Torenia Fournieri/Today's Flowers #47

@ mirandablue

Torenia fournieri also known as Wishbone flower.  They were blooming in my aunt's garden when I visited her in late April.

Beware what you set your heart upon. For it shall surely be yours. 

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

@ mirandablue

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Ground Beef Torta/Frittata

@ mirandablue

Bought half a kilo of ground beef for a pasta dish that I planned to cook for the weekend.  But I got lazy (not surprising :p), and forgot about the ground beef 'till my mother discovered it while stacking some old bread in the freezer. And look what she made---*drum roll* ground beef torta (or frittata), my favorite, made more delicious with sweet chili sauce.


Its got a mixture of diced potatoes, carrots, corn kernels, green peas, red bell pepper, raisins, flour and eggs. Salt and pepper to taste.

I'm linking to Maiylah's Food Friday.

Midweek Blues: At the Baywalk

@ mirandablue

A crowded Saturday afternoon at the MoA-Baywalk before the monsoon rains came.

Posted for Midweek Blues

Ruby Tuesday: Glass-fillers

@ mirandablue

An unexpected, eye-catching flower centerpiece---a bouquet of red roses as glass filler.  The pink shell-filled glass vases also add a romantic and artistic touch to this table.

My contribution to Ruby Tuesday

Mellow Yellow Monday # 29: Decorative plates

@ mirandablue

These are decorative plates from a showroom in Cebu.  Not sure if this is a grape leaf but the leaf design was debossed and hand-painted on crushed capiz shell.  The black leaf on the right has cracked egg shells background.  

Posted for Mellow Yellow Monday

Moth Orchid, Phalaenopsis/Today's Flowers #46

@ mirandablue
Phalaenopsis, Moth orchids

An orchid genus of approximately 60 species.  The flowers of some species resemble moths in flight, the reason why the species are sometimes called Moth orchids.

"Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life."  ~Rachel Carson

@ mirandablue
Phalaenopsis aphrodite, Moon Orchid

More flowers from around the world at Today's Flowers

Pan-grilled Cream Dory

@ mirandablue

I was in the mood for fish, and remembered I had some frozen cream dory in the fridge.  Thawed the fish fillet and marinated it with salt, pepper and chopped cilantro.  Pan-grilled the fillet after two hours, sprinkled some chopped cilantro, and served it with lemon-butter sauce.  Light and easy.

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Signs: Worth of a Tree

@ mirandablue

A sign at Eden Nature Park in Davao City.  Let's plant more trees!

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Midweek Blues: Fontana bridge

@ mirandablue

An afternoon stroll at the park behind Fontana Hotel and Casino. This is one of  the few bridges around the park built over a man-made pond. Fontana is located inside Clark Ecozone, a former American Airbase.

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Mellow Yellow Monday # 28: Safety First

@ mirandablue

 Don't value comfort over safety.  There's no excuse not to wear a life vest on the water.
My friend with his kids jet-skiing in Mactan, Cebu.  The wife and I were the designated photographers while having a girl-talk at the beach.

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Yellow Cymbidium/Today's Flowers #45

@ mirandablue

Yellow cymbidium orchid from my aunt's garden.

"I decided that if I could paint that flower in a huge scale, you could not ignore its beauty."
- Georgia O'Keeffe 

@ mirandablue

Posted for Today's Flowers

Crab with coconut milk

@ mirandablue

We had this for dinner at home a few nights ago---crabs with squash, string beans and chili peppers cooked in coconut milk.  The crabs were not huge but they were fat and succulent!:p

My contribution to Food Friday hosted b Maiylah

Signs: Fiesta!

@ mirandablue
It says, Thank you very much.  Please come again.

Spent a few days in Camotes Island.  The streets were decorated with colorful banners, with bamboo and anahaw arches for the town fiesta.

Join us at Signs, Signs hosted by Lesley

Midweek Blues: Blue Lagoon

@ mirandablue

Blue Lagoon, a beach resort in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte.  Behind the sign and vegetation is a gorgeous beach.

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Ruby Tuesday: Alumni Hall

@ mirandablue

The Alumni Hall of Silliman University in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental.  Silliman University was established in 1901 by the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, the first American private school in the Philippines.

Posted for Ruby Tuesday

Mellow Yellow Monday #27: Pilgrim Center

@ mirandablue

This is the Pilgrim Center right in front of the Basilica Minore del Santo Nino, a 16th century church in Cebu.  This is where masses are held to accommodate devotees of the Santo Nino. I'm not sure if the yellow panels are doors or wall design.

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Golden Shower Tree/Today's Flowers #44

@ mirandablue
Golden Shower Tree, Cassia Fistula, Amaltas, Kanya Pistula

It was a perfect time to take photos of the golden shower tree--after a heavy downpour, rain drops still clinging to the blossoms.  This spectacular flowering tree was right in front of the Silay Cathedral, a cheerful sight on a rainy afternoon.

Golden shower tree is used in folk medicine.  Leaves are used to treat ringworm and other fungal skin infections, while pulp of the ripe fruit is a laxative.  Roots are given as a tonic and to reduce fever, flowers are demulcent and laxative.  It is also considered as antitumor, antioxidant, hypoglycemic, hepatoprotective, antibacterial, and antidiabetic.

"The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while Nature cures the disease." ~ Voltaire

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Grilled Tuna Belly

@ mirandablue

Grilled tuna belly at the Harbor View Bistro in MoA-Baywalk.

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Signs: Safety tip

@ mirandablue

Don't touch the spoons, you can lick it later.:p

Sign at a gelato counter.

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Midweek Blues: Glass chandelier

@ mirandablue

An elaborately hand-painted glass chandelier I saw in an antique shop.

Posted for Midweek Blues

Mellow Yellow Monday #26: Fully-loaded

@ mirandablue

 A fully-loaded breakfast of Spanish omelet, toasted bread and hash browns.  Perfect to kick off your Monday morning.  

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Kamantigue/Today's Flowers #43

@ mirandablue
Kamantigue, Touch Me Not, Rose balsam
Impatiens balsamina

Poultice of kamantigue flowers is known to treat warts, snake bites, fingernail inflammation and athlete's foot.  Extract from mature seeds/fruits is also effective as botanical fungicide against Phytophthora palmivora, an organism causing disease in durian.  

@ mirandablue

I know that if odour were visible, as colour is,
I'd see the summer garden in rainbow clouds. 

~ Robert Bridges

My contribution to Today's Flowers