Lagalog Philippines Travel Photography Blog

Dear Jane

noreply@blogger.com (Lagalog Ramos) — Sun, 05 Oct 2025 11:15:00 +0000

This endearing and memorable image is a screenshot from Jane's video on YT

To a human who exemplifies the word "hero" at a time when a lot of childhood heroes have fallen by the wayside.

To a humanitarian who gave so much for the enrichment of humankind without muting the voices of other sentient beings who share our Earth.

Dear Jane, you made being a lover of other sentient beings the most normal, the sanest thing to do. Thank you very much for the light you shone. Your physical body may have gone back to the earth but your inspiration, your enlightened spirit will continue to illuminate the way for us.

(Image screenshot from Jane's YT channel)

So Long, My Dear Waka, Until We Meet Again

noreply@blogger.com (Lagalog Ramos) — Sat, 02 Nov 2024 10:01:00 +0000

There were yellow butterflies (or moths?) hovering over the bougainvillea blooms on the planter boxes along Buendia when I buried the remains of my dear feline friend, Waka. 4pm, grey skies threatening rain. It's good that I still wear a filtration mask as I was crying again. To be honest, I didn't really want to undergo the trauma of burying another foster stray. The planter boxes near the railway is littered with the remains of feline friends I've lost over the past 3 or so years. It's trauma-inducing but I want to honor the memory of Waka aka Kristoff, whom I've been feeding for the past 3 or so years, since the pandemic lockdowns.

I had an inkling that his health was compromised when over the last two weeks or so, he has not been grooming himself. Had I had the resources, I would've brought him to the vet early on. But as it is, I've been struggling with finances, as I've had been the past four years. These are the times when I've really losing whatever shred of faith in whatever god has been indoctrinated into my head all my life before I woke up to the fact that if there is indeed a god, it may not have my best interest in mind.

I've lost a lot of foster strays. You'd think that I've be immune to the sadness, the depression, the heartbreak but you don't get used to it. Each one is heartbreaking, maybe more than the others before it. I just wish that somehow, after I myself cross the rainbow bridge, I'd be reunited with all the sentient beings I've cared for.

I still look at the shop window of the Asian store downstairs every time I pass by, hoping to take a glimpse of my little boy, Waka. Old habits die hard. I miss you little boy. Until we meet again.

P.S. I keep having phantom tails and paws either passing by my legs or calling my attention so many times. I keep thinking it's my rescue, Alvin, but each time, I see her asleep far from where I sit. In any case, that gives me comfort that my foster strays haven't forgotten me. Until we see each other, I'd hold you all in my heart.

Goodnight, for Now, My Dearest TumTum

noreply@blogger.com (Lagalog Ramos) — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 13:32:00 +0000

It came as a surprise to us see the passing of our youngest canine, TumTum (actually, my sister's dogs but I consider them my co-adoptees). Although I must say, I had inklings for days leading to his transition as I kept experiencing phanom paws begging me for attention while seated and working on my worktable.

TumTum was 6. His birthday approximated the passing of our Mom, which makes it doubly sad for my sis and myself. While he may be temperamental and moody at times, he was a sweet dog who loves nothing better than a belly rub, hence his name.

I've said it many times before but as a foster and animal carrier, each loss is heartbreaking like each and every one. You do not become calloused to the great sadness that sweeps you and take your breath away. At times, I think being forgetful during the later stages of life may be a blessing -- each loss leaves a hole in your heart that you can't fill, and as the years pass, your heart simply fills up with holes.

We take consolation in being given the privilege to love and care for you. I personally look forward to the day when I pass and be greeted by you and the dozens of strays and fosters I have loved and cared for all these years. Thank you and I love you with all my heart.

Transitions: Going Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian

noreply@blogger.com (Lagalog Ramos) — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 05:28:00 +0000

Produce from the nearest palengke

It took much thought and a lot of years to have arrived at a decision to transition to a lacto-ovo diet. It's both a physical and spiritual health decision. I'm not getting any younger and also, meat is expensive on many levels -- the true economic and environmental costs are high; same with the suffering of other sentient beings who are in a lot of ways, not our inferiors.

I guess it also stems from my soul searching for the past decade or so when I moved from one extreme to the other -- fundamentalism to atheism. Yes, I entertained the thought of atheism, having exhorted the Abrahamic god so many times but not received any answer. I digress, but it's somehow connected to my epiphanies. I could've turned into full-time atheism weren't it for episodes in my life when I had mystical experiences. At another time, fundamentalists would be quick to brand these as demonic but I believe otherwise. There are other things in this world that religion would just dismiss as 'demonic,' 'Satanic,' or 'diabolical." Rubbish, I say now.

Home brews

In any case, I've always had strong bonds with other sentient beings, at times, even stronger than those with other humans. I just came to a point in my life when I want to face each of my fosters and know, I do not relish in their suffering to nourish my corporal body.

It's not an easy decision to make as veggie prices are high and most fare when dining outside consist of animal products, most popular of which are chicken and pork. With a limited budget, it's easy to go into the default of pork products. But I analyzed my food patterns and figured that I can subsist on veggies when these are available but most days, I can go into a new default -- bread, cookies, noodles, dairy, and eggs. I've also made it a point to visit the nearby public market instead of relying on supermarkets so I can save, like getting eggs for P7-8 instead of the usual 10-12.

Making a change at my age is taking back even just a little of the control that corporations wrested from us like the franken-food that seems to be all over us even in far-flung provinces. I still have my treats, of course, like ice cream and chips, but on rare occasions. Adding Kombucha brewing to my life is also a step to ward a healthier direction. You'd think changing your diet is not really a game changer but food, like religion, goes deeper than we're probably acknowledging them in our lives. They're foundational, hence, one of the hardest to change. But if you're willing to make a change at any stage of your life, maybe, you'll get rewarded.

Fermenting Journal: On to My 4th Batch of Kombucha

noreply@blogger.com (Lagalog Ramos) — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 03:57:00 +0000

Lava lamp or alien brew?

I'm getting the hang of brewing and fermenting my own Kombucha tea. I've already experimenting with proportions of the tea, sugar, and even the brewing period. It's very much like the way I cook, no real measurements, just oido and intuitively putting in the ingredients.

