. as a young child, some of my most memorable summers were spent on a tree with my bestfriend. our favorite was her lola's "tambis" ( i call it the pink bell fruit, but i don't know what it is called in english). we used to pretend the tree was our house and the branches the different rooms. it was even more exciting because the fruits, and there were hundreds of them, were just within easy reach of our short arms. it used to terrify her mom to find us always sitting on one of the branches, happily munching the sweetest "tambis" i could ever remember. luckily for us, we never fell off the branches. sadly, when her lola died, the tambis no longer bore much fruit, and eventually, died too. the mango trees, the coconut trees and the chico trees in our neighborhood and in my lola's hometown were not spared from my active adventures and misadventures as well. and even now, i still ocassionally feel the urge to climb, but i have better sense not to, so i just feast my eyes on them and take snaps to remind me of the joy they bring my life.

the phone booth by the shade of these glorious trees ( i think they're gum trees), taken last october at another park near our place

the hidden gazebo (shaded from the sun by trees)

"alone with myself, the trees bend to caress me. the shade hugs my heart."- Candy Polgar

the last remaining flower of the jacaranda tree reaching out to me (while the lush leaves provided me the most comforting shade)

doors

2008-12-12T15:30:00.001+10:00

i've always been fascinated with doors. just something about them. they tell a story on their own. they've welcomed many a guest. witnessed too many goodbyes. opened for great opportunities and closed for failed relationships or lost chances. and yet, they remain...standing...while we keep coming and going.

"If opportunity doesn't knock...build a door." -Milton Berle

"The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live."- Flora Whittemore

"There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception."- Aldous Huxley

"Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you, where there were only walls."- Joseph Campbell

(my little erin just had to be in the picture. she wanted a shot with this door. perhaps, she shares my love for doors)

ARCH you gonna come in?

2008-12-12T15:03:00.000+10:00

a fine welcome (a little birdie in a cage awaits you when you enter to wish you a wonderful day)

a closed arch door at st. patrick's church in sydney (it may be closed but the walls can still hear your prayers and the heavens still listen)

Romeo, oh Romeo! where art thou? i... am... still... waiting...

and then, you come upon an arch...and see something that beckons you in...perhaps the soft glow of the lamplight ...and then you know right then and there, you have come to the right place.

prelude to heaven's rage

2008-12-11T11:43:00.000+10:00

there are times when the heavens get tired of blue sunny skies and decide to throw a tantrum

prelude to heaven's rage

even in its rage, the heavens remain oh, so beautiful!

the storm slowly creeping in on us on a 1 and 1/2hr drive to brisbane (it was terrifying. we were caught in this big, big storm with heavy pouring rain that it was almost impossible to see the road, and the sky lit by lightning and the thunder scaring the wits out of me)

all things bright and beautiful

2008-12-11T11:22:00.001+10:00

heaven's cotton candy (against our lemon tree)

those fluff of clouds i dream of touching...like fairy floss on a summer's day, melting in my hands (and oh, so sweet!)

do not rush, for you will miss this moment...when the sky is a perfect blue, dotted occasionally by this soft fluff of heavenly white.

all things bright and beautiful, the Lord God made them all. and indeed! what a mighty God!

more of newtown park

2008-12-09T10:54:00.000+10:00

the white house

the gazebo

the roses (stop and smell the roses!)

the rose bush (and the white pillars)

newtown park

2008-12-09T10:33:00.001+10:00

the color purple ( the beautiful jacaranda tree teeming with rich purple flowers. my brother fell in love with it when he visited australia in 2000 and almost named his then-unborn daughter"jacaranda". luckily, we managed to convince him otherwise. his beautiful daughter is instead named "sydney".

nothing like a good read ( a jogger engrossed in her paperback novel)

trees, oh mighty trees everywhere!

the late afternoon sun

the daytime moon

2008-12-05T21:12:00.000+10:00

last month, i dropped by newtown park, which is very close to home, in the hope of snapping shots of the beautiful jacaranda trees dotting the said park, which at that time, were in perfect bloom. it was late in the afternoon, but just before the sun set...and to my big surprise, the heavens had something better in store for me...a spectacular show of the perfect full moon in broad daylight, opposite the soon-to-be setting sun.

backyard treasures

2008-12-05T20:17:00.001+10:00

morning dew on our succulent (i have yet to find the specific name of this one)

imperfect but just as beautiful (our blemished dwarf frangipani. i love its sweet smell!)

a lost peg (one that my little one got from the peg basket and didn't return)

break a leg! (a wooden toy wheelbarrow, which my little ones had a lot of fun pushing, until its' leg broke off, and has been abandoned since)

the rocks, the foundation place of sydney and australia

2008-12-01T19:36:00.000+10:00

love this sign!

the warehouses bearing witness to the deepest darkest secrets of the early convicts

goodbye sydney...

