I grew up having a lot of roosters in our home.
My father used to have lots of them. In our province, cockfighting is a popular past time activities. Sabong which locally called here in our province. It is a fighting cock game that a lot of people play and bet their favorite roosters. When I was a kid, I often watch them and see train and condition the rooster for fighting at our backyard. I remember my father used to train them a lot to ready for the big event. And these are some of the few photos of the roosters I've taken during my visit at our old house a few years back. More cockfighting rooster photos here. Beautiful reflections on a pond. Taken somewhere in Solano, Nueva Vizcaya.
More cool reflections photos here. Just a few blocks from my home province in Solano, there lies a lovely and beautiful place hotel called Balai Gloria.
Balai Gloria is located at Washington Street, in small town of Solano, Nueva Vizcaya. This wooden-inspired hotel is perfect for special occasions like wedding receptions, anniversaries, bonding with friends, family reunions, debut, christening, birthday parties, Christmas parties or even conventions and seminars. This little paradise has a very beautiful landscape scene. They have their own pavilion and garden that will further enhance your satisfying stay. Balai Gloria served lot of foods were you can completely enjoy eating. It offers a very delicious delicacies for an affordable price that satisfies everyone`s crave. Balai Gloria happen to be the wedding venue of one of my friend's wedding. It was a nice place, it has a clean air and lovely ambiance surroundings. Come and visit Balai Gloria. A beautiful and nature-friendly ground that suits and perfect in taking your memorabilia. When on a trip and planned to stay the night in Solano. This hotel is the best place to stay. More of Balai Gloria photos here. These are fruits of the Ficus nota tree.
Locally known as Tibig in Tagalog and in Ilocano folks - we call it Tibbeg. It is Native to the Philippines and also a native to Borneo. Ficus Nota is the scientific name. Tibig is an endemic species occasionally found in the thickets at low and medium altitudes. It is also found in dry woods throughout the Philippines. Tibig is a member of the Ficus genus making it a close relation of the European fig, the tropical fig (Ficus septica), and the wild Punjabi fig. Tibig Ficus Nota is a useful tree. The fruit grows on short stems from the branches and stem of the tree. The fruits are born in large dense clusters along the stem and large branches, and measure 2 to 3.5 cm in diameter. Ripe fruits are edible and maybe eaten with sugar and cream. Young leaves are eaten as vegetable. A drinkable water can be obtained from a freshly cut stem. The tree is also used for firewood and for making charcoal and is also used medicinally here in the Philippines. Ficus Nota can release thousands of liters of water per year. Tibig is a nurse tree and a water collector. It's roots are sponge-like that absorbs water during the rainy season and releases water during summer. It grows abundantly in farm. They say that the presence of a tibig tree is an indicator of the presence of water in the vicinity. See more amazing Tibig photos here. My friend gave me this lovely plant Crown of Thorns .
It makes a nice close set row of bushes plant. Also an excellent flowering bush for a container gardening, and it adds beautiful colors to a landscape for my new home. Brightly colored bracts (modified leaves) resemble petals and give the crown of thorns its colorful appeal. The Crown of Thorns is also known as Euphorbia Milii, Christ Plant , Christ Thorn and Siamese Lucky Plant. It is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family Euphorbiaciae, native to Madagascar. A low-growing evergreen shrub with very thorny grooved stems and branches. Euphorbia Milii bears small yet attractive flowers almost throughout the year. The stem is covered with sharp and dense spines, and bright green leaves near the growing ends. Flowers are red, pink and white though you can find a wide range hybrid Euphorbia Milii that bear more colorful flowers (yellow, orange, cream and many mixed colors). When they get enough light, Crown of Thorns blooms consistently. They're easy to grow and drought-tolerant, preferring slightly dry, sandy soil. This succulent plant stores water in its thick stems just like a cactus, so it can be watered less frequently than other house plants. Another defining feature of all Euphorbia species, including the crown of thorns, is the presence of milky latex or sap. Found in all parts of the plant, the latex is usually poisonous and probably developed in order to protect the plant from herbivores. Direct contact with the sap causes skin irritation, inflammation and blistering. All parts of the plant should be regarded as dangerous around humans and animals. It is believed that this species was introduced to the Middle East in ancient times, and legend associates it with the crown of thorns worn by Christ. Crown of Thorns plant is one of the rare succulents capable of blooming almost year-round. More stunning Crown of Thorns photos here. Tropical Duranta adds quality to a low ground cover area in the gardens.
