Sour [Maasim]

Ang kamias ay maasim na prutas na madalas ginagamit na pampaasim sa mga nilutong pagkain.  Ginagamit ito sa halip ng sampalok o kamatis.  Ginagawa rin itong atchara at pampagana.  Ang hilaw na kamias ay kinakain din...madalas, ito ay sinasawsaw sa bagoong (ginamos) o asin.

Kamias (Iba, Averrhoa bilimbi, Cucumber Tree or Tree Sorrel) is a sour fruit commonly used as souring agent for various dishes to substitute tamarind or tomato.  It is also preserved for pickling and prepared as relish.  Uncooked kamias can be eaten raw or dipped in rock salt or shrimp paste.

Posted for Litratong Pinoy

Medicinal uses (source): 

• Skin diseases, especially with pruritus: Reduce the leaves to a paste and apply tolerably warm to areas of affected skin. 

• Post-partum and rectal inflammation: Infusion of leaves.

• Mumps, acne, and localized rheumatic complaints: Paste of leaves applied to affected areas.

• Warm paste of leaves also used for pruritus.

• Cough and thrush: Infusion of flowers, 40 grams to a pint of boiling water, 4 glasses of tea daily.

• Fever: Fruit as a cooling drink.

• The fruit has been used for a variety of maladies: beriberi, cough, prevention of scurvy.

• Infusion of leaves also drank as a protective tonic after childbirth.

You are also invited to join Amanda at Self Sagacity and answer our Thursday 2 Questions.

1.  What are your strange food cravings?

2.  What is your "mood food" right now?

Calamianes: Out on the water

@ mirandablue

I have always dreamed of living by the ocean.   I'd love nothing more than communing with the wilderness on a pristine headland or crescent of sand. But I would prefer my coastline to have a little bit more of land than rocks.  


These stilt houses are homes of the Tagbanuas, an indigenous folk of Coron Island, one of the islands we visited in early September.  The Tagbanuas of Coron Island are mostly fishermen, but when the amihan (northeastern monsoon) blows and keeps the fishermen inland, the Tagbanua scale the jagged limestone cliffs towards cave entrances high above sea level.  Then they make an  arduous, death-defying descent into dark caves to gather balinsasayao (Callocalia troglodytes) nests, an edible nest made from swiftlets saliva.

@ mirandablue

For Thursday 2 Questions - you are invited to answer and join:

1.    What exotic food have you tried lately?

2.    What is the most amazing place you have visited recently?

Liwanag [Bright, Light]

@ mirandablue

Ang liwanag sa bintana ng simbahan ay nagpahiwatig sa akin ng umaga.

Natural light through the church window made me realize it was morning.

Join us at Litratong Pinoy

"I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars." ~ Og Mandino

@ mirandablue

For Thursday 2 Questions - you are invited to answer and join:


1.  What is your favorite time of day, are you a morning or a night person?


2.  What is the most important thing you have learned this past week??

Rainy day

@ mirandablue

It's another dark, rainy day here.  I wish I could stay home all day and just snuggle with Fritz and watch TV.  But there are things that I need to do this afternoon, which I hate doing---it deals with a certain government agency.  I am also expecting traffic to be bad today. To paraphrase a beautiful quote, "One thing a person must always save for a rainy day is patience."

For Thursday 2 Questions - you are invited to answer and join:

1.  What is your favorite rainy day quote?

2.  When was the last time you danced in the rain?

@ mirandablue

Hanging [Nakasabit]

@ mirandablue

Napansin ko ang nakasabit na lantern habang naghihintay ng mapwestuhan sa isang restaurant.  Nakakainis ang maghintay lalo na kung gutom na.  Kaya inaliw ko na lamang ang aking sarili sa pagkuha ng litrato sa mga bagay na napansin ko sa paligid.

Ang nasa ibaba naman ay mga capiz lanterns na nakasabit sa mga sanga ng isang puno sa Greenbelt 5.

My contribution to Litratong Pinoy

I noticed the hanging lantern while waiting to be seated in  a restaurant.  Waiting can be annoying especially when you're hungry.  So I entertained myself by taking photos of whatever caught my attention.

Below are capiz lanterns hanging from the branches of a tree at Greenbelt 5.

@ mirandablue

For Thursday 2 Questions - you are invited to answer and join:

1.  Most people find it hard to be patient.  How do you manage it?


2.  Can you recall a situation that really tested your patience?

@ mirandablue

Melancholic [Mapanglaw]

@ mirandablue

"One loves the sunset when one is sad..." ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Isang madramang tagpo sa dalampasigan habang papalubog ang araw. Mapanglaw ang paligid, malalim ang iniisip habang nakatingin sa kawalan.  Sana naintindihan nya na kahit ang masayang buhay ay may kaakibat na kadiliman, at ang salitang "ligaya" ay mawawalang saysay kung walang kalungkutan.

