EARTH DAY: April 22

 Celebrate April

The miracle is not to fly in the air or to walk on water, but to walk on the earth. – Chinese Proverb

EARTH DAY is here.

It is an annual event celebrated on April 22.

First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally through earthday.org including 1 billion people in more than 193 countries.

How to celebrate?

Gaze in wonder at the shape of a tree, the trembling of a leaf, the sweet perfume of a sturdy branch, the breathtaking delicacy of flowering blossoms.

Trees are the earth's endless effort to speak to the listening heaven. - Rabindranath Tagore

AZUL’S TREE (actually a CRABAPPLE) displays an abundance of pink blossoms. Photo: I.T.V. Columbus, April 2020

 

TREE TRIO

Left-right: AMERICAN ELM. Front garden, Columbus home, 2025; PALO VERDE and PALM TREES. Phoenix, 2026

Better still, hug a tree. Be-leaf it or not, trees love hugs, too.

Or just gaze at it in admiration, be it miniscule...

BONSAI yeah! Rooting for my little buddy. Photo: I.T.V. Columbus, September 2020

 

... or gigantic, such as a BANYAN tree, undeniably magnetic in its sheer size and the way its roots grow down like ancient pillars.

But beware!

 

It is believed to be an abode of spirits and deities. Don’t sleep under it at night, as you might disturb these entities.

Get your spooky on!

 

BANYAN-Lined Shore. Photo: V.E.V. Waikiki at Kuhio Beach

Perhaps, to play it safe, better just make a FAUX indoor tree.

Left-right: G’s and FAV GRAND/D’s DIY projects. Columbus, 2024

Other things to do?

Plant a seed. 

Save the earth. It’s the only planet with chocolate. Like a rental car, earth needs to be returned in good condition.

Reduce, reuse, recycle… and if all else fails, pretend you don’t know where the trash came from.

Have you ever tried lying under a tree and walking barefoot? it could be the most spiritual thing you could ever do.

The planet is cooler than TikTok.

Let’s take care of it!

FIFTY-FIVE WHA??!!: April 17

Celebrate April

Marriage is neither heaven nor hell, it is simply purgatory. - Abraham Lincoln

I’m not sure about that. I’m not Catholic. 

Anyway, what can I say, but, remarkable! Can’t imagine over five decades of having survived being together, mildly annoying each other.

So, let’s celebrate. 

Sorry, no refunds.  Warranty expired.

Sometimes soulmates, sometimes cellmates.

Food is the ingredient that binds us together.

Sarap! Dinuguan, tocino, sinigang, adobo, pancit, and lumpiang Shanghai. Laguna Bay Bistro: Columbus, Ohio

We never met a dessert we couldn’t eat.

Dessert treat from Second Daughter: chocolate chiffon cake slice, tiramisu tarts. Paris Baguette: Avon, Ohio

Well, we’ve weathered each other’s quirks for yet another year.

I’d say that’s impressive, deserving a medal for endurance, won’t you agree?

Sloth: proof that slow and steady can still win the race... eventually.

Confirmation Sunday: April 12

Confirmed In Christ 

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. – Jeremiah 29:11-13

Today, our Fav Granddaughter, together with eleven other young people, were confirmed in Christ at King Avenue United Methodist Church.

Congratulations on your confirmation day, dear child!

Sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit

They say confirmation is a rite of passage.

 I’ve heard others say it’s the only time you can wear a fancy dress and still be told to sit still. 

Getting confirmed is like getting a diploma in “How to Sit Quietly in Church.”

Still someone has commented that it's just a really long church service with cake.

Seriously, today’s service was an affirmation for the confirmands and for their family as well of commitment to the Christian faith. 

Through Christ, we are bonded not just to Christ, but to each other as a community of faith.

It was a milestone initiation into full church membership and a personal, mature acceptance of faith.

Confirmed in Christ

Confirmation: when you finally get to say, 'I do' to the church, but still can't say 'I do' to chores.

