WOV’s Insectarium: Yellow Dragonfly

RURAL BLISS |

Look around and gaze this flying gem of nature

[Veggie Shade: A yellow-colored dragonfly closed up over a Bermuda grass background for a photo op.]

Nature has a lot to offer – from dramatic landscapes to eye-catching creatures. Sure thing, they attract us. Tourists, photographers and nature lovers are increasing in trend because of this glorious spectacles.

Walking near the farmlands of Bangui, Ilocos Norte feels like you're a visitor to your own place. You get to see a lot of nature wonders – more than 20 species of butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies, migratory birds and colorful bugs. You'd wish you were a resident of the place. Then realizing, you just live nearby. And you won't stop smiling after.

The only problem now would be the difficulty level of classifying these marvelous species. For instance, this dragonfly that came before my eyes last September. First, I thought they were the usual Diplacodes trivialis. Then, I identified them Trithemis pallidinervis. But they are not; they have different markings in the abdomen. Can anyone help me about this?

Unknown Dragonfly: A dragonfly with black and yellow markings alighted in a barbwire of a house near the ricefields.

God created the world ingeniously. Very clever and imaginative that everything has its own purpose. Sometimes, you might think you lose the game but actually you did not. You just received your prize from Him. We are not talking about your consolation prize here my dear friend but your biggest lesson in life that you might waste if you will not recycle your principles. Drive smoothly. Our journey has just started. Do not fool yourself to shortcuts because you might miss this one of a kind learning experience.

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WOV’s Insectarium: Gaika Butterfly

RURAL BLISS |

Photographing the tiniest in Ilocos Norte

[Gaika Blue: The half-inch butterfly in the lush farmland of Bangui overlooked by many locals.]

DESCRIPTION

By just taking this photo of a particular grass blue butterfly species, I can say that a lot of passers-by there have ignored another marvel of nature because of its size comparable to the nail of your (schoolage children) smallest finger. Yes, they are really tiny that it took me some time to find the proper angle of my poor point and shoot camera for this dream macro shot. Why blue anyway? This is simply because the upperside wings (the hidden part when the wings are held together) are amazingly colored with blue.

CLASSIFICATION

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Lebidoptera

Family: Lycaenidae

Genus: Zizula

Species: Zizula hylax
Common Name: Tiny Grass Blue

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WOV’s Insectarium: Colorful Damselfly

RURAL BLISS |

Behold this awesome splendor of nature

[Tinted Shaft: An orange young female Agriocnemis damselfly perching near the verdant rice fields of Ilocos Norte.]

DESCRIPTION

Prime your eyes because scouting them is difficult! Ward off your hands because picking them is rude! And smile because seeing them is marvelous! They are damselflies – slender, delicate, and weak-flying insects resembling like dragonflies which eyes are separated and wings are held vertically.

Embellishing the grasses of Bangui, Ilocos Norte, alongside drains, forest and open streams, ponds and rice fields are colorful variety of damselfly, the Agriocnemis rubeola. This particular species originating in Southeast Asia is extending 25-millimeter length and spreading 17-millimeter wings.

These marvels of the greensward, gliding during the daytime are observed to change in color as they mature – from an orangey young to greenish adult female Agriocnemis rubeola. They also differ in color according to their sexes, for instance, male species are hued turquoise or greenish blue.

Damselflies are very beneficial in the environment, in the ecosystem. They help in controlling the numbers of harmful insects as they are ferocious predators of flies, mosquitoes, moths and beetles. They are also used as indicators of clean or polluted waterways, streams and ponds, that is, they are unable to breed without such sanitary body of water.

Turquoise Damselfly: A vibrant bluish damselfly maneuvering the grasses of rural houses.

CLASSIFICATION

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Odonata

Suborder: Zygoptera

Family: Coenagrionidae

Genus: Agriocnemis

Species: Agriocnemis (rubescens) rubeola

Adult Damselfly: A female Agriocnemis damselfly that has changed its color from orange to green.

