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.