Random things

I love carrying my camera everywhere. I have one stashed in the car and one in my purse and of course a nice “grown up” one at home. There are so many things that I see that just make me laugh or bring a smile to my face. Here are a few recent ones that I just could not help but share.

If  you can’t tell, those are huge hogs getting a ride to who knows where? Maybe the butcher?? They were not squealing or squirming…so they were probably blissfully unaware of their fate?

 

This is at our favorite place to get a Filipino favorite, Halo Halo. They are quite creative with their signage. Took me awhile to read “Fud Treyn” as “Food Train”. Don’t laugh, I can be blissfully unaware like the pigs above. I saw another the other day…”Kini Rogers”…ha ha, I guess it was a play off of Kenny Roger’s Fried Chicken?

 

Not sure if this one needs an explanation?? How do things like this happen? Luckily, no injuries! Reminded me of our trip to the coast of Benin when we lived in Niger BUT those trucks had fallen over into ditches. No ditch here!

This sculpted sign is so interesting. Love the creativity here. Each letter was crafted with things that Davao is known for….D is a durian the A is an orchid the V is an eagle the second A is Mount Apo and the O, a pomelo!

We have had cooler than normal temps with lots of wind. I am LOVING it! Sorry for those stateside who are freezing. Quite pleasant here at the moment. There have been quite a few days when you can see the mountains clearly. The top is usually masked with clouds. Just makes me smile, it is so beautiful.

 

Lastly, there is our sweet rambunctious pup, Freckles. Her awkward body makes me laugh…long and lanky.  Just look at the silly way she sits on her bottom….or on the side of her bottom. and Oh yeah, check out her long nose, which apparently she thinks is actually shorter than it is!

Holidays

Celebrating holidays abroad is a mixed bag. I love experiencing new things and being with new friends, but I miss my family and friends desperately.

     

 

Wow, that was a trip down memory lane and I can’t even pick all the pictures of friends that are missed……bunny trail….so any way…No snow! BUT we are building new relationships and finding new people to feast with and  new people to play games with. Doesn’t mean others have been replaced, but life would be really lonely without our new friends! Over the past 4 years we have learned to embrace celebrating together in different ways.  This is our first year in the Philippines and I find myself reminiscing about times with our Nigerien Family. New foods, traditions and lots of fun and laughs.

 

 

 

This holiday season has been no different. We started out by celebrating Thanksgiving at the Viking Restaurant with some new friends. They are American too and understand the need to get together. This restaurant had turkey but it had about EVERYTHING else too. Never been serenaded during my TG meal either!!

 

It is  weird, you are happy and sad all at the same time. Some days my heart just aches wanting to smell the brisk PA air and  then other times I am playing tennis and swimming and feel like I am on summer vacation.

 

 

So celebrating Christmas in a warm/ hot climate is different to say the least. So many things that I associate with the season have to do with tons of baking, bundling up, taking cookies to neighbors, sledding, caroling and of course lots of family and friends to see. We did some of that but had to settle for skype calls, sweating while baking, hearing carolers under the hot sun (loved the visitors but the hot sun part is something I am having to get used to)  and looking at the many twinkling lights minus the snow.

 

  We did add some new favorites though…gift giving in the mountains,

 

 

a big get together with the youth featuring Italian cuisine. My heart was full. I cooked all day. We ate, laughed, played Mafia.

We laid low for Christmas day and did not make it out of our house or our pajamas. I love having Leron home from work and  the kids off school. I pray that we can fully embrace where we are and what we are doing right now. I did not send a Christmas Greeting this year. I need to do that and will soon. Probably be a New Year’s Greeting? So many people I love and am far away from but feeling loved and blessed here as well. This was just a snap shot of the past couple of weeks. January is fast approaching and we are heading into 2014 full speed……I am so excited and FULL of anticipation!

Pomelo Blossoms

 

This morning while on my walk I was delighted by the most wonderful fragrance….. a blossoming pomelo tree.

 

I sure love to eat these dandies, but did not realize what a lovely smell the blossoms had!! Makes them even more appetizing!! They are never in short supply around here, DC (that’s Davao City) is known for them! YUM!

  

Orchids

I have always loved orchids, but never had much success growing  them in the states. Here in the Philippines, there are so many varieties.

     

 

Below are some orchids that I have growing around my house. I am just delighted when they bloom. I did not do anything to make them grow…they are just  little surprises! Here are some recent blooms.

 

and the latest…today’s little white delights. Little but pretty.

 

A little Help from my Friends

Well, it finally happened. I tried balut. I had actually been dreading the when & where of this tasting experience. You see, I have heard so many things. I think people like to see my reaction when they talk about the “rubbery” little duckling beak or the feathers. My goodness it was one of the featured eating challenges on Fear Factor!! Balut is a delicacy here in the Philippines. It is an incubated duck egg. You can see vendors riding their carts with big white buckets attached.  They honk a horn and you can get them fresh and hot. People LOVE it…..well, they love durian too, I guess  that may be another post? I am not to the “LOVE durian” stage either! Well, let me get to the point. As you know, the name of  this blog is “Something Wonderful”. I celebrate the great things that I experience in life. Well, I could not bring myself to title it “Balut”, so I am focusing on my balut eating company.

I innocently revealed the fact that L & I had never tried balut. Since the table was already full of great food, I guess I did not think that I would be trying it any time soon. BUT a quick phone call and  balut tasting was suddenly in the plans for the night.

Ives and Aileen welcome us into their home for our Friday night study. We love our Friday night small group/ Bible study time. Filipino, Korean and American (us). We laugh, pray, study and talk about deep things that make us who we are. Our love for Jesus and reaching the lost are our most common bond. I appreciate them so much and they made the balut experience not so daunting.

So, back to the balut….if you did not read  the link, I will spare you. I just could not get over the thought of eating a little duckling fetus….bones, feathers, beak! Leron said that I actually cheated.  I tried the penoy (the eggs with an “s”) which are only about 6 days of maturity. It tasted and looked like a soft boiled egg.  I cracked it open, threw in a pinch of salt and scooped it out with my spoon. NO bones, NO beak, NO feathers.Whew!!!

Leron tried the 14 day….it is a little more formed.

 

There was liquid when he cracked it open and everyone was raving about it. They call it “soup”. You put a pinch of salt in the egg and slurp out the soup. Crack the egg enough to get the whole “thing” out. And wa la…..Leron ate the whole thing at once.

I am sure there will be many more chances to try again….16 day? Not sure that is for me? I think Leron may be up for it??  The more developed, the harder time I think I would have. I love that we were surrounded by wonderful friends and laughter for our Fear Factor Challenge….. eating balut.