We live in nature – very rich and useful. So we should take good care and preserve these treasures if we want them to last for the next generations. Because if Mother Earth cries, all of these natural luxuries we have will vanish in just a sneeze of a typhoon, slap of a tsunami, punch of a soil erosion and a kick of a hurricane. Now, do you want that? Not at all! Let’s hold our hands, take a  walk and move purposefully for the future… 

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WOV’s Insectarium: Red Dragonfly

WILDLIFE REVERIE

Launching a new section in my blog…

Regal Advent: An auburn dragonfly alighted on a branch of a young rambutan tree.

DESCRIPTION

Spreading about 70 millimeter wings, 45-millimeter length Neurothemis ramburii uninhibitedly soar Asia, taking their way across South Eastern region which includes the farms, ponds, orchards and lowland forests of the Philippines. These dark-red-to-brown-to-orange-winged dragonflies, belonging in the largest family of skimmers, are known as great predators of mosquitoes. Their species are difficult-to-get-close-to, unless weak and immature, along with Neurothemis terminata, their closest relatives.

CLASSIFICATION

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Odonata

Suborder: Anisoptera

Family: Libellulidae

Genus: Neurothemis

Species: Neurothemis ramburii

You don't need it but you would love it. But with the surprises in life you have experienced it. Life is tough. Life is fair. Life is sweet.

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Bangui | Town Fiesta 2011

Happy Fiesta Bangui, Ilocos Norte!!!

  

Time never stopped its race with the powerful wind breezing in Norte, never surrendered its clash with the harsh waves splashing in Bangui Bay. The pebbles of Bantoc were exploited, the Windmills were constructed. Then and now, we are beholding the shining inheritance, the flourishing culture and the strengthening spirit, of Bangui, of every Banguinian!

The remaining days of April were counted but the Banguinians, people of Bangui, are still counting all the blessings they received. And so, we need to wrap this up in a major major event, the Bangui Town Fiesta 2011!

For them, fiesta is a mass fashion of celebrating goodness as well as honoring their patron saint, St. Lawrence. Indeed, it’s a Christian happening; it’s a festivity of oneness, splendor, abundance and the like. Many embrace this occasion next to Christmas as generosity unfurls everywhere you turn. It’s a long Easter week, hence the perfect time to rejoice after the Lenten season. It’s the last sunny days of the month before the rain arrives for May Flower, therefore it's a gift to keep and to treasure in the whole year round.

The celebration started with a show called Talentadong Banguinian in an Easter Tuesday. As the title implies, the affair showcased the talents of every proud fellow Banguinian. The next day marked Tinuno Festival. It’s a boodle fight with a twist as participants competed for the best tasting grilled food in town. Then the stars came to witness the fifteen candidates for Ms. Kannawidan Festival (Ms. SK Bangui) in the night of Easter Wednesday. The grand parade and street dance graced an Easter Thursday while the Night of the Senior Citizens was held in the evening. Easter Friday welcomed Banguinians all around the globe with the program, Balikbayan Night. And the long week was ended with the Barangay Night which highlighted the crowning of the majesty queen in the last Easter day, Saturday.

As if it was only yesterday when I was also joining the parade as part of the drum and lyre corporation. The days were gone and now I am only documenting this gathering - taking photos and having some commentaries, which I admit I got to enjoy it too.

Fiestas during my childhood look more of a festival than what it has nowadays. Before, there are cottage-forming booths of every barangay made up of bamboos and decorated with indigenous materials (sort of a nipa house). These are filled with the products of the barangay such as banig (mat), tambo or ting-ting (cleaning materials), longganisa, bawang (garlic), lasona (onion),  mais (corn) and a lot more which are sold to the public to help town farmers and entrepreneurs. Floats are also more attractive then. They almost look like those of Panagbenga Festival floats in Baguio. There are a lot of fresh flowers on it. Others prefer orchids, palm trees or shrubs and more of ranib and anahaw to display. I call them, mobile gardens - house landscapes transferred to a vehicle. Some also uses indigenous materials to flaunt creativity and style. For instance, crampled papers, piled and painted to form like a bird, duck, etc.; cloths, shaped and colored to exhibit a butterfly in 3D; and hays, cut and braced to create miniature building designs such as a bahay kubo. Sad to say, I'd been longing all of these since high school.

