Tropical Heritage Garden Diary:

August 2019:



Image of plants growing in tropical
        backyard


August  01:

Pinkie's Wound is Almost Healed

Imagws of tropical backyard boar having a wound treated

August  02:

Balcony Chicks

Images of chicken eggs laid on tropical balcony

Garden Patch Prepared for Planting and Fencing

Images of wooden stakes prepared for fencing in tropical
        backyard

Images of tropical garden patch being prepared for
        planting and fencing

A Short Evening Shower

Images of evening shower in tropical backyard

August  03:

Garden Patch Planted and Fenced

Images of seeds and seedlings planted
        in tropical garden patch

Images of tropical backyard garden patch being fenced
        and broadcast with seeds

Chicken Makes a Mess on the Balcony

Images of mess on tropical balcony
        made by a nesting chicken

Another Jack-Fruit Harvested

Images of Jack-fruit harvested in
        tropical backyard

Rain in the Night


Images of night rain in tropical backyard


August  04:

Tap Water Supply Disrupted

IMagws of disrupted tap water supply
        in tropical home

Unhealthy Banana Tree Trimmed and Fed to Pigs

Images of unhealthy Banana Tree
        trimmed and fed to pigs

Rain in the Afternoon

Images of rain in tropical backyard

Raffia Put on Newly Fenced Area -To deter chickens

Images of protective raffia in
        tropical backyard

More Rooster Mix Potted

Images of rooster seed mix potted in
        tropical backyard

We are Given a Black Chicken

Images of black Chicken in tropical
        backyard

Fatima Catches a Rooster Causing Chaos in the House

Images of rooster caught after rampaging in tropical
        house

August  05:

Tap Water Returns

Images of tap water

...and Then Disappears Again

Images of no tap water

Four Stages of Growth in Newly Protected Areas

Images of plants in protected areas in tropical
        backyard

We Give our Housekeeper Two Roosters -For her husbands birthday

Images of two tropical backyard roosters

Trimmed Tree Used as Support for Vines and as Forage for Pigs


Images of trimmed tree in tropical backyard

Papaya Tree Trimmed to Encourage Avocado Tree Growth

Images of papaya tree cut down to encourage growth
            of avocado tree

Oil Palm Trimmed and Used as Compost for Surrounding Trees


Images of oil palm trimmed and used as
        compost for other trees

Black Chicken Settling In


Images of black chicken in tropical
          backyard

August  06:

Water Returns in the Morning

Images of water taps working in
        tropical house

No.One Is a Bit Under the Weather -so she gets a Bath to Cheer her up

Images of tropical backyard piglet
        getting a bath

Three Ducklings Found Abandoned By their Mother -who is still hatching more eggs

Images of young ducklings abandoned by
        their mother in tropical backyard

Water Disappears in the Afternoon

Images of no water in tropical house

I've Bought A New Computer

Images of newly bought computer in
        tropical home

August  07:

Water Returns -but for how long?

Images of tap water in tropical home

Night Storm Damage Collected and Fed to Pigs

Images of night storm damage fed to
        pigs in tropical backyard

Installing Linux on the New Computer

Images of installing Linux operating
        system on computer in tropical home

August  08:

Water Disappears Again

Images of no tap water in tropical
        home

Hatched Ducklings Killed by Predator -While mother continues to sit

Images of tropical backyard duck nest
        ravages by predator

Rescued Ducklings Moved to Pen

Images of "orphaned"
        ducklings being put in a pen

No.One is Put in the Garden To Cheer Her Up

Images of trpical backyard pig being
        taken into the garden

No.One Has  a Fever and is Given a Bath -She is eating and drinking very little

Images of sick pig in tropical
        backyard garden

No.One Starts Vomiting Blood and is Put Back in Her Pen

Images of tropical backyard pig after
        vomiting blood

A Strange "Lantern" Weed in Nursery Area

Images of Lantern Type Plant growing
        as weed in tropical garden

The Water Returns

Images of tap water in tropical home

August  09:

A Curious Birthday
Visual link to "Curious Birthday" webpage


August  10:

A Sunny, Lazy, Afternoon

Images of sunny tropical August
        afternoon

Images of lazy sunny August tropical afternoon

Protected and Nursery Areas Watered

Images of selected areas in tropical
        backyard being watered

Small Ipil-Ipil Tree Cut Down and Fed to Pigs

Images of trimmed Ipil-Ipil tree

Imagws of Ipil-Ipil tree trimmed and fed to tropical
        backyard pigs

August  11:

