back and forth conversations and collaborations through the years
Like many other people who celebrate Christmas, wonder | wander | women changed plans this year to celebrate at home. Like many other Filipinos, we're used to spending the holidays away from our families, and have our own long-distance traditions.
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| My favourite window: sun in the daytime, Christmas lights at night |
Last week our alpha sibling sent us a NatGeo article on the history behind the holiday tradition of Christmas trees.
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| The Rockefeller Tree had a stowaway owl this year |
wonder | wander | women agree it's a strange tradition and we adore it anyway. Every December, people in regions around the world head to the nearest forest, chop down a tree, drag it into their homes, adorn it with lights, baubles, and tinsel—then unceremoniously drag it to the curb in January.
At the beginning of lockdown it seemed like everyone was focused on learning something. Banana and sourdough bread, painting classes, new languages... people stuck at home wanted something new to occupy their minds.
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| Japanese vocabulary with Duolingo |
In past years this is the time when wonder | wander | women usually fly back to spend the holidays in our home island of Negros, in the Philippines.
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| local sugarcane plantations are sadly being replaced by subdivisions |
As we prefer not to risk it in these COVID times, we are made acutely aware of missing it this time. Fortunately, a new website launched recently highlights major Negrosanon arts and cultures, heritage and handicrafts, people and food.
The days are damp and darkening and I've been feeling a little damp and darkening myself lately, so I went out in the garden with a hot cup of coffee first thing in the morning.
2020 is a special year - in spite and despite all that has come our way - we still have much to offer up thanks for. In the midst of so much death, loss and sorrow our mournful hearts continue to hope and strive.
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| A diverse & decolonized Thanksgiving to all! |
This year spreading the corona virus rather than preparing the traditional Thanksgiving spread is of greater concern. Under quarantine and in isolation we are encouraged to stay home and keep it simple.
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| National Day of Morning [image credit: Kisha James] |
In this more contemplative atmosphere we no longer are clear cut for or against the celebration of the conquest and genocide of local natives by invading colonists.
wonder | wander | women love the beauty of well applied language - painting vivid images, evoking deep sentiments, capturing the subtlest nuances - the eloquence of a story well told.
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| Illustrated by Okalinichenko |
Mahala is more interested and fluid when it comes to learning other languages. Issa is bound more by the native tongues we were born to and raised around - English, Hiligaynon, Tagalog. Together we thrive on a rich world of words, nourished and fed in these created universes.
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| Illustrated by Okalinichenko |
Reading "Books and Islands in Ojibwe Country" by gifted American author Louise Erdrich validates and vindicates our obsession. Moving to another country has magnified the ache and longing we have always had - displaced back home and more so now that we have relocated.
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| an eloquent and lovely memoir by Louise Erdrich |
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are not saviours. They are not superheroes. They are not the great hope of America - its people are. But we have at least gained a foothold instead of falling off the cliff - time to take a breath, be grateful, and reach out for the strength to rebuild.
November comes with bright new astronomical events and it is going to be quite the month for those who like wonder | wander | women love to watch the night sky.
Whether equipped with a telescope or the latest sky app, spend some of time catching these mesmerizing cosmic events. Hearts and minds trained toward the bigger picture rather than the US elections circus.
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| Lake Huron from Goderich Beach |
It's fascinating to live in a country with visible seasonal changes. London seasons don't match up to New Jersey seasons, much less to the measure of the Chinese solar terms, but we have our own seasonal observances here.
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| Mural by Seb Lester |
The US is a second home for wonder | wonder | women which we have come to love it as deeply as our original homeland, the Philippines.
The 2010 census claims there are 3.4 million Filipinos in the US although the total number is bound to be much higher by now. Filipinos are the largest Asian group in the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Washington, Wyoming and South Dakota.
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| The Pioneer by Brittany England |
It's been a very busy few months project-wise! But wonder | wander | women couldn't resist the new art challenge that popped up this year. Instead of drawing through the month of October, I celebrated my birth month by drawing for Inktember instead.
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| Butterflies |
Humanity has painted itself into a corner in its pursuit to control and harness our natural environment. As a result we seldom find absolutely natural environments on Earth with naturalness varying from 100% natural in one extreme to 0% natural in the other. Prioritizing for human comfort and convenience has turned much of our natural world into an artificial habitat to suit us.
Glacier retreat 1979, 1991 and 2002 due to global warming
At what price and cost to the ecosystem and biodiversity of our planet? The trouble may have started in how we categorize elements - as biotic, or living organisms and abiotic, what are considered non-living things.
“Exploring the world is one of the best ways of exploring the mind and walking travels both terrains.”
― Rebecca Solnit, Wanderlust: A History of Walking
“Autumn’s grain is spring’s seed: paradox surrounds us with ripening wisdom. If we lose hope, remember that Hope has two daughters to support our balancing acts: Anger and Courage. Instead of passive hope, embrace radical willingness.” ~ excerpt by Oak Chezar © Mother Tongue Ink 2019
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"Too easily, we lose the path of Beauty and Spirituality."
| Winter Ross at Ceremonial Visions |
What seeds did we plant in spring that are now ready for harvesting this autumn? As badge carrying rebels, advocates and dissenters wonder | wander | women are actively raising our voices and joining groups and communities that honor and respect the natural rhythms and cycles of our earth.
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| wanton urban ugliness |
wonder | wander | women have talked a lot about the electric lunchbox and how it changed our daily cooking and eating. Sadly our first kitchen friend stopped working and we had to get a new one!
September started of with a bang as Mahala celebrated her 41st birthday on the first of the month. In joyful celebration wonder | wander | women lined up a few choice songs to celebrate the occasion.
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| Issa’s digital decoupage of Mahala’s art |
In true family tradition we decided to extend the joyous celebration as long as we could. Join us as we sing our lungs out and dance like crazy.
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| Perseid Shower - Tucson AZ - Eliot Herman |
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| Basta © Adriana M. Garcia 2011 from We'Moon 2016 |
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| Newly released We'Moon 2021 |
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| Tropical Storm Isaias © Logan Cyrus/AFP |
