Blissful Solitary Wanderings

Stormy Days and Spring Air

2012-02-28T16:10:00.000+01:00

As I stepped out of a house almost two weeks ago, a refreshing breeze rushed to meet me, telling me a message of spring. And yes, the air had the refreshing smell and feel of spring. The sun was out and the sky was a translucent blue. Was spring knocking on the door? That would be strangely early.

A few days later, gloom came back, portending a storm. The initial roaming gentle wind slowly turned to a furious blast, whipping the bare twigs of the trees, shaking off the snow that coated the evergreens and blowing away a layer of the snow from the roofs. As the blizzard escalated, the wind whooshed and swirled, dragging along the snow clusters and breaking them up before they settled on the ground.

For about three days in the weekend, the storm went on, preventing everyone from going out. But I went out nonetheless to attend a very important meeting. Walking through the storm, I felt firsthand the fury of such blizzard. The bluster kept pushing me back and spraying bits of snow all over my face that was tucked in the furry hood of my jacket. Its unrelenting fury almost knocked me down.

Through all these, however, I didn't feel upset at all, but paradoxically glad for having such a novel experience. It was a kind of adventure. I felt in my heart the rebirth of courage and determination to fight my way out of an extremely difficult situation, much like how it was over two years ago in the Philippines when climatic and economic storms afflicted us. And I always came out victorious. Those stormy years are over, but they have made me strong and prepared me to face the worst storms that may come in the future.

When this snow storm subsided, the sun shone brightly again, the sky blue and cloudless. The ground was elevated with a fresh layer of snow in soft dune-like formations. The snowflake sparkled merrily, revealing the colors of light that they have captured. The air was saturated with the refreshing breath of spring.

Yes, the storm was gone, but over the days, the weather alternated between snowfall and warm sunshine. That was fine because it broke the climatic humdrum.

Temperature is gradually getting warmer. Soon, spring is here!

Hope keeps springing in the heart and burning brightly there!

I Love Winter Because...

2012-02-16T19:45:00.000+01:00

...here in the north of Sweden, the whole place transforms to a glorious world of pristine whiteness.

...the sky is adorned with clouds in exquisite formations,

and are sometimes gilded with a soft glow of pastel orange.

....the bare twigs are coated with thick furs of snow.

....walking under the canopy of towering white trees is magical.

....the sight of the stately snow-laden spruce trees brings sheer pleasure that lifts one's spirits.

....some days, the trees suddenly abound with little leaves of "glass" as the snows that wrap the twigs melt out and harden into ice that cling to the twigs.

The glassy leaves glimmer as sunlight hits them.

At night, the trees completely turn into translucent glass against the light, and the glassy leaves produce sounds like wind chimes when the wind blows hard.

.... even the air sparkles as the fine snowflakes float in the sunshine before finally joining their fellows that are already resting on the ground.

....when the sun is out, the snowflakes twinkle at me wherever I go. Everywhere is incredibly full of glitters!

Even at night, the snowflakes glitter vibrantly under the moonlight or the street lights.

....the hedges bloom with snow flowers.

....at times, the window panes are stamped with intricate designs of snow crystals.

....the winter sun casts bluish long shadows on the snow.

....each sunset is uniquely magnificent,

diffusing its warm golden hue to anything that comes in touch with its light.

....the nights are illuminated with the brightness of the snow.

These are just a few of the little treasures that winter possesses. There's so much more to see, so much to delight the eyes, so much to make my heart burst with joy.

I love everything in winter (except the disasters brought about by snow storms and slippery roads). I never get tired looking at the whiteness of the landscape, the gentle contours of the freshly layered piles of snows, the glitters that abound everywhere, the snow-loaded trees, the falling snowflakes, the roofs of snow, etc.

I love the cold, the serenity, the cheery sunshine and the restive gloom of the season. I love wearing winter boots and thick jackets with wooly hoods. I love the sound and the feel of the crackling snow under my feet, to walk in the snow, to scoop a handful of it and compress it into a ball.

"I frequently tramped eight or ten miles through the deepest snow to keep an appointment with a beech-tree or a yellow birch, or an old acquaintance among the pines."
- Henry David Thoreau

"Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilirating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather."
- John Ruskin

I just love to be with the snow! My heart overflows with ecstasy as I feast my eyes on these winter's little gems.

Glory and honor to the Maker of these wonderful things!
(Revelation 4:11)

(Note: All photos are taken in Umeå, Sweden)

Solar Storm and Auroras

2012-02-05T18:19:00.002+01:00

Later part of January.

It has come to pass. But we don't know what's coming next. The news said it's the strongest solar storm so far this year. Maybe something more massive would occur again later. People are scared of its impact on earth. Would our home planet be burned to ashes? Would a shower of radioactive solar particles melt humans to death?

Here's a link to some news about this solar flare: Solar Storm News

Personally, I have nothing to worry about this because I have faith in the promises of our loving Creator, which I'm quoting here.

"He has founded the earth upon its established places;
It will not be made to totter to time indefinite, or forever." (Psalm 104:5)

"The righteous themselves will possess the earth,
And they will reside forever upon it." (Psalm 37:29)

Refreshing assurances they certainly are!

On the other hand, this solar storm has brought beautiful gifts of dancing lights to nature-lovers. Most countries around the arctic circle have been entertained by a series of such colorful shows in the night sky. Here are some pictures from Sweden, Finland and Norway, which I gathered from different sites, credits and links included.

(Solar storm illuminates the skies with auroras

Peter Rosén in Sweden captured the aurora

produced from the geomagnetic storm on the night of January 24-25.

Rosén shared the image with NASA. Image courtesy: NASA / Peter Rosén)

link: Aurora borealis in Finland, by Trigger Rigger

Aurora over Northern Norway, January 22, 2012

Credit: Øystein Lunde Ingvaldsen

link: January 2012 aurora captures

And here's a time-lapse video of the dancing lights seen in Abisco National Park, north of Sweden.

The northern lights in January 24 were supposed to be visible throughout the whole Sweden, even in the south, since it was rated "extreme", but unfortunately, the impenetrable snow clouds obscured our view. Good for them in the upper north where the sky was clear and almost cloudless.