First Two Piglets Taken Away

Images of tropical backyard piglets being collected by
        new owner

Images of tropical backyard piglets being collected by
        new owners

Banana Heart Harvested

Images of banana heart being harvested in tropical
            backyard

Duck still Sitting Amongst the Debris

Images of tropical backyard duck sitting on nest
            under woodshed

Orphan Ducklings, Captured Rooster and New Black Chicken All Doing Well

Images of fowl in pens in tropical backyard

We Discover We Have Two Crazy Neighbours -One cuts down our plants and the other throws paint into the garden

Images of plants removed by tropical backyard
        neighbours

Images of paint thrown into garden by
        neighbouring workmen

Happy Happy
That's what they called it, happy happy, the alcoholic interludes
Tainted with nicotine delights, the pseudo-fiesta fares foraged from
The Gardens of Others, cooked over fires burning from sinful woods
Stolen - no - taken, from the old woman who died of a weak lung
Because they poisoned the country air with their happy happy.
 
They had lights that ran from the roof to the ground, like the rats
That infested the debris from their food and vomit, yet the decor
Was impressive, garish without pretense of poverty, tasteless ersatz
Of glittering plastic and foil, and wide flat screen television interior
Lighting terrifying the fireflies that hoped to find a mate in the night.
 
And there was music, and singing, such frightful singing that struck
The bitches to abort, microphonic singing that confused the birds
To migrate, heroic singing applauded by the explosive cough
Of tuberculosic air bags and sticky pipes, rotten teeth, swollen gums
And all the time in the world to dye their hairs down to the roots.
 
Why not indeed, after many years of servitude and petty pillory
Rewarded by an old age pension, why not happy happy indeed
After a trail of disposable wives and the last to keep for the laundry
Happy happy not only for oneself but also for those in great need
Of alcohol in their blood, smoke in their lungs and a dildo in their ears!
Fatima Lasay, San Roque,
February 9, 2019, Saturday

August  12:

Another Banana Tree Harvested -But too late, eaten by bats

Images of harvesting bananas eaten by
        bats

Remains used as Compost or Fed to Pigs

Images of banana tree trunk used as
        compost or fed to pigs

Dead Eggs Removed from under Duck -But she remains sitting

Images of sitting tropical backyard
        duck after eggs have been removed

Banana Heart Harvested Yesterday Provides a Meal for Tonight

Images of banana heart cooked and
        served in a meal

August  13:

Twisty (with deformed beak) Gets Special Treatment -As Always

Images of tropical backyard duck with
        deformed beak getting fed alone

The Wall Area is Cleaned Up

Images of "restored" area of
        tropical backyard garden after being damaged by neighbour

...and The Remains Composted

Images of composted bean plants in
        tropical backyard

A Few Beans Harvested from the Southern Garden

Images of beans picked in tropical
        bacyard

August  14:

Coffee Bush Near Pig Pen Has Many Berries

Images of coffeee beans growing in
        tropical backyard

Tilapia Are Getting Bigger

Images of tilapia in tropical backyard
        pond

Posts Prepared for Fencing -But garden too dry for planting

Images of posts prepared for protective fence in
        tropical backyard garden

Selected Garden Areas Watered

Images of selected garden areas being
        watered in tropical backyard

Two More Piglets Collected -The last two are for us

Images of tropical backyard piglets
        being collected

Images of tropical backyard piglets being collected by
        new owners

Our Cat MingMing (Missing for over Month) Returns -But leaves again after not getting fed

Images of lost cat briefly returning to tropical home
        before leaving again


August  15:

Two Types of Melon Seed Broadcast in Protected Areas

Images of melon seeds being broadcast
        in tropical backyard garden

Guyabana Tree Cut Down and Fed to Pigs

Images of guyabana tree in tropical
        backyard being trimmed

Images of trimmed tree being fed to tropical backyard
        pig

Selected Areas Watered

Images of selected areas being watered
        in tropical backyard

Fiesta Eve by the Neighbours

Images of fiesta, San Roque, Baclayon

A Crab Crossing the Road on the Way Home

Images of crab crossing tropical road
        at night

The Feast of the Inebriated

It is colonial heritage. Apolonio followed the tradition of his
ancestors. He butchered 5 native chickens. They were about a dozen
more from 3 or so clutches of eggs that hatched in the end of winter.
5 is enough to make stew and there are more for other special occasion
until December. There are some for cockfighting too. The pig was
slaughtered at 4 in the morning. It weighed 80 kilos and was bought as
a piglet three months ago from a neighbour who bred pigs. The
neighbour had an extra weanling that Apolonio bought a week ago. That
will be slaughtered and roasted tomorrow. The rice harvest was good.
There's lots of freshly harvested fragrant rice. The yam harvest was
good too. There was enough to sell and extra in storage for this
occasion. And because there was enough rain in the past month, the
bananas, taros, sweet potatoes, cassava and vegetables growing near
their house and around the rice fields were abundant. Plenty of sweet
wine from the coconut flowers. The feast would consist of everything
Apolonio and his family grew and raised. Some came from what
neighbours grew and raised. There was even extra money from the sale
of yams to buy sweet things to eat and drink. They bought the sweets
because didn't grow sugarcane. This was more than enough. Apolonio
didn't need to take out a loan. He still had enough money to put into
his old age pension for the rest of the year. Enough to fuel his
alcoholism as well.

