I'm not as consistent with the camera now, as I was when I first arrived here. It seems like a lot of things look pretty "normal" to me now, which, if I only "noticed" them, would possibly be interesting to someone who is not around here all the time. I guess you could say, some of the "new" has worn off this place as things have gotten to be more familiar. So I have been trying to make a point of carrying the camera ALWAYS - - because there really IS quite a lot of material HERE for a photo- bloggist, it just has to be NOTICED and recorded!
(Note a few days later, 30 minutes ago I drove past a tricycle/ motorcycle which had a COW in the passenger space side-car, NOT a CARGO sidecar! WISH I'd had the camera for that one, as the cow didn't seem to be liking it!) (Link to "Tricycle" blog)
(Note just before "publishing:" I see I have rambled from subject to subject as I re-read this, but it is pretty hard to edit and move stuff around after it is assembled, with this blog- program. So I ask your indulgence! - - -)
One of the things which is hard to get tired of is the scenery which
is all around us here. This is really a beautiful place!
The rice fields above are only 5 minutes' walk from our gate,
and this vista of the ocean is less than 2 minutes away.
This large basket is used by the salt-makers to leach high-
saline water into the trough underneath it, before the last
evaporation which produces the usable salt. The basket
gave me an idea - -
so I had one made to use hauling bulky/ fluffy loads like
threshed rice-hulls (used to add bulk to our too-heavy
garden soil).
These sections of concrete drainage culvert all looked pretty
rough on ONE end, and factory-SMOOTH on the other end.
I think I figured out that they had been hand-cut into halves,
using hammers, chisels, and hacksaws (for the re-bar inside) -
so that they are half-weight, and can be installed using the
A-frame above, with a manual rope block-and-tackle. One
day while passing by, I missed the photo opportunity of
4 or 5 guys hauling on the rope while several others used
lengths of pipe and branch-wood to lever the heavy segment
into place. I also wish I could be around when they are
off-loaded from a truck, most likely without any heavy
lifting equipment. They would have to be repeatedly
rolled and chocked - at quite some risk.
I couldn't resist taking a couple of "contrast- photos" one
day, of Joseph standing beside a Toyota super-sized
double-cab pickup - -
And then a few steps away beside our rather modest Suzuki.
The roads here are quite small in towns and cities; much easier
to drive a "day cruiser" than a "battleship" - sized vehicle!
to drive a "day cruiser" than a "battleship" - sized vehicle!
I haven't found the right way to get some types of photos posted, before. The next two are examples of this:
It's a little hard to get hearse- photos into any kind of usual
category, so I haven't published any until now. The ones in the
USA are pretty much all-same, (nondescript, they could bore
you to "d--th!!") but there seem to be LOTS of ornate and
creative ones in use around here. I haven't seen any horses
for hearses in our area; so this one is usually towed by a
small pickup truck (the ubiquitous Suzuki).
All hearses I've seen here are "glass box" styled. It seems
like there may be no "Acme Hearse Company" in this country,
so each vehicle is locally customized from whatever large
sedan (usually) is available. This nicely worked vehicle is
based on a 1967 Chevy Impala. I have noticed others
based on old Mercedes and on executive-sized older
Nissans. Of course, I have to get my photos when they
are not in use. I may post some others as I get them.
I'm still pretty "good" with swinging a hammer, and can sink
a nail accurately with a minimum number of strokes. I would
NOT think that the basic action of swinging a BOLO (machete)
could be much different from hammering.
But I have proven by experience that there IS a difference.
At the left is a coconut top which someone more expert
removed with very few, accurate, swings, which resembles
neatly overlapped petals on a flower. At the right is my
attempt, 50 or more inaccurate swings, and it looks
like confetti.
My liking for amusing signs is again "taken" by
this one; apparently the area is so restricted that
the sign will not quite fit straight on the narrow door.
This was one of our "every time" stops when we did our
monthly errands in San Jose. Several items which we
couldn't find elsewhere were usually in stock at "Royalty."
We were only a little disappointed never to see Elizabeth
or any of her household. These days, a department store
is in its place, with a lot of "surplus goods" as many of the
retailers in San Jose have. Kind of like a mini- Big Lots.
When I bought the Suzuki, one item I noted was that its new
seat-covers were really cheap and not likely to last for long.
This was not a big enough issue to prevent us buying the car.
Now, as expected, in less than 2 years at about 8,000 mi. the
fabric was worn out and seams were splitting. For months
we kept our eyes open for some good quality fabric to have
them re- covered. Not easy to find, here.
Bernadette found a nice heavy drapery-panel at the market
a few weeks ago, which made some snappy-looking insets
for the "Gold Leather" brand-name (gray) material we got
from an upholstery supply store. I got the back seat returned
from our neighbor (a good craftsman) this morning (July 22),
and the front seats should be ready some time tomorrow.
One issue which "snuck up" on me is the tail-gate. This
half-pickup vehicle was custom-cut-down from a mini-van.
The lower half of the van back-hatch door became the tail-
gate; and as it was not structurally heavy enough for its "new
job," I went through 4 phases of project work, gradually
getting it reinforced with angle-iron inside, etc. Now it
has been OK for a number of months, so I am just about
ready to give it a paint-job (tempting fate a little).
"Homey details" like utensil storage just don't seem to come
naturally to me. I have to live with clutter for a while before
I have an "inspiration moment" that helps me build a solution.
