Life's Simple Delight

Drinking tea early in the morning and having some mooncakes whilst looking on my RN license. Haha :D

Chasing Piglets

Me with the two piglets

 Late this afternoon I went out of the house and out of the blue I saw these two piglets coming over me. Now I wonder where did they come from? No, not on our farm which is way too far. Under the rain I tried to chase them since they're starting to feast on my Aunt's plants nearby Grandma's house. We decided to make an improvised pen for them to stay while their owners look for them. They escaped run out of the gate and then to the street. I really had so much fun chasing them. Finally their owners found them and brought them safely to their respective pen. Haha~ 

Sourgrape on Our Grapefruits

These are only some of our tree's fruits that fell off the ground 

due to the strong winds of typhoon Pedring.

More than 40 fruits lah just from a single tree.

Yesterday the wind was so strong that more than 40 fruits fell from that single Grapefruit tree on our backyard. I just felt bad 'cause most of the fruits are not yet ripe. This could have been our biggest harvest from that tree this autumn November in time for our town's Thanksgiving. Now the power supply has been restored I'm bombarded by the images that flash into our TV screen.. flooded fields, tormented homes, destroyed properties, reports of missing people and dead bodies. After all what we had is nothing compared to what they have had experience. The fact that you're reading this now YOU are, WE are BLESSED; Alive and kicking. Why bother? Let's offer a prayer as a sign of Gratitude from the LORD and for protection from the coming Typhoon Quiel. 

 

Our Grapefruit tree on the midst of typhoon Pedring.

My Apple Seed Sprout

I'm starting to grow apples now. With the start of -ber months, nights are getting cooler and days shorter. I didn't expect to see the seed sprout after 5 days on a plant box which is just experimental. Moreover, growing it here on lowlands is so awkward unlike there in Sagada and Mountain Provinces where it usually flourish. But anyways let's see how far my green thumb power last. Haha~ Here's the photo of the Apple seed sprout.

Pete Ghel A. Jornal, RN

Thanks be to God I passed the July 2011 Nursing Licensure Exam. There so many things I want to tell. And so I decided to leave this blog just like this.... Haha~  Anyways, I'll go back to finish this article.

Trusting the Lord

Anxiety, Palpitations, Apprehension name it all.. It's everybody's game. How long will we be like this? After all this is not what God wants.

Jeremiah 17:7-8
"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit."

Ghost Month 2011

Do I look like a ghost here? LOL

Today marks the first day of the Ghost month (鬼月) an annual occasion that falls on the 7th lunar month lasting for 30 days. The 15th day of this month is regarded as Hungry ghost festival (盂兰盆)

Some Chinese and Asians believe that the first day of this month signifies the opening of the gates of hell and heaven to allow ghosts to mix among the mortals,seek food & entertainment and some even think they seek revenge on those who had wronged them in their lives.These roaming ghosts are mostly ancestors of those who forgot to pay tribute to them after they died, or those who were never given a proper ritual send-off. The main reason why people celebrate this is to remember their dead relatives and pay tribute to them. Families also pay tribute to other unknown wandering ghosts so that these homeless souls do not intrude on their lives and bring misfortune. 

 On the 15th night of the 7th lunar month which is August 14 this year the gates from the other world are on their widest. That means this is the time when the ghosts have their biggest field day on earth during their annual summer vacation (in lay man's term). Since ghosts are everywhere, living people would prepare sumptuous meals for them. They feel that they have to satisfy the ghosts in order to get good fortune. Some would offer prayers to the deceased relatives, burn paper money, paper houses, paper transportation, paper accessories and incense in front of their homes. Giving the ghost such necessities would enable them to live comfortably when they go back their own world on the 30th day of the 7th lunar month (August 28 this year) which also corresponds to the shutting down of the spirits' portal gates. 

Having ghosts freely roaming around is definitely not an auspicious sign. So traditionally there are many superstitious belief related to this period. Being a Christian I don't believe on such stuffs but still I regard it as a cultural thing partly because of our Chinese ancestry in Cebu where most of the Chinese immigrants settled during the pre-Spanish colonization. It really feels good to trace back one's roots and as for me it's my way of keeping in touch with the rich heritage of my great grandparents. Anyways here's the list one can consider doing or not during this month:

Nos:

1, No wedding because couples will have bad ending. Some bad ghost may cast a bad spell on couples during their wedding

2, No commencement of business

3, No commencement of construction projects

4, No relocation of residence

Don'ts:

5, Don’t wear clothes that has your name tag, so ghosts won’t remember who you are.(I still remember last year (during the ghost month) I'm on my hospital duty graveyard shift and I have my name tag pinned on my uniform, all I keep doing during our free time is to throw some funny ghost stories. Still nothing awkward happened)

6, Don’t call others by their full name when you are in a deserted place so ghosts won’t identify them.

7, Don’t answer if someone calls you when you are in a deserted place.

8, Don’t pat anyone on the shoulder, because you may extinguish his or her life fires (one on the head top and two over the shoulders), which would make this person more vulnerable before ghosts.

9, Don’t take photos at night, so you won't find yourself having a party with ghosts in pictures.

10, Don’t light your touch towards trees, as you may disturb the ghosts. Roaming ghosts are known to love resting on tree tops during dark hours just like homeless men often take shelter on park benches at night.

11, Don’t whistle when you pass by a cemetery, instead you should keep saying "excuse me" as you would in a crowded street.

12, Don’t forget to wear blessed pedants, so you can drive ghosts away from you.

13, Don’t leave your clothes drying outside after dark. Roaming ghosts may think they are donated items.

14, Don’t lean on a wall because that’s what ghosts normally do. If you stand side by side with them, they may take you as a good buddy and keep following you around.

15, Don’t hang bells in front of your house – the sound will call for a congregation of ghosts.

16, Don’t pick up money on the road - it might be left there by ghosts. It's a bad idea to steal something from a ghost.

17, Don’t wear clothes in black or red color when you go out at night, these colors have special meanings in the yin world and the ghosts may get over-excited.