The lowlanders were busy too. Lupito took out a large loan from his
old age pension. At the same time, his mistress Perlita took advantage
of the generous loans being given out by newcomers in the village. The
newcomers ran a money-lending scheme. So even if Lupito and Perlita
grew or raised nothing, it will be an extravagant feast. Even if they
are still paying the loans taken out two years ago. Even if they
couldn't afford such a feast. Besides, they run a business. They have
a shop in their house. The shop has salty and sweet processed foods
packed in foil, plastic and tins. Perlita ate them most of the time.
The shop had cigarettes and alcohol too. Perlita earned money from
those. She was a chain-smoker so she took some of the cigarettes in
the shop. That was very convenient. Perlita doesn't drink so at least
she gets profit from sales of alcohol. If they had coconuts they could
have coconut wine everyday. But it's not easy collecting the wine from
the coconut flowers. Anyway, a good number of men in the village are
alcoholics and prefer Tanduay Light.

In the meantime, Marceline is having a hard time thinking about what
to serve at the feast. Most of their money was already spent on
alcohol. Her husband is crazy drunk now. Six months ago she had plenty
of work. Now she doesn't have any. Her employers were generous and
kind. But Marceline couldn't stop stealing from them. She stole
clothes and shoes from the shop where she worked as a cleaner. She
stole money and vegetables from the public market where she worked as
the vendor's helper. She stole money and detergent powder from the
couple she worked for as a laundrywoman. She has four children. Her
neighbour started playing loud music. It was Eva Eugenio. Her husband
started shouting and breaking things in the house. Their neighbour
turned down the music so the whole village could hear her husband
shouting. Everyone is used to it. But they all wanted to know what he
was angry about.
Fatima Lasay, San Roque
Thursday, August 15, 2019

August  16:

Fiesta with the Neighbours

Images of local fiesta, San Roque,
        Baclayon


A Discarded Snake Skin On A Jack-Fruit Tree Branch

Images of snakeskin found on a Jack
        fruit tree branch in tropical backyard

August  17:

Marinated Pork Cuts

Images of pork cuts being marinaded in
        tropical home

More Trees Trimmed -Providing stakes for beans and forage for pigs

Images of tropical backyard trees
        trimmed

Images of trimmed tropical backyard trees used as bean
        poles or fed to pigs

Garden Drying Out

Images of tropical backyard garden
        drying out

Nursery Area Watered

Images of selected tropical backyard
        areas being watered

August  18:

Another Tree Trimmed and Fed to Pigs

Images of tree trimmed and fed to pig
        in tropical backyard

Still No Rain

Images of tropical backyard garden waiting for rain

August  19:

Another Papaya Tree Chopped Down

Images of papaya tree being chopped
        down in tropical backyard

Images of felled papaya tree chopped up and fed to
        tropical backyard pigs

Fatima Does Some Cooking Under the House -and fumigates it....

Images of cooking on wood stove
        underneath triopical house

Although Some Cooking is Electric

Images of electric cooking in tropical
        house

I have Skin Problems Again

Images oif tropical skin problems

MingMing Drops in Once More -but leaves when ignored

Images of cat making an unwanted visit
        in tropical home

My Chair Gets A Thorough Sanding Down

Images of chair in tropical house
        being cleaned with sandpaper

The Garden is Drying Out

Images of tropical backyard garden
        drying out

August  20:

Fatima Captures a Rooster

Images of rooster tied up in tropical
        backyard

Scratching Pen Cleared of Plants and Used for Rooster

Images of scratching pen given to
        tropical backyard rooster

Rain at Last!

Images of rain in tropical backyard

August  21:

Rain in the Night

Images of night rain in tropical
        backyard

Fallen Papaya Tree Top Cleared Away

Images of tropical backyard papaya
        tree top fallen in the night

Images of fallen papaya tree top cleared up in tropical
        backyard

 Garden Patch Weeded, Planted, Seeded and Fenced

Images of tropical backyard garden
          patch weeded, planted, seeded and fenced and

No.Three is Unwell Again -Light Fever, Listless, Snouting the Ground, With Loss of Appetite and Some Discharge

Images of listless, unwelll, sow in
        tropical backyard

Images of listless and unwell tropical backyard sow

August  22:

No.Three is still Unwell

Images of sick tropical backyard sow

Images of sick tropical backyard sow

So A Technician Gives Her An Injection of  Anti-biotic

Images of sick tropical backyard sow
        getting an injection

I Too Go to Hospital for a Check-Up -After a 12 hour fast....

