Monday, April 30, 2012

Ice Cream/MYM


My Mango and Pistachio ice cream at the Art's Cream Gallery.
Perfect for our temperature right now---it's 36.7 degrees C (or 98.6 F) outside, the hottest this year. 

 Chase your Monday blues @ Mellow Yellow Monday

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Fire Tree


Fire Tree, Delonix regia, Flamboyant Tree, Flame Tree, Royal Poinciana, Arbol del Fuego

Fire Tree is one of the most conspicuous flowering tree I have ever seen.  Instead of going straight to a meeting, I couldn't resist taking photos of these bright fiery red-orange and yellow flowers right across the building I was going to.  It was a hot but breezy afternoon, shooting was a hit or miss.:p


Delonix regia is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae.  It is noted for its fern-like leaves and flamboyant display of flowers.  It is endemic to the western forests of Madagascar, but has been introduced into tropical and sub-tropical regions worldwide.  It can grow as tall as 59 feet, and naturally assumes a spreading umbrella shape.   Fire Tree blooms here from April to May, followed by long, flattened, leathery dark brown or black seed pods.  And because it is a legume, the tree has nitrogen-fixating and soil-improving properties.   More here.


Enjoy beautiful flowers from around 
  

Lunch @ North Park


Fast, affordable and filling lunch at North Park.  I had time for a long lunch but U needed to get back to work, and  we picked the right place.  We had yang chow fried rice, fried calamari and this tasty beef with broccoli and 3 kinds of mushrooms.  I had the urge to go to sleep after this meal--I guess I ate too much fried rice.:p




Join us at Food Friday and Food Trip Friday

Dial 911/Signs

A guardhouse near Edgewater in Subic. 
I wish they made the emergency numbers bigger than the Jollibee ad. 
Jollibee is a popular fast-food chain in the Philippines, Mc Donald's main competitor.


Linking to Signs, Signs 

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

O/ABC Wednesday


 
O is for Orchidaceae

Orchidaceae, the Orchid Family, is the largest family of flowering plants.  It is a morphologically diverse and widespread family of monocots in the order Asparagales.  The Royal Botanical Gardens of Kew list 880 genera, and nearly 22,000 accepted species, but the exact number is unknown (perhaps as many as 26,000 species) because of taxonomic disputes. The largest genera are Bulbophyllum (2,000 species), Epidendrum (1,500 species), Dendrobium (1,400 species) and Pleurothallis (1,000 species).  The family also includes Vanilla (the genus of vanilla plant), Orchis (type genus),  and many commonly cultivated plants such as Phalaenopsis and Cattleya.  Horticulturists have also produced more than 10,000 hybrids and cultivars.

There are about 944 species of orchids endemic to the Philippines.

The name comes from a Greek word orkhis that literally means "testicle" because of the shape of the root.  Orchid was introduced in 1845 by John Lindley in School Botany. 

The Greek myth of Orchis explains the origin of the plants.  Orchis, the son of a nymph and a satyr, came upon the festival of Dionysios in the forest. He drank too much, and attempted to rape a priestess of Dionysios.  For his insult, he was torn apart by the Bacchanalians.  His father prayed for him to be restored but the gods instead changed him into a flower.  

These flowers were previously called Orchis, Satyrion, or ballockwort.

The world's richest concentration of orchid varieties is found in the tropics, mostly Asia, South and Central America; but they are also found above the Arctic Circle and near Antarctica.





Linking to ABC Wednesday

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Kani Salad


This is one salad that I associate with summer---orange, green, bright and juicy.  A serving of chilled Kani Salad is refreshing on a balmy summer afternoon. A combination of crisp lettuce, cool ribbons of cucumber, ripe mango, kani kama (imitation crab sticks), zesty Japanese mayo, drizzled with Tobiko (orange-colored flying fish roe).  It's a contradiction of textures yet flavors blend together in harmony. It's light but filling.




Linking to Food Friday and Food Trip Friday

Morning Glory

Morning Glory, Bindweed, Ipomoea, Calystegia, Argyreia nervosa

Morning Glory is a common name for over 1,000 species of flowering plants in the family Convolvulaceae.   Found this perennial climbing vine growing wildly at the beaches of Batangas.  Most Morning Glory flowers unravel into full bloom in the early morning.  The flowers usually start to fade a few hours before the petals start showing visible curling.  They prefer full sun exposure  throughout the day in an environment with well-balanced supply of  moisture.

