I talk to the trees - and they listen to me.

              I talk to the trees - and they listen to me.

"When in bloom golden, only for a day or two;

confetti follows where the bees have gone,

in every flower is born a new life

in another place and time."- avr

Dr Abe V Rotor

Tagbilaran, Bohol

Saplings race to meet the sun,

lanky to posts they shall become;

sans branches but bole and round

soon fall to the ax one by one.

Mt Makiling, Laguna

You bear the hardest wood -

ebony in deep shiny black;

your foes no less my kind

feeling and love we lack.

Tierra Pura, Tandang Sora, QC

Sunrise, sunset, the ground is alive,

lilting children under your care

that make up for your loneliness

in a world with so little to share.

Masinloc, Zambales

You were once doomed by the wind,

but benevolence saved you;

by your fruits and resting limbs,

sanctuary and playground, too.

Mt Makiling, UPLB Laguna

Black and white makes you bold and real

of your strangler's reputation,

climbing on your host tree to the sky,

a piece of mystery of creation.

Burgos, La Union

Tree house I see built on your limbs

has stolen your view on the scene,

the breeze in your leaves hushed away,

a living monument unseen.

Cebu City

Embroidered leaves by the bagworm,

turning to crimson and fall;

mutual indeed is host and tenant,

nature and creatures all.

Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Re-incarnation - this elephant tree had been

once roaming around in band;

threatened, endangered and gone,

what would it become the next time around?

Lagro QC

Whoever felled this old balete tree,

drove the deities away;

and the spirit of the tree shall not rest,

no prayer can repay.

UST Manila

Shadow of death I see across the lawn,

save the sun all mourning;

haunting the playground empty and quiet,

save a dead tree walking.

Ateneo de Manila University QC

To the conscious passerby,

in the morning holy,

in the evening scary,

a veil to laugh or to cry.

St Paul University QC

Young devil tree, but you aren't;

your eyes but holes to your heart;

your arm raised to praise, to call

a friend, such is nature's art.

Agoo, La Union

Over laden, if all these fruits,

a burst of a lifetime -

young to die like a mother

cut in her prime.

UST Manila

Living cradle to while away the time,

to catch up with many a lost sleep;

watch out, a nap gone over the clime,

where time and opportunity slip.

AdMU QC

Pendants you wear in the night,

blinking with the chilly air,

bring tidings beyond your shade,

to far places poor and fair.

SPU-QC

When in bloom golden, only for a day or two;

confetti follows where the bees have gone,

in every flower is born a new life, the embryo,

seed to a tree in another place and time. ~

Meet the Creatures of the Sea on the Wall

           Meet the Creatures of the Sea on the Wall 

Details of Nature Wall Mural by Dr Abe V Rotor

Kudyapi St corner and Lam-ang St, Barangay Greater Lagro, QC

Living with Nature - School on Blog [avrotor.blogspot.com]

When life is bigger than you,
take it like a big fish;
don't let it go away, 
for no one will believe you.

The sun never sets, goes the adage

of a once powerful empire;

 it did. 

The sun never sets in the deep blue sea,

phosphorescence the secret,

indeed. 

                         

Creatures communicate in many ways,

including man;

dolphins and birds think sailboats 

are of their kind.

                        

Believe in sea monsters, 

giants, grotesque, fearful,

as they think also of man,

the biggest monster of all!

Once thought extinct millions of years ago,

 the Coelacanth rose from the deep,

exactly the same as its fossil in the museum,

challenging science of its feat.

Camouflaged juvenile shark is safe 

from its enemies,

while it lurks for some unwary prey

 in dual existence.  

                        

A school of fish of two kinds

traveling and hunting

in a treatise beyond science,

and folk understanding,

                       

Banded groupers like three musketeers,

adventure the name of their game;

Dumas could have been more delighted 

to have met this triumvirate in action. 

On the craggy sea floor life is barely perceptible,

the tenants are better when left alone;

if survival to others is transience and aggression;

here a fish can be mistaken for a stone.  