Images of tropical breakfast after a
        fast and a hospital check-up

We Hope No.Three is Improving

Images of sick tropical backyard sow a
        few hours after getting an antibiotic injection

She is given Sugar Water, Bananas and Green Vegetables to Help Build Up Her Strength

Images of sick tropical backyard sow eating a few
          hours after getting an antibiotic injection

August  23:

Rain in the Night

Images of early morning in tropical
        backyard after night rain

No.Three is Lethargic and Not Eating of Drinking Much

Images of sick tropical backyard sow

We Clean Her Trough and Try Giving Her Water by Hand

Images of sick tropical backyard sow being pampered

Images of sick tropical backyard sow being pampered

Another Small Shower in the Afternoon

Images of a short shower in a tropical
        backyard

Raffia Added to Newly Fenced Garden Patch

Images of protective raffia put on
        fenced area against chickens in tropical backyard

August  24:

Goodbye No.Three
Visual link to "Goodbye No.Three" web page

A Quiet End to A Sad Day

Images of late afternoon in
            tropical home


August  25:

Time Passes

Images of empty tropical backyard pig
        pen

...and Life Goes On

Images of tropical backyard ducks
        feeding

Images of woman with cat on tropical balcony

My Sores are Healing

Images of healing sores on leg

August  26:

An Overcast Morning -There was a powerful smell of burning rubber in the night

Images of overcast weather in tropical
        backyard
When Man Discovered Fire
It was nighttime. The darkness would hide what Denela was about to do.
She brought the bucket outside and dumped its contents into a corner
of the yard. There were several plastic containers from softdrinks,
empty foil and plastic sachets from shampoo, vinegar and soy sauce,
sardine and corned beef tins, plastic bags and paper. She squatted in
the dark and in a few seconds, a small burst of light. There was no
wind, so the light was unwavering and it grew bigger and bigger. The
contents of the bucket burned. Black smoke billowed out of it. She
quickly walked away, back into the house and placed the bucket back
into its place just outside the kitchen for refilling.

A banana and cassava grove lay between her house and the automotive
shop. Someone turned off the lights. It was after dinner. In the empty
space behind the shop there was a scuffle. Then a small burst of light
that grew bigger and bigger. It was bigger than what Danela had in her
yard. The smoke billowed not because of the wind but because of it's
own intensity. There was no wind, not even a light breeze. The fire
consumed rubber, brake fluid containers, disposable paint cups,
fluorescent lamps, rags, clothing, and pieces of electronics.

50 years ago, Victor discovered a great way of catching chickens in
the night. They are perched high up in the trees. What Victor did was
take an old vinyl record. He went into the woods. Under a tree where
there were chickens perched, he squatted. There was a small burst of
light that quickly became bigger. He walked a short distance away and
watched the black smoke climb into the trees. In a few minutes, 5
chickens fell to the ground.
Fatima Lasay, San Roque
August 26, 2019


Relief Goods From Manila

Images of birthday presents sent by Auntie in Manila

Fatima Wears her new Animal Feeding Cap

Images of a woan wearing a cap while feeding tropical
          backyard animals

August  27:

Rain in the Night

Images of night rain in tropical
        backyard

Imagws of early morning in tropical backyard after rain
        in the night

Rain in the Afternoon -Reserves filling up again

Images of afternoon in tropical
        backyard after rain

August  28:

Hospital Check Up Continues

Images of a check-up in hospital

Fallen Coconut Branches Cleaned Up

Images of fallen coconut branches
        cleared up in tropical backyard

Some Green Trimmings Too

Imagws of green trimmings fed to tropical backyard pigs

Harvest Not Yet Home

Images of future harvest in tropical
        backyard

August  29:

Protection for Some Plants is Improved

Images of improvement to anti-chicken
        protection in tropical backyard

Images of improvement to anti-chicken protection in
        tropical backyard

...Then I Cut my Finger -and have to stop work

Images of cut finger being treated

August  30:

A Relaxing Day

Images of a relaxing day in a tropical
        home

...and A Few Chickens Less to Worry About

Images of tropical backyard chickens
        being sold to a neighbour

August  31:

I Try Acupuncture Again

Images of acupuncture clinic

Images of acupunctuire clinic

Rain

Images of rain in tropical backyard

...and More Rain

Images of rain in tropical backyard

Gecko Hounded by Cats Escapes

Images of gecko hounded by cats but escapes





Garden Diary

2019
January
February
March
April

May
June
July

September

Country Life
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Trevor Batten
 <trevor at tebatt dot net>
 Baclayon 2019
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