Sunday, September 6, 2009
"Naughty dragonfly, I am born once again to be a child." - Sr Macarius Lacuesta SPC
"Naughty dragonfly, I am born once again to be a child."
Sr Macarius Lacuesta SPC
"Magic is seeing wonder in nature's every little thing, seeing how wonderful the fireflies are and how magical are the dragonflies." - Ama H.Vanniarachchy
Dr Abe V Rotor
Living with Nature Center, San Vicente, Ilocos Sur
Sr. Macarius’ poems do not deal with issues about faith, eternity, salvation, kingdom, and the like, endorsing them to debate. She does not act like a doctor of the church even if she carries a doctorate degree in philosophy. Yet in her own gentle way she invites the reader to the fold, riding on that little kite, running in the open field after a dragonfly. For what is eternity but to be “a child forever,” (A thing of beauty is a joy forever – Joyce Kilmer). What is kingdom but the realm we once lived before we became grownups, in the words of Antoine de Saint-Exupery’ in The Little Prince? And salvation? Oh, it is in innocence when the conscience is not bothered. (The Brothers Grimm)
“Naughty dragonfly…I am born once again to a child –
alive and free.”
“Catch the sight of a tree… and rest for a while.”
- Under the Fig Tree
“Speak to me in the loveliness of a rose
Fresh and sparkling with the morning dew.”
- A World Full of You
“You sing to me in the chirping of love birds,
Greeting each other at the break of day.”
- A World Full of You
“Listen to the story of that grand mountain
Like a faithful sentinel standing there.”
- Fly on My Little Kite.”
“How blest and gifted I am to be one
With a beautiful world.”
- A World Full of You
“Lord, help me become the child of Your Kingdom.”
- Child of the Kingdom
It was a bright morning some two years ago when Sister Macarius visited me at the SPCQ Museum. She showed me these poems. “I have not written poems for a long, long time,” she said and that started a couple of hours of pleasant discussion about poetry today and its significance. She exuded a lovely smile as she recited her poems. “Beautiful,” I said, amazed at what a septuagenarian lady can make of poetry which usually blooms in youth. That was the last time I saw Sister Macarius.
The amihan wind had just arrived. I saw a tarat bird perched on the nearby caimito tree singing. Up in the sky a kite was flying. I remembered Sister Macarius.
“Fly on my little kite
Do not let fear daunt you,
For the hand that holds the strings
Knows best and watches over you.”
x x x
Reference: Living with Nature, AVR. All Rights Reserved
Proud Lotus (Nelumbium nelumbo Linne)
Abe V Rotor
Over a white flower in repose;
All day artists worked in spell;
As she held her breath to a pose,
One by one her petals fell.
Lives this flower in brief and rush,
Except the bees she defied all,
To lend her image to the brush,
Until she met her fall.
And the artists looked up the sky,
White clouds they searched row by row,
For flowers through their creative eye,
Flowers that everyday grow.
Over a white flower in repose;
All day artists worked in spell;
As she held her breath to a pose,
One by one her petals fell.
Lives this flower in brief and rush,
Except the bees she defied all,
To lend her image to the brush,
Until she met her fall.
And the artists looked up the sky,
White clouds they searched row by row,
For flowers through their creative eye,
Flowers that everyday grow.
Danajon Reef
Abe V Rotor
(Western Coast of Bohol)
Far, far away by boat,
Away from drudgery
At the other side of a moat
Is this blue. Blue sea –
A Shangrila to soothe scars
Where in quiet luminescence
The corals and stars
Twinkle in cadence,
Where the sky meets the sea,
The cloud rises from the water,
And fish sail to the sky.
And I, oh, a foreign matter.
(Western Coast of Bohol)
Far, far away by boat,
Away from drudgery
At the other side of a moat
Is this blue. Blue sea –
A Shangrila to soothe scars
Where in quiet luminescence
The corals and stars
Twinkle in cadence,
Where the sky meets the sea,
The cloud rises from the water,
And fish sail to the sky.
And I, oh, a foreign matter.
Nightbreak
Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija Abe V Rotor
The lake meets the sinking sun,
as the fishes join their clan,
while the shores grow calm,
and soon the day is done,
save the breeze blowing,
the leaves whispering
casting a friendly scare
as the young ones stare
beneath the arms that care
Cupid, Don’t Grow Up
By Abe V. Rotor
Oh, stupid Cupid!
Many a heart may bleed
At our genes bidding need;
A pearly bead, we plead.
Oh, stupid Cupid!
We beg to be freed
Only by you indeed;
Don’t grow up we bid. ~
Oh, stupid Cupid!
Many a heart may bleed
At our genes bidding need;
A pearly bead, we plead.
Oh, stupid Cupid!
