Harvest Moon

September Vibes 

Oh, shine on, shine on

Harvest moon up in the sky. - Jack Norworth

There is a full moon rising. Close to the same time several days in a row. Reportedly, it happens around September 22, depending on the year and time zone.

Internet pic only

Harvest Moon.

What a unique, if not, eerie occurrence. Imagine seeing a moon at sunset. Refraction causes more of the red sunlight to come through, giving the moon a red tint.

Not to be alarmed. 

This phenomenon is actually a festive occasion that is celebrated in some Asian cultures with lanterns, mooncakes, and outdoor gatherings. 

A time to give thanks for the bountiful harvest and embrace the new season.

Make corn, bread, or other foods with grains.

Drink wine.

Have a bonfire.

And with a giant, orange-tinted moon hanging low in the night sky, it likely won't be that hard to conjure some good feels. 

May your life be as abundant as the harvest,

and your heart as full as the moon. 

A Glow Like Old Amber

September Vibes

 September glows like old amber. - Anonymous

Autumn is calling.

Hawaiian Sunset. The flat horizon and uninterrupted ocean view lend a vivid and unobstructed view of vibrant colors that paint the sky. Photo: A.V.H., Honolulu, Hawaii: 2024

Beautiful bright autumn day with air like cider and a sky so blue you could drown in it. Columbus, Ohio: 2023

Fallen Leaves. Columbus, Ohio: 2023

May the crisp days ahead 

Fill you with joy!

Pumpkin Everything

September Vibes 

September tries its best to have us forget summer. - Bernard Williams

Here comes September. 

Well, hello! I've been waiting for you. Please make it awesome. Make it a September to remember.

So it shall be done.

The world shall now transform into pumpkin everything.

Left: Handmade Harvest Figurines (Indian and pilgrim couples, pumpkin, bonfire, and teepee) by Second Granddaughter. Columbus, Ohio: 2020

Right: DIY Fall Centerpiece. Fall leaves, mini-pumpkins, and pinecones in traditional autumn colors of brown, orange, red, and green exude an old-fashioned charm. Columbus, Ohio: 2023

Playful vampire with pink Jack-O-Lantern loves to pose! Photos: I.T.V. Columbus, Ohio: 2017

Let's carve out some fun.

Gourd vibes only!

Tales' End

 Frog Tales Marathon 

I hope this Frog Tales Marathon has entertained you. Here are some parting words for you to hop into.

It's not easy being green. - Kermit

Not all frogs turn into princes. Some will forever remain toads. - Anonymous

The frog does not drink up the pond in which it lives. - Indian Proverb

Make a splash,

Look before you leap,

Don't jump to conclusions,

Enjoy a good swim,

Hop to it! - Advice From A Frog

DIY cross-stitched Keroppi planner

Finally, this thought:

May the light always find you on a dreary day

When you need to be home, may you find your way

May you always have courage to take a chance

And never find frogs in your underpants.

Keroppi earring and necklace set find at Five Below

Frog Humor

 Frog Tales Marathon 

For a ribbiting good time, I thought we could go ahead and leap into the world of frog humor's TOP TEN list.

1 Why are frogs so happy?     Because they eat whatever bugs them.

2 What do frogs do with paper?     They rip-it.

3 Why do frogs always do a great job?     Because they just hop into it.

4 Why didn’t the frog park on the side of the road?     He was afraid of getting toad.

5 What kind of music do frogs listen to?     Hip hop

6 What is a frog’s favorite time of year?     Leap year

7 What do you get when you cross a frog and a dog?     A croaker spaniel

8. How do frogs end their letters?     Hopping this finds you well!

9. What kind of shoes do frogs wear?     Open toad sandals

10 What did the frog say to its friend who was feeling down?     “Don’t worry, be hoppy!”

And there you have it. 

May these jump-start your day!

 

AND WHEN I DIE...

Ashes to ashes…

I suppose that was already made clear in our will.

Maui: 2018

Needless to say, no wake or funeral. Life is too short for one, but should you find the need to gather, let it be small. Among family only.