Not all big fish is an enemy,

it may be a guardian, too,

leading a school in its care, 

like the teacher we know.  
               

A niche is defined by species, boundary, and time,

by common friends and enemies;

yet in times of plenty niches are open and free,

to form wholesome communities.  

                        

The rainbow is Cathedral in the sky,

it matters not if incomplete,

or its colors dim, to lovers of Nature,

who pause in prayer and retreat.  

Swarming means danger, sensing enemies down below;

the school forms a circle like the pioneers of the Old West;

the young and fecund in the center, the bold on the guard,

collective survival is universal to evolutionary success.

Lesson on former Paaralang Bayan sa Himpapawid (People's School-on-Air) with Ms Melly C Tenorio 738 DZRB AM Band, 8 to 9 evening class, Monday to Friday [www.pbs.gov.ph]

Fire is Life, Fire is Death

 Fire is Life, Fire is Death

"Fire is wild, fire is tame,

source of prime energy." - avr

Dr Abe V Rotor

Fire is Life, Fire is Death in acrylic by AV Rotor 2004

Fire is life, fire is death;

nature's first invention,

ultimate destruction,

yet comfort by the hearth.

Fire is wild, fire is tame,

source of prime energy,

or friend turned enemy;

or glowing wand of fame.

Fire bares all, covers all;

creeps under, runs uphill;

in summer or in chill,

all things short or tall.

Fire, the first whim, last cry,

at home, in battlefield;

the first arm, the first shield,

the worst fear, the last sigh. ~

Quaintness of Everyday Living

 Quaintness of Everyday Living 

“The most important thing is to enjoy your life—

to be happy— it’s all that matters.” —Steve Jobs

Dr Abe V Rotor 

Living with Nature School on Blog 

Bamboo craft Peddler

A world of his own on wheels,

the art that never dies,

of his forebears and ours, too,

where our culture lies. 

 

Tree House

I love to go up to this cozy lair -

porch, lighthouse, tower - 

coming close to my beginning

when the world was kinder

Pottery

Ancient art and source of living

by the river that never ceases;

clay the begining of time and life,

the making of masterpieces 

Museum

Travel in time past and in the future,

things gone and shall be gone 

and feel you are a part, and all of us,

ever since the world began.

Biggest fruit

Nangka or langka, it's the world's biggest,

yet borne from a fairly small tree;

if there's some mistake, take the pakwan,

borne from a vine crawling free. 

  

Market Scene

Dawn is a sleeping child dreaming,

while life goes on in reality;

wouldn't the stars come down to earth

and bring joy and sanity.

Hammock Tree

Take my toils away at the close of day,

carry my heavy load from school,

if you're gifted with roots and limbs this way,

buoy my spirit happy and full. 

“The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.” —Oprah Winfrey

*Lesson on former Paaralang Bayan sa Himpapawid with Ms Melly C Tenorio 

738 DZRB AM, evening class 8 to 9, Monday to Friday. 

Playground Limited

 Playground Limited 

"I cannot understand the reason of imitating the natural world cum attractions, in lieu of outdoor and on-the-spot experience that promotes reverence for life and the environment." avr

 Dr Abe V Rotor 

Living with Nature - School on Blog [avrotor.blogspot.com]

 Artificial playground in a mall, 2015

I cannot smell the earth under my feet, neither the freshness of grass nor the fragrance of  flowers with bees and butterflies hovering, fluttering and alighting for brief rest;

I cannot see birds around; I mistake their songs for whistles and whirls of machines and toys; the singing of cicada, cooing of doves, fiddling of crickets are buried in noise;

I cannot feel the softness of grass, soothing to tired feet, the presence of plants, quivering of their leaves with the slightest touch, towering trees that lead my eyes to heaven;

I cannot hear water moving downstream among rocks, hissing of a waterfall, stream  settling down in peace and quiet, calming frayed nerves and tired muscles; 

I cannot imagine how grownups and children are united in an artificial ambiance, by time limited by toll, off limit signs, warnings and many rules that limit freedom and choice; 