We beg to be freed
Only by you indeed;
Don’t grow up we bid. ~
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Folk Wisdom Series: How to catch a live monkey, et al
Abe V Rotor
1. How do you catch a monkey?
Bore a small hole into a young coconut (buko), about an inch in diameter, or just enough for the monkey to insert its hands with outstretched fingers. Hang the nut among the trees where monkeys abound. A monkey comes around, inserts its hand into the nut and gathers the meat. True to the characteristic of monkey it will not open its fist in order to escape. Now it is the trapper’s move. This is one for the fable.
2. Get rid of that bulging eye bag
Aloe vera, cut lengthwise, with cotton ball, wipe sap and apply around the eye bag before going to sleep. Potato (Solanum tuburosum) is also effective. Slice and wipe sap with cotton ball. Apply around eye bag before retiring at night. (From Salamat Dok, March 29, 2009)
3. Malunggay (Moringa oleifera) supplement in noodles.
Noodles are in various preparations: sotanghon, bihon, mami, pasta, others. Enterprises are producing malunggay supplemented noodles.
4. More fish are caught when the moon is out.
Fish have wider range to feed in the moonlight. Fishing lights attract more fish when the moon is out, so that fishermen choose the time of their fishing for more catch. However, there are species that are not discriminating in their feeding habits whatever is the phase of the moon.
In The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway, the author, did not mention under what condition the old man hooked and landed his prized blue marlin. Definitely there are factors other than the phase of the moon that predispose fish to bite.
5. How do you know if a diamond is real?
Scratch it on glass, old folks would advise us before going into transaction. Diamond is harder than glass; in fact it is the hardest material we can find on earth. We use it to cut glass and ceramics. Saw blades and drill bits are tipped with diamond for better and lasting efficiency. In cutting and polishing diamond, its own dust is used. Yet diamond is actually made up of carbon, the same material that makes up graphite which is the lead of the pencil. Nature transformed carbon into this rare precious stone by metamorphism, the same process limestone is changed into shiny marble.
6. If you happen to touch a hot object, immediately press your affected fingers on your ear lobes.
By so doing you diffuse the heat from your affected finger and get refreshed. The earlobe is usually cooler than any part of the body, so with the whole ear which works on the principle of a radiator. That’s why people who flare up develop red ears. (Pulang pula ang tainga). It is the same way the rabbit and the elephant release heat through their large ears. The earlobe is also less sensitive because it has fewer nerves and blood vessels – which explains the universal practice of earlobe piercing and wearing of earrings.
7. If you get hurt by sea urchin, immediately apply urine on the wound.
In the absence of vinegar, calamansi, or lemon, urine is the last resort to relieve pain when you encounter a sea urchin (maritangtang, Ilk). Sea urchins are found in shallow coral reefs and among sea grass. The spines are so sharp, they get imbedded in the skin easily. The remedy is to dissolve the thorn by applying on the wound any acidic substance. The principle is that the acid reacts with calcium to form salt. The blood then takes care in eliminating the salt from the wound and ultimately from the body, thus seldom is operation needed.
8. While rice is being cooked, never stir it, otherwise it will become half cooked (nakusel, Ilk).
Actually you cannot hasten cooking by stirring it. And never overload the pot or kettle. Remember that rice, especially laon (seasoned) rice rises more than twice its original volume when cooked. Once steam is produced, lower the heat. Rice cooks better in low fire once boiling point is reached. Open slightly the lid or cover to release pressure or prevent the steam from spilling out. This tip applies best when cooking rice in volume, say in an iron kettle (kawa or tallasi).
8. Don’t leave the ladle in the pot, otherwise you will go poor. (Huwag iwanan ang sandok sa kawali, muubos ang kayamanan.)
Two things can happen as a result. Someone comes (or it may be the cat) and finish your ulam, or germs enter and spoil your food. Remember that the air is laden with ubiquitous spores of microorganisms, and that you will also invite a lot of guests, from house lizard to cockroach - what in the stillness of the night!
9. When re-heating viand, remove the pot cover. (Kung magpainit ng ulam, huwag takpan.)
When re-heating food, remove the pot’s cover. Thoroughly clean the cover before putting it back. The underside of the cover is usually the source of inoculants that cause food spoilage. Here the conditions are favorable to the growth and development of microorganisms, as we open and close the pot, and when the pot is closed for a long time. Underneath it is a perfect place for incubation of many kinds of microbes.
10. Add salt in ice in the icebox to keep coolness lower and longer.
This is a common practice in the province where refrigeration is not available. Observe how local ice cream is made, and how fish, meat and other products keep longer in ice boxes by adding salt in ice. The salt must not mix with the commodity though. The principle is that water freezes at 0 degree Celsius. With salt the temperature drops to some degrees below zero because saltwater has higher latent heat than freshwater. It means that it requires lower temperature in order to separate the salt compound from water. This explains the subzero temperature of arctic and Antarctic seas. On the other hand, salt absorbs more heat than water and other substances and materials. This explains why rice cooks faster when salt is placed on the pot’s cover.
Living with Folk Wisdom, AV Rotor.