Nevertheless, I was blessed enough to have seen how the sun looked like during that day of the geomagnetic storm. I was on my way to work when the flare caught my eyes, and so I scurried to find a vantage point for a capture just around the building where I worked. The photos below are the best I could get. No more time to go to a better location, but I'm happy with these humble images that I captured.

Some things may sound scary, but on the flip side of the coin, we see beauty.

I take the opportunity to enjoy all the natural beauty around me, and not let the horrible things drive me to sadness, hopelessness and insanity.

...for I strongly believe that one day soon, our caring Almighty God will bring all the forces of nature under control so that they will no longer cause any calamities on earth. He will establish a new world order where righteous mankind will enjoy life and all the beauty that will fill the whole planet, and give glory to God forever.

Twinkling Hope

2012-01-28T15:29:00.001+01:00

In the serenity of winter, when the snowflakes danced in the air and the night was illuminated by the glorious whiteness that blanketed the land, a soft whisper hovered close to my ears. It seemed to come from an uncharted depth of space. It's that distinctive voice of a fellow alien who I'd thought had been sucked by a blackhole.

The voice intimated that she had been trapped in an unknown distant planet, but she heard my call that crept its way across the dark recesses of space to where she is. My messages in the darkest night reached her through the stars that twinkled in that planet's night sky. And pools of tears formed in her eyes.

My alien buddy still lives out there, though a million lightyears away. She hasn't forgotten at all. She still keeps all her treasured memories in the past. She still believes in the promise of a wonderful future, still holds on to the beautiful memories of our friendship.

She's trying to reach out ... to keep alive ... to survive. Someday, I know, she'll come out of that planet that trapped her. She will mount up to the space and travel past the stars. She will come to meet me.

We will have a wonderful tryst among the stars. Once again, we will forge ahead with our unfinished intergalactic odysseys. This time, I hope, the journey will be unruffled and will last forever.

For the moment, I'll keep bidding the stars to twinkle for her, reassuring her that my silent calls in the night will always echo toward her, to strengthen her and inspire her to fight harder until she triumphantly frees herself out of that cosmic tangle that held her captive.

May all the stars keep twinkling their eternal messages of hope.

Bedazzled by Pyrotechnics

2012-01-13T17:35:00.001+01:00

Their sparks have faded away. They have brightened up the night. They have beautified the air with their colorful brilliance and out-of-this-world designs. They have delighted millions of spectators, with their eyes glued to them while their hearts brimmed with awe.

Video recordings went frenetic. Cameras clicked.

I cherish such moments of firework shows. I love being enthralled by their beauty, their colors, their patterns, their luminosity.

I love photographing them too, though I'm not well-equipped to take spectacular shots that I have been wishing to have. But I shot anyway, and got humble results. I wanted to capture firework clusters in one shot, but in our locality, they just popped out sporadically, from every corner, making it impossible to watch them all, let alone shooting them. At least, I have these here:

Some prominent videos from different countries also dominated the online news, which I enjoyed watching. The London fireworks got me really awestruck. The whole procedure was worth 18 million Swedish kronor. I'm posting the video here for my own collection. It's a little lengthy but it's worth the time to watch it.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we were like those fireworks that illuminate in this world's darkness? Or in the hearts of people who have lost their hope and given in to the clutches of pitch blackness? Through our fine deeds, we can give off lights that brighten up the shadowy places. Each little act of kindness that we do for individuals will accumulate into bursts of sparks that shoot up into the air and form breathtaking fireworks whose singular beauty will be etched in the minds and hearts of those who look up to them.

Mankind will be illuminated ...inspired ... and live life to the full.

"Let YOUR light shine before men, that they may see YOUR fine works and give glory to YOUR Father who is in the heavens."

(Matthew 5:16)

Capturing the 2011 Winter Solstice

2012-01-07T00:49:00.000+01:00

We left Sweden in late autumn when the days were dark and frosty. I mentioned previously that I had seen the first snow that heralded the approach of winter right before our flight. The snowfall lasted for only a few minutes. After that, when the thin layer of snow melted, the frosts took over again.

It was a time of piercing cold and dreadful darkness, an ideal time to fly away to the sun. I still love winter, regardless of how cold and dark it is, I love to see its opening and the succeeding snowfalls that would ensue, but this time, I wasn't there to savor the experience. We were scheduled to travel to my homeland that time. We left the place sans snow, and in gloom.

After about 30 hours of flying (from Umeå to Manila, including stop-overs - Stockholm, London and Hongkong), we finally arrived at a warm and bright place in the tropics.

When the three-week vacation was over, which slid away so fast, we came back here. It was already dark when our plane circled over Umeå before landing, though it was only in the mid-afternoon. First thing I noticed as I peered through the window was the ground covered all over with snow. So it had already snowed in our city. That was December 14, and tons of snow had been piled up on the roadsides.

Back here, I heard some say that there might not be much snow this winter. Looking at the landscapes around, I almost believed it. The grass started to emerge as the snow gradually melted. Successive rain showers turned the snow into ice, making the walkways slippery. Would this season turn out to be a snowless winter?

The winter solstice in December 22 gave me a glimmer of hope. I was fortunate to be assigned to a job in a newly constructed apartment building along the river. And even more fortunate to work at a higher floor with a stunning view of the river. I just took my lunch and was preparing for work at 1:00 p.m. when a glint from the veranda caught my eyes. The sun shone brightly over the horizon, its brilliance reflected on the water that wasn't frozen yet. I fished my camera from my backpack, rushed out to the veranda and took lots of pictures. I was freezing and yet ecstatic. For two consecutive years, I was able to witness the sun in its full splendor exactly during the winter solstice.

To me, the splendor of this winter solstice is a promise of a season that's filled with marvels. Already, heaven has showered myriads and myriads of snowflakes that blanket the ground with glorious whiteness that attests to the grandeur of the One who designed each sparkling snowflake.

It snowed and snowed.

And it still keeps snowing and snowing and snowing...

Bliss.

2012 Opens

2012-01-01T16:02:00.002+01:00

Here I am again, standing at the portal of 2012. The past year has marched swiftly to its finish. A year that seems like days only. So short, but certainly not empty. Much has been put into it. So much that I wasn't able to store them all in my cyber treasure chest.