I cannot imagine animals in their stuffed replicas being treated by kids in different ways, consciously or otherwise, if such attitude applies to growing up in a natural world;   

I cannot relate beautiful experiences with Nature, richness of imagination, logical thoughts and inferences where the playground is a patchwork lacking contiguity and goal;    

I cannot hear thunder in the distance that bring in life-givng rain that nourishes the forests, pastures and fields, that signals the kids playing to pack up and go home; 

I cannot understand the reason of imitating the natural world cum attractions, in lieu of  outdoor and on-the-spot experience that promotes reverence for life and the environment. 

 
Transforms  -  artificial replicas for study. Do these contribute 
to growing up in a natural world?

^ Cryptobiology: The Study of Nature Spirits

 Cryptobiology: The Study of Nature Spirits

Annex - A Collection of Images of Cryptid Trees

Dr Abe V Rotor

Deep inside, we still have a longing to be reconnected with the nature that shaped our imagination, our language, our song and dance, our sense of the divine. And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair. And taste the beauty of the wild. still!  Internet  

Coed, Angie Tobias 18, displays cryptid driftwoods from a collection of Nature Spirit remains at the Living with Nature Center in San Vicente Ilocos Sur.  These items resemble unique features of creatures and objects, a subject of pseudoscience called cryptobiology. 

Cryptobiology is a field of study at the border of science and superstition., thus scientists call it pseudoscience.  It is however, older than science itself owing to its indigenous and popular nature.  With today's growing awareness in protecting nature from rampant destructive practices, this new field is gaining support from scholars and people in general.  

There are two fields of cryptobiology, one concerning animals (cyptozoology) and the other, plants (cryptobotany). The former took off with the discovery of strange creatures like the Coelacanth fish thought to have become extinct millions of years ago.  On the other hand, the search of legendary and fiction characters like Loch Ness, Bigfoot, and the Abominable Snowman, continues to draw attention. 

Philippine Eagle Driftwood in two views, personal collection of the author

on display at the Living with Nature Center, San Vicente, Ilocos Sur

Search for the Incredible 

Media with the advancement of science and  technology have embellished  findings and reports about a "third world of creatures". The platypus is among nature's most unlikely animals. In fact, the first scientists to examine a specimen believed they were the victims of a hoax.  If the Red Wood (Sequoia) was not discovered, no one would believe in its enormous size compared with high rise buildings. How many creatures completely unfamiliar to most of us live in a drop of pond water?  In terms of biological diversity, 90 percent of living things remain unknown and unidentified, more so if we include the prototype and extinct organisms since life appeared three billion years ago. 

Driftwood representing a Philippine eagle, hawk (lawin), and a dragon in biblical times and in fairy books. Displayed as a table top figurines, subject of curiosity and subsequent exchange of stories among young and old alike.   

 

This figure of an aquatic creature apparently swimming, was discovered in an estuary. Old folks claim the creature once lived where sea and river meet, a unique habitat of many strange creatures, animals and plants as well.  Mural background adds to the queer ambiance of the figure. 

Horned duck with wings half-spread ready for takeoff, gives a fantasy image of a strange creature, which kids relate with cartoon characters and unique specimens like the Pterodactyl, an extinct genus of pterosaurs.

 

 

Top photos: Half-serpent, half-avian with distinct eyes, beak and crown (palong Tag); yelping puppy in a greeting pose.  Lower photos: Long legged reptile emerging from a broken jar seems to be telling story fit for a horror movie. 

    Augury is the practice from ancient Roman religion of interpreting omens from the observed behavior of birds. A white dove means “peace”. A black dove means “war”.  It could also pertain to matters of the heart, relationships, luck, misfortune, death, Remember the emissary bird in the biblical Noah's Ark? Have you seen a black dove in our real world?

  

Out of this world creatures haunt the forest, playing the role of guardian against poachers and loggers.  Nature spirits are friendly to environmentalists and are believed to be protecting Nature's resources against abuse.  