Morning Glory was first known in China for its medicinal uses, due to the laxative properties of its seeds.  Ancient Mesoamerican civilizations used the morning glory species Ipomoea alba to convert the latex from the Castilla elastica tree  and also the guayule plant to produce bouncing rubber balls.  The sulfur in morning glory's juice served to vulcanize the rubber, a process predating Charles Goodyear's discovery by at least 3,000 years.  Aztec priests in Mexico were also known to use the plants hallucinogenic properties.  The seeds of morning glory can produce a similar effect to LSD when taken in large doses.


 


Anvaya Cove/Signs

Friends were at Anvaya Cove over the weekend, and I wasn't able to follow them as planned.  I saw their photos---the place is gorgeous and all I got is this sign!  I hope to see the place for myself before the summer ends.


Linking to Signs, Signs 

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

N/ABC Wednesday



N is for Nacre [ney-ker]

Nacre is also known as mother-of-pearl, the iridescent layer of a mollusk shell.   The outer layer of pearls and the inside layer of pearl oyster  and freshwater pearl mussel  shells are made of nacre.  Nacre is composed of hexagonal platelets of aragonite (a form of calcium carbonate), separated by sheets of organic matrix composed of elastic biopolymers.  This mixture of brittle platelets and thin layers of elastic biopolymers makes the material strong and resilient.  Nacre has been used  over many centuries  for all kinds of decorative purposes--from buttons to furniture inlay.  From raw mother of pearl, Cebu craftsmen combined it with brass, gold or silver-plated metal and made it into something elegant and luxurious.

a mother-of-pearl butterfly dish
cast brass crab with mother-of-pearl dish


 Linking to ABC Wednesday

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Yellow splatter/MYM


A bright and cheerful foliage that loves our hot and humid weather.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Tiger's Tail

 Sansevieria trifasciata, Tiger's Tail, Mother-in-law's Tongue

I have known this plant since childhood.  It was abundant in my elementary school yard---we called it Tiger's Tail.  But I have never seen it with flowers before.  Sansevieria trifasciata is a native to tropical West Africa, an evergreen herbaceous perennial plant forming dense stands.  It is also commonly known as Snake Plant because of the shape of its leaves or Mother-in-law's Tongue because of their sharpness.


In China and Japan, it is called Tiger's Tail Orchid; in Brazil, it is commonly known as espada-de-sao-jorge (sword of Saint George).  In Africa, the plant is used as a protective charm against evil or bewitchment.  The leaves are also used for fiber production, the sap has antiseptic qualities, and the leaves are used as bandages in traditional first aid.  This plant makes a good houseplant--it is believed to act as a good air purifier.  Some reports seem to suggest that Sansevieria produces oxygen at night, which makes it suitable to be placed in the bedroom.

I found these Tiger's Tails at a resort in Montalban, Rizal.



Always aim at complete harmony of thought and word and deed.  Always aim at purifying your thoughts and everything will be well. ~ Mahatma Gandhi

 
 

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

CockTales/Signs



A sign at CockTales, a food stall at Megamall selling "healthy" desserts.  I love their fresh fruit smoothies, summer coolers (crushed ice with fruits) and mixed fruits flambe.


Linking to Lesley's Signs, Signs

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

M/ABC Wednesday


M is for Mime Artist

A mime artist is someone who uses mime as a theatrical medium by acting out a story through body motions, without use of speech.  Mime is also a popular art form in street theater and busking, a practice of performing in public places for gratuities. Captured these mime artists at Eastwood Mall last year.  I think it takes a lot of discipline to be in this line of work.  I'd be itching all over if I have to stay still for 15 minutes.:p



Linking to ABC Wednesday

Monday, April 9, 2012

Crema de Fruta/MYM


A tray of Crema de Fruta I bought from Goldilocks Bakeshop two weeks ago.  This was all I could eat after coming home from the dentist.

Sunday, April 8, 2012

White Orchids

 White Phalaenopsis, Moth Orchid

Orchids are used for their ornamental value, medicinal properties, for perfume preparation, as fodder and even as food for humans.  For medicinal purposes, orchids are even used today in traditional Chinese medicine.  Use of dried orchids ranges from cancer treatment to eye-sight improvement.  

Orchids are also sold as edible decorations for food.  Orchid canes are stir fried in many Asian countries, also being used for making sauces in Japan and Singapore, flowers are pickled in Nepal.  

"Easter spells out beauty, the rare beauty of new life." ~ S.D. Gordon

White Cymbidium

Love comes to those who still hope even though the have been disappointed, to those who still believe even though they've been betrayed, to those who still love even though they have been hurt before.  Happy Easter!  

 Linking to Today's Flowers