Above all else, let it be a celebration.

Black looks dreary. Let that day when tomorrow starts without me be a splash of color.

I find no need for a sermon. After all, no funeral sermons were ever preached in the Bible. However, if you deem closure words are in order, let them be brief, only from my daughters and their family. I find the scripture from Psalm 23 very comforting.

Music may be a consolation for the grieving, but rather than solo vocals, I'm partial to piano rendition from my daughters and Jach, as conditions allow and as they please. Perhaps folks singing Amazing Grace.

Hawaii Kai: 2021

Come time to dispose of ashes, maybe outdoors, somewhere? Where Chip and his kind, robins, and hummingbirds are; and seeds of the wheat grass fly with the wind. 

Not underground or in water.

I’m claustrophobic and can’t swim.

Definitely have an eating party afterward. Kuya Ian’s Filipino resto, perhaps? I hope he’d have buko pandan or leche flan, at least, for besert.

Please let my brothers know of my decision to drift rather than be interred among family in the Philippines. Though far across the distance and spaces, my spirit will always go on to them.

As I float upon a cloud, I’ll be watching with a smile.

When you look at the horizon, you can be certain that I’d be roaming free, in the perfection that’s mine at last.

Thanks for acquiescing.

LOVE FROM

Adoracion Llenado Torio-Velasco

Bud, Mom, Grandma, Chon, Doris

August 21, 2025

Studio, Hawaii Kai: 2025

Sandbox Surprise

 Frog Tales Marathon 

When does hibernation start, because I am 100% participating in that. - Anonymous

Pleasant day.

The morning sun was throwing specks of light on the huge, backyard lawn. I had never seen the place look so peaceful. There were scattered ripples of mud and puddles, but the air was fresh after the previous night's rain.

The Girls, three and five years old at the time, were already up, headed outside to the sandbox. It was time for play. Building forts and castles.

Rectangles of light were cast on the sandy mounds which the Girls had started to sculpt when...

... Ribbit!  

The sound from a frog wakened from its deep slumber resounded.

Second Daughter was bubbling enthusiastically, her eyes wide, while First Daughter yelled with an undercurrent of excitement in her voice.

Mom! Look!

It must have been a terrestrial American toad that had burrowed deep into the sand. A tree frog, perhaps, hibernating. Although winters in the southwest were mild, temperatures at night may drop near or below freezing.

Its huge, globular eyes protruding from the top of its head were eyeing them, seemingly saying, Wanna play?

The Girls were bubbling in awe and amazement. They were smitten.

Come on in, I admonished them cheerfully. Breakfast time. Let's leave it alone for now.

They were pleading, But can we play with him later?

Nibbling the insides of their chicken pot pie, they chattered about building a frog house. Can we make him a small swimming pool? What shall we call it? Is it a boy or a girl?

All I could think about was 100% participation in the poetry of hibernation and the comfort of reclusion.

But The Girls were seeing something else in a most ordinary wart-bodied amphibian. 

Magic.

Mystery.

They were living the best part of a journey, experiencing surprise and wonder along the way.

 

Froggy

  Frog Tales Marathon 

Being there for a child is the most noble thing a toy can do. - Woody, Toy Story

It's hard to visualize the toys The Girls had some fifty years ago – all save a few like Froggy. He's as clear as if he were sitting on the Little Bed in the Little Room. 

Froggy was Second Daughter's baptismal gift from her godfather.

Now half-a-century old, he looks simply worn, dilapidated, grubby.

His original eyes, fallen off, had been replaced with googly eyes; his nostrils, re-embroidered with two small dots. His bow tie had been lost.

Froggy sits on Second Daughter's original childhood red bureau in the Grandkids' Little Room in current Columbus home. Hand-me-up Ollie from Grandson keeps him company.

I'm pretty sure that Froggy was there to hear Second Daughter's first word, peach. Or when she first turned over. When Little Girl woke in the deepest dark of night and heard the driving rain, she must have reached out a hand and held his furry leg, and gone to sleep again.