Join us at Litratong Pinoy

A dramatic scene on the beach at sunset.  A melancholic air, a dejected mood as he stares blankly into space.  I hope he realized that even a joyful life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word "happy" would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness.

For Thursday 2 Questions - you are invited to answer and join:

1)  What comforts you when you're sad and lonely?

2)  Who is the bravest person you know personally?

Bright, clear/Maliwanag [LP and T2Q]

@ mirandablue

Ngayong panahon na ng tag-ulan, di ko maiwasang magbalik-tanaw sa nagdaang summer.  Nakaka-miss ang matingkad na sikat ng araw, maliwanag na kalangitan at ang masarap na bakasyon.  Kahit maalinsangan, sana laging summer na lang.  Ayoko ng walang katapusang ulan!

Join us at Litratong Pinoy

Now that the monsoon rains have started, I can't help but look back at the joys of summer.  I miss the bright and delicious sunshine, clear blue skies and delightful vacation.  Even when it's hot and humid, I wish it's always summer.  Rain sniveling endlessly is not my favorite thing.

@ mirandablue

For Thursday 2 Questions - you are invited to answer and join the fun.

1)  Why spring/summer/autumn/winter is your favorite season?

2)  What do you normally do on a rainy weekend?

Comfort Eating? [T2Q]

@ mirandablue

It was one of those days when I wasn't really hungry but wanted to munch on something.  I was not tense or stressed, just bored.  My first instinct was to get a fully-loaded burger and fries at Wendy's but as I thought of calories and high blood pressure, I made a beeline for a Chinese restaurant.  At least, it would give me better choices.:p

The chicken and corn soup was really hot--it forced me to concentrate and kept me occupied for a while.

These steamed vegetable dumplings with shrimps were delicious, love the dipping sauce!  Too bad, I was already burping after finishing the soup and wasn't able to finish the dumplings.  I had the remaining pieces bagged for takeout--my nephew finished it off.

My questions for Thursday 2 Questions - you are invited to answer and join.

1)  What are your favorite comfort foods?

2)  Do you or do you not believe that people resort to comfort eating when times are hard?

@ mirandablue

Join us at  Thursday 2 Questions

Fallen/Tumba

@ mirandablue

Mga natumbang puno ng niyog sa dalampasigan ng Punta Bulata.

Join us at Litratong Pinoy

Fallen coconut trees along the shores of Punta Bulata.

@ mirandablue

For Thursday 2 Questions - you are invited to answer and join:

1.  What are the green initiatives you do at home?

We recycle--water from the washing machine and plastics, reuse glass bottles, aluminum foil, plastic cutlery;  consolidate daily errands to avoid unnecessary driving, switched to paperless bills, save electricity by air-drying clothes, limited use of AC, turn off unneeded lights; we are also trying to reduce food waste.

2.  What are some of the most damaging things we do to the environment?

Irresponsible disposal of garbage, illegal logging, wasting water and energy, over-fishing, dumping of motor oil, paints, pesticides and other toxic chemicals down the drain, air pollution, indifference.

Brake/Preno [LP]

@ mirandablue

Ang ilaw ng preno ay ang pinaka mahalagang mga nakasinding-babala sa iyong sasakyan. Ito ay babala sa iba pang mga driver ng iyong layunin sa pagbagal o paghinto.  Ang sirang ilaw ng preno ay mapanganib at maaaring maging sanhi ng aksidente.

Posted for Litratong Pinoy

The brake lights are the most important lighted warning system on your vehicle. It warns other drivers of  your intention to slow down or stop.  Defective or malfunctioning brake lights are dangerous and could cause accidents.  

@ mirandablue

For Thursday 2 Questions - you are invited to answer and join:

1.  How often do you check your vehicle's lighting system?

• I have to admit that I don't check my lighting system regularly.  But once I notice a malfunction, I'm having it fixed it right away.

2.  What are the road irritants that annoy you?

• I have a long list of annoying road irritants---last-minute braking tops my list.  This is the most common habit of jeepney drivers.  Tailgaiting makes me nervous, lane-hogging and failing to use signal lights are definitely annoying.

Pet [Alagang hayop]

@ mirandablue

Natural, bida ngayon ang alaga ko, si Fritz. Para sa akin, si Fritz ang pinaka-poging aso sa balat ng lupa.  Malambing sya, mabait, mabango at kasalukuyang naghihilik sa tabi ko.  Medyo spoiled itong alaga ko...kadalasan, nagpapasubo pa.  Biro ng mga kaibigan ko, sayang lang daw ag binubuhos kong pagmamahal at atensyon kay Fritz.  Buti pa daw ang kalabaw, napapakinabangan.  Hindi ko minamaliit ang halaga at pakinabang ng kalabaw [lalo na sa mga magsasaka], pero pwede ko bang yakapin at halikan ito?