Oh, I do have challenges, of course, like the proliferation of fruit flies that wouldn't leave my abode years after getting a batch of fruits and veggies from my landlord and their progeny deciding to stay for good :) I'm learning to leave them be and just be vigilant in quickly covering my brew and Scobies with cloth as they quickly find their way to the source of that fruity smell. I have a makeshift compost pile in my small balcony garden so I know they serve this wonderful purpose of helping turn banana peels and veggie discards into compost.

But I also acknowledge that I'm very blessed -- the ambient temperature of my home and the cabinet where I store my jar is well within the ideal 27º-29º. The weather is fluctuating but generally, it's warm enough to promote quick fermentation. So much so that this 3rd batch which I harvested yesterday I limited the first fermentation period to just 6 days.

I also found that the ideal period for 2nd fermentation using fresh strawberries is 2 days max. Any longer and the tea turns very beer-like in taste (good for you if like beer). I'll experiment further on mixing other kinds of tea and see how it goes in future brews. I'm learning a lot and enjoying the process so it's nice to keep going.

Phantom Paws and Feeding my Foster Strays

noreply@blogger.com (Lagalog Ramos) — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 03:57:00 +0000

Mama Tortie

Lately, I've been experiencing incidents when paws would seem to gently scratch at my back to call my attention when I'm working on my desktop. I would always assume it's Alvin, my rescue cat, trying to wean me away from the computer. Time and again, I would turn around and see Alvin, peacefully sleeping in one of his napping spots away from where I sit.


Mama Cali

I smile and acknowledge these. I have yet to know or see who's trying to get my attention (I've had a lot of foster strays I've lost in the past 3-4 years) but I have my suspicions. It's a bittersweet feeling -- to know that they're still here (plural because I know they take turns visiting me) and at the same time, I can't pet them, hug them physically.

Back to the land of the physical plane, I feed some of the foster strays when I have some money. Foremost of these are two Mama Cats, Mama Tortie and Mama Calico. At times, I pass by the COSY office space for lease along Buendia and I call out to sleeping cats I chance upon there and feed them. I wish I can do more.

However, my current job is admittedly not enough (we get pay cuts on Philippine holidays, whether it's Christmas, New Year's Day, Easter, Good Friday, from employers who purport to be be Christians, go figure). I send out my intention to the Universe that I can find the means and wherewithal to feed my fosters, adopt a lot of them, too. I also send out to the Universe my intention to find great fortune so I can work when I want to and work only for myself. I'm done working for someone else.

The COSY cats

In any case, if you read this and you happen to pass by this place near South Superhighway overpass and PNR Gil Puyat Station, please have the heart to bring something for the cats. Specially when it's rainy and when there are work holidays, they go hungry and will appreciate the food and the love. Bless your kind heart, friend!

Why Garden: Co-creating With Nature Is A Step Towards Less Consumerism

noreply@blogger.com (Lagalog Ramos) — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Moringa Oleifera (Malunggay in Filipino)

One of my favorite non-fiction author, Michael Pollan, whose books include "Botany of Desire," "Cooked," and "The Omnivore's Dilemma," posed the question, "Why make your own bread or beer when you can buy them for only how much at the store?" to paraphrase him. Indeed.

The answer is that we've lost touched with how our food is grown and produced. We've left the growing and production (also over-processing) to faceless workers and corporations who make us laboratory rats of their sinister recipes. Maybe, we shouldn't be surprised if the young kids (or new generation) thinks the food they eat are grown in supermarkets. And talk about the current state of obesity and poor health.

Lemongrass from supermarket cuttings

Having a very small balcony is already a luxury for me as in my old residence, I was gardening on the ledge which later became a bone of contention for nosy neighbors who complained to the building's administration. Which caused me to uproot and transplant myself to a new place almost two years ago.

In any case, all I've got is about 2x5 feet of space and the afternoon sun. Being situated against another tall building also causes a wind funneling effect that makes growing vining/climbing plants next to impossible. Not that I didn't try but the bitter melon (ampalaya) and eggplant seedlings weren't able to survive the drying and constantly blowing wind. But I still consider myself lucky.

Given the small space and limited direct sun exposure, I'm being realistic about what I can grow. I'm also realistic in knowing I can't be anywhere in the territory of self-sufficiency. I garden because I can. And because I love plants. They make city living and concrete views tolerable. I can also eat some of the plants I grow.

Papaya seedlings

Recently, I bought some Moringa seedlings (malunggay in Filipino), perchance, I can harvest the leaves later for food and supplemental nutrition. I've also rooted lemongrass cuttings (tanglad) from stalks I've bought from the supermarket. I was thinking they can do double duty -- making the air fragrant while keeping mosquitoes away and at the same time, I can use the leaves as flavor and aroma enhancers for my home-brewed Kombucha ferment. Then, I've also sowed papaya seeds from fruits I've bought from a nearby street vendor.

Of course, I'm still harboring dreams of someday owning a farm. Whether it happens in this lifetime or the next is up to fate. But I can't waste time trying to manifest it, I'll plant in the here and now.See you in the garden of dreams!

#citygardening #urbangardening #greenevolution #greenthumb

Kombucha Home Brewing: Exploring My Relationship with Life, Death, and Bacterial and Fungal Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Lagalog Ramos) — Sat, 01 Jun 2024 11:40:00 +0000

Feasting on the yeast

It's a long time coming. I've always wanted to go lacto-ovo vegetarianism but due to financial reasons, I've had to delay it until last month. I've also wanted to try my hand in brewing my own probiotics and prebiotics. The opportunity came only recently when I tried my luck on getting my own Scoby. To the un-initiated, that's Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast in longspeak.

Sure, it costs a bit to invest in some jars, a good Scoby, and basic ingredients. But I'm only too happy to have started making my own brew. Commercially available Kombucha is, after all, not cheap -- going anywhere from P180 to P350 a bottle. And nothing beats freshly brewed anyway.