But what I appreciate during these occasions was the support of the people - boundless and timeless. Everyone participates - from the longest part of the parade, the delegates of the senior citizens to the youth who involved themselves in the different activities such as basketball game, pageant and talent show. The spectators, the crowd, cheering for the contestants and their friends are just exciting and the coordinators, participants, audiences, sacrificing effort and time are just heart-warming.

What can I say? Bangui Town Fiesta 2011 really refreshed my exhausted world! 'Til next time!

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Bangui | Mountain Resort

The verge of tsunami alert: An eye opener for the start of Summer '11!

March 11, 2011. I was in school. I spent the whole day in taking the diagnostic exam in preparation for our review for the Nursing Licensure Examination this July. Five o'clock hit the clock. I went home. To my dormitory. Walking. Thinking. (Sigh). It was a tough day. Really.

Tired and wanting a big gulp of cold. I opened, not the refrigerator, but first the door. Hmmmn. As usual, the neighborhood in complete attendance again. I thought they were watching some afternoon soap. Innocent. I am. Passing...

Then, Ate, the landlady, "Vhincci! Watch this..." There, I learned about the tsunami alert #2 in the country, in our province, Ilocos Norte. Now, it's tougher!

 

 

Where am I? Am I safe? Those kind of question arose. I'm lucky I'm in the urban. Not in nearby water. Sea. Ocean. Not in the coastal. Wait. My parents. Family. They are in Bangui. And it is a town nearby the bay. The South China Sea. And a little curve from the Pacific. Indeed, a prone area.

Where to evacuate then? For them who are in Bangui, especially in our barangay. I thought of this place. The Mountain Resort. It was high. High enough. Safe enough. The problem is, the resort cannot accomodate the whole populace.

Sad. Who can't be sad? I cannot imagine myself surviving in this disastrous event. Wet? Dirty? Lot of properties will be damaged. Japan, rich, suffered. What more to a poor Philippines? Thank God! That by 11 close midnight, the alert was cancelled. And I can have a peaceful sleep... zzzzZZZzzzz

 

 

Summer is here! I love it! Nice! Happy! Yehey! Bulaga! What else to say?

For sure, a lot will be again enjoying the season. Vacationers on the beaches! Boracay. Palawan. Pagudpud. But rarely on mountains. Only the adventurers!

Ok, aside from its advantage during the tsunami alert, I take you to a wider tour of Bangui's Mountain Resort. The resort is situated at the eastern most part of Barangay Lanao - the richest barangay in Bangui, reached before the town of Pagudpud and Dumalneg. So if you're trying to go to these towns, don't cha forget to visit this wonderful offering of nature.

Am I to duplicate these pictures? No! I mean, the photos speak for themselves. I need not to talk about them. So better look at them keen, vivid and glorious!

Oh! Isn't it that this place is stunning? Lots of green. Trees. Coconut. Grasses. To run. To walk. To tumble. To play! Hmmm. Lot of fresh air! Pure! And a majestic view. Of the vast verdant farmland. Of the bridge connecting to Pagudpud, where you can find Saud Beach, Asia's promising beach. And of course, a scene of the South China Sea! Look at the photos!

 

 

Hey! You can also stay all day, all night! You can't just have a tour, a visit! But hang-out and enjoy too. The place got a lot of cute cottages, for family picnics, simple chit-chats with friends, and a romantic sit-and-talk for lovers. And they can stay the whole night with rooms available. For couples or barkadas. Wow!