I keep lagging behind. I should start this year with this blog, but I needed to post the previous one before it loses its sentimental strength. In fact, I'm still keeping many blog drafts from last year that I haven't completed, most of which are bare titles. But I still need to put them here even though they are quite late. I'm one who loves to keep pleasant memories and derive joy and strength from them by just going over them anytime I feel the debilitating effects of this cruel "present system of things". Such memories also remind me of the blessings that our Creator bestowed upon me, thus helping me to keep my heartfelt eternal gratitude to Him for his love and care.

Since I came here, over two years ago, I had been counting the years from the day I came, that is November 27. Hence, my circle of a year ended by November 26. And that's when I reviewed my year's activities. But this past year, I was away during that date and could not blog where I was, so I might start counting the year from January 1.

So this is a new beginning. I will again start filling this year with beautiful and worthwhile things, to make others happy, to comfort the depressed and lonely, to inspire the hopeless, to keep doing the will of our Creator more fully.

Let the year roll on....

First Homecoming

2012-01-01T11:33:00.002+01:00

I've been silent for quite a time, over a month actually. My heart had been aching to jot down thoughts and memories, to post pictures that I have heartily taken. But, alas!, time and circumstances conspired to hinder me from accomplishing such things that I so enjoy doing.

Foremost reason is that of my three-week visit to my homeland. After two years of staying here in the north pole, I finally found my opportunity to visit my country of origin, the tropical islands of the Philippines. I was accompanied by my hubby and a Swedish acquaintance who had been wishing to see Asia. It was supposed to be an exciting and relaxing vacation, since it was my first homecoming ever, but then, some things happened that marred its supposed joyousness.

Arriving at NAIA, we were greeted by the cacophony of transport vehicles and the thick crowd welcoming their families and relatives who just arrived from abroad. I felt that familiar sweaty and sticky feeling in my body, which used to annoy me whenever I was in the lowland, particularly in Manila. I searched for my brother and my sister-in-law who took their time off their work to meet us at the airport. Seeing them brought a flood of joy and comfort to me.

We drove straight to Quezon City, where my brother and his wife work voluntarily as translators in the Philippine Watchtower branch office. We slept one night in one of the guest rooms in the residential buildings.

The following day, November 24, we showed our companion some parts of Manila, particularly where one can see distinctly the contrast between the affluent part and the impoverished part of the Metropolis, like the Ayala Avenue in Makati and the squatter areas surrounding it where many poor people live in shanties all their lives. In a way, I felt proud of our own "skyscrapers" there, but sorry for the shanty-people. ( I only took pictures of the tall buildings but forgot to capture the squatter areas)

In the afternoon, we went to Divisoria, where one can buy cheap items made in China. They have everything there, from clothes to electronics, toys, shoes, craft materials, jewelries, etc.

In November 25, we took the 8-hour trip to the mountain city of Baguio where our house is located. Oh, what a joyful moment to see my mother and sister again as they happily welcomed us home! Actually, the best part of this vacation was being with my family, relatives and old friends.

While in Baguio, we re-explored some parts of the city. Much has changed, sadly, for the worse. The former peaceful and refreshing city that I used to know has transformed into an unbearably overcrowded place, where people from all over the country and from Korea had been attracted by its good location and climate, and took residency there. But the Koreans stay there to learn the English language, where it's much cheaper for them than in other English-speaking countries. Everywhere one goes in the city center, he must squeeze himself through the excessively thick crowd. The traffic jams and the amalgam of unpleasant noises from every corner have become too much. The place has become unattracted to me. I couldn't find any delightful sights anymore except the mountains that surround the city and the colorful flowers, which had become scanty.

After a week of being there, we received the grievous news that my uncle in Bolinao (my mother's youngest brother) had passed away. Those were difficult moments for us, as he was one of our relatives that are closest to our hearts.

I, my hubby and our companion were scheduled to revisit the Ilocos region, specifically Vigan and Pagudpud, but on account of this tragic happening, we had to change our itinerary. The two of them would proceed to Ilocos, while my mother, my sister and I would go to the funeral and comfort the bereaved family of my uncle and reunite with our other relatives.

And so my hubby and his companion traveled to the northernmost part of the country and stayed there for over 3 days. I'm glad they enjoyed the serenity and the natural beauty of the places they visited. Here are some pictures my hubby took.

Meanwhile, we had a comforting reunion with our relatives in Bolinao, my town of birth. Although the occasion that brought us there was a sad one, we were able to impart joy and strength to one another, which made our reunion a pleasant one. While in Bolinao, I took some pictures of one beach right in the heart of the town. Actually, there was no beach in this part before, but they are making one right now by clearing away the stones and rocks and hauling in tons of golden sands from another beach in one "village". Here are some pictures of that artificial beach in the making and the hotel alongside it.

Here are also some rural scenes where the funeral took place, and the flowers that my aunts planted around the house, and some fruits in the town.

I also passed by some flowers along the streets and took pictures of them.

Some other creatures, corals and seashells.

We went back to Baguio on the fourth day in synchronization with my hubby. But my mother and sister went to Bolinao again after two days to attend the burial.

My stay in Baguio wouldn't be complete without taking pictures, so as usual, I took lots of them.

Burnham Park and some flowers there.

SM, the most frequented shopping mall.

Views from the window of our house.

Flowers in my mother's flower pots.

My mother's night-blooming cereus had two buds when we arrived, and they bloomed out while we were there. Since they would be open only for a few hours, I picked one of them and macro-photograped it in different angles.

December 13 would be our return flight, and so we went back to Manila the day before. It was time to leave Baguio again and part from my mother and my sister. They accompanied us to the bus terminal to Manila, and there, we said goodbye. And yes, it was hard parting from one another again. But then, life must go on. I will see them again, hopefully sooner.

I took these drive-by shots while in the bus to Manila.

We slept one night there before our flight. The next day was another parting day with my brother, my sister-in-law and my aunt who also works there.

Was I glad to leave my home country again? Strangely, yes, though it was hard to leave my loved ones, especially in their difficult financial and physical conditions. I wished I could take them with me right then and there so we could live here together in peace and comfort.

There's so much more to say than this mere narrative of random events there. Some thoughts and feelings that I had while being there. This homecoming has also changed my impressions and perspectives. It put a seal on how I truly feel about which is real home for me, Philippines or Sweden. I will write about these things in my future blogs.

It's good to be back!

