Sunday at the Farner's Market

Pictures taken at Sacramento, California downtown farmer's market 08.17.2008

2008 Sacramento Pacific Rim Festival

The Sacramento Pacific Rim Festival was today. Wells Fargo was a proud sponsor. I took picture of their restored stage coach.

"Security of the Event"
The Famous Wells Fargo Stage Coach

I love our backyard

Mommy and I always play in our backyard in the mornings but today I have to go to the daycare early because Daddy works early. Yesterday we didn't get to play either because it rained so early. Maybe tomorrow morning?

Filipino New Year

Filipinos have this tradition of making sure that the new year is abundant and happy. We have this belief that if you start the year good, the rest will be good.
My first New Year here in America was spent with my relatives. I could not believe they have lechon here (roast pork). But they did. This was taken at my relatives house on New Year's Eve Dinner Party.

Skin

Birth

Birth of Autumn right in my own apartment

My Window

Captions anyone?

Something Not So New

Our beloved Turtles have gotten us Salmonella which made us very very sick.

So we decided to give them away to a friend of ours who owns a pond and didn't mind the fact that turtles have salmonella.

That same weekend, my husband got me two (2) gold fishes and we set up our 80 gallon aquarium into this. I know you don't see the gold fishes there. We also added around five feeder fishes to them that the turtles didn't eat so now they are happy all swimming together. I didn't get a good shot of them yet but I will!

I got my thing together

I got my thing together. I got a job. I got someone I love and loves me. What else can I want...but today for some reasons I feel down. It is my second weekend from work. I was excited to have this come. I waited for this but all because of one comment I feel down...I know it is a little over sensitive of me but it made me feel this way...

It ruined my day just like that...so all I could ever do is take it here and let it out.

All because of one simple comment...

On second thoughts...it is probably not on one comment. I have been seeing things last night that triggers me like that. I feel bad, I feel sorry for things I have done in the past that I didn't see it the way I do now. Had I seen it this way I would have done better. Nicer.

Forgiveness to one's self is one thing I never learn to do. I used to...but after so many times of trying my brain or is it the heart? got weak and forgot the skill now.

"We are responsible for what we tame" -Le Petit Prince...that is also another thing that let me down...we have to give our turtles away today. They have made us sick last month of Salmonella. It was tough and we cannot risk getting it again. I really have grown to love them very much. I mean why not? They are so adorable and... peaceful and... content. A very relaxing site to see after a long day's work.

Letting go is a skill we are never equipped. And why not when we need it so much...maybe because we are not supposed to let go? We are supposed to cherish?

Moon

The moon is too beautiful tonight.
She leaves me breathless
It is too bad I can't take a photograph of her.
But then I remembered...
My husband said I could spend my first pay check just for myself.
Hmmmmm
I can get a new camera.
Maybe

Happy Turtles

Life's really been complicated lately. I am looking for jobs online and in the newspaper daily since my working permit is out already for 2 weeks now. I want to start working right away because I need to and because I have been patient waiting for this for awhile. I also have to hurry and master the driver's handbook for California so I could at least take a test and be issued a permit then practice driving on real streets. My husband and I are also trying to start a new project which might benefit us in the future so all of this is really getting stressful for me. Inlcuding the fact that I am calling home a lot to see about a transaction done for me by my parents. Very frustrating sometimes. It is just good that my husband is patient and very supportive when I get down and depressed.

It is also good to see in the morning that Turtle and Mrs.Turtle are happy like that, contented with their simple life. So refreshing.

Turtle's Mating Dance

The mating dance of this species is very elaborated and interesting to observe.

The male swims towards the female and starts caressing her face with his long front claws.


He might also swim around her in circles. He might also strike her front shell lightly with his claws (this looks as if his front legs are trembling).


If she is receptive, she will accept him, otherwise, a fight might start.


The mating itself takes about 15 minutes.

If after 45 minutes, the female is not receptive to the male's dance, you should remove her from the tank and try again in about two days.

Source of Information: http://reslider.free.fr/breeding.html

We got a new turtle for a playmate for our male turtle and naturally we picked a female one. The moment we placed her in the new 80 gallon tank that we got, our Turtle started acting weird around her so I had to check the internet to know what is going on. The captions above are the information I was able to gather.