The lids- inside- the- cabinet- door idea came from YouTube,
and has been a big help. The rolling pin actually has a hole
drilled through the upper shelf for its handle to poke through.
A smaller hole makes a "rest" for the other handle. Before,
it was a nuisance, always in the way.
This Black Beauty eggplant has grown to about 6- inches
since the photo a few days ago. There are about 6 others
nearby. I was pretty skeptical about eggplant for a long time
- certain methods of cooking make it undesirable if not
downright inedible. But it's pretty good when made like
"lasagna" or fried into an omelette.
There are only a FEW local varieties of tomatoes so we hope
to succeed with some additional types. Pretty good luck with these
Romas so far, and with a couple "grape" and "cherry" types. ALAS,
still no luck with large-"slicer" types like Rutgers and Beefsteak.
monthly errands in San Jose. Several items which we
couldn't find elsewhere were usually in stock at "Royalty."
We were only a little disappointed never to see Elizabeth
or any of her household. These days, a department store
is in its place, with a lot of "surplus goods" as many of the
retailers in San Jose have. Kind of like a mini- Big Lots.
"NOT QUITE SO NEW, now" (see TITLE) applies in certain ways to the "double-cab" pickup we bought nearly 2 years ago. Usage has helped us to improve its capabilities as we've gone along, with some custom load- racks and other modifications. And, we have been able to upgrade some things with "normal maintenance," too.
seat-covers were really cheap and not likely to last for long.
This was not a big enough issue to prevent us buying the car.
Now, as expected, in less than 2 years at about 8,000 mi. the
fabric was worn out and seams were splitting. For months
we kept our eyes open for some good quality fabric to have
them re- covered. Not easy to find, here.
a few weeks ago, which made some snappy-looking insets
for the "Gold Leather" brand-name (gray) material we got
from an upholstery supply store. I got the back seat returned
from our neighbor (a good craftsman) this morning (July 22),
and the front seats should be ready some time tomorrow.
half-pickup vehicle was custom-cut-down from a mini-van.
The lower half of the van back-hatch door became the tail-
gate; and as it was not structurally heavy enough for its "new
job," I went through 4 phases of project work, gradually
getting it reinforced with angle-iron inside, etc. Now it
has been OK for a number of months, so I am just about
ready to give it a paint-job (tempting fate a little).
The vehicle market in general is quite different here, from USA. With less demand, a given vehicle will be comparatively more expensive. New vehicles seem to ALL be either very small subcompacts, or HUGE super-deluxe models (like the Toyota truck a few frames above). No manufacturer makes anything like our chop-job Suzuki. These are VERY POPULAR now because of the versatility. We're pretty pleased with the car, and expect to
have its few other issues taken care of in small steps as we go along. There's nothing left to do which falls outside of "routine maintenance" and it seems like it will do fine for us for a long time.
naturally to me. I have to live with clutter for a while before
I have an "inspiration moment" that helps me build a solution.
The lids- inside- the- cabinet- door idea came from YouTube,
and has been a big help. The rolling pin actually has a hole
drilled through the upper shelf for its handle to poke through.
A smaller hole makes a "rest" for the other handle. Before,
it was a nuisance, always in the way.
Our small stove is in front of a window - which seemed to
"rule out" an implement-hanging rack - it would interfere
with curtains, etc. I finally got this one figured out a few
weeks ago and it also has been a real help keeping things
handy and organized.
If I ever get to the end of "my list" I at least won't have to look
very far for a bucket to kick. These, near the front door of our
"yellow house" are more than matched by others to the left of
that door, all along the 80- feet of fence line (except gates!)
in many groupings around the small yard. More than one
hundred, easily. Actually, the paths among them are so
restricted that it's hard NOT to kick one.
Quite a few are ornamental - from various bright-foliage to
orchids the size of hummingbirds. But we do a lot of container-
edibles, too. Here is a pepper plant beginning to set flowers;
one fruit which began forming looks like a habanero! (At last!
We have trouble getting lots of things to grow here, and certain
peppers are among the "reluctant.") The huge bushes of
"tabasco" peppers which grew here, haven't grown so much
since the typhoon 3 years ago. (Photos, "Holidays" blog 2012,
see archive links upper right)
since the photo a few days ago. There are about 6 others
nearby. I was pretty skeptical about eggplant for a long time
- certain methods of cooking make it undesirable if not
downright inedible. But it's pretty good when made like
"lasagna" or fried into an omelette.
to succeed with some additional types. Pretty good luck with these
Romas so far, and with a couple "grape" and "cherry" types. ALAS,
still no luck with large-"slicer" types like Rutgers and Beefsteak.
The local cuisine is pretty GOOD, as far as it goes (except for a few "acquired tastes" which I haven't acquired). But anything other than the "standard" 8- or maybe 12- DAILY DISHES will only be seen at festival time. Growing our own, we hope to be able to more easily add variety to the culinary palette. We are BLESSED and GRATEFUL to be in a situation where we can have food-diversity as a "diversion" (hobby) and NOT be worrying about just having enough to eat.
Well, this posting seems more "hodge-podge" than most, and I've left out a few things as ususal. There have been 3 or 4 days of me working on it for a little while at a time, and it's time to get it "OUT." I'll be back with some more in a few weeks.
Hope you all have a great Monday (which is about when this will "hit" there).
Tim and Bernadette Larson,
Antique Province, Philippines