2008-12-01T17:46:00.000+10:00

all set for home...

curious kids

the sweetest thing!

goodbye sydney...till me weet again (rather, till

we see you again)

sydney, oh sydney...why do i love thee?

2008-12-01T17:00:00.000+10:00

st. mary's cathedral, view from our double-decker tour bus

a tower (somewhere...)

from my seat on the bus, i thought i could almost reach this

the lamp by the window

scenes from a beautiful holiday

2008-12-01T16:51:00.000+10:00

an old building (just like the ones i saw in england)

a sydney man with his tattoos

let's stop for coffee

the menzies hotel lobby where we stayed (love the chandeliers!)

what's to love about sydney

2008-12-01T16:40:00.000+10:00

a bird at darling harbour

the balcony (at the rocks)

our tour bus

the lions on guard at the treasury lounge

girl-power!

2008-12-01T15:25:00.000+10:00

sister-hug
hold my hand sis

ate denice and the tired little aizel

cousins (bumping into each other at darling harbour)

the kids at sydney aquarium

2008-12-01T15:02:00.000+10:00

aaahhh!!!!!!

up close and personal

ooohhhh shark!!!!

encounter with the underwater creatures at sydney aquarium

2008-12-01T14:43:00.000+10:00

the eels

the luminous jellyfish

a very colourful fish (obviously, i forgot its name)

not the underwater kind, but aren't the little penguins so adorable?

meeting an old friend

2008-12-01T13:54:00.000+10:00

my good old friend, the beautiful emmylou and hubby, rodney

meeting again after college at sydney's darling harbour bridge

just like old times, wish the rest of "the dawn" barkada were there

darling harbour

falling in love with sydney

2008-12-01T13:32:00.000+10:00

at the sydney darling harbour

still at darling harbour

the giant christmas tree at queen victoria building with 15,000 swarovski crystals

at the spectacular sydney opera house

enjoying a saturday afternoon at bondi beach

2008-12-01T13:03:00.000+10:00

running down the hill

i'm coming to give you a hug mum!

excited to see the beach!

catching sight of birds everywhere!

the colourful beach houses of bondi

2008-12-01T12:24:00.000+10:00

bondi, oh! bondi beach.

2008-12-01T12:13:00.000+10:00

offering 360 degree views of sydney, the sydney tower

2008-12-01T12:01:00.000+10:00

heading to the beach (bondi, sydney)

2008-12-01T00:24:00.000+10:00

the breath-taking bondi beach

2008-12-01T00:17:00.000+10:00

the sydney tower and skywalk

2008-12-01T00:08:00.000+10:00

inspired by ship sails, the sydney opera house

2008-12-01T00:00:00.000+10:00

the saints at st. patrick's catholic church, sydney

2008-11-30T15:53:00.000+10:00

i'll take care of you...(sisters at the opera house, sydney)

2008-11-30T15:52:00.000+10:00

"let's have a cuppa", sydney domestic airport

2008-11-30T15:51:00.001+10:00

st. patrick's church, sydney

2008-11-30T15:51:00.000+10:00

lamp posts, sydney opera house

2008-11-30T15:50:00.001+10:00

i am waiting my lady bird...by the sydney harbour bridge

2008-11-30T15:50:00.000+10:00

"i think my bottom looks better than the roof of the opera house"- the little birdie on the lamp post

2008-11-30T15:49:00.000+10:00

the beautiful sydney harbour bridge

2008-11-30T15:48:00.000+10:00

stairway to heaven (a view of the bridge from the rocks)

2008-11-30T15:47:00.000+10:00

the peephole

2008-11-30T15:46:00.000+10:00

sydney opera house...the gem of the land down under

2008-11-30T15:45:00.000+10:00

"i am the light of the world", st. patrick's church

2008-11-30T15:43:00.000+10:00

the LORD's house, st. pat's church

2008-11-30T15:42:00.000+10:00

flight of fancy (darling harbour, sydney)

2008-11-30T15:40:00.000+10:00

images of sydney

2008-11-30T15:35:00.000+10:00

twilight (view from the sydney opera house)

the australian idol judges' seats

my three loves

sydney skyline