These pictures are taken on the day she arrived, July 12, 2005. We just call them now Turtle and Mrs.Turtle.

Currently we are preparing a small tank where she could possible lay her eggs.

These turtle specie is called the Red Ear Slider or RES.

My Take of San Francisco

Notre Dame Victoires Church


View from Hyatt


The beach


Houses opposite beach

Mason Street?

All photos taken on father's day 2005, my first ever visit to San Francisco.

Someone To Turn To

Something happened yesterday. Something I have overestimated and bounced back to me. I can say I have done my best but this is where it will have to end. A friendship that could have gone a long long way can no longer be. It is just good to know when something like this happens to me there is always him I can turn to. Always.

Thank you

Strange Sunflower Dream

I dreamed the other night that I was out in the field picking very beautiful and in full bloom sunflowers. Sunflower is my happy flower. I thought of that when I heard the song "I'm walking on sunshine".

In the morning, something sad happened so I took a walk to my favorite spot, the park across our apartment complex. This park is like my place of solitude when things are not good. I always find my way to this park when I don't have the answer to my questions and most of the times I find my answer there...

I looked for a bench to sit down where there is shade. Once I settled down in the bench I was very surprised because I saw a bunch of dead sunflowers in front of me. They were still standing erect just like in my dream but dried and dead. I felt a very odd feeling because I remembered my dream and in my dream they were blooming and now I am staring at them and they are all dead. Could this mean anything? Strange.

In that spot I also saw a squirrel climbing up the tree. The first time I saw a squirrel ever was on my wedding day. So squirrels have significant meanings to me.

My First Cactus

He got me last Monday my first cactus. I had a collection of cactus in my hometown in Philippines and I even started one in Japan too but I did not stay there long so now I want to start all over again. This will be the first one of my collection.

She is called Confederate Rose (Agave parrasana) .

I have learned that she is a monocarpic. A plant that dies after flowering, although it may take several years to flower.... Very surprising. Let's hope she does not flower. The irony of it. But maybe I can split her into several pots so if one flowers there will be some others left.

Busy

Yes I am busy. In deep thought. Very deep.

Hahaha! That's my favorite model right there!
What do you think?

My Lily

If we shadows have offended,
Think but this and all is mended--
That you have but slumb'red here
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream,
Gentle, do not reprehend.
If you pardon, we will mend.
And as I am an honest Puck,
If we have unearned luck
Now to scrape the serpent's tongue.
We will make amends ere long;
Else the Puck a liar call.
So, good night unto you all.
Give me your hands, if we be friends,
And Robin will restore amends.

--Shakepear's MidSummer Night's Dream--

I Do Get Bored

Moving here and being out of job while waiting for my visa was a decision I made a year ago or so. I have been warned that I could get bored here but if that would be an excuse not to come here nothing would really happen.

I have been doing well for the past months but this fifth month, I just woke up and realized I am bored. I have been so proud to tell friends no I am not bored, there is so much to do around the house but I guess I have come to the end of the line and I will just have to accept it I do get bored.

From hereon I will just be praying harder that my visa will come sooner then I can start applying for jobs and do my interviews and then I will be busy. And please do not get me wrong I am not complaining...I just came to a realization that this really can come. So far it has been all good and God has been really gracious with us and have taken care of all our needs. My husband has been really strong and mature and responsible and has been taking care of me so much better than what I had in my mind knowing the fact that he is ten years younger than me. I am proud of him. At least I already did my finger printing a couple of weeks ago so I am just waiting for the results. Just waiting.

My Mother In-Law Is Good To Me

Just this Saturday...

1. She and my husband suprised me for a date with her to a pedicure, my first pedicure here in the United States.
2. She took me shopping to buy gifts for Father's Day for my husband and I to give his Dad since we cannot afford that just yet.
3. She got me a nice pink skirt and a cotton blouse perfect for summer
4. We had lunch at one of my beginning to be favorite mexican stop, Chipotle
5. After going with her with the rest of her shopping we stopped for yogurt, Chocolate .
6. She went shopping more and found herself a purse and a wallet (that she very much needed) and got them and she decided to get me the purse that I was looking at too.