But if you're into a wilder and crazier life! Then avail it with their mini bar. Sing, dance and drink! Don't be bothered, 'cause the serenity still stays as this bar is far from their rooms. Enough not to be irritated if you're a conservative one...

Everywhere you stand are great views. At the back, you can take a glance of the forest and the mountain dividing Cagayan and Ilocos. And that, even you can see unfinished buildings, still you'll be amazed with its promises, that future is what it holds!

 

 

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Bangui | Windmills

Which is which?


Bangui, Ilocos Norte. Full of promises. From undeveloped coastal area to vast verdant farmlands. Simple and happy folks inhabited the humble locality. Until, fifteen windmills were constructed along the seashore of the rich Bangui bay. Then five more were added recently.

But do we really have something to owe with these gigantic fans? No profound one. Not anything deep but superficial famousness. A big change. Urban dudes are now talking about Beng-gi. Well, that’s how would they pronounced the pungent Bang-gi. Gross! But denser than this includes lot of complaints.

Reports show that the building of these windmills had cut the coins of the fishermen. That windmill must be that sharp, steel cutter huh! Seriously, the catches of fishermen significantly dropped. Scientifically, I don’t know the explanation of this. But it is believed that the movement of the enormous fans of the windmills drives away the fishes. Too sad.

In as much as the work of these fishermen is concerned, these windmills at least welcomed some jobs. Don’t rejoice, it’s only a job. A job with no opportunity at all. No future. Coming up with cafeterias, coffee shops and restaurants nearby is one. Wait. Are you thinking? How would these businesses profit much? Tourists only come and go. They don’t stay at the place for hours. They are only after the pictures. Documentations.

How about the selling of souvenirs? Still not a good idea. One shop would be enough. People cannot just have a stand in a certain area and just wait and wait. In one week, you could only sell five? To ten stuffs, I'm pretty sure. Not productive.

Indeed potentials and other attributes of the town are overpowered or worst, disbanded by these fans. There’s a portion of the bay before that is patronized because of the magical stones, I mean stunning pebbles, that is opulently distributed in the place. But now? All gone. Like bubbles that burst in a matter of time.

Bangui does have a lot to offer. Natural resources such as falls, rivers and spring had been overlooked. The not established names of these just got worst, as I have said, had been overshadowed by these big fat fans.

Benefits. People think. People thought. That. That there are benefits of the folks living in the town, but actually… nothing. No thing. Even a lowered electric bill? No. Cannot be felt at all. And what’s the purpose of having a good source of electricity if wires and lines in the municipality are not organized, not managed well. When typhoon comes, it takes about 3 days that they can put back the current. No good service.

Woooh! A lot. Of complaints.

The above photos showcase the two sides of Bangui. When you are at the Bangui Viewdeck, a sort of a lookout of the whole town, you can view these majestic fans. Indeed, they are eye-catching. From toddlers peeping at the window of cars to foreigners holding a Canon to shot that picturesque scene. These Windmills are what they are into. This view on the left is always preferred by lot. Yes, a lot. But there are few who opt for the right view. You're right. It's on the right and it is right. Correctooooow! Magnificentooooow! And I am one of these few who chooses the very natural in this world. Ricefields. Mountains. Greeneries.

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White Blossom

A post-Valentine post.

"I'VE FALLEN FOR YOU"

Ok, I see. Love is peculiar to every individual. That love is unleashed out of the blue. It is spontaneous, a force that unduly stir one's sentiment. You may look crazy. Selfless. Desperate. Who cares? Who knows our feelings? Who had just tasted a bit of bliss? Only us. Right Eyan? 

Yay! Just got a consent from my friend Eyan to narrate her story of fondness to a guy, sort to have a family, living miles away. Let's just call the, lucky boy, RN. The two met in a not so nice world. I mean in a world of spams, of deceptions, of game-addicts, of pleasure seekers, of superficials, of boredom escapees, of business, of all the assortment in life, Facebook.