First Snow

2011-11-20T23:30:00.000+01:00

I've just posted my new blog last night stating that I may not see the first snow this winter because soon, I'd be off to the tropical islands where I came from. And then early this afternoon today as I was writing another blog, I glanced out through the window, and the white ground caught my eyes. My first thought was that the asphalted parking space got rid of its moisture and turned dry. But how could it be when the air was gloomy and icy? I looked closely at the air, then realized that little snows were falling. I exclaimed joyfully and ran outside to feel the snowflakes and the wintry coldness of this day. Shortly, the flakes became bigger and more numerous. And I savored the satisfaction of being able to see and feel the first snow right before my departure. The snowfall was short-lived but it was enough to create a lasting memory. It was a harbinger of the third winter in my life.

That's one of my simple pleasures. The magical effect of snow on one's psyche. I never get over the fascination of watching the falling snow and letting it touch my skin.

Ah, life, despite its dark days, is sweet and beautiful! What a wonderful gift from our loving Creator!

Just Scribbling

2011-11-20T01:17:00.001+01:00

How swiftly time flies! I've been immersed in so many activities that I barely noticed how all the colorful foliages have gone in what seemed like seconds. Suddenly I came face to face with all the yellow leaves blanketing the ground. The thought of their falling so fast may be saddening and yet, their "fall" has created delightful sceneries.

I've been into important humanitarian works, accepted some extra jobs from our company, and traveled to the far south to attend the wedding of our friends and photo-cover the entire occasion.

Now I'm in the middle of preparing for a short vacation to my home country, which will be my first homecoming after two years in the north pole. I'll be going with my hubby and a male friend who will be traveling to Asia for the first time. I've been missing my family all these years, and I'm so excited to see them again.

Thus, for three weeks I'll be away from this place I've come to love and the people I've learned to care about, whom I will surely miss too, but I will be with my loved ones. But being away from this place for a while doesn't really matter because these are the days when the things in nature that I love have gone to sleep, none of the usual colors and beauty remaining. Everything is just waiting for winter, which is about to knock on the door. But I may miss the first snowfall this winter. Last year, the first snow came in mid-October, but now, no snow has come yet, though some mornings are frosty and all the leaves and grass are beautifully covered or lined with frosts and ice crystals.

In such condition, I will leave this place and go to the warm tropics where I came from. There, I will enjoy my moments in the sun (but honestly, I prefer cold places), visit some beaches and be with my beloved mountains where my city of origin lies. I will be there, but I will also take my precious memories here with me and share them to my loved ones. There will be lots of stories to tell them, lots of experiences and observations about places which are a far cry from a third-world country.

Until then, I still have much memories to store here, which I have neglected on account of my hectic workloads. I also have lots of pictures to post in my other blog, My Nature Photography . I know I keep getting behind in posting, but better late than never. So I will try to post them one at a time, starting here and on to my long flight and even during my vacation in the Philippines. And when I'm back here again, I know there will be heaps of new memories to treasure.

One Last Jaunt Before Hibernation

2011-10-30T20:55:00.005+01:00

Höga Kusten, or the High Coast

From Wikipedia:

"The High Coast (Swedish: Höga kusten) is a part of the Swedish coast on the Gulf of Bothnia, situated in the municipalities of Kramfors,Härnösand and Örnsköldsvik and notable as a type area for research on post-glacial rebound and eustacy, in which the land rises as the weight of the glaciers melts off of it. This phenomenon was first recognised and studied there; since the last ice age the land has risen 800 m, which accounts for the unusual landscape with tall cliff formations.

UNESCO, while inscribing the area on the World Heritage List in 2000, remarked that "the High Coast site affords outstanding opportunities for the understanding of the important processes that formed the glaciated and land uplift areas of the Earth's surface".

We were supposed to see this place last summer but with all the other scheduled activities that we had, we put this off for our future nature journey. We had seen parts of this several times in the past while traveling southward through the coastal highway. Just by traversing the highway from Örnsköldsvik to Kramfors, we can see awesome sights along the way that belong to the High Coast, some of them I have posted previously.

I had thought that maybe it would be better to visit this place in autumn when the hills would be ablaze with fall colors. When fall finally came, it seemed like we had no more chance to drive around, but opportunity presented itself one Sunday in late September when the weather was fine and we didn't have much to do. As usual, we hit the road in a last-minute decision.

Along the highway, the already bare trees gave away tell-tales that we were too late, that perhaps there was nothing more left to see. But once we diverged from the highway and headed to the inner sections of the area, it looked like we came too early, as we observed that some vegetations hadn't completely turned to their autumnal splendor yet. Some parts, however, didn't need to have everything in gold, as they looked altogether majestic the way they were.

Here are some pictures I took along the way, most of which are drive-by shots.

To this place we catered to the call of our wanderlust before it goes to hibernation. And it's been a short but a soulful journey.

Another Fishing Trip

2011-10-25T12:19:00.000+02:00

Autumn is still a good season for fishing, though the air has become colder, especially around the fishing areas. Sometime last month, my hubby, being a fishing enthusiast, bought a new set of fishing paraphernalia which he wanted to try out. And so we went to a small lake at the outskirt of the city one late afternoon to see if we could catch something. When we arrived there, a car was parked close to the lake and someone was already fishing. We parked our car beside that other car, and my hubby went down to the bank of the lake in another corner.

While my hubby stood there with his fishing rod, I took the other side of the pathway where the ground sloped gently upward and foraged through the bushes for ripe lingon berries. And I was able to pick about a kilo. I stopped picking when it became already too dark to see the berries. While waiting for my hubby, I strolled down the lakeside and took pictures of the serene water in different angles.

When my hubby came up, he was carrying his prize catch: a beautiful trout. It wasn't super big, but it's big enough for a hearty meal for two. Had we stayed there longer, he could have caught more, but dusk had set in and we couldn't see things anymore. So he just decided to go back there at the break of dawn the following day.

"The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope."

~John Buchan

Nature and photography. Two of my best companions that uplift my whole being.

Just storing a memory of one of my simple wanderings that added up to my bliss.

Autumn Still Sings in My Heart

2011-10-23T14:34:00.005+02:00

The season is still here, though the golden colors have been fading away quickly. Contrary to my apprehension that that there might not be autumn foliages left on account of the winds and rains that threatened to strip away all the leaves from the trees earlier, this second autumn in my life has lived up to its golden season ephitet.