Nothing beats freshly-brewed

Lest you squirm in seeing the yeasty manifestations in the first image and thinking, "I ain't drinking that!" may you be reminded that we eat and drink the byproducts of yeast all the time. Think of beer, bread, and cheese, for starters. If you love blue/bleu cheese, well, I rest my case. It's the fungus that makes it what it is. You can enjoy your yeast/fungus alright.

Thing is, the idea of fermentation may trigger deep-seated feelings because like the soil, it may remind us of our mortality, our passing. I guess, for a lot of people, that's an off-limit topic.

Then again, it's the way things are. If you read Sandor Katz's very deep ruminations on fermentation, or Michael Pollan's thoughts on how fermentation is all about exploring our relationship with the bacterial and fungal world that we share this world with, you'd quickly realize that yep, it's rather foolish to deny the facts. We have a symbiotic relationship with this microscopic world coming from the womb when we get our dose of friendly bacteria passing through our mothers' (censored) to the moment of transition, when bacteria, fungus, and yeast collaborate to ferment us back to the earth.

Growing my own Scoby

In any case, I'm enjoying my Kombucha brew for a week or so now. Admittedly, I'm harboring dreams of making it a small cottage industry of sorts.

Reaping the benefits early on -- For the time being, I'm loving the benefits I'm getting. Like the tea helping clear my year-long skin condition which appears like eczema or psoriasis. The tea also helped a lot in easing my tummy which can be prone to hyper-acidity and acid reflux. I won't go as far as to claim it's a panacea but it's a big boost to my flagging immune system which was weakened by my Long COVID experience.

That we are a product of bacteria's hand in evolution, that we have 4 pounds of bacteria in our gut, that we have millions of neurons in our gut (gut instinct, anyone?), and that we have an Enteric Neural System, should provoke your own thoughts in rethinking our relationship with this microscopic world.

In a nutshell -- Here's my simple recipe for making my own Kombucha at home:

• Steep 3 teabags of green tea and a tablespoon of black tea in about 3 cups of hot water for 5-10 minutes. Let this cool to room temperature.

• Dissolve 1 cup of brown sugar in 4-4 1/2 liters of filtered water that has also been left to stand overnight to let any leftover chlorine to dissipate.

• Add the tea to the sugared water in a food-grade glass jar that has been cleaned/disinfected with hot water only (no soap, please, especially those with antibacterial ingredients)

• Add Scoby and about 2 cups of starter tea.

• Cover with clean fine woven cloth like an old shirt, fixed in place with a rubber band.

• Store in a cupboard where it wouldn't be touched or moved (Moving it constantly will prevent the new Scoby to settle in place).

• Wait for at least a week for the first fermentation to take place.

• After 7 days, decant into clean recycled bottles (I used empty Sola bottles)

• You may drink this chilled (keeping your bottles in the fridge will slow down further fermentation) or opt to add a little (about a teaspoon of fresh fruit like apple, mango, or spice like ginger) fruit or spice and wait 2-3 days for a second fermentation period. Check daily as the yeast will eat the sugars and add carbon dioxide inside the bottle for carbonation/fizz which may cause the tea to gush out or pop the cap.

• Harvest the new Scoby progeny and store with some of the tea you've decanted (use the liquid from the top of the jar as the bottom portion may be too yeasty).

• Enjoy and welcome to the world of fermentos!

#kombucha #kombuchero #fermentos #fermented #fermentation #scoby

Refusing further abuse after a lifetime of toxic and narcisistic treatment from a family member

noreply@blogger.com (Lagalog Ramos) — Sat, 01 Jun 2024 10:42:00 +0000

Image from Hands India site

What would you do if an older sibling refuse to do something after finding out that a fellow-sibling is sick and needs medical attention?

What would you do if, after the sick sibling passes, that older sibling still insists on inaction?

What would you do if, after a lifetime of verbal and physical abuse, your older sibling remains toxic, narcissistic, and plays the victim?

In my case, I opt to give up and disown that sibling. Life is challenging as it is. I've never had anything handed to me.All my life, I worked so hard to get whatever little extra I get to enjoy, and in all honesty, it ain't much. My faith has fluctuated between agnosticism to atheism, and somewhere in between. And this toxic sibling relationship isn't helping any.

Sometimes, you just have to refuse to accept bullshit. Sometimes, you just to admit that life isn't really fair, hasn't been, and maybe, always will be.

#toxic #narcissistic #igiveup

Remembering Kunig, My Original Maligcong Soul Dog (2008-2024)

noreply@blogger.com (Lagalog Ramos) — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 09:01:00 +0000

Spending a lazy day with then 7-year old Kunig

It was 2013 when I first heard of Kunig and Maligcong. My best buddy, Ironwulf, decided to take a detour and spend the holidays in this part of Mountain Province after a trip to Buscalan. When he told me of this wonderful dog who loves to hike up Mt Kupapey, I instinctively knew he was special.

The following year, I got to visit with friends, Ironwulf, Erick, Rocel, and Norbel, and meet Kunig and Suzette, the owner of the homestay and his primary human. Up to that time, I was adamant about getting bonded to dogs (and cats) as I want to avoid the pitfalls of sadness and depression when the bonds are broken. But little did I know, that was about to change. I visited every 3-4 months ever since and each time, Kunig was always my constant companion, not just in the boondocks but also inside my room.

Here's a little secret: I'd take pity on him especially during the colder season when he'd struggle to make himself as small as possible to fit on the foot mat outside the door of the two-room homestay (yep, it used to be a two-room affair way back then). At lights out, I'd smuggle him inside and he'd take his place on the other bed in room number one or right under my table. Suzette is always too kind to overlook the fact that letting him inside the room (and later on, the other dogs would also sleep inside with me, especially Maku, TamTam, and Shiwa who'd actually sleep beside me) means extra cleaning and laundry work.

First hike with Kunig in 2014 taken by our friend, Erick Dantoc

A TEMPTING OFFER - It came to a point when one day, Suzette asked me if I wanted to take Kunig back to Manila. Such is the kindness of new friends. I admit it was tempting, but I'm not one to take away her beloved dogs from her and the kids. The building where I'm staying then also does not allow pets. And to take away this huge mountain and terraces playground from Kunig is totally unfair to him in exchange for the city (a demotion or downgrade, I think).

