Walk on the Wild Side

Sacramento Bee Newspaper: the Sacramento region experiences the second of what is expected to be five straight days of 100-degree weather....

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/08/09/4709458/sacramento-area-weather-from-redding.html#storylink=cpy

It's a good thing I did my walk early this morning while it was still cool and the sun still low in the blue sky.  A mid-day walk would guarantee fried brain with a side of sunburnt cheeks. I walked alone today as my mother was feeling a little bit under the weather  and everyone else had already left for work.

As I made my way around the area, I noticed how quiet it was.  Not even a barking dog to break the silence.  Occasionally a vehicle would drive out of the driveway and utility truck would pass but it seems I was the only one taking a walk.

After 20 minutes of manicured lawns and trained rose bushes, I decided to test my memory. You see, with walks with my sisters, we would go through a trail that connected two housing communities.

Pretty soon I was back on the trail with it's thick bushes,

pussy willows and cat tails (like the song),

and thorny blackberry vines.

The ground was dusty and bone dry.

Making me think of the irony of life... Here I was in a place just dying for some rain while back in Manila, there was just too much of rain.  Climate change? Man's folly? Or is it just the way it should be?  These wild  thoughts  kept me company as I hurried back home.

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Just like the many walks I take back in the Philippines,  walks I have with my sisters and mother in Sacramento are always interesting. I just need a good pair of walking shoes  and an openness to marvel at whatever crosses out path or line of vision.

A wild turkey,

, and a relaxing squirrel.

Wild flowers,

a stand of oak trees,

and graceful grass.

Even in all the dryness, there is much beauty.

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Morning walks always boost my appetite. For the time being, I have set aside my usual bowl of oatmeal and banana and traded it up for a delicious bowl of Greek yogurt with an assortment of American fruits: peaches, blue berries, cherries, rashberries. I put in some chopped walnuts or sliced almonds and a generous dollop of honey. And my breakfast is served. Tapsilog, Longsilog and Bangsilog will have to wait.

When in Rome...

My Summer Place

Big shady trees, kites flying in the blue skies, delicious fruits coming into season and days at the beaches make me love summer. Growing up, summer spelled vacation time— free from school work and a chance to dream. And since we lived but 20 minutes away from the different beaches of my province— white powdery ones, black pebbly ones and coral creamy ones-- my summer love affair with the sea began and is rekindled every summer thereafter. Granted that I get hot and sweaty, I find that these discomforts can easily be forgotten with the slathering of some sunblock cream and much splashing around in clear and cool sea water. Adding intensity to the love affair: the food-- eating sweet ripe mangoes and licking the juices off our fingers; sip cool coconut water (buco); and cubes of the freshest raw fish in a vinaigrette pool (kinilaw) partnered with barbequed pork belly. The moments— beach combing for the tiniest seashell in the late afternoons; and, a full moon, some star gazing and the occasional sighting of a falling star while listening to the sounds of the waves as the tide comes in. And the people—then, 4 sisters and 2 brothers and lots of sun-kissed cousins; now, my son, my daughter, my husband and like-minded friends. So I return to the sea -- my summer place. Sometimes for just a day, sometimes for a week and always wishing to stay longer the next time. And am happy to report that the love affair continues to burn as brightly and as hot as the summer sun.
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If you love summer that way I do, I am sure you will enjoy the following cool idea. Yoghurt Ice
2 small containers of plain yoghurt
1/2 c chopped fruit ( banana, strawberries)
Some honey or sugar
1 Tablespoon chopped nuts and choco chips

Place all of the ingredients (except the nuts) in a blender and zap until smooth. Stir in the nuts and chips. You may pour the smoothie into the yoghurt containers or ice tray or in Popsicle containers.

Pop into the freezer for at least 4 hours or until firm. When serving, you might want to surround your yoghurt ice with more fruit, nuts and choco-chips. Enjoy!!

Turkey On My Mind

Last year I visit some cities in Turkey. And ever since then, I have developed a strong liking for all things yoghurt or containing yoghurt--— frozen yoghurt, creamy yoghurt, yoghurt health drinks, yoghurt salad dressings, even yoghurt as a substitute for cream in my muffins.

Yesterday, I decided to have a Turkish breakfast consisting of sliced tomatoes, cucumber, slices of hard cheese, a hard boiled egg and—you guessed it, yoghurt with some honey. I would have wanted some crusty bread to go with the meal but I settled for some toast.



Nothing speaks to me better about a country than it’s food. And so with this simple breakfast fare, I am once again transported to a country that intrigued me so much.

Should you get a chance to visit Turkey, remember me when you dig your spoon into a bowl of creamy yoghurt

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What food talks Turkish to me and brings back delicious memories?

simit, a sesame-topped ring of baked dough (similar to a bagel-- but softer)



A fried fish sandwich (Balik ekmek) by the Bosphorus– just fresh fish, caught that day, fried or grilled and stuffed into a wedge of fresh bread with some tomatoes and lettuce



Apple tea – which I learned was for tourist.

A meze lunch- Stuffed vine leaves, a yoghurt or lentil-based soup, flatbread and dips, and grilled kofte kebab





Ayran- a yogurt (again) drink with salt and water. Said to give one a healthy stomach/

Pomegranate juice from a street vendor – a fruit with miraculous health properties according to some


Lokum- a gelatinous confectionary better known as Turkish Delight


Pistachios, Dates and Apricots

“Afiyet Olsun!” - “Enjoy your meal!”