In a world where everyone seems to be larger and louder than yourself, it must have been very comforting to have a quiet and loyal companion. As Little Girl grew up, Froggy must have known her secrets and kept them. 

To this day, Second Daughter is probably no longer emotionally attached to Froggy. Realistically, she has realized that he is sewn, a mere stuffed item. Logically, she knows he is not a living thing. 

But in actuality, if the heart were true, I'm thinking that it doesn't matter much if an eye socket had dropped off. Froggy deserves a dignified old age.

In a world gone crazy, he remains to be a memento of what was comforting.

Uncomplicated.

A dependable hunk of sanity. 

 

Frog Prince

 Frog Tales Marathon 

Sometimes you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince. - Bianca Frazier

Beware of amphibians who can speak in verse.

That seems to be the moral of The Frog Prince.

You know the story. 

A young princess is playing with a golden ball by a woodland spring one day, throwing the ball in the air and catching it.

Once when she throws the ball up, though, she fails to catch it and it falls into the spring. She looks into the water but it’s so deep that she cannot see the bottom of the spring, and so cannot retrieve her ball. She’s so fond of her little ball that she sighs and says she would give all her fine clothes and possessions if she could get it back.

Now it gets exciting.

A frog’s head pops up out of the water. He offers to retrieve the ball in exchange for her friendship. He is actually a prince who has been cursed by a sorcerer.  

The progression is all too familiar.

In the end, the spell is broken when the princess kisses the frog who is transformed back into a prince. And they live happily ever after.

The end.

Very classic fairy-tale ending. I couldn't have scripted it better.

Admit it. 

We're all waiting for our fairy tale ending. But in real life, happy endings are few and far between. 

Not to remain hopeless, though. Who knows? 

Right in the middle of ordinary life, love can give us a fairy tale.

  

Frogger

 Frog Tales Marathon 

Learn to get excited like a child. There is nothing that has more magic than childish excitement. - Jim Rohn

I was loving it. I couldn't keep calm because I was so freaking excited.

Seated in front of our home Atari system, I was in the midst of directing five frogs to their homes. 

If you're a gamer, you may have guessed that I was playing Frogger. 

The game has earned the ominous distinction of being 'the game with the most ways to die'. That upped the scale for me from Charged Up to Thrilled to Wow!!!

I couldn't stand it.

I could lose a life, illustrated by a skull and crossbones symbol where the frog was, including being run over by a road vehicle and jumping into the river.

I could run into snakes, otters, or an alligator's jaws. Sink while on top of a diving turtle.

Or I could jump into a home already occupied by a frog or alligator, or jump into the side of a home or the bush.

Or... oops. I'm going, Splat!

Oh, well. It was just a game. I had a good time playing, so I was a winner even if I had lost.

Kermit

 Frog Tales Marathon 

Music is an outburst of the soul. - Anonymous

Who doesn't know Kermit the Frog?

Arguably Jim Henson's most famous Muppet creation, Kermit was the host of the Muppet Show and one of the stars on Sesame Street.

I remember The Girls watching him on TV, their eyes wide in anticipation as he said, Hi-ho, Kermit the Frog here! 

He would sweep his arms wildly in dramatic fashion and shout, Yaaaay! Then, he would begin to sing the classic Rainbow Connection.

Rainbows are visions

But only illusions

So we've been told and some choose to believe it

I know they're wrong wait and see.

The Girls, their faces lit with pleasure, would sing along. 

Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection

The lovers, the dreamers and me.

They were not even aware of it, but I saw them as music makers. Dreamers of dreams.

Life was a song, and they were singing it.

Keroppi

 Frog Tales Marathon 

The most simple things can bring the most happiness. - Anonymous

I was sad that day, so I went to Goodwill.

For me, shopping was cure for a bad day, or any day, really. It was cheaper than therapy. It was my cardio, and my credit card was my trainer.