Kunig was later joined by other dogs, Maku, and the two black Labs including TamTam and Tuba (mentioning Tuba's name still traumatizes me as we lost him early on), plus Uncle Jeff's canine, Tiny. It was uncanny that all of them picked up his stewardship and guiding instincts to accompany guests on their hikes. Maligcong was then slowly coming on the radar of local and foreign tourists. I think, much credit should go to Kunig and the dogs even if some of the locals may tend to frown on them (some still do to this day but I digress). Like it or not, Maligcong is known for canine company and friendship during hikes to see the sea of clouds and now famous terraces.

There's a dog snoring under my bed :)

THE RESILIENCE OF DOGS - I often wonder how being homestay beings could alter one's disposition -- dog and human alike -- to keep a cheery disposition and friendly outlook toward guests who may not be friendly at all, and most of whom they may never get to see again, sort of a revolving door of humanity. The thought still gives me pause to this day. I grew up avoiding house guests all the time so I find it incredible that the dogs as well as Suzette's kids would meet up and mingle with strangers from week to week.

Anyway, even as Maku and the other canines usurped his position in the homestay preferred sleeping places and my room's spaces when I'm there, Kunig never turned bitter. He is a gentle soul, through and through. I think he knows he has a special place in our hearts anyway. Even in his advancing years, he remained friendly, always ready to disrupt guests with a gesturing paw requesting for some food whenever he spots someone eating. He also never outgrew his trepidation of thunderstorms except when he gradually lost his hearing later on, racing inside the house and jumping over the gate to the kitchen or inside the main house to hide until the storm has passed.

7-year old Kunig

THE PANDEMIC YEARS - When the pandemic lockdowns happened, I was worried about the homestay, the Chees family, the dogs, and the village. I was also secretly harboring this fear of never being able to see the dogs again and say goodbye if one of them would cross the rainbow bridge. I am grateful to be given the opportunity to return in 2022 after I got redundant in my job.

By then, Kunig was a little deaf, and would prefer to sleep outside on the veranda instead of indoors. When she was alive, Shiwa will usually stake her place beside me, even barking at Maku and TamTam, so Kunig would at times, stay off her view. Kunig has always been a noisy huffer and puffer (my term) so we opted not to take him with us when we hiked up Kupapey to spare him the effort. Lo and behold, we saw him running up to us on the summit. He was only too happy to see us and his canine friends, Maku, TamTam, Tiny, and Tiny. I'd always remember that time in my heart.

Iconic Kunig, looking excitedly over the summit of Kupapey

BEEN WANTING TO COME BACK BUT... -- I really wanted to go back but life and a series of unfortunate events got in the way. Not too many people know it but I thought I wouldn't survive the holidays of 2022 due to Long COVID (4 months bedridden and on death's door for weeks).

I got well but was hit from all directions by more unfortunate events -- the death of a brother; one scam after another (three in a row, in fact); unemployment; having to sell my photography equipment and retire from photography assignments; all side hustles drying up; not finding employment for almost a year; finding work eventually but experiencing issues at the workplace, and the death of another sibling. Then, there's also the trauma of burying my foster strays one after another. At one point, I was burying them on consecutive days and that drove me to a very dark place. Trauma. Depression. Recurring thoughts of ending it all. Truth to tell, I'm not yet over it.

LIVING WITH GRIEF -- When Shiwa, Uncle Guideon's Shih-Tzu-Shihuahua mix passed last year, I grieved for a month, never sleeping much.

Last week, on the heels of a serious tiff with a sibling over a family matter, I didn't have an inkling that my original soul dog was breathing his last. Hearing that Kunig passed on to the rainbow bridge hit me like I've been stabbed in the heart. From time to time, I struggle to breathe in between sobs as if I'm drowning. I've encountered a lot of passing in my life of both humans and other sentient beings but let me be very honest, it doesn't get any better. I wrote this post in longhand at a Dunkin but I had to go home so soon because the paper I was writing on kept getting soaked with tears.

Taking pride in being able to carry Kunig in my arms

SEE YOU AGAIN, MY GENTLE AND FURRY FRIEND -- In any case, here's the story of how our paths crossed. I am thankful for being your friend, my dear Kunig. I look forward to seeing you again, my friend, when it's my time to cross to the next world.

I'm as far away from being religious now than I've ever been in my whole life, but the accounts of those who came from the brink of near death and came back, reporting that all their friends, humans, canines, felines, and all the sentient-beings-in-between, came greeting them after dying, gives me comfort. I really hope that's true.

I really look forward to see you running to me with that familiar huffing and puffing, and then pawing me again for oat bars so we can take a hike with Shiwa, Misty, along with Gamma, Buddy, BonBon, Chubbee, BenBen, Mama Orange, Greyyi, Oreo, Domino, Snowee, and all the foster strays I've loved so much and lost, along with Mamay and my siblings,never to be separated again

DIY Cat Grass

noreply@blogger.com (Lagalog Ramos) — Sun, 10 Mar 2024 10:47:00 +0000

Alvin, my almost 2-year-old rescue cat, has a liking for tasting my plants. Though she's off limits to the balcony garden (she once almost gave me a heart attack for jumping on the ledge; good thing she jumped back the right way instead of 30 floors down), she may at time, bite into my aroids. I know they're potential p9isons but after repeated conditioning, she has learned to steer clear of my indoor plants. I once gave her a pot of cat grass, which, at P200 is expensive. I've grown millet seedlings before from feeding the sparrows on my old ledge garden so I know it's feasible to grow my own.

Just take some bird seeds, the usual ones fed to cockatoos, and some clean soil. If you ant to be extra careful in not passing on any pathogens living in the soil, either use soil that's been treated with sufficient heat or use coconut coir instead.

It takes a week or two to germinate to sufficient size but you can save a lot, especially since the usual cat grass is good only for a week or so (sooner if your cat takes a liking to the grass and consumes a lot in one nibbling session).

