The Blooms that Caught my Eye – The Kamunting Flowers

By livelifeandlove on June 30, 2025

These flowers really grabbed my attention when we hiked up the mountains of Sagada, especially at the spot where we checked out the Sea of Clouds in Marlboro Hills. It’s known as Karamunting flowers (Rhodomyrtus tomentosa) commonly referred to as Rose myrtle, a wildflower that thrives in the chilly mountains. Kamunting flowers have a lovely violet-pink mix with six petals and red and yellow sepals. It’s an evergreen shrub that produces a round brown fruit.

We set out to visit the area at 4:00 AM to catch the sunrise and the sea of clouds. We climbed to an elevation of 1,600 meters and reached the top by 5:30 AM. It was still dark, but these wildflowers bloomed so beautifully that they were the first thing to grab your attention before you even took in the mountain views.

The Lovely Blossoms

I took a few photos of Kamunting flowers because I was so enchanted by these gorgeous blooms. They were the most stunning wildflowers I captured in Marlboro Hills.

These flowers are really lovely and they even glow in the dark.The upcoming post will feature more northern blooms. Sagada is adorned with breathtaking flowers that flourish throughout its mountains, riverbanks, as well as in both upland and lowland areas.

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My Indoor and Outdoor Photography | Wildlife/Animals/Pets

How do dogs greet one another?

By livelifeandlove on June 23, 2025

Lovely greeting pictures of Frosty showcasing him as he meets and greets dogs of different breeds.

I have three dogs: Ruby, a Chow Chow, Frosty, a Coton de Tulear and Maki, a Jack Terrier. Frosty always joins me for my morning walk, while the other two bigger dogs stay at home. I plan their walks separately because I can’t manage all three dogs at once. Whenever I take Frosty for a morning or afternoon walk, he greets all the dogs we encounter in the park. It does not matter whether the dog is large or small, as long as it is friendly, they will rush to meet my dog. I believe this is simply a natural way for dogs to greet or communicate with one another, their body movements can be easily recognized through eye contact, tail wagging, and body posture. Interestingly, dogs occasionally sniff each other’s behinds, don’t you think? Is that truly a pleasant scent?

Having a Dog as a Pet

If you’re looking for a genuine friend who will love you no matter what, get yourself a dog! Spending time with my dog keeps me both mentally and physically healthy.

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My Indoor and Outdoor Photography | Travel and Adventure

Sagada Adventure

By livelifeandlove on June 10, 2025

Stunning sites await you during your visit to Sagada. If you are in search of adventure, Sagada serves as the perfect destination for you. Awe-inspiring vistas greet you as you journey through Sagada.

Sagada presents some of the most exquisite natural attractions

I created a collage showcasing all distinctive attractions in a single frame, with the name of the place highlighted. This makes it easy to choose a destination when visiting Sagada.

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My Indoor and Outdoor Photography | Travel and Adventure

Magnificent Sunset in Japan

By livelifeandlove on June 10, 2024

In the midst of chasing the sunset, I could’t resist the desire to take a picture of this stunning sunset near Osaka Castle, a Japanese castle in Chūō-ku, Osaka, Japan. As part of our itinirary on our second day, we visited Osaka castle in the afternoon and stayed for an hour for family photo shoots, I was a delighted to see the sun setting and seized the opportunity to capture it.

Sunset occurs when the sun disappears below the western horizon creating a more vivid sky. Viewed from everywhere on earth, it is a phenomenon that occurs approximately once every 24 hours.

A reflection of red, blue, yellow, cool blues and purples create vibrant colors in the sky. It’s wintertime here and it prolongs the show of colors dispersing with an extended period of gorgeous hues in the sky, however, the sunset is not complete without the clouds above which is an important component of a sunset.

As you pass by and see the sunset, stop what you are doing for a moment to enjoy the sky show and take in the spectacle.

Initially, I was unsure of what the sunset I photographed was exactly, I’m uncertain as to what it turned out to be. My fingers were trembling from the cold, the temperature dropped so significantly during the extremely cold winter that I ended up having to wear handgloves which made it difficult to adjust my camera. Finally, It was a bit of a good result from my photography shots, a postcard worthy sunset and I hope you’ll like them..

Thank you for reading my blog!

Goodnight fellas!

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My Indoor and Outdoor Photography | Technology/ Learning Tips

Over the Rainbow

By livelifeandlove on October 11, 2023

A rainbow crosses a section of a lovely farm in Solana Cagayan. On the way from Tuguegarao back to Piat I took this photo. This hand-held photo captures the splendor of nature from a greater distance. Rare spectacles like this do not happen every day.

After the rain, a rainbow appears. It is a multicolored arc generated by sunlight striking over waterdroplets in the atmosphere. Simply breathtaking natural phenomena with a beautiful spectrum of diverse colors that offers optimism and vibrancy to nature.

According to the legend, a pot of gold can be found at the end of the rainbow, this appears to be extremely unthinkable. To check, you must visit the spot where the end of the rainbow touches the ground to verify the truth, although doing this seems like an impossible and difficult task. You’ve most likely been there before without even noticing it.

