Fire trees on the road

Fire trees along Maribojoc Highway

The best plants to grow along the highway are fire trees. Yes you heard me right, fire trees. They not only provide the needed shade, they also bloom during summer. Oh boy, they look magnificent on the road during the summer season. They serve as a canopy on the road. What could be prettier than that!

           

I found the fire trees alluring during my trip to my new work station early this week. It’s an hour’s drive from the city. I drove so I could assess how long the trip is, the road condition, among others.

I have planned to photograph the trees in another trip. Yesterday, I was finally able to do it. It felt good. I will probably write a blog about it.

I have been driving around since I returned to my home province in June last year. Going to my father’s hometown, I take the coastal road. The view is breath taking. In a strange kind of way, it’s like the sea view in Maasim, Sarangani province.

Meanwhile, driving to my mother’s hometown is trickier since it is an interior town complete with blind curves. But it’s a short drive so it’s not that taxing. On the other hand, the drive to my new work station is farther. In fact, the drive provides you with a variety of views. One can have a breath-taking view of the sea, fire trees and mangroves by the roadside, old churches, old houses, grand modern houses, and many more. Well, Bohol has been famous for its century-old churches and houses so Boholanos are no longer amazed. But I have lived outside Bohol for over twenty years, so seeing all these once again is novelty to me. I am relishing it.

I guess it’s the magic of revisiting your place with a new pair of eyes. 

The cloudy part appearing on the photo is a rain drop falling on my lens.

The Mangrove

Coffee and bread. I opened the screen door and looked out the river. It was coffee time this afternoon.

I have ceased to drink coffee since three weeks back. I have decided when I got sick that I will kick out the habit. So far, so good. I slept the whole afternoon and when I woke up, I wanted to eat bread. I told myself that having coffee for bread is not in violation of my self-imposed rule.

I was having coffee and eating bread while communing with nature. The birds were hovering across the river. Ah the mangrove tree was standing; leaves dancing. Totally a beautiful scene. Nature is truly beautiful. You stare at it and you marvel at the power of its Creator.

As usual when these experiences happen, I am usually alone. It’s a communion. What a lucky girl I am. Most people have to travel to see what I see every single day. Yeah, at times, the beauty simply escapes me; work life is demanding. But when I have my slow moments which usually happen during weekends, then I get to commune again with the beauty that surrounds me.

Real beauty makes us drift. We remember our loved ones – those who are living and long gone. It makes us revisit our charming memories; I only choose the good ones naturally including past loves haha. Sure why not?

Then it occurred to me: hey, I can write about this scene. Yes, I could.

So here it is. Inspired by a cup of coffee.

Oh, I always go back to my first love: Life is a cup of coffee.

And the mangrove tree continues to thrive on the riverbank. Just like me. Just like you. Enchanting.

P.S. Last weekend, I saw a small snake swallow a live lizard by the mangrove roots. It's ugly.