Although many trees had prematurely shed all their leaves, many more had kept their thick foliage that gradually transformed into the blazing colors of red, yellow and orange. There had been so much to see everywhere, the distinctive gifts of the season that delight all nature-lovers.

(In the following mosaics are just some of the hundreds of pictures
of fall's lovely things that I took.)

Although most days were dark and rainy, or sometimes just cloudy...

....the days that were sunshiny exuded in intense brightness that cheered the gloom-stricken hearts,

....the sky was clear and blue, and everything under it glowed with vibrant colors,

...even the nights were serene and luminous, especially when the moon and stars were out,

....in the afternoon, as the sun descended, the westerly sky was emblazoned with golden and tangerine clouds.

Now, all such beauties are quickly fading away. Only a few trees are left with their golden leaves clinging to their twigs. And yet, the air is still crisp and refreshingly cool. Sometimes, the wind blows vehemently, yet comfortingly. Sometimes, the sun shines brilliantly, other times, it's murky and rainy. The days are shorter and the nights longer. The year moves on.

It's still a wonderful season filled with the music of lovely things gone and are still lingering. A season that is still marching to its completion, carrying with it a song that extols its incomparable splendor. A season that I know will keep singing in my heart even long after it's gone.

To view more autumn scenics that I photographed, click here: Fall Color Medleys

"You (Almighty God) are opening your hand
And satisfying the desire of every living thing."
(Psalm 145:16)

Dinner for One

2011-10-15T14:27:00.003+02:00

My hubby went fasting last month to lose some weight. For several days, he abstained from eating solid foods, and disciplined himself to drink juice and pure vegetable broth soup.

However, during those times of abstinence, the culinary artist in him spurred him to cook something delicious. And he did cook with enthusiasm, not for him but for me. And so, while he himself refrained from eating, I had all the pleasure of eating for myself, and I did relish his delectable recipes. Here are some of the foods he cooked for me.

As much as I loved eating the foods that he prepared, I was hoping that the weight that he would lose would not heap up on me. I have a normal physique, though I've never been on a diet, and I want to keep it that way. So I was a little worried that these savoury dishes would disrupt my shape.

Fortunately, the fasting is over, and my hubby has slimmed down by several kilos, and I didn't gain weight at all. Yehey! And it called for celebration. After almost a month of preparing dinner for one, he felt the need to make a real good dinner for two on the day of his "comeback".

Early Birds

2011-10-09T23:31:00.001+02:00

One morning at half past six, while waiting for the bus that would take me to my work, I looked around the still dim surrounding, and my eyes were drawn by the orange glow of the sky. It looked like a promise of a lovely day. I fished my compact camera out of my backpack and took a snapshot of the clouds.

Along the path of my vision, a black silhouette presented itself and got my eyes focus on it. There were two birds perching on the bar of a street lamp. Early birds watching the break of day.

They reminded me that I was one of them that day and a few days before that. I've never been an early riser. I'm basically a sound-sleeper, and I do sleep like a log despite any noise around my sleeping time. Which means that I have difficulty waking up early, and I must have an alarm clock to wake me up.

Recently, my job requires me to start early, and so I must make myself wake up at 5:00 in the morning, which is really hard for me. At about 6:30, while most people are still sleeping, I'm already at the bus stop along with one or two people, waiting for a ride to my workplace. Most mornings are dark and cloudy, but at this particular day, the sky was lovely and the birds added up to what I anticipated to be a beautiful day. As the old proverb says, "Early birds catch the most worms", I might as well catch more "worms". True enough, starting early provided me more time to work more and thus earn more. And I could also finish my tasks earlier.

That day also treated me with these stunning views of the city as seen from the top floor of the newly constructed apartment building that I was assigned to clean up after the construction. I took a few minutes during lunch break to drink in the autumnal glory that bedecked the city river and to take snapshots in different angles. These sceneries are viewed from one side of the building.

This one is from the other side.

Looking at these beauties made me feel like those birds perching high up there on the lamp post relishing the splendor of that early morning. And I had my fill of the loveliness that prevailed that day. Indeed, being an early bird is worth all the efforts!

Autumn Preview

2011-09-30T21:34:00.000+02:00

This year's autumn was greeted by rains and winds. And sure, the days are cold and dark. Recently, it's been raining almost everyday, and I was afraid that the first leaves that had turned yellow would be shaken off by the wind, leaving the trees half-clad with the remaining leaves that were yet to transform to their golden glory. That would mean that there would be no thick forests of red and gold to feast my eyes on and to photograph. Would my second autumn turn out to be a disappointment?

On the other hand, the rains made the grass more verdant, which became a perfect mattress for the fallen leaves.

The cone flowers along the pond lingered to bask in the autumnal sunshine that briefly interrupted the rains.

The blueberry leaves and other bushes exuded a vibrant red color.

This birch was the first tree in the city (where I roamed about) that I found to have turned yellow almost all over.

The others in this queue were still green.

So far, the onset of autumn still offered pretty little things that one can truly take pleasure from.

And sometimes, our worst expectations may turn out to be an unexpected bliss. There may appear wonderful things just around the bend.

Blooming Shrubs that Intoxicate Me

2011-09-23T11:56:00.000+02:00

Even in this early autumn, when they have withered away, their scents keep wafting in my mind and intoxicating my senses. They have long gone, and yet, they seem to linger and disperse their sweet fragrance all around.

These are three of the several richly flowering shrubs that grow here in profusion. Their luxuriant little flowers are such a delight to behold and their fragrances send me walking on air as I pass by them.

First came the lilacs, one of spring's lovely gifts that occupy an endearing spot in the hearts of many, including me. Their different shades are certainly a feast for the eyes.

In summer, the mock orange shrub (philadelphus lewisii) blossoms into countless star-like flowers in their all-white glory. These shrubs adorn many corners of the city and their flowers spread out their balmy scent everywhere. A whiff of their aroma makes me forget all the troubles in the world.

The damask roses in summer don't only splash the walkways with vibrant colors but also entice every passerby to stop for a while and drink in their sensational fragrance, which thickly saturates the air.

Ahhh....how wonderful life is with these gifts from our Creator who wants us not merely to live but also to enjoy living by providing us our senses and the things that can satisfy them!