I had no sooner poked through a bin when I spotted a colorful billfold. On it was a frog character with big, sparkling eyes, a V-shaped mouth, and cute blush spots on his cheeks. 

Keroppi!

My heart raced. 

With his delightful grin, he was the perfect picture of a happy, ribbiting frog.

From Sanrio data, I'd known him to be adventurous and popular around Donut Pond. 

Imagine him tagging along with his little snail friend Den Den, playing games, especially baseball and boomerangs. He was also known for his amazing singing voice. Maybe it was all that croaking practice?

No second guessing. Resolute with deep breath, I declared. You're mine.

Whoever said laughter was the best medicine obviously never tried shopping.

As I held Keroppi in my hands, I felt the universe align.

All was well with the world.

Senor Frog's

 Frog Tales Marathon 

Find what brings you joy and go there. - Anonymous

Who'd know that a bug-eyed frog could be the inspiration for this two-month Frog Tales Marathon?

I confess.

The invention was brought about by Senor Frog, mascot of a summer dine-in and fiesta spot in Orlando, Florida that we visited last year. 

Even before experiencing the space, I already knew that I'd love it for its quirky name.

Orlando, Florida: July 2024

Squinting against the mid-afternoon sun, up front, I could see a life-sized amphibian in a yellow tee giving a 'high four.' He was beckoning us inside to savor an offering of traditional Mexican dishes.

The tacos, enchiladas, and quesadillas were scrumptious and the gaudy fiesta decor was fun. It was a perfect place to eat and drink.

Outside, the air held the promise of a scorching day. It was hot over the palm trees, but the sky was pure blue and I had never felt happier.

And would you believe it? I'm back, at about the same time last year.

Senor Frog awaits. Never mind the threat of rain and thunderstorms.

Senor, he vuelto!

Orlando, Florida: July 2025

Food is the ingredient that binds us together. Orlando, Florida: July 2025

Adios, Senor Frog.

Hasta el proximo ano!

Elephant Rider

Elephants

Live in the present, find eternity in each moment. - Thoreau

Hello, world travelers!

If you're twiddling your thumbs, waiting for a spark of inspiration to hit you before you embark on that next trip, then stop right here. Here's what's guaranteed to be an experience for you.

India.

It is beautiful. Endlessly fascinating. Often challenging, always surprising.

If you go, do ensure that you include Amer Fort in Jaipur in your itinerary. 

Sitting atop a hill, this magnificent palace is a huge complex built with pale yellow and pink sandstone and white marble. I guarantee, a sure-fire cause for, Awwws.  

Besides all this, surely not to miss...

The elephant ride. 

At the outset, I was nervous, climbing skyward its almost one-story building high back. What if he had wiggled and I got trampled underneath? I reckoned that would feel like being crushed by a couple of cars.

Being intimate with the largest land mammal on earth was strange. I'd quickly conceded right then that if size mattered, the elephant would be king of the jungle.

Elephant Rider. Amer Fort, India: 2011

After being somewhat settled on a make-shift wooden bench, we began meandering through a small stretch of spice garden with heavy greenery, then past a series of gates and cobbled path. It felt like the forest was walking with the elephant.

Intermittently through large ramparts, we had a magnificent view of Maota Lake, the main source of water for the palace.

I had a fleeting thought of psychologist Jonathan Haidt's Elephant Rider analogy regarding human behavior. He argues that we have two sides: an emotional side (the elephant), and an analytical, rational side (its rider).

The rider can see a path ahead while underneath him, the elephant provides the power for the journey.

Perched atop the elephant, the rider holds the reins and seems to be the leader. But the rider’s control is precarious because he is so small relative to the elephant. Anytime the six-ton elephant and the rider disagree about which direction to go, the rider is going to lose because he's completely overmatched.

Recall that I did say, fleeting.

I quickly dismissed thinking about the negative repercussion in that psychological analogy.

Suffice it to say that I was deliriously enjoying the NOW.

Embracing the present moment.

 

Baby Elephant Walk

Elephants

Fathers just have a way of putting everything together. - Erika Cosby

Hatari is one of my all-time favorite movies.  