Tweaking My Bontoc Art Map

noreply@blogger.com (Lagalog Ramos) — Sat, 10 Feb 2024 07:59:00 +0000

After 6-7 years, I found the time to update my Bontoc, Mountain Province Map for printing on tarapaulin as the Maligcong Homestay girds up for 2024. • Copyright 2024 Og Ramos • Note: Sharing is okay as long as proper attribution is done • No AI-generated content here, map manually drawn using Adobe Illustrator • #bontoc #maligcong #maligcongriceterraces #philippines #mountainprovince

New Year, New Map

noreply@blogger.com (Lagalog Ramos) — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 07:52:00 +0000

2024 Copyright • Og Ramos Art + Illustration

With the new year comes new hope. I did several materials for the Maligcong Homestay and was inspired by the increasing number of birders flocking (pun intended) to the place, eager to see the other sights including the bird life that inhabit the forests surrounding the rice terraces.• Art + Illustration by Og Ramos 2024 Copyright • Note: Sharing is okay but please observe proper attribution • No AI generated content here - done by hand using Adobe Illustrator CC • #birding #birdwatching #maligcong #maligcongriceterraces #bontoc #mountainprovince #philippines

Every Seed is A Promise of Life: Sowing Peanut Butter in My Small Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Lagalog Ramos) — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 08:04:00 +0000

Peanut Butter seedling 31 days after sowing seed

2 Seeds, 1 Life

My best buddy, Ironwulf, gifted me with an unusual present last holiday season -- two peanut butter tree seeds from Davao. I would've requested for more had I known this but went ahead and planted them in my small balcony garden anyway. The present was especially auspicious as they were given to me on the same date as the passing of my brother, the 29th.

I'm happy to say that the seeds got a 50% germination rate. The plant showed new growth daily ever since the seed sprouted in my second pot after just a week. I've transplanted it just yesterday and found the root system to be extensive, balling up in the small pot where I've sown it. I've gardened for most of my life and up to now, I don't take seeds for granted. It's really amazing how such a small package hold the blueprint of life. I can't wait to post again after another month and see how tall this plant will grow. I know it takes two or so years before it fruits but I want to enjoy the process.

This simple act offers lessons -- one, is that life continues, and two, to give things a try.

Birding in Maligcong

noreply@blogger.com (Lagalog Ramos) — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 07:52:00 +0000

2024 Og Ramos Art + Illustration

I'm glad that birding and nature watching/bathing is getting to be a bit popular in my second home in the boondocks. With more birders eager to see beyond the rice terraces, I did a standalone poster for Maligcong and sharing it here. Note: Sharing is okay but please attribute it to yours truly • No AI-generated content here, art done in Adobe Illustrator •. #birding #birdwatching #maligcong #maligcongriceterraces #bontocmountainprovince #mountainprovince #philippines

The Grey Cat Who Consoled Me at the Crematorium

noreply@blogger.com (Lagalog Ramos) — Sat, 20 Jan 2024 08:30:00 +0000

That my late brother loved cats all his adult life isn't lost on me when I befriended a grey cat I found at the Uncle John's at the back of the St. Peter's crematorium in QC, days into the new year. It takes at least two hours before the cremation is completed so instead of staying in the waiting room, I spent time feeding and petting "Jimboy," the name I gave to the grey tomcat. I wasn't expecting to meet a cat on this day so I wasn't able to bring any kibble with me.

I consider myself part-humanist, part-agnostic, but I would like to think there's a mystical connection to all these. Having seen a lot of supernatural things, I can't help but think of the spiritual side of things, but not what the conventional thinking has espoused. I digress.

It's a sad way to end the old year and welcome the new one but it has happened. I'm not close to my late brother, having been bullied out of the house when we were young, but he is still my sibling. No sense in bringing up the past, especially at the twilight of his life.

I also keep thinking back to the last really long conversation we had, about a year ago, about the idea of reincarnation. Having been raised Catholic, it's obvious that we both had other ideas on what we were indoctrinated with. I remember what he said about a single life cycle being impossible since it's not feasible to learn everything in one lifetime. It's like he's read my mind.

I've been reading and rereading books on NDE and past-life regression for years now, particularly Dr. Brian Weiss's works and I'd like to think I myself have been seeing flashes of my old lives. I've also seen mystical things in my life as well as supernatural encounters so I think as far as personal belief is concerned, I'm in the middle between atheism and mysticism.

It's been two weeks and it's taken me a bit of time to write this. My late brother left four cats in his care but sadly, his favorite also passed a few days after his transition. I hope to be able to rehome them. Had I been given by the Universe the resources, I would've adopted them outright. Oh well, the Universe, admittedly, hasn't been kind to me the past years, especially the last two. Again, I digress.

Here's to my late brother whom I wish I've come to know better in this lifetime. Maybe, in the next one, we will meet again.

Composting in the City: Just Simplify It

noreply@blogger.com (Lagalog Ramos) — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 10:36:00 +0000

I understand that Youtube channels on gardening will like to bait viewers on the intricacies of composting but I honestly think it should be downright simple. A lot of the kitchen scraps that usually get thrown into the trash can go to a simple composting pail. Even fallen leaves that otherwise go into the trash bin gets a new lease of life, literally, in the compost. Add some soil, and wait. Patience is the key, especially if you don't add brown elements into the fray.

But then again, it's liberating to free up cuttings from veggies, banana peels, fruit peels, garlic and onion peels, fallen leaves from the garden, egg shells, and used coffee grounds from the trash and put them to good use in the garden. Some may say it's practically negligible but I disagree. It's something. And months down the road, I have a free resource for the growing plants to feed on, stuff that would have otherwise added to the landfill.

There's really no secret to it. Just make sure you cut down the sizes of the cuttings if you can, crush the eggshells, cut the fruit peels to smaller pieces so that these can decompose faster. I've even read one article that recommends putting the veggie and fruit cuttings in a blender so they can be reduced to smaller sizes which is well and good, except that I don't have a blender and that just adds up to electrical consumption anyway. Nature is intelligent and even without earthworms, these stuff will decompose. Just give them time.

I also switched from a plastic pail to a medium-sized unglazed terracotta pot so that the liquid can leach out and the soil with the upcycled materials get to be dry, even the coffee ground which tend to be wet coming from the French press. Adding soil will keep out most of the fruit flies and insects, keep the odor in check, and hasten the decomposition process. Avoid putting in fatty stuff or diseased leaves so as to avoid contaminating the whole pot as well as not attract the insects.