"You are opening your hand

And satisfying the desire of every living thing."

- Psalm 145:16

Vacuuming the Forests

2011-09-11T19:03:00.001+02:00

...FOR MUSHROOMS AND BERRIES

Days are here again to frequent the forests in search of mushrooms, blueberries and lingon berries. Finding a car parked on the roadside where houses are nowhere in sight is not unusual. The cars are actually parked between the road and the forests or at the mouth of or alongside a path toward the woods. One can understand that the occupants of these cars are out there somewhere picking berries or mushrooms.

My hubby and I usually go there evenings after a day's work. Sometimes both of us pick mushrooms, but only the best among the several edible ones. Other times, he picks mushrooms and I pick berries.

Last year, I concentrated on picking blueberries, since it was my first time to see them. And so I had my fill of picking these berries.

This year looks like a lingon berry year for me, as I see more of these berries now than last year. So this time, I'm into picking more lingon. As I picked them for the first time, I realized that the berries grow by clusters and are easier to pluck than the blueberries.

And they're so catchy with their deep red color!

Just another one of the simple pleasures of everyday that I want to store in my "cyber treasure chest".

Transition

2011-09-07T23:11:00.001+02:00

Summer is waving goodbye and autumn is coming to say hello. These are days when nature transforms from its summer visage to autumnal resplendence.

Some days are rainy, but not the kind of rains that soak one up. Just light showers that refresh and glaze the foliage.

It did rain a little hard one day, but I still call it a beautiful day.

At times, after the rain, the ground steams up and the resulting mists float in the air like a flimsy veil.

Some days are full of sunshine. At times the sun is so glaring in its brightness but the air is not so hot.

Some days are dark and cloudy, but the clouds clear out in the evening and the sun emblazons the sky with its golden glow.

Some days are windy, inciting the trees to play their soulful music as the twigs sway gracefully and the leaves click one another. In the process, the leaves that have turned yellow are shaken off and they fall like showers of gold that beautifully blanket the ground under the trees.

The grasses that have been withered by the summer heat are replaced by new offshoots that are greener and more lustrous.

More late summer flowers are still blooming to fill the gray days with joyful colors.

The berries have ripened and tempt the onlookers to pick them.

The apples too are ready for harvesting.

The forests teem with mushrooms of different varieties.

The fishers are out to catch fishes that are more predominant in this period.

Insects, like bees, butterflies and ladybugs feast on the flowers' sweet bounty.

The nights are darker now, but the sun still glows as late as 8 p.m.

Many other marvelous things are taking place during this transition between summer and autumn. These are the miracles that are happening everyday, miracles which become possible only because of the great love and wisdom of our Creator. And these miracles will go on day after day, season after season, year after year, forever and ever.

"To you the day belongs; also, to you the night belongs.
You yourself prepared the luminary, even the sun.
It was you that set up all the boundaries of the earth;
Summer and winter—you yourself formed them."
- Psalm 74:16,17

"For all the days the earth continues, seed sowing and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night, will never cease.”
- Genesis 8:22

"Give thanks to the Lord of the lords:

For his loving-kindness is to time indefinite;

To the Doer of wonderful, great things by himself:

For his loving-kindness is to time indefinite."

- Psalm 136:3,4

Festive

2011-08-27T15:44:00.000+02:00

One morning as I was sipping my coffee, some flutterings in our back patio drew my eyes. When I looked carefully through the backdoor pane, I noticed a butterfly flitting among the slender twigs of our potted mint bush. It darted from one flower to another, sipping their sweet nectar. (I wonder if the nectar has minty taste too.) I ran for my camera and took several shots. Minutes later, some more winged creatures joined in, so that there were exactly two butterflies and two bees making up the party. Watching them flutter around exhilarated me even as I kept shooting their frolics.

A bee nearby is also busy combing the flowers for nectar.

Now he is coming to join in the feast.

Now they're flocking together in such proximity. The other bee is somewhere in one of the flowers.

This gathering of the four little creatures is like a feast in my point of view. They too have a share of this bounty in this beautiful sunshiny summer day. It's their turn to partake of the saccharine provision of this lowly mint bush.

We have had our fill of drinks from this same plant before it blossomed profusely. At the time we purchased it, the plant was just a mere three- or four-twigged young bush grown in a small plastic pot, though the leaves were already so lush. From that, we nipped off some leaves and boiled them to make a sweetened minty beverage which we enjoyed drinking at night while watching TV. Now, it has grown tall and blossomed copiously. The minty scent and flavor also diminished at this stage, but the nectar from the flowers obviously gave these winged creatures some zest.

Ahhh....just some of the little blessings of everyday that add more beauty and pleasure to life!

A River Runs Between

2011-08-22T01:18:00.001+02:00

31 July 2011

From Seskarö camping, our convoy set forward to Finland, with our boss' car leading the way. Our plan was to go over to Finland and follow the Torne river (Tornionjoki in Finnish and Torneälven in Swedish) that runs between Sweden and Finland and just drive up north until we'd reach the exact starting point of the Arctic Circle.

Here's a section of Finland's Tornio municipality taken from the Swedish side.

We crossed this boundary between the two countries. In just a fraction of a second, time leaped to one hour ahead of Sweden due to the one-hour difference between these countries.

Our boss' car leading the way.

My drive-by shots of the Finnish countryside landscapes

The exact point where the Arctic Circle begins. We didn't go beyond that point as it would take a long, long time to explore this Scandinavian part of the Polar/Arctic Circle. But by simply setting foot on the circle gave me a sense of thrill and adventure.

Since this boundary has become a landmark and a tourist destination, a souvenir shop has been launched here. Like all the other travelers who have ventured this far, we also stopped by and looked around. The store has every kind of novelty one can think of, with the print Arctic Circle, of course! I bought a couple of postcards as keepsakes and the kids bought some stickers.

Time to go back to Sweden. This time, we had to cross a bridge nearby and drive along the Swedish side of the river. But before crossing over, we had to find a parking place along the road where we could eat our "fika" or snacks.

From our Finnish vantage point, I took this photo of a Swedish town just across the river.

We could also view this bridge that we were about to cross.

