Tis the season to be jolly...

It's the season again, the season of giving, sharing, celebrating the birth of Christ.
Now, why is this the only season to give? Times are tough, sure, the price tag per gift matters but it's really the thought that counts. Do your neighbor a favor, help a friend finish a chore, let this season's values be enforced throughout the year instead of just the month of December.

I would like to take this moment to remember friends who passed. It's been a year full of ups and downs, two friends left this year, one by choice, another by natural causes.  Live like it's your last and treasure those around you, (Yea, like you really mean it). If it's true what they say about life flashing before your eyes right when it's your time, let's hope you'll like what you see.

Christmas tree @ home

I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas 2011.

Merry Christmas!

I know, it's not till another week but what the heck,

"Feliz navidad, selamat hari natal, seng dan fai lok, Merry Christmas!"

Remember?

Remember Duck Hunt? Super Mario bros? Cool kids have Walkmans, cutting off Barbie dolls' hair thinking they'll regrow, watching Thunder cats, Tom and Jerry, and Leo the lion on that big chunky TV tube? You know you're an 80's baby when you were dying to get into the 'Babysitter's club'! Also,  'Kids fun club' mag from KFC used to be the HOT stuff to bring to school.

A recent photoshoot for a friend's nephew and niece brought back fond memories. The good ol' days of playing 'adults' with my sister, looked after my dear nieces and nephew (presently, some finishing high school and one went to college, how time flies!)

Living life in the fast lane for too long? Feeling weary all the time?

Remember when you were young?
Slow down and smell the roses, these kids in the photos sure did.

A Place I Call Home

C'mon. You got to feel homesick at least once.
Homesickness hits me every now and then, knocking on my door, the thought of being surrounded by family and friends back home just stings every time a familiar holiday rolls by.

Thankfully, I'm lucky enough to have found lifelong friends whom I can depend on here in SoCal, people I know I'm going to miss once I do get home. You know who you are and Thank you.

BioTrek in a different shade

Greenhouse after the rain

LA

Ethnobotany garden -BioTrek (Staghorn Cholla)

These past few days, with the cloudy weather and Fall slowly seeping in, I took these pictures of a place I call home in this corner of the world.

Yeap, guess that homesick-bug will always bite, regardless where I'll be  =)

Outside your window

What do you see outside your window?

What would you rather see?

There are many things I want to see, places I want to be. Until it hits you that it's not really about what you want to see, it's who you want to see it with.

It was on a Saturday when the lighting was just right, hitting the plantation shutters in my room.
While running errands - wonderful sunset in Chino, CA, the lighting was too beautiful to resist.

It was a beautiful day - I tried my best to capture my moment in these photos to share with everyone I missed. Wish you guys re right here next to me. Until then, take care.

To the Proud one

The LA arboretum trip was fantastic. Greeted by a peacock who is not afraid to flare out his feathers.  She walked by, he flared out his feathers. Ignored. Another walked by, he flared out his feathers. Again,ignored.

He tries hard, really really hard...But she's just not that into him. Maybe he did it for the camera or the peanuts?

Some people does not believe in failing, these are the ones determine not to give up.
What do you want so bad to not give up?
Giving up is easy to do. You might fail or you might not but having that kind of determination even when everyone else ridiculed you for what you believe in, that's true strength!

I'd like to dedicate these series of photos to the proud peacock who never gives up.

Look Ma, I can fly~

Recently, couzie Kylie took off to New Zealand on her new journey in college - plenty of reflections on my own journey here, four and a half years ago, leaving behind everything that's familiar to a newer path.

Familiarity is comforting because like a nest, you know what you're going back to. It makes you feel safe, secure, protected.  Some of us feel completely content not leaving the nest. Sometimes you just have to leave the nest, go out and take off. Where to go? When to stop?

If you're happy in your nest right now, that's perfectly fine. But maybe when it gets too comfortable, you want to soar. The life of a bird is really very much like ours if you think about it.

Remember - it doesn't really matter how far you spread your wings -  soar or stay, as long as you are what you want to be.

They live for Biology ~

 @Ethnobotany garden - BioTrek. 

Food, glorious food!

Meet the 'colossal burger', layers upon layers of meat (pastrami, bacon and the beef patty) followed by tomatoes and onion bits...

So, some may say this will give you a stroke/heart attack, others (like me) may just stare at this thing in awe and just have a moment of silence to give thanks to the inventor.

Feel free to dive in. Ahh... this just made my day!

Anyways, happen to stumble upon this by coincidence (Thanks Mike!). The rest is history...

Summer days

As the summer days roll by, I can think of a million things to do to cool down. Unfortunately I'm highly restricted by my current budget to do anything (to be honest, flying to Alaska with work still pending = dream on) ~ Oh, how I miss the cool rainstorms back home!

Anyways, 'nuff complaining, one must rough it out!

It's a long weekend with fourth of july holiday coming up and nothing much to do as usual, thanks to Francisca who got me out of this place for a day to take pictures of her familia in a nearby park with a cute pond filled with ducks. It's more fun than I thought but the highlight of the day turns out to be my first experience in an el Salvadorian karaoke/restaurant (thanks francisca!).
Would like to mention a big thank you to everyone there and here's to many more Horchatas!

Baby's been extremely cooperative (took many shots of him but this turns out to be my favorite baby solo).

Personal favorite of the familia

Even the ducks're trying to cool off!

Sunny side up, anyone?

Ladies and Gents,

Meet the Romneya trichocalyx - the Hairy Matilija (ma-ti-li-hah) poppy (a.k.a. the sunny side up flower, fried egg flower, etc).
It's a sexy dicot that is native to California.  Flowers're huge! (four to eight inches across)
This plant is appreciated by its beautiful bloom and medicinal value.
Those living close by, do stop by our BioTrek Ethnobotany garden to bask in all its glory!

Dances with hummingbirds

While Kevin Costner dances with wolves in the 1990 movie, I attempted a special 'dances with hummingbirds'.

If you hang out in the BioTrek ethnobotany garden long enough, you'll probably see these guys flocking from one flower to another. They are just too hyper! The day was cool enough to be out in the garden, I picked a spot, camped and waited. I'm glad to say that I didn't wait in vain that day.

These tiny guys are among the smallest of birds (7 to 13cm) only, and they can fly backwards! Flying speed approximately 54 km/h and they're in a lot of poems. One of them is written by Emily Dickinson:

The Hummingbird

A route of evanescence
With a revolving wheel;
A resonance of emerald,
A rush of cochineal;
And every blossom on the bush
Adjusts its tumbled head,--
The mail from Tunis, probably,
An easy morning’s ride.

How much is that doggie in the window? *woof woof*

Day 2: Dog show again.. I know, I know

... wasn't happy with the pictures on the first day but I guess second try's a charm! Some owners were nice enough to let us pet their dogs but it was all business once they entered the ring.

 Before

After

Dog in the headlights

Man's best friend

Somehow, most show dogs seemed to lack that personality but maybe that's part of the show dogs etiquette. 

Who let the dogs out?

The annual tractor show, strawberry picking fest and dog show all in one day. It's been a hot hot day and I am pretty sure my skin's fried from the crazy afternoon sun. Quite happy with today's batch, a mixture of some cars, kids and dogs..

Low rider, YO!

How can you not LOVE a PUG?