R.M.M. (behind, right) with Confirmands, after delivering Called In The Dark message 

Confirmation: the moment you realize your grandparents and Mom are more excited than you are.

And friends are friends forever, If the Lord's the Lord of them.

Left: Piano Rendition by I.T.V. Friends – Michael W. Smith, in celebration of the Confirmands and friendships formed

The welcome will not end, Though it's hard to let you go

In the Father's hands we know, That a lifetime's not too long

To live as friends.

To our beloved A.V.S.:

May your heart always shine with faith,

 

May the Holy Spirit guide and strengthen you today and always!

NATIONAL SIBLINGS DAY: April 10

Celebrate April!

Other things may change us, but we start and end with family. – Unknown

There are seven siblings in my family. Six of them are my brothers. Mum used to call us her Seven Crosses. On our good days, we were her Seven Angels.

It has been really easy for me to recite our ages because they are in multiples of two’s. Like when there was a baby (0 years old), the siblings were 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12.

Until we had a proper bedroom, my siblings and I slept on woven mats on the living room floor. 

It was on my 13^th year, I think, that I got my own room. The Brothers got their own space as well. It was furnished with three double-decker beds.

Perfect.

Two of them were my mortal enemies: Brother No. 1 and the Youngest No. 6.

BROTHER No. 1 and I celebrate Christmas at Lolo Gorio’s. Manila: Circa 1949

 

My favorite brother was Brother No. 3. He was my partner in crime. 

All seven siblings quarreled regularly. Those that say they never fight are most definitely hiding something.

At other times, we were the best of friends, sharing a sugar cane or spitting watermelon seeds at passers-by.

Official Studio Foto on BROTHER No. 3's second birthday. Manila: February 5, 1953

FOUR BROTHERS, so far. BROTHER No. 4 was zero years old.

Now that we’ve grown, I have come to realize how they were like stars. They may have annoyed me, but at least they were always there.

 

When we get together, it’s like a stand-up comedy show. We can make each other laugh until our stomach hurt.

Foto with inscription in Mum's handwriting. Manila: October 7, 1973

I had left for America four months earlier when this foto was taken.

My brothers may not always be at my side,

but they are always in my heart.

NATIONAL BEER DAY: April 7

Celebrate April!

A day without beer is like… just kidding. I have no idea. – Unknown

With days getting longer and sunnier, new hope and a new you are awaiting. Are you ready to welcome April?

Here are some fun facts about the month you may not be aware of.

For starters, some of you may be happy to know that April 7 is NATIONAL BEER DAY.

Yay!

It is celebrated to commemorate the end of Prohibition in 1933.

In the US, it has been set aside to recognize the history, cultural significance, and popularity of one of the most popular alcoholic beverages in the world.

Beer doesn't have a lot of vitamins.

That's why you need to drink lots of it.

Beer Flight. Toronto: July 27, 2024

 

Nuttin’ like San Miguel Beer with kare-kare. UP Hotel: March 4, 2024

Fun fact: San Miguel Beer refers to San Miguel Pale Pilsen, a Filipino pale lager and flagship beer of the San Miguel Brewery.

It stands out for its versatile flavor profiles and its broader international recognition. 

Reportedly, over 177.5 million kiloliters of beer (that’s about 46 billion gallons) were sold worldwide. Now, that’s a lot of beer! 

No wonder, someone decided to create this holiday, one that’s preceded by another beer holiday: New Beer’s Eve.

Double Yay!!

If you can't fix it with duct tape or beer, it ain't worth fixing. Dixie Saloon Brewery and Restaurant, Mackinaw, Michigan: June 2025

Second Daughter: Abs are cool and all, but… have you tried craft beer?

Hubby: Yeah, I’m into fitness. Fit’ness whole beer in my belly.

 Bavarian Inn Lodge, Frankenmuth, Michigan: June 2025

Weekend forecast. 100% chance of beer.

P.S. Just received reader comment and reminder from Hubby saying that he was responsible for giving first taste of beer to Second Daughter, then a toddler in Chicago (circa 1976).