On our way to the bridge, we met these reindeers lazing right in the middle of the road, which halted all the passing cars because these creatures didn't mind the cars at all. That gave me a chance to take these pictures, and I got so excited to see them this close.

Time to cross the bridge. As soon as we reached the other end, which is already Sweden, we gained back one hour of the day, which meant that we had more time to look around and go fishing.

We were now on the Swedish side of the river, and I took this picture showing Finland just beyond the river.

Oooppss...there seemed to be something wrong under the car, and so we stopped to check it out. This scene amused me. There was nothing wrong with the car after all.

We dropped by Kuokollaforsen for a few minutes to see how it was there that day. There was still a remnant of the preceding day's grill-festival. In this picture is a rough boardwalk leading to the middle of the rapids where the fishers would catch fish for immediate grilling.

Two countries in one picture. Foreground is Sweden and background is Finland.

At this point, we went back to the island, Seskarö, and spent the remaining afternoon fishing.

This is all about this blog. I'm just fascinated by this geographical set-up, how one can easily travel from one country to another and how time leaps suddenly in just a few strides.

Missing the Perseids

2011-08-18T01:41:00.001+02:00

Despite the popularity of the Perseid meteor shower, I have never been fortunate enough to witness its full splendor. Being an astronomer at heart, I've always been watching out for upcoming celestial events, especially these numerous meteor showers that annually visit our atmosphere. I've seen just a few of them, the best of which was the Leonid meteor shower in 1997. My experience can be read here: The Painting in the Sky.

As to Perseids, I've never seen it in my whole life in the Philippines. The month of August in this tropical country is a rainy and typhoon-battered period, when the sky is thick with dark storm clouds. So I had no chance at all to have even a little glimpse of it.

Here, I missed it last year on account of the cloudy night that time. This year, in August 12 and 13, would be my chance to see it as the sky was clear. But then, the full moon was out and its intense brightness intervened and blocked the meteors from exuding their luminous streaks. Furthermore, past midnight is still a little bright here, though a few stars and constellations are visible.

Regardless of such conditions, I went out to our back patio anyway, desperate to see something remarkable in the sky. The night was a little cold but I waited patiently for some minutes. I saw at least three small meteors dashing swiftly across the sky. Not much of a spectacle. Even then, that night was not altogether devoid of celestial show. The moon burst in glorious radiance despite the thin bands of clouds that tried to mask its face, and thus illuminated even the far reaches of the night sky.

Looking closely above that silver disk, I noticed a band of light arching over it, and wooh!, I got so excited to the point that my hands almost quivered as I mounted my camera on the tripod. This is my short-exposure shot of the moon.

Then I tried another shot with a longer exposure, precisely 60 sec.

In this image, the moon has moved to the right, and I took this long-exposure shot, which also captured some star trails nearby, before saying goodbye to these brilliant sky shows.

I may have missed the Perseid meteor shower's supposedly spectacular appearance, but I was compensated by the astronomical beauty and radiance that graced that night. Then I went to bed and slept pleasantly among the stars.

“Raise your eyes high up and see. Who has created these things? It is the One who is bringing forth the army of them even by number, all of whom he calls even by name. Due to the abundance of dynamic energy, he also being vigorous in power, not one of them is missing."

- Isaiah 40:26

Seskarö Camping

2011-08-16T00:05:00.004+02:00

After checking out of the Storforsen Camping at noon of July 30, we moved on to our next destination: Haparanda-Tornio. These are two municipalities that belong to Sweden (Haparanda) and Finland (Tornio) but considered as one city sharing the Torne River that borders the two countries. Haparanda-Tornio became a common term for these contiguous municipalities.

When we got there, first thing we did was look for a camping site where we could set up our tent before going on a sightseeing expedition. The sites we searched from the internet beforehand didn't seem promising, and so we had to see for ourselves how they looked like. We started scouring from the north, looking for the much-advertised Kuokkolaforsen Camping, which is also beside a rapid. Unfortunately, it was too crowded that time on account of the fish-grilling festival that was being held. So we crossed that out.

Then we went as far as Finland, to the municipalities of Tornio and Kemi, but that didn't yield good results either. It looks like camping is not a popular thing in this country because we found only one in each municipality, but no tenting allowed. It's not like in Sweden and Norway where camping sites are found everywhere.

We went back to Haparanda not knowing what to do or where to go. The funny thing is that as we went back and forth, I realized that in just a matter of minutes, I had been to Finland twice. The telecommunications too must have been confused as we kept receiving SMS welcoming us to Finland, as soon as we crossed the bridge that bounded the two countries, and then again to Sweden, and back again.

At this time, we had established contact with our boss, who happens to be our friend too, and they (he and his two kids and his nephew) finally made it to Haparanda as he had planned before, though a little indecisive at first. And so we agreed to meet at Ikea and discuss about where to stay.

My hubby said that he knew of one camping site in Seskarö, which is one of the numerous islands at the northern tip of the Gulf of Bothnia that divides Sweden and Finland. At first, we were hesitant to go there because it would take us over ten km back from Haparanda, but since we had no other choice, we settled on that. That was not a bad choice because it turned out that the island has several interesting natural spots and fishing areas. The camping site too was cool and almost fully occupied by vacationers.

Night had set in when we got settled, I and my hubby in our tent, our boss and the kids in two small cabins. It was too late to cook our foods then, so we just ordered our dinner at the camping restaurant and ate outdoor where two musicians entertained the diners that Saturday night. Later on, a boy asked if he could sing with them, and he sang some Eric Clapton's songs with a voice like that of an adult. And yes, he was really good!

We slept soundly that night despite the continuous flapping of our tent as the sea breeze whipped against it.

The following day, we all agreed to travel around the Finnish side of the city right up to the north in a convoy. I'm going to write about this trip later.

Hours thereafter, we went back to Seskarö and stopped by a bay to see if we could catch some fish. Unfortunately, the fishes were too small at this time. This one here is so far the biggest that one of the kids caught, though still too small for one man's meal.

Anyway, just sitting there and watching the evening sun that lingered above the water and looking at the beautiful surroundings felt almost like heaven already.

Back in the camping site, I strolled along the beach with my camera, always on the lookout for something to shoot. The kids went boat-pedaling while my hubby and our boss were sitting beside our tent and conversing happily.

