The Pinoy "Tabo"

It is in America wherever clean and hygienic Pinoys are.  I bet it is all over the world!  A tabo follows wherever a Filipina is, or our Pinoy brothers are.  There are great anecdotes about our omnipresent "tabo" told by Pinoys everywhere.  A flower vase secretly snatched from a table top, served as one to an exchange student in Australia - can you relate to that?


What is a "tabo"?  It is a vessel that scoops water from a pail found in all our ancestral "batalan" (bathrooms with walls but no ceiling in the olden days) and "palikuran" (toilets) and in the glorified bath and toilet of the modern Filipino homes

The "tabo" is the Western and European counterpart of bidet- the low oval basin and more common here in the states, the toilet paper for dry cleaning.  


Filipinas are very meticulous in their practice of hygiene that there is no way, they will forget a "tabo" in its simplest form- tin or plastic depending on how they choose to glorify this one vessel that will bring comfort and assurance that there is no better way of cleaning after - even in this time of great technology.

a yellow plastic tabo and a pail (timba) of water for bathing and washing in a US home

Hello world!

A window opens up my day.

I watch the sunlight slowly illuminate the white curtains

before it begins to burst great, white energy that fills up the space right before my eyes.

Right outside this window is a lonely pear.

It waited for me to come.

Pears don't grow where I was born.

My mind tells me that I have seen these things before

but my heart says no.

It is always new 

time cannot create the same experience

nor recreate it.

Same things are actually different!

Soon everything will meet the ground.

The pear and the leaves will fall.

Because Nature lets even the most beautiful go

to spring new life again and again and again.

I witness this from looking out a window.

Where and What??

After learning that I had another surgery, my oldest friend said: "What else is left, Emma?"
Pilar is 89.  She remembers a LOT!  She has a big byte of memory bank.  I have a hard time remembering.

I am struggling with my memory or the decline of it.  So I left my comfort zone, with the intention to make myself struggle with survival in unfamiliar territory.  I have to recall names and places.  I have to remember where I left my things and remember facts and stories of the past.  Until I realized that maybe, this is my new me.  I was born again in the same old body!

And I live in the comfort that so many young people have lost their sensitivity a long time ago and they don't even remember to make their bed! And I still do.  So why would I even bother if I forget where my cell phone was? I can ring it anytime.  I have several pairs of eyeglasses that if I forget that I wore a pair on my head, I have another pair probably in my bag,  in my drawer or inside the refrigerator! My camera will remember places and moments I will surely forget, so what's the fuss?

waking up to beautiful Taal Lake

The weekend before my son Juaqui's wedding brought the entire family to an extraordinary house.  Called T house, this was a family abode that was a dream home built by the owner himself.   It was dark when we reached the place so we did not have the chance to look around.  We had no idea what was outside.  No idea at all!

Morning came and behold, this was what we saw!  We woke up to scenic Taal Lake where the volcano sitting on a volcano was serenely waiting for us!

 Instantly, my heart whispered a prayer.  There could only be but a happy wedding for Juaqui and Anne and a happy life too.

 The house was extraordinary! It was one of the most beautiful sculptures that I ever saw.

These pictures say a thousand words.

Juaqui in reverie

We were quiet and content.  Filled with beauty and great anticipation of the wedding, we sat and enjoyed the company of family.

old home, new home

Someone was missing his old place and came to visit one day.  There were remnants of old toys found stashed away in the "let-go bin". 

And the baby crib that was warm and familiar was also being missed...  so Jose came back to sleep in it.

















one more time... in his old crib, in his old home where he turned 1!

  goodbye frogglerocks!  I now live on an Anthill... I hope you can come visit me there, where the citylights are awesome...

As we left and walked under the bridge, I took his photo.

then he gave me his hose so he could take mine.

photo by Jacob

Happy growing on your Anthill Jacob and Jose as Uncle Juaqui and Auntie Anne make your old home under the bridge their new home.

...and they all lived happily ever after.

memories of an empty space

After my daughter moved in to her new home with her husband and two sons, the basement of my house where they used to live, seemed to be wondering where the usual mess and noise were.  The walls were waiting to bounce off the children's gleeful noises but there was nothing to echo all of a sudden.

No dishes were being washed in the kitchen sink nor dirty hands to clean.  The washing machine was dumbfounded to be silenced!

 The bathroom that was always occupied has nothing left except for two rubber duckies and a washcloth.

A flower headdress was waiting for its owner to bring it to its new place but the table seem to be content to at least have something to remember Jacob by.

And Jose...

slumber bugs: how to create a sacred sleep

the emperor: Jacob 

Sometimes the ears are cold, or the birds outside the window are too noisy
Or sometimes sleep does not come too easy,
A mama-scented garment knocks out an insomniac to deep slumber.

cool dude: Jose

Another early morning visitor,  he comes all wrapped up in the cold morning.
A bonnet worn just slightly like a topping
There's not much-ado about sleeping.

the astral traveler: Soleil

She dreams a lot and I think, very vividly, 
Her giggles and laughter can trigger an out of body experience
so the wrap keeps her grounded
while warming her fragrance to make it last. 



Styling and photography:  by Ima

Frogglerocks Art and Eco Bazaar

          An arts and crafts market took place in my sunny garage. It was such a big success! 

look at the umbrellas! we were ready for the sun and the shoppers.

My daughter  Ana, organized this bazaar for the British women's club who also came to see a furniture artist and the pilgrim church of Antipolo.

there was a little of everything- local concoctions organically grown

Our arts and crafts group was the main exhibitor.  Happy to sell but happier that our art was very much appreciated.
                                     

one of my watercolor paintings

my fairy earrings in gold wire

with crystals

asymmetrical pair of earrings with corals and white jade

I was delighted to have sold almost all my fairy earrings!  The British ladies were more daring than the Koreans and Japanese women I met in the American Women's Bazaar. The latter preferred the more conservative designs but just as appreciative.

paper and wood sculpture and paintings by Inday Cadapan

wild honey gathered by the Mangyans, an ethnic group from Mindoro, lightweight foldable hats from Davao and stonewares from Cagayan de Oro

The Frogglerocks Art and Eco Bazaar will come up with more interesting finds in the future, hopefully before Christmas.  You are all invited!