1. How do you catch a monkey?
Bore a small hole into a young coconut (buko), about an inch in diameter, or just enough for the monkey to insert its hands with outstretched fingers. Hang the nut among the trees where monkeys abound. A monkey comes around, inserts its hand into the nut and gathers the meat. True to the characteristic of monkey it will not open its fist in order to escape. Now it is the trapper’s move. This is one for the fable.
2. Get rid of that bulging eye bag
Aloe vera, cut lengthwise, with cotton ball, wipe sap and apply around the eye bag before going to sleep. Potato (Solanum tuburosum) is also effective. Slice and wipe sap with cotton ball. Apply around eye bag before retiring at night. (From Salamat Dok, March 29, 2009)
3. Malunggay (Moringa oleifera) supplement in noodles.
Noodles are in various preparations: sotanghon, bihon, mami, pasta, others. Enterprises are producing malunggay supplemented noodles.
4. More fish are caught when the moon is out.
Fish have wider range to feed in the moonlight. Fishing lights attract more fish when the moon is out, so that fishermen choose the time of their fishing for more catch. However, there are species that are not discriminating in their feeding habits whatever is the phase of the moon.
In The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway, the author, did not mention under what condition the old man hooked and landed his prized blue marlin. Definitely there are factors other than the phase of the moon that predispose fish to bite.
5. How do you know if a diamond is real?
Scratch it on glass, old folks would advise us before going into transaction. Diamond is harder than glass; in fact it is the hardest material we can find on earth. We use it to cut glass and ceramics. Saw blades and drill bits are tipped with diamond for better and lasting efficiency. In cutting and polishing diamond, its own dust is used. Yet diamond is actually made up of carbon, the same material that makes up graphite which is the lead of the pencil. Nature transformed carbon into this rare precious stone by metamorphism, the same process limestone is changed into shiny marble.
6. If you happen to touch a hot object, immediately press your affected fingers on your ear lobes.
By so doing you diffuse the heat from your affected finger and get refreshed. The earlobe is usually cooler than any part of the body, so with the whole ear which works on the principle of a radiator. That’s why people who flare up develop red ears. (Pulang pula ang tainga). It is the same way the rabbit and the elephant release heat through their large ears. The earlobe is also less sensitive because it has fewer nerves and blood vessels – which explains the universal practice of earlobe piercing and wearing of earrings.
7. If you get hurt by sea urchin, immediately apply urine on the wound.
In the absence of vinegar, calamansi, or lemon, urine is the last resort to relieve pain when you encounter a sea urchin (maritangtang, Ilk). Sea urchins are found in shallow coral reefs and among sea grass. The spines are so sharp, they get imbedded in the skin easily. The remedy is to dissolve the thorn by applying on the wound any acidic substance. The principle is that the acid reacts with calcium to form salt. The blood then takes care in eliminating the salt from the wound and ultimately from the body, thus seldom is operation needed.
8. While rice is being cooked, never stir it, otherwise it will become half cooked (nakusel, Ilk).
Actually you cannot hasten cooking by stirring it. And never overload the pot or kettle. Remember that rice, especially laon (seasoned) rice rises more than twice its original volume when cooked. Once steam is produced, lower the heat. Rice cooks better in low fire once boiling point is reached. Open slightly the lid or cover to release pressure or prevent the steam from spilling out. This tip applies best when cooking rice in volume, say in an iron kettle (kawa or tallasi).
8. Don’t leave the ladle in the pot, otherwise you will go poor. (Huwag iwanan ang sandok sa kawali, muubos ang kayamanan.)
Two things can happen as a result. Someone comes (or it may be the cat) and finish your ulam, or germs enter and spoil your food. Remember that the air is laden with ubiquitous spores of microorganisms, and that you will also invite a lot of guests, from house lizard to cockroach - what in the stillness of the night!
9. When re-heating viand, remove the pot cover. (Kung magpainit ng ulam, huwag takpan.)
When re-heating food, remove the pot’s cover. Thoroughly clean the cover before putting it back. The underside of the cover is usually the source of inoculants that cause food spoilage. Here the conditions are favorable to the growth and development of microorganisms, as we open and close the pot, and when the pot is closed for a long time. Underneath it is a perfect place for incubation of many kinds of microbes.
10. Add salt in ice in the icebox to keep coolness lower and longer.
This is a common practice in the province where refrigeration is not available. Observe how local ice cream is made, and how fish, meat and other products keep longer in ice boxes by adding salt in ice. The salt must not mix with the commodity though. The principle is that water freezes at 0 degree Celsius. With salt the temperature drops to some degrees below zero because saltwater has higher latent heat than freshwater. It means that it requires lower temperature in order to separate the salt compound from water. This explains the subzero temperature of arctic and Antarctic seas. On the other hand, salt absorbs more heat than water and other substances and materials. This explains why rice cooks faster when salt is placed on the pot’s cover.
Living with Folk Wisdom, AV Rotor.
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