 

First question, who made the friend request? It's RN. My friend accepted it in one major reason, the guy looks like Adonis.

"A hell gift from above," as described by Eyan.

My friend was flattered 'cause she couldn't expect that a guy like him would befriend a simple, healthy, dark lady.


They get to know each other. Chat. Text. But never a call. RN has a girlfriend and a less-than-1-year-old son. The two are not yet married. RN is a R.N. A registered nurse. An O.R. nurse. They customarily talk about nursing -what my friend Eyan is also taking. The following days, Eyan's feelings blossomed. Yes, like a flower.

"Because he's nice," my friend explained when the group asked her why. 

One day, they delve into a conversation, texting each other. Jokes. Laughs. Anything.

Eyan, still conscious and coherent, texted, "I have a crush on you."

RN replied. "Wrong send?"

Eyan, "No, I'm not."

She waited. For the reply.

Jake, another friend said, "If he's really on to you, he should replied the soonest."

RN replied. After 2 hours. Saying, "Hi!"

He already changed the topic.


They still text each other but now, not that often. Not that long. Not that expressive. No "Haha" and "Lol." It all became formal. Usual conversations ended abruptly. Then came a week that RN didn't replied anymore to Eyan. RN didn't logged in Facebook. After Eyan told her feelings, is dead air, dead line, all the dead! Emptiness was felt by Eyan.

"Friendship could have been an option," Eyan.

The above photos were taken while I was walking around the community, getting some fresh air. A piece of white blossom fell in my head.  I documented it because I have my camera on hand then. I also took a photo of the branch of tree where it came from, viewing the refreshing blue sky. The flower, aside from purity, doesn't have anymore to suggest. Later on, I just let it drift along the ground.

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Mushroom

Things like that happen.

"A CHANCE"

Deep eyes. Exhausted legs. These, all we feel after an 11-7 shift in a ward. We have no time to rest, sleep.

February 9 marked the start of our second week duty at Bangui District Hospital. We had three shifts with 8 hours rest in between. It really sucks! An 8 hours duty, 8 hours rest then 8 hours duty again, and rest for 8 hours and then duty again? "Are you kidding?" That was my initial blurt when I first knew our schedule. We got nothing to do. We are marketing our souls for, for? For our future. Yes, sad to say we are becoming slaves and conformists just for it, the word future.


After our first shift, the 11-7, the group headed to our place - dorm, staff house, whatever it is called! Some immediately grabbed their pillows. Secured. Some are still uneasy. Sounds of quarrelling spoons and forks, angry doors and my big voice talking some shit, I mean complaining of the food, filled the house. So I have to go outside, find an eatery for my breakfast. Two other groupmates went with me.

While on the uncemented road, near ricefields and kilometer away mountains... 

Vhincci: WTH! Imagine we still have to write a letter just to go out? 

Arnold: Yeah, right! (Unexplained face.) 

Warden: Our food fees are going elsewhere! We don't deserve all of this. (The duty schedule and food served to us.)

We were all silent for a moment...

Then,

Vhincci: Shit! (My usual expression after a bad trip and lose situations.) 

Warden: What? Why? 

Vhincci: I just missed capturing the beautiful butterfly that landed in the mushroom.

Warden: Where? 

Vhincci: Here! And I left my camera in the house.

Warden: Sayang! That was a photographic scene! A nice macro shot. 

Vhincci: I know. (Sad face, very.)

             

The above photos were taken afterwards. After eating our breakfast, we went back to our place. I took the camera. Hurried. Excited. Even I missed a chance of capturing a major, dramatic, photographic scene with the butterfly, I am happy of what I glimpsed, of what I beheld. I enjoyed capturing, at least, this mushrooms though the sun was raging and sharp. It is a promise that I will not drain myself looking around, to the environment, sensing nature, appreciating little things.

I am pretty sure that chances are still there.

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