The retreating sun behind the pine trees had cast a soft warm glow over the sea and the sky above it. It was already about 10:00 p.m., a cold and windy night, and we hadn't taken our dinner yet. And so we grilled some marinated pork and sausages, which we all gobbled with great gusto. We piled up more woods over the remaining fire to keep us warm and stayed there for some more minutes before we finally retired for the night.

That day was indeed pleasant and full of fun and unspeakable joy. It was our first time to spend a holiday with friends in almost two years since we came to this country. And that was something new for me, something I'll never forget. May it not be the last time....

Weekend Jaunt to One of Europe's Largest Rapids

2011-08-12T22:41:00.005+02:00

July 29, Friday, is another one of those days when we have this spur-of-the-moment decision to hit the road again. Another wanderlust attack. Our main target was Happaranda, the last city in the last county of northern Sweden, Norrbotten. And then we had to cross over to a city in Finland.

Storforsen, the rapid that lies in the municipality of Älvsbyn, was not a part of our itinerary, but some force prodded us to go and take a look at that place. Being lovers of the wild outdoors, we gave in to that force and veered to that direction in the northwest instead of burning the coastal highway straight to our urban destinations.

We checked in to the Storforsen Camping, a well-frequented camping site by nature-trippers. This area has a big hotel, a number of "stugor" or cabins, a little church and a good view of the Pite River and its rapids.

Since we would only stay here for a night, we just hired a little cabin instead of setting up our tent. Like all the other popular camping sites in this country, this one was also full of vacationers, many of whom came from other countries.

Being more north than where we live, this place had brighter nights that time. And so we took advantage of the evening brightness to wend our way through the nature trail leading to the rapids. The trail along the rapids consists mainly of boardwalks with some sections serving as bridges.

Along the way, I kept taking lots of photos from every angle.

Once we got to the heart of the rapids, I was stunned by its immensity and the force of the churning waters whose thunderous sounds palpitated in my chest.

The rapids stretch out over a distance of 5 km in which the riverbed is lowered by 82 meters. The flow of the river is on average 162 cubic meters of water per second, and the highest flow measured in the lower reaches of the river is 1,040 cubic meters per second.

The rocks surrounding the rapids are fenced in order to prevent accidents. Visitors can view the whole rapids from the ramps that have been mounted.

Previously, the rapids were used to transport logs, but now, its surroundings have become a part of a nature park visited by about 150,000 people each year. Strolling along the two-kilometer walkway is pleasurable, adventurous and educational.

There's so much to see and learn here, like information about the river, about human existence by the river and about plants and animals, which can be read at twelve spots along the trail.

Since there's plenty of water and nourishment in this area, vegetation is rich and lush.

When the river was developed into a floatway, part of the river channel was drained, but the dead ponds are still teeming with life. This part was named "Döda Fallet" or The Dead Falls.

Here, visitors can find fantastic bathing spots with warm water among the rocks on sunny summer days.

Several potholes can also be found at the drained area of the Dead Falls, some of which are so deep that one can creep right into them. This heart-shaped one caught my eyes.

Wow, there's just so much to see and admire in this nature trail but alas!, the night wore on and our body told us to take a rest after the day's long journey. So we started back to our little cabin through the same boardwalks that we took, the rumble of the rapids slowly fading behind us. The night was still bright and I glanced back one more time before turning in for the night.

This wonderful day concluded with this beautiful sunset wishing us all to have a restful sleep. Once again, my heart brimmed with gratitude to our Creator who beautified our home planet with such marvelous things that speak volumes about his love and power.

And the distant murmur of the rapids lulled me to a sweet sleep.

The following day awaited us with a promise of a new journey filled with exciting adventures.

Summer Idylls

2011-08-07T10:34:00.000+02:00

Midsummer has long gone (June 26), but summer is still definitely here, though it's flying away so swiftly. Before it completely fades out, I must pause for a while and take a few moments to extoll some of its glory that is yet "unsung". So let me sing about this summer in lyrics without music, and in photographs.

Summer is not summer without the brilliant sun spreading out its warmth and radiance all over.

The tiny ripples dancing on the surface of the waters catch the sunlight and glitter like stars.

The sky is mostly clear blue with shades that range from light to deep.

Whenever there are clouds, their varied forms make for a picturesque skyscape that is worth photographing.

The sparklingly clear waters of the rivers, waterfalls and rapids keep rolling and splashing blithely in their meandering course toward the sea or lakes.

The spacious sun-drenched beaches with soft white sand teem with people who either pray to the sun for a tanned complexion or have a refreshing dip in the beach's cool waters.

The air is saturated with the sweet fragrance of flowers, which tickles one's senses as he walks by.

Lovely flowers in a wealth of colors thrive everywhere - the parks, gardens of private houses, windows, individual units' patios, apartment buildings' entrances, open fields, etc.

The berries are out to exude their shiny, colorful, mouth-watering fruits.

A profusion of multi-colored blossoms embellishes the city esplanades, cheering up the heavy-hearted strollers and adding more sunshine to the light-hearted ones.

The birds are having their fill of foods from this summer's bounty.

They float and glide across the cool ponds while basking in the warmth of the sun.

The countryside scintillates with the glinting waters of the lakes that lie therein and the lush vegetation that surrounds them.

The roadsides are lined with lively sprays of colorful wildflowers that keep on waving to travelers who pass by them and wishing them a wonderful trip.

The nights are bright, affording everyone longer hours to carry on their yearning for outdoor activities. (Recently, though, darkness has been gradually claiming back the night.)

The fishers frequent the lakes, rivers and seashores to feed their passion for fishing and at the same time, savor the moments of silence and the embrace of the natural beauty that surrounds them.

Patios are often occupied by their owners who love to grill and eat their meals outdoor.

Thickly blooming bushes adorn almost every corner of the city, villages and countryside.

Animals and insects also indulge in the delectation of summer treats.

The trees and other vegetation are aglow with luxuriant verdure that nourishes the weary soul.

These are just some of the endless blessings that summer brings. Should I recount them all, this blog will go on for miles. Here's one short poem I found that describes summer in a nutshell:

Laughter of Lilacs
Rainbows of roses
Songs of the robins
Lily of the valley borders
Sunshine to warm the heart
Oh what joy this season does impart!

by Anne Morrow Lindberg

Let us wallow in the pleasantness of summer while it lasts!