Gardening Notes: When The Universe Sends You Something To Affirm Your Faith In Humanity

noreply@blogger.com (Lagalog Ramos) — Sun, 26 Nov 2023 09:38:00 +0000

A green set of gifts -- Alocasia and Caladium

It's been a kinda bittersweet couple of months, especially, the last few weeks. I would've thought that there was relief coming to my corner of the world after a trying period from last year -- losing my job, getting sick with Long COVID-19 (4 months), selling my belongings to survive, being scammed, getting close to getting employment about thrice but not clinching it, getting sick with psoriasis, getting scammed again, and getting scammed still one more time. The past month, one of my brothers suffered a stroke. Honestly, if there's a reset or reboot button, I would've pressed it long ago. I admire my sister for all she had to put up with. I can't do even half of what she does.

The other day, I was particularly on the low side of moods -- my two-month-old Logitech wireless keyboard and mouse faltered (my best bud called it Lugi-tech). I'm facing a payday with one day less pay. I mean, c'mon Universe.

Then, I met a 2-3 year old cute kid wearing a shirt that says "Today is going to be a great day." Hmmm, I get the humor but I feel pained. I felt like telling the Universe, "you think that's funny, huh?"

I only had like four hundred remaining in my funds for the pay period. But I had to buy a wired mouse so I can return to work next week.

With only a hundred or so pesos in my pocket, I forlornly took the usual route along Santillan Street in Brgy. San Lorenzo, going back home. I meant to ask one of the plant sellers how much that small Caladium growing under one of the towering plants will cost so I can come back when I have money.

I got a surprise when Mang Joven and Mang Jun gave it to me. Do I want to take the pot as well? And the other pot of Alocasia? I didn't expect this act of kindness. But I need it. I gladly accept it. And I am thankful. I came back yesterday for the Alocasia and repotted it today. I promise to buy plants from them (I'm eyeing their well-established pots of Rubber trees).

This also made me think -- there's no harm in asking. You'll never know what you will get. So I'm asking the Universe as well. Can I get a reprieve and get some bit of good news for a change? If not for me, for my siblings, for my foster cats and dogs so I can feed and care for them.

Only a week old in my small patch of garden, the Caladium is thriving, replanted in three pots. The main one is about to unfurl a rather big leaf. I am thankful. I remember the reminder.

Gardening: Confronting Decay and Mortality in My Small Patch of Earth

noreply@blogger.com (Lagalog Ramos) — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 07:50:00 +0000

The five elements come together in a shower of green

I actually had this realization awhile back but only wrote this on this space now. I think one of the reason why people (particularly city people who think themselves sophisticated and as far away from an agricultural existence) can be averse to farming is that soil is a reminder of our mortality.

It came to me as some sort of epiphany while meditating at a nearby park. It was raining so I had to find shelter in one of the park's gazebo. I realized that the tree is a great intermediary between the four elements (five, if we count the invisible spirits flitting around and inhabiting spaces we thought are inanimate and devoid of life), taking in air, exhaling carbon dioxide, getting nutrients from the soil, relishing the rain and whatever water we can also supplement it.

I relish handling the earth with my bare hands

In any case, the soil is often called the somewhat derogatory term 'dirt.' When you call it as such, it seems relegated to the garbage heap, not really good for anything. Maybe, even something suspect, as it may harbor stuff that can cause diseases. Well, it can but it also home to so many life forms. And no, it's not at all lifeless. On the contrary. And please don't frown down on soil because we share the characteristic of host of bacteria with it. The human body is dominated by bacteria, much like the soil. Not surprising that when the spirit body decides to leave the mortal body, the decomposition is swift. I've seen some of the fosters I had buried decompose as fast as a week. It's traumatizing, I admit, but it taught me lessons. I'm a steward of these fosters and the plants that benefit from their mortal bodies. One day, I will be the same. But for the time being, I intend to play the part of a good steward.

I've only recently started my own compost bin right there on the balcony, 30 stories up. Nothing complicated, just trying to reduce my trash by recycling fallen leaves, banana peels, egg shells, and coffee grounds from my daily French press coffee breaks. I actually miss feeding the sparrows from my old abode's window sill (I fed the birds daily for two decades) as they help compile seed coats that form a rich heap that earthworms love. Oh, I miss the earthworms. I had so many wrigglers before. I can only surmise how rich that composted seed coats and soil mix could be.

Sorry to digress so much, but my point is that there's a loop of life ongoing under our nose. When I pass on, my mortal body will feed the fungi, the worms, the bacteria, the same way. Well, everybody will end up in the same earth pile, regardless of social status, and it's not scary. My theory is that there's this aversion to agriculture, to going back to the soil, to growing our own food because the soil is a reminder of our own mortality. It is a reminder that everything dies and like energy, is not wasted but feeds the next generation of life forms. For some people, that's an uncomfortable thought. It used to be mine until I realize, it's not the end anyway. Having come so close to dying last year without a lot of people knowing, I know it's really just a transition. And being recycled to feed other life forms is an honor, if you think deeply about it.

Maybe, the reason why plants in particular, respond to our care is that we are closely linked to them on the energetic and cellular level. If you want to read the science, please do so and read the Backster effect. When I came across it in Lynne McTaggart's book, 'The Field,' it just corroborated what I and others knew all along. Plants are not second-class creatures. They can communicate. They can react. They know the humans who care for them. Our language is just one of millions that are used by life forms so different and yet also so similar to ours. It's hubris to say we humans, are the top of the heap, the king of the jungle. It's one thing that I rejected early on in practicing Christianity.

My 2nd batch of Basil is thriving

When it came to the topic of Manifest Destiny topic where Man (the Western one, in particular) used Genesis verses to justify subjugation of indigenous people as well as indigenous flora and fauna, I think I've practically lost all faith. I just thought all those who promulgated that paganism is evil have an agenda that's not necessarily good for the planet but good for the ruling class. This, coming from someone who read the entire KJV Bible about five times.