Cryptobiology is traced to our ancestors, and carried on through history, treasured in  primitive societies, religious organizations, and time honored beliefs and tradition conveyed in documents and folktales.   

Cryptobiology, Keeper of Values and Tradition

One time I asked a man of his true name.  He said when he was a boy he was sickly.  To overcome his condition, his nickname was changed with one stroke of a bolo (Taga' sa punong kahoy.)  To this day Mang Kapok (kapok is cotton tree, Ceiba pentandra), now a senior, is heathy and strong, thanks to the spirit of the place and the village herbolario.  

Beginning of Crypto communication

With the breakthrough in cybercommunication, it is evident that soon we will be communicating with Nature more directly than before, more than mere fantasy and imagination, over and above, inferential and psychological.  

Cryptobiology and Conscientization

Conscientization  conveys the idea of developing, strengthening, and changing consciousness. Consciousness leads us to think further than knowledge in the pursuit of values, truth and the ideal.  Here is a piece I wrote for a university lecture on Nature and Literature. ~

 ANNEX A - A Collection of Images of Cryptid Trees 

Researched by Dr Abe V Rotor

"Cryptids are earthly symbols of communication between 

and among creatures - including humans."  - avr 

"Cryptids are Nature spirits appealing for understanding 

and love from humans."  - avr

  

Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, 

and sometimes, they win. - Stephen King

  

These and many cryptid figures are encountered on the Internet - blogs, facebook, e-mails, apps - indicating growing awareness of the dilemma of Nature's destruction, cum curiosity and fancy that accompany such experience.  Acknowledgement with gratitude to all sources of these photos. -avr

 

"All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream.

 - Edgar Allan Poe

“Maybe all the people who say ghosts don’t exist are just afraid 

to admit that they do.” - Michael Ende, The Never Ending Story

 

"We seem to take for granted unseen spirits, but we cannot escape   

them as a result of our folly, indifference and greed." - avrotor

ANNEX B: AI Overview
Meaning of “Cryptobiology” in Dr. Abercio V. Rotor’s Works

Living with Nature - School on Blog

naturalism avrotor.blogspot.com

 In Dr. Abercio V. Rotor’s writings and presentations, cryptobiology is described as “the study of nature spirits” and the investigation of cryptids — creatures from folklore, myth, or unverified reports — that exist at the border of science and superstition.  

According to Rotor, cryptobiology examines physical evidence or reported sightings of such beings without resorting to occult explanations. It is a controversial field because mainstream science often labels it pseudoscience, yet it has roots in indigenous knowledge and popular culture, and is gaining some support from scholars and the public.  

Two Main Branches 

• Cryptozoology – the study of unusual or legendary animals, such as the coelacanth fish (thought extinct for millions of years) or modern cryptids like Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and the Abominable Snowman.
• Cryptobotany – the study of unusual or legendary plants, often linked to local myths or ecological curiosities.

Examples in Rotor’s Work

• Driftwood specimens shaped like the Philippine eagle, hawk (lawin), or even mythical creatures, displayed at the Living with Nature Center in San Vicente, Ilocos Sur.
• Cryptid trees and other natural objects that resemble animals or mythic beings.
• Stories and artifacts tied to local folklore, such as aquatic creatures found in estuaries or “nature spirits” believed to protect the environment.

Broader Context in Rotor’s Philosophy. 

Rotor frames cryptobiology within an ecological and cultural lens:

• It connects people to the “third world of creatures” — those unknown to mainstream science but part of local imagination and tradition.
• It emphasizes reconnection with nature and the preservation of environmental values, often linking “nature spirits” to ecological stewardship.
• It acknowledges that 90% of living things remain unknown, highlighting the vast unexplored biodiversity of the Earth. 

In short: In Dr. Rotor’s works, cryptobiology is both a scientific inquiry into unverified or mythical creatures and a cultural–ecological practice that blends folklore, environmental awareness, and the exploration of the unknown natural world. ~