It stars John Wayne as the leader of professional game catchers in Africa. What I love best about it besides the breathtaking vistas of Africa?

The baby elephant walk scene.

Picture this.

Three baby elephants in single file, prancing on the tips of their toes to a catchy tune on the way to a waterhole to bathe. 

Swaying to shift their weight for comfort, they surprisingly walk quietly on the spongy cushion of their heels.

I've always thought it to be the cutest walk-dance ever.

So what makes this a Father's Day blog?

You see, Saturday was free movie day for families at Erlanger where Dad worked as an office manager. Enterprisingly, he literally brought the movie experience home to us. 

He actually lugged the projector and all its accoutrements so that we could have a weekend of movies at home.

I can't help but beam, picturing him puttering behind the single projection system and balancing a reel, cuing up segments on a spool. Adjusting his eyeglasses, he would calibrate the system such that it made the optimal display on a white sheet that he had tacked on the living room wall.

For the most part, I think that he did not mind being unsung.

Unpraised. 

Unnoticed.

Front pavement of Emilia compound,
Manila

He didn't disagree when I told him he was goofy. I wish I'd inherited his ability to fall asleep anywhere, anytime.

It was only when I grew into adulthood and stepped back from him did I realize and appreciate his greatness.

To this day, as I play in my mind the catchy elephant walk, I couldn't help thinking, I wouldn't trade him for anything, but then again, no one has offered me anything yet.

 

Daddy Comes Home

Elephants

In celebration of Father's Day, I share stories about each of the two Dads in my life in this blog and the next. Here's my first recall.

*****************************************************

Coming home is one of the most beautiful things.- Erika Cosby

It has been said that elephants have steel-trap memories. They never forget.

I'm not like that.

My brain is like the Bermuda Triangle. Information goes in and then it's never found again. I often lie and tell myself, I don't need to write that. I'll remember it. Like a beleaguered warrior in the recall war, I came, I saw, and I forgot what I was doing.

Yet there are choice moments in my life that have become a memory - such as this one of Daddy V.T.V., Jr.

It's a story that I often recount to Eldest Daughter. That day upon exiting St. Paul's hospital with Hubby holding our firstborn baby, I said, What now? 

Then a most-visual awe. Outside, awaiting us was a black, luxurious chauffeur-driven car that Daddy must have sent to take us home.

I'd deemed him mostly reserved. Distant for the most part. But that quiet gesture demonstrated what I had thought. That he had a generous, caring spirit.

He was there for us, giving us the best royal journey home.

On this Father's Day, I honor him and say, Thank you. 

Just us you had gifted us with that grand experience, we'd like to do the same and take you home.

In Passage. Brought back from Manila, Daddy's engraved marble plaque sits on a niche in our rental Waikiki condo. March 2025

Sometimes special people come into our life, stay for a bit and they have to go.

But the bit where they were here was noteworthy. 

Soaring High. Daddy's memory flies up with the framed white fairy tern on the midway atoll. His memory comes alive with the fragrance of peace lilies and plumerias.

That beautiful moment becomes like an old friend.

They may not always be on your mind, but they are forever in your heart. 

Daddy's Home With Us. Fresh-picked iris, peonies in full bloom and first rosebud nestled in peppermint and English ivy greens bid him, Welcome to our home. Your home now. Photo: V.E.V., Columbus, Ohio: May 2025

Four For The Road

 A vacation is what you take when you can no longer take what you've been taking - Earl Wilson

What do four people do on a six-day road trip to Michigan?

First off, stop for snack.

Guess where?

Jollibee.

In Sterling Heights.

For Favorite Granddaughter's Chickenjoy, what critics are calling the best fried chicken in America, served with rice, Filipino-style.

And sweet, flaky mango peach pie made with real Philippine mangoes.

Lunch at Dixie Saloon, a log cabin-style restaurant
 

Then on to Mackinaw City.

We ate.

Yum! Mac and cheese, baked Great Lakes whitefish wrapped in parchment paper.

