Showing posts with label Just Because. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Just Because. Show all posts
where miracles happen
i went here with a group of my closest friends (year 2008), we left very early on a v-hire (o i miss riding a v-hire, it runs so fast, you'll get to where you want to be without even knowing it haha). everybody brought their lunch, they have cottages that you can eat in, you would have to bring your own water too though but the place is airy and comfortable enough to enjoy a good meal.
they have different chapels, it is very solemn in there. you are not allowed to take pictures of the image inside the chapel nor are you allowed to make any noise. you fall in line to see the image, if possible drop a donation, and pray truthfully, deeply, with tears if necessary, and just say what you need. Mary is known to catholics as a very good intercessor of prayers since she is the mother of our Lord and is known to have asked Jesus to perform his very first miracle (the wedding in Cana) ... objections, reactions, violent reactions allowed :)
...appreciating God's wondrous paradise...
strawberries everywhere
...appreciating God's wondrous paradise...
a long day with long walks in longwood gardens
...longwood gardens, kenneth square, pa. 1,050 acres of gardens, one of the best in the US. Bought from William Penn by George Pierce then by Pierre S. du Pont who made it a private estate. today, it has 20 outdoor gardens and 20 indoor gardens within 4.5 acres of heated greenhouses or conservatories. it has 11,000 (or more) types of trees and plants .... the list goes on and on ...
one of my favorite things in longwood are the flowerbeds .. they seem to be arranged by color and they're all in full bloom. we went in the summer, i could only imagine how this garden was like in full spring bloom!! another favorite part are the topiaries ... it's like being alice in wonderland ... they also have lots of fountains, secret gardens, meadows, gazebos, lakes, lilies, treehouses ... wonderful, wonderful ... tired, tired haha!! but this was one of our first trips to see PA and as you can imagine, every bit of the place just leaves us in awe!! also, don't forget to enjoy the illuminated fountain show at 9:00pm i believe, where lighted fountains dance to classical music .... lovely!! but you know what ... the walk was long enough, so, let's keep the talk short ... let's go see pictures :)
pictures or words are not enough to enjoy the beauty longwood gardens has to offer. and i've heard it's even prettier during winter ... i just didn't have the guts to go on a long walk on a cold winter day! well, maybe when i get myself a VERY good jacket, good boots and probably go on a not-so-freezing winter day ... we'll see .. till then!!
halloween 101 - things i learned
... halloween. it is celebrated anually on october 31, it includes activities as trick-or-treating, wearing costumes, carving jack-o-lanterns, haunted attractions, ghost stories, bonfires, watching horror films... coming from pinas, i've always celebrated this time of year without any costumes, no trick-or-treating and no pumpkins. all souls' day and all saints' day (nov 1-2) is mostly lighting candles for the dead, saying our prayers, offering and hearing mass, reuniting with distant relatives, painting mausoleums and of course spending a day or two in the cemetery. halloween is something i needed to learn, and here are the basics:
TRICK OR TREAT. this is where you dress up kids (and daddies) in costumes, they go knock from one door to another to get CANDY. I have to remind my son ... that though candy is good, chocolate is better ... and mommy likes BUTTERFINGER, so grab those, hehe! It's cold this time of year so choose costumes that still look good with long johns on and don't forget to bring glow sticks and a big bag for the goodies! be ready, some home owners dress up in costumes too ...
JACK-O-LANTERNS. first go visit a pumpkin patch, they would have different kinds of pumpkins for you, small ones, medium-sized ones and really big ones. get only what you can handle, they get to be really heavy. pick out and print an easy pattern, pin it to the front of your pumpkin, cut the top part out, take the seeds out and then start carving. when you're ready, get a candle, put it inside your pumpkin and voila, you've got a jack-o-lantern! btw, pumpkin patches can give you hayrides, ghost stories and other halloween activities your kids would love.
HALLOWEEN PARTIES. this time of year is not just for kids, they can also be fun for adults. you can wear costumes and have a party (just because!)... i'm not too sure of the idea of santa being in town on halloween though. what do you think? no doubt about it, halloween is fun but i also make it a point to celebrate it the old-fashioned pinoy way. i do my best to have a mass scheduled in the mausoleum of my parents, paint it once in a good while, keep it clean, and have it ready for visitors/relatives who would light their candles and say their prayers. It's good to have that pinoy part of me as a reminder that october 31-nov 2 is not just candies, pumpkins and costume parties...they can also be about prayers, families and getting together ... and both ways can be equally fun ....
** THIS IS IN MEMORY OF MY MOM AND DAD, I LOVE YOU BOTH! ... THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING, GOD BLESS YOUR SOULS! i'll always be daddy's little girl, and i never fail to go by mommy's life lessons to get me through every day ... I WILL BE MISSING YOU BOTH ALWAYS!
...appreciating God's wondrous paradise...
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About Me
- pearl
- i am filipino, proud of my origin ... i have been blessed to be working in the US; i have my hubby and my little boy with me and every weekend (almost!) we try to do something interesting...whether it be in our town, a few miles away, more than a few miles, nearby states or (once or twice) even a plane ride away ....
my travel magnet collection
when the travel bug hits me...i go
my favorite travel buddies
home is where the heart is, miss u all
four parks, one world