In the tradition of ‘Brokeback Mountain’

They’re both male, they’re not related by blood and the white one, Maki, is as virile as most he-cats I’ve known. The smaller one, though, whom we call Pssst because we can’t agree on a name for him, is more mild-mannered and more of a follower than an instigator. We have also observed how he often sneaks up on Maki from behind then licks him on the neck and behind the ears. Homosexual behavior? It’s not improbable. Although still the subject of heated debates and controversy, credible sources in the scientific community seem to agree that homosexuality among animals is not uncommon having been observed in 1500 and documented in 500 species. From National Geographic: … some same-sex birds do do it. So do beetles, sheep, fruit... [ Read the rest → ]

Be careful what you wish for

December 30 was such a perfect day. Cool. Milky sunlight. Breezy. My mother-in-law called and we had last minute discussions about the next day’s New Year’s Eve party at our house. She asked if it had been raining and I said, “No, the weather’s perfect.” I told her too that Speedy had finally put up the capiz lanterns on the mango tree in the garden and we would have the perfect garden party. The day was so beautiful that I took a break from the cooking for some outdoor photography. Who could resist such blue skies? In the garden, milky sunlight provided just the perfect lighting for these deep pink gumamela buds… … that looked great too against a backdrop of white jasmine flowers. At the other end of the garden, Speedy... [ Read the rest → ]

Superstitions and New Year traditions

Did you know that pork is a lucky food to eat on the New Year because “because poultry scratches backwards, a cow stands still, but a pig roots forward, ergo those who dine upon pork will be moving forward in the New Year”? Heck, I never heard of that one until I started scouring the web for superstitions and traditions associated with the New Year to write today’s column which I decided to entitle “Jump in polka dotted clothes.” The full text follows. Despite the annual photo and video parade of blown off fingers and hands as a result of lighting firecrackers during the New Year’s Eve revelry, Filipinos still do it every year. Tradition is a funny thing. Breaking up with tradition is like giving up one’s comfort zone. So people observe... [ Read the rest → ]

Cats and social taboos

Back in the old neighborhood, there was a stray male cat that got all our female cats pregnant. He was a large cat, black and white (we called him Blackie), and there were times when he would sneak inside the house. He got Sam’s old cat, Bebe (a stray kitten that we adopted), pregnant more than once then got one of Bebe’s — and his — female kittens (named Deedee) pregnant as well. Deedee died during pregnancy. It was from observing these cats that I learned that cats are incestuous. But it’s really more complicated than that. See, I always wondered if Blackie would have mated with Deedee had she grown up in his company. You know, like in a family setting. But Blackie never saw Deedee growing up on a day to day basis. He lived off the... [ Read the rest → ]

Exchanging Christmas gifts

About the time we put up the Christmas tree, Alex asked me what I wanted her to get me for my Christmas gift. Not wanting her to spend her savings, I asked her to just cook breakfast everyday during the Christmas break. She knit her eyebrows and said, “Can’t it be something I can just buy? It’s too hard to cook breakfast because I’ll have to get up early.” Okay, fine, so I said she could get me anything she wanted and it was quite alright if she couldn’t get me anything at all. About a week before the Christmas break, Sam went shopping with her friends and came home with a Christmas gift for Alex — a ring with the symbol of Konohagakure. The ring is too large for any of Alex’s fingers but it was the last piece and... [ Read the rest → ]

Where it’s Christmas all year ’round

Some people clean their houses from top to bottom before the New Year; I clean out my hard drive. I’ve been deleting duplicate photos and unwanted files all day when I came upon the tons of photos from last summer’s trip to Boracay, Aklan and Capiz, including a visit to the Panay church. And there were so many photos that never got published including those taken at the Sampaguita Gardens Resort where the theme is Christmas all year ’round. The two photos above were taken at Sam Butcher’s mansion (see a related entry with photos of a Cory Aquino painting and some gorgeous Faberge eggs). Mr. Butcher is the creator of the Precious Moments figurines and dolls. The photos below were taken at Jojo’s Christmas Cottage, also in Mr. Butcher’s... [ Read the rest → ]

Lights, scents and home accessories

I would have posted photos of loots from our most recent trips to Dapitan and Tiendesitas but, quite unexpectedly, I got sick on December 23 and I didn’t feel better until late evening on Christmas day. It was a quiet house on Christmas Eve. The house helpers attended midnight mass in town and, a little before midnight, Alex roused me from sleep, hand on hips, demanding why the lights were out and why there was no food. I was too sick to get out of bed, Sam didn’t even leave her room but Alex and Speedy did have sandwiches (?) and hot chocolate together. As for me… well, talk about going on a forced diet on Christmas. Anyway, I’m much better now and I can show you my new treasures. It was Sam who discovered the ash tray at a store in... [ Read the rest → ]

Recently...

→ Pinoy Christmas around the world · 12/25/2008 · [ 17 ]

→ Lechon, ham and Noche Buena · 12/23/2008 · [ 7 ]

→ The children of The Sound of Music · 12/23/2008 · [ 9 ]

→ The Christmas gift I cannot afford · 12/22/2008 · [ 15 ]

→ First day of the Christmas break · 12/20/2008 · [ 4 ]

→ The wish list · 12/18/2008 · [ 24 ]

→ Baguio strawberry picking late this season · 12/17/2008 · [ 8 ]

→ Nature photography requires patience · 12/16/2008 · [ 6 ]

→ No thanks for the music · 12/16/2008 · [ 10 ]

→ The accidental bokeh · 12/15/2008 · [ 11 ]