Duranta Erecta is also known by the names of Golden Dewdrop, Honey Drops, Pigeon Berry and Skyflower because of its fruit. It is a sprawling shrub or a small tree. Duranta Erecta is a widely grown plant. You can see this ornamental plant commonly used as a street landscape. In fact, we have also a duranta plant in front of our house in my home province. The flowers which have a mild vanilla fragrance attract many types of birds, butterflies, carpenter bees, wasps and honey bees. It is ever flowering. The fruit is a small globose yellow or orange berry. Both the leaves and the berries of duranta are toxic due to the presence of plant chemicals known as saponins. This plant can be deadly to pets - dogs and cats and even humans. However, birds are able to eat them without any harm to them. Mature plants have thorns on the stems while young plants are thornless. Nowadays, many cultivars are without thorns. This is fantastic plant for a beginner gardeners to grow, if they are after a quick growing screen plant to hide a fence or provide privacy. More striking photos of duranta erecta plant here. Our Awesome Domestic Cat
Cats are one of the most popular pet in the world. Domestic cats love to play, especially true with kittens who love to chase toys. Play wrestling among kittens may be a way for them to practice and learn skills for hunting and fighting. Cats conserve energy by sleeping for an average of 13 to 14 hours a day. In fact, cats sleep so much that, by the time a cat is 9 years old, it will only have been awake for three years of its life. Cats have powerful night vision too, allowing them to see at light levels six times lower than what a human needs in order to see. A male cat is called a tom, a female cat is called a molly or queen, a group of cats is called a clowder, while young cats are called kittens. Most female cats are right pawed, while most male cats favor their left paws. Cats also have excellent hearing and a powerful sense of smell. Cats can hear the ultrasonic noises that rodents and dolphins make to communicate. A cat can travel at a top speed of approximately 31 mph (49 km) over a short distance. A cat can also jump up to five times its own height in a single bound. Cats homing instinct may be due to magnets in their brains. Experts think they navigate via the angle of sunlight, or that they have magnetized brain cells that act like compasses. Cats find their way home through a process called “psi-travelling” . If you chat to your cat, it will likely chirp and meow at you. The more you talk to your cat, the more it will talk to you. More awesome photos here. I didn't know that we have a marigold plant in the front yard of our home in Solano.
Until recently I made a research, that this flower was actually a marigold. I discovered also that there's many health benefits from this plant. In the Philippines, it is called Amarillo also known as Tagetes Erecta Linn. There are many kinds of marigolds, with yellow and orange colors and various sizes from an inch to about 3 feet high. You can find marigolds anywhere in the world, because it grows easily, blooms reliably throughout summer, and have few insect and disease problems. Even the smell varies depending on the type and the place of growth. The marigold is probably the most well known plant for repelling insects. These colorful flower bloom in shades such as pale yellow, orange and maroon. According to some magazines, farmers plant marigolds together with other plants, because it is effective to repel harmful insects in vegetable gardens. The smell may deter mosquitoes too. Besides repelling mosquitoes, marigolds are also reputed to repel white-flies. Marigolds repel insects which prey on tomato plants, so you may want to plant a few marigolds in your tomato bed for added protection. You can also use the flower as a tea. The seeds and leaves are not only edible. Marigolds are also used for medicinal purposes not only by traditional healers but also by modern medical groups and drug companies. Leaves and seeds are used to treat practically everything from insomnia to stomach cramps and cancer diseases. Marigold was one of the top leading plants which medicinal properties can be extracted. Most medicinal herbal tea, especially marigold tea has a certain medicinal property which calms the brain wave to normal form and repels the negative energy even in a short period of time. This means that marigold is effective to some viral diseases, too. Marigold flowers are blesses with the title of “Herb of the Sun”. Growing marigold flowers is a sign of passion and creativity. More lovely photos here. Traveling hours from Manila to Solano is about 6~7 hours drive, if manong bus driver is fast enough.
Cool enough and safe to reach the destination! During my visit in my home province in Solano, it was the summer days of 2013. I remember, I came home early from Manila because I thought it was the day of his wedding! No one was informed me that his kasal (wedding) was moved and re-scheduled. So instead of wasting a day, my friend Jonald (The Groom) and I, took on a joy riding and road tripping. One of our destination was Mapalyao Falls! Mapalyao Falls is located in Buliwao, Quezon, Nueva Vizcaya. It was a mere 8 kilometers from the more known busy town of Solano. Mapalyao Falls is a seven-foot beautiful waterfalls that is one of the favorite picnic destinations among the locals. It was my first time to visit here! The trip was fun with the scenic views of green rice fields, mountains, and blue skies, and it was worth it. I quickly grab my camera and took the chance to photograph this breathtaking small waterfalls. See more beautiful photos here. |
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