For people who still believe in a Deity that promotes genocide of some races in favor of another (and puts Man as lord of all he surveys even to the point of extinction), well, you're entitled to live blindly as much as I am entitled to my own epiphanies. It took me a lifetime to come to terms with it and I'm not about to change my mind now that I realized the folly that it is. And if people think I'm crazy or woo-woo, that's okay. I talk to entities only I can see anyway so it's between me and them.

In any case, we may be on a path to transformation (maybe, also extinction, or both). I think a lot of us can feel it coming. We don't know what it is exactly but we know something's afoot. Until then, I'm gardening and talking to the soil, the plants, the spirits who inhabit my garden and guards my house.

Electroculture Gardening Experiment: I Was Really Skeptical But...

noreply@blogger.com (Lagalog Ramos) — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 08:49:00 +0000

New batch of Basil after a typhoon blew away my former batch

I would like to think I'm more open to fringe theories than most people I know. Even then, I thought electroculture gardening was farther left field than most topics. I've read and watched about it years ago but never got to try it until now. I had several Dragontail plants (Epipremnum pinnatum) that withstood my transfer to a new living space a year ago though one or two weren't really thriving. I found out the hard way that like rubber plants, they're rather sensitive to being moved around, preferring to be in their spaces.

Dragontail III thriving anew

I chanced upon another electroculture gardening video on Youtube recently and thought, why not try it? If it doesn't work, I can always recycle the chopsticks as plant supports and the copper wire for tying some of the plant hangers.

Plant growth stimulation with electricity -- true or false? To be honest, I wasn't really expecting much from the experiment. But even I was surprised at how it all turned out. Not just with my Dragontail plants but also with my new batch of Genovese Basil, Pothos (it's distant relative int he Epipremnum family), Oregano, chili pepper, even my 20-year old ZZ plant. It's like I gave them a growth booster -- they're just sprouting new leaves and new branches. I'll cut the yapping short and let the pictures speak for themselves here.

20-year old ZZ plant gets all showy

Just a short note: I didn't do anything fancy with the spirals. I used either the bare copper wire of a very thin gauge or the coated gauge 40 wire. I stripped the ends of the latter and wound them around wooden chopsticks in a clockwise fashion. One bare end is stuck into the soil while the opposite end sticks out like an antenna at the upper part of the stick. Pretty straightforward and nothing really fancy with this bioelectroculture gardening experiment.

This made me a believer in this, what others may dismiss as woo-woo stuff. It worked for me and since it's so cheap to try, why not do it and find out for yourself? As the video I linked above stated, there's also a palpable change in the energy of the garden with the copper spirals. You'd sense it after a day or two (or maybe, I'm just very sensitive to energy shifts).

P.S. Makes me wonder if this would work on a farm with a lot of veggies. That would be so cool to find out when I get to have my farm (one day soon, I hope). Shades of Nikolas Tesla wisdom applied to gardening. Wouldn't harm if you try it and see for yourself if it works.

The green viewing window I created for my rescue cat, Alvin

Conundrums: Belief, Disbelief, and Rebooting My Faith

noreply@blogger.com (Lagalog Ramos) — Sun, 09 Jul 2023 08:23:00 +0000

I must admit that my belief in the universe is again in a state of flux. I've been growing older (maybe a bit wiser) but I have yet to partake of abundance as the countless gurus talk about it. One thing I am thankful for is that I'm a relative loner and isolationist. It made my transitions from religious dogmatic believer to theurgy smoother than if I was bound to any group. I used to naively take spirituality as synonymous with religion. I used to dismiss the notions of some friends and acquaintances about the Christian stories as heavily borrowed anecdotes from much earlier 'religions'.

Then again, I always had questions in my head. Why does the god of the Bible partial to a particular race of people? Isn't this all His creation? And why did he order genocide of some races, right down to the women and children? Whey does the stories of prophets meeting with god arriving on what seems to be advanced crafts seem to be extraterrestrial? Why is the universal notion of heaven is up? And hell, down? Why do I remember traces of my earlier 'life'? Why do I seem to have knowledge of the 'future' like my father's impending passing? Or my adopted dad's? Or that of my grandmother?

Why does this god gave dominion to mankind and man took it as a license to do with nature as he/she pleases? Why does a love/respect of nature evoke the perception of being a heathen/pagan? Why do I try to do what's upright and just but I keep receiving dregs of blessings?

At this juncture in my life, I believe there is a creator as evidenced by all this creation but it's not what is contained in any written book. I also like to believe that maybe, just maybe, the answers are somewhere in the middle of what gurus and other people are trumpeting. Like when one side says the fault is all mine that I have residual money blocks which is why my relationship with money, luck, and prosperity is out of whack, and the other side says money does not matter. Well, it's pretty unsustainable to be charitable if you don't get financial support like a job or windfall. It's also pretty hard to swallow that the fault is all mine. Believe me, I tried so hard to clean up my money beliefs, to no avail as of yet.

I honestly don't know how long I can go on if this keeps looping. I nearly ended my existence last year and I'm just trying to keep afloat and see if the tides will change in my favor. I'm still waiting...

Urban Gardening Notes: The Wind, The Afternoon Sun, and Pressing On

noreply@blogger.com (Lagalog Ramos) — Sun, 09 Jul 2023 07:56:00 +0000

Bitter gourd/melon

I got mixed results from sowing seeds a bit too late in the year. Or is it? It's El Niño season so I can be wrong. The wind funnel effect of living in a building sandwiched in between other buildings is proving to be tricky in trying to grow my own bitter gourd (ampalaya) which is a climbing vine. I'm still trying and the vines are still holding on so we'll see. The wind may just have an effect in making the surviving vines stronger and more resilient.

Basil getting bigger

I also moved some of the potted plants around, taking the basil and hot chili plants out of the longer western sun exposure (my balcony faces west though the ledge casts a shadow on one side of the balcony area) along with my dragontail plants (Epipremnum pinnatum) which thrives more on reflected light compared to its cousin, the Pothos plants I have in abundance (I use a few pots indoors for cleaning indoor air and letting a bit of nature inside).