Vacation calories didn't count.

From Mackinaw City, Mackinac Island, a resort area in Lake Huron between Michigan's Upper and Lower Peninsulas was only a Shepler's Ferry ride away.

The shape of the island has been likened to that of a turtle. 

Thus, it was named Mitchimakinak, meaning Big Turtle.

Horse-drawn taxicabs: an enjoyable and authentic way to view the island

Foremost on our must-see place was the historic Grand Hotel. 

Left and below: In white rocking chair on Front Porch, peering over red geraniums and looking out over the glistening Straits of Mackinac. Photos: I.T.V., Michigan: June 2025

Its front porch is reportedly the longest in the world at some 660 feet in length, overlooking a vast tea garden and the resort-scale Esther Williams swimming pool. 

We couldn't decline going up the fifth floor to see the Cupola Bar from where the best views on the island were showcased.

By the way, the Grand Hotel served as a backdrop and one of the settings for the 1980 film Somewhere in Time starring Christopher Reeves.

Through self-hypnosis, Reeves transports himself back in time to the year 1912 to find love with actress Elise McKenna (portrayed by Jane Seymour).

Upon meeting him for the first time, she asks, Is it you?

But enough of fantasy and obsessive love. It's time to eat!

Believe it or not, Chuckwagon diner was only 12 feet wide, but people waited in line.

We sat at the counter and watched the cook at close range navigating the small space with expertise as he prepared favorites, including a so-called rattlesnake burger. 

 

Next stop was Sable Falls. 

We picnicked before a hike down. 

Skinny people are easier to kidnap.

Stay safe. 

Eat!

A lot! 

Sable Falls tumbles 75 feet over a cascading slope of Munising and Jacobsville sandstone formations on its way to Lake Superior.

Photo: V.E.V., Michigan: June 2025

People who love to eat are the best people.

Of course, we wouldn't leave Michigan without a taste of its famous pasty. 

Reportedly, the original Cornish beef pasty was brought to the Michigan Upper Peninsula by the English copper miners of the 1840s from their native Cornwall.

The miners would place the pasty on top of their shovels and warm it over the headlamps deep in the copper mine.

We tried its many variations: with beef, pork, chicken, potatoes, rutabaga, and carrots in a flaky crust. 

Far left: mini-centerpiece of a wood forget-me-not on our dining table

Left: white trillium covers the Sable Falls hiking trail

We went on a Pictured Rocks cruise. 

The excursion derives it name from the 13 miles of colorful sandstone cliffs northeast of Munising.

The cliffs reach up to 200 feet above sea level. They have been naturally sculpted into a variety of shallow caves, arches, and formations resembling castle turrets and human profiles.

Iconic natural landmarks: Miner's Castle, Indian Head. All Pictured Rocks photos: V.E.V., Michigan: June 2025

Lover's Leap, Light House 

Spray Falls

Can you help find the gnomes at Horseshoe Falls?

Fun! We went on a whimsical scavenger hunt for these hidden legendary creatures that were scattered throughout its charming garden.

Chillin' with gnomies. There's gnome one like you.

Enroute to Frankenmuth, lunch was at Wimpy's, a casual, family friendly fast-food venue. 

Then, voila, Willkomen in Frankenmuth!

The city shows a strong German heritage. Also known for its popular nickname Little Bavaria, Frankenmuth features timber-framed buildings with square and X patterns typical in the architecture of the Franconia region of Germany. 

Pink calendula in flower boxes line city streets

Vacation mood on! Let's go thrifting.

After approximately 20 hours of travel on the road and on water, 10,000 steps on a five-mile hike alone on a single day, three B&Bs, treks to explore souvenir shops and taverns, and a million calories - our vacay came to an end. 

And what better way to celebrate than with an authentic Bavarian dinner?

                                                        

 Ain't nothin' that a beer can't fix.
Wine is bottled poetry. - R. L. Stevenson

Time to go home.

We haven't been everywhere, but it's on our list.