Posted for Litratong Pinoy

Naturally, Fritz is the star of today's post.  For me, he is the handsomest dog in the planet.  He's sweet, gentle, smells good and right now, snoring beside me.  I admit, Fritz is a bit spoiled...more often than not, he nibbles on his food but eats heartily when spoon-fed.  Friends love to tease me that I have a bad case of misplaced love for a pet, after all, Fritz couldn't do things for me.  While I don't underestimate the value and usefulness of a water buffalo [especially to farmers], I don't think I could hug or kiss this animal.

Trivia:  In 2004, the first test-tube hybrid carabao [water buffalo] was born in the Philippine Carabao Center in Nueva Ecija, and was named "Glory" after the former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

@ mirandablue

For Thursday 2 Questions - you are invited to answer these questions and join us:


1)  If you have a pet, do you think he or she understands you?

• yes, I believe Fritz understands me.  certain words prompt him, he responds to my [tone of] voice.

2)  What is the most endearing trait of our pet?

• Fritz is most endearing when he lays his head on my leg and waits to be scratched; my heart melts every time he runs to the door to welcome me home, or licks my nose when I tell him I love him.

Punta Bulata: Kids at the beach

@ mirandablue

Two kids at the beach before sunset...picking up pebbles, shells and other treasures.  This scene evokes childhood memories---of an enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer, and the afternoons were filled with fragrance of roasted coffee, fried saba [banana] and burning leaves.

Posted for Watery Wednesday and Thursday 2 Questions

@ mirandablue

For Thursday 2 Questions - you are invited to answer and join.


1.  What are the smells of your childhood?

• i always associate the aroma of coffee with childhood. Probably because my grandmother roasted coffee and coffee was always brewing in her kitchen.  Burning leaves, freshly mown grass, Vicks VapoRub, fresh laundry (before the age of fabric conditioner, when towels and blankets smelled like  summer sun), baby powder.

2.  What was your favorite place when you were a child?

• i was always climbing trees---i loved hanging out on the branches of a guava or aratiles  tree (Jamaican cherry, Muntingia) in front of our house.  probably the reason why i love being on the roof top, or any elevated places. 

P.S.  I will be out of town for two days..will catch up when I get back.  Thank you for stopping by.

Punta Bulata: Poignant in its simplicity

@ mirandablue

Una sa lahat, congratulations sa mga bumubuo sa Litratong Pinoy---tatlong taon na tayo, mga kapatid!  Tinataas ko ng tasa ng aking kape para sa ating lahat. Cheers!

At dahil freestyle tayo ngayong Huwebes, pagpapatuloy ko ang mga silhouettes na kuha ko sa dalampasigan ng Punta Bulata.  Makulimlim ang langit at akala ko babagsak ang malakas na ulan.  Pero nakisama naman ang panahon, umambon lang ng konti at nanatiling nakatago ang araw.  Nagpakita lang ng kanyang ginintuang kinang nang ito'y palubog na.  

Halata bang mahilig ako sa silhouettes?  Sinasabi natin o naririnig, "ang ganda, simple lang pero maganda."  Ganyan ang palagay ko sa silhouettes---nakikita ako ang kagandahan ng mga simpleng bagay. Walang maraming kulay na gumugulo sa paningin.  Isa itong malikhaing paraan para maisalarawan ang drama, misteryo at iba't ibang lawak ng ating damdamin. Ano sa tingin mo?:p

@ mirandablue

First of all, my congratulations to the Litratong Pinoy team---it's been a wonderful and interesting three years!  I'm raising my coffee cup to all participants of this weekly photo challenge.  Cheers!

To celebrate the 3rd anniversary, we're free to post whatever we like.  So I continue with the series of silhouettes I took at the shores of Punta Bulata. It was a cloudy afternoon, and  I was expecting a downpour. But nature was kind...it drizzled and the sun stayed hidden behind the clouds all afternoon.  It showed its golden brilliance at sunset.

Obviously, I love silhouettes. Our eyes are used to the colors of everyday life that when we see light and darkness, it evokes a whole range of emotions, drama and mystery.  I believe that silhouette photography is a creative way to convey the beauty of simplicity. What do you think?

@ mirandablue

For Thursday 2 Questions - you are invited to answer and join:


1)  How do you deal with new ideas?

• I embrace new ideas, have fun playing with ideas, and enjoy the controversial ones.  Everything is possible.:p

2)  What stresses you out?

• Expectations, deadlines, doctor consultations, early morning flight, sickness in the family, slow internet connection, bumper-to-bumper traffic, waiting