The basil is thriving, growing larger leaves which in a few weeks' time, I can use in cooking or to make an aromatic olive oil mix since I would have to trim it anyway. But I'm so happy it's doing well. The other time I tried growing some, the Eurasian sparrows who I used to feed in my former abode, would feed on the leaves when they ran out of birdseed. I miss the birds and I wonder if they themselves wonder what happened to the human who used to feed them daily for almost two decades. In time, I would go back to feeding the birds and hopefully some of the sparrows can find my new location. For the time being, I'm happy growing some of my own herbs and edibles.

Large leaves of oregano

In any case, some of the older seeds may have gone past their germinating stage (the narra, particularly). I've resown the newer sage seeds and wondering if the Ramgo seeds got were not ideal. If anything, it's teaching me more patience. Also, hope. It's never too late to sow anything, just see what comes up.

I only get to really tinker in the garden on the weekends but I feel blessed to have this patch of green amidst the concrete (literally, I'm surrounded by views of concrete facade, walls, roofing all around). The smell of the earth is wonderful. When I have to pinch off a few leaves of my oregano plants, the scent is incredibly aromatic. Even if you doubt the power of aromatherapy, a whiff of this fresh scent can make you change your mind. It has an immediate effect, the citrus-sy scent is invigorating. I guess, even if you have little knowledge of plants, it's hard not to be able to identify the scent of oregano, even blindfolded.

Dragontails are recovering and leafing nicely

One other thing I've observed and reaffirmed is the fact that plants are happiest when they're in the company of other plants. Maybe, even if I didn't the story of Cleve Backster who unintentionally placed a plant under a polygraph and discovered that plants do react to their surroundings, know the humans who tend to them, and communicate with other plants even at a distance, I would've arrived at the same conclusion. They talk to each other. They react to our touch. They react to our energies. And oh, they love some types of music/frequencies.

I dunno. Even when I was young and steeped in the Roman Catholic dogmas, I've always believed nothing is really inanimate, even the rocks, the house, the earth. My faith is in a flux right now but I think I always have this bond with things in my surroundings, whether they be cats or dogs, rocks, even appliances. It's most probably the reason why appliances seem to go haywire all at the same time. I digress. I'm off tinkering in the garden while waiting for my fridge to defrost totally (I've got a manual defrost, 21 year old refrigerator). Maybe, even play some 430Hz music to keep them happy.

Urban Gardening 30 Storeys Up and Lessons in Sowing & Growing

noreply@blogger.com (Lagalog Ramos) — Sun, 04 Jun 2023 07:37:00 +0000

Growing Genovese Basil from seeds was worth it

It's not the first time I sowed seeds ever since I've moved abodes last year but this is the first time I did so with the earnestness of before when I had a thriving ledge garden patch. The weather's like scorching hot the past month or so but there has been some rains and a typhoon (Betty aka Mawar) lately. Judging from my experiences last year when I was sidelined for almost four months by Long COVID that the adjacent buildings create a funnel effect that make what can be somewhat innocuous winds be blustery and at times, a bit of a concern.

Typhoon Betty may have missed making landfall but even then, we felt the effects of the windy conditions here in Metro Manila. My 20-year old hulking ZZ plant, the only survivor of my former ledge garden, got toppled by the wind. My insulin plant showed some signs of weariness. Even if my young basil plant tended to dance with the wind, it nearly dried out because of the windy, drying conditions. Even then, I sowed some seeds of hope -- upland kangkong (water spinach), ampalaya (bitter gourd), sage, lettuce, pepper, and even a narra (genus Pletocarpus) seed I found stashed in my cache. My weekends have turned into back to the earth episodes which I really miss.

Quick grower ampalaya

The kangkong and lettuce took merely days to sprout though the lettuce seedlings seem to mind the windy conditions more. The ampalaya took just a week to sprout and after leaving the ground, the leaves and stems seem to grow within hours which I find incredible. Whether I can make a trellis to let it climb to fruiting stage is something I'll deliberate later but for now, I'm enjoying the growing stage.

My chili pepper seeds sowed two weeks ago did not germinate so I sowed anew, this time using the long variety. It took almost 10 days for them to germinate but I'm glad they did. I use a lot of pepper in cooking so I want to look forward to being able to harvest them fresh.

Upland kangkong flourishing

I hope the weather stays a bit warm for my sage seeds to germinate in another two weeks. I'm also optimistic that the narra seeds I found tucked n an airtight Nalgene bottle will still germinate. I miss my 3 footer narra seedling which I had to tuck indoors because of a nosy new neighbor in my former abode. Talk about people who seem to hate nature.

In any case, there's a challenge to gardening in a balcony 30 storeys up. I'm thankful I get reflected light in the morning, and direct sunlight from noon till sunset. However, the wind funnel effect created by the nearby buildings is something I have to work around.

Last year, in the midst of Long COVID and the strings of typhoons, the wind kept the windows and doors of my home sing with the constant drumming. Even my front door kept to the beat as the wind entering the hallways also create a wind funnel effect. The same thing can be said of late. It's tricky as no amount of netting may protect my plants, what with the wind occasionally carrying off roofing materials and pots from other balconies.

Pepper seeds finally germinated

Anyway, I'm still trying. I'm not the type to tolerate not having something green and growing where I live. Until I can compile enough leaves at work if I make it past probation (or win my share of good fortune) so I can go back to the mountains, this is what will suffice for the moment. If I can grow even just a bit of my own food (or even just herbs), I'd be happy.

P.S. 1 - I did away with using popsicle sticks for marking the planting pots. In the long run, using plastic knives may be more environmentally sound as they can be recycled - just sandpaper to remove the markings. They won't rot with repeated watering and exposure to the elements.

P.S. 2 - I tried upcycling empty egg cartons as seedling starter trays but in the blustery conditions, the thin layer of soil and lightness of the container just can't deal with the wind. Better to stick with pots from hereon.

Spoofing ChatGPT: My CatGPet Logo

noreply@blogger.com (Lagalog Ramos) — Fri, 28 Apr 2023 15:46:00 +0000

One of my past times is drawing/sketching and at times, I do spoof layouts using Adobe Illustrator. Even without a Wacom tablet, I've gained enough proficiency to sketch using an ordinary wired mouse. Here's my take on ChatGPT, paying homage to one of my favorite pets, the cat.