When I was younger, I was in my prime. I believed in this mythology that appeared to be true, but as I’ve grown older, I’ve come to realize that it’s simply a fairytale, a captivating story for the kids to enjoy. When you see a rainbow,given the opportunity to capture it, you should do so…

Thanks for reading my blog! Goodnight!

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My Indoor and Outdoor Photography | Travel and Adventure

Magnificent Sunset of Piat

By livelifeandlove on June 7, 2023

With the coming of summer comes the best time of year for taking images of sunsets, I had never given Piat much thought in terms of sunsets, but I was mistaken that my hometown is likewise capable of producing stunning sunsets.

Here are photos of my hometown’s breathtaking sunset as seen from the quarry site of Maguilling, Piat Cagayan. The hues of the sunset reflect on the water, adding beauty and a sense of tranquility. It’s a lovely way to end the day.

When I return to my hometown, I make it a point to capture the sunset since it is the moment that reminds me most of being there. This is the most authentic way for me to take a piece of home with me, I mean, the finest way to bring back memories.

Photo credit: Thanks Mik

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Gardening/Greenery/Garden Insects | My Indoor and Outdoor Photography

Clearwing Hummingbird Moth

By livelifeandlove on October 17, 2022

Clearwing Hummingbird Olive green in color with a dark reddish-purple coloration on the back of the moth. A day-flying moth that is also one of the most fascinating guests that frequents the garden. A beautiful sunny day brings out the best in this helpful moth’s pollinating abilities. In addition to neither biting or stinging, they are regarded as being beneficial insects. The name denotes that it has clearwings, and the quick movement of its wings, often known as wingbeats, generates a humming sound.

Clearwing Hummingbird The moth tail has the appearance of a lobster’s tail because it extends out in the shape of a fan and is separated into two equal portions.

The Clearwing Hummingbird Moth, depicted in all of the photographs in this article, was hard at work pollinating flowers on the same day and at the same time.

Macro photography presents unique technical challenges, but by getting in close, you’ll see details you would have overlooked before. In a nutshell, these moths are works of art. I first mistook it for a baby hummingbird due to its ability to hover and its erratic flight pattern (backwards and sideways). It was challenging to find a secure footing in which to take photographs.

I was hesitant to photograph insects in direct sunlight due to contrast issues, and since they vanish in a matter of seconds, I had to work very rapidly to get even a handful of usable shots. In addition, I find that the light in the early morning or late afternoon is the softest and most pleasant for photography. These moths are only active during the midday hours, therefore this doesn’t work for them.

Insects like colorful butterflies, dragonflies, and honeybees are just some of the many that can be seen on my website. The vast majority of my photographs are unique or extremely unusual examples. It was pure luck that I was there at the correct time. There are many of nectar-producing flowers in our garden, making it a great site to catch butterflies and bees.

Thank you for reading my blog.

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Arts/ Home Ideas | My Indoor and Outdoor Photography | Recipes for busy moms/Fruits/Desserts/Salad/Decorative Ideas | Restaurant Review | Technology/ Learning Tips

Peking Duck Wraps

By livelifeandlove on September 17, 2021

Sumptuous dishes traditionally prepared and served in a grand style, the Peking Garden, 4th level Greenbelt 5, Makati City serves the best Peking duck in the city, it was the restaurant’s specialty as the name goes well with it. Tonight, is the birthday dinner celebration of my aunt, fabulous dinner served and the most popular choice. From the 10 courses meal served, the Peking duck and the Winter Melon Soup with assorted seafood was my 2 best favorites although meal’s highlight and star on the table is the savory Peking duck.

Winter Melon Soup with assorted seafood

The best comfort soup and our favorite.

The Peking duck is in good shape, well-cooked and the aroma is awesome. It was very tasty, and the skin is crispy. It is bound to reign on the table.

How to carve a whole Peking duck

The Peking duck was neatly carved into even slices by the server. Started with the breast diagonally towards her holding the wing with the fork and cut through the outer layer of the breast into the joint.

Carving the breast in thin slices parallel with the breastbone and repeating with the other side. It looks like very easy to carve because the knife is sharp, that’s the secret of perfect carving.

The thin flesh was carefully arranged in a circular shape following the edge of the plate on a big white plate with the crispy skin at the center or it work both ways. You can see the difference from the photos up and down. The duck flesh at the center and the crispy skin on the edge of the plate or vice versa.

After the carving and preparation, the Whole plate of Peking duck transferred to our table along with the tortilla, stalks of spring onions and the sweet hoisin sauce.

See how it looks, Attractively beautiful !

How to wrap a Peking Duck Strips

Lay one fine strip of Peking duck flesh on a tortilla wrapper, followed by the stalk of spring onions, add a spoon of sweet Hoisin sauce on top and lay another strip of Peking duck.

This is how it looks before wrapping.

The filling looks like this inside.

Hold one end of tortilla and roll it halfway. Fold both borders and roll it again to enclose properly.

Almost done, I’m leaving one end open to show the filling inside and roll it once again to finish.

One bite, followed by another bite and more pls… I’ve tasted Peking Duck from different restaurants before but these, nothing can equal the flavor, I’ve never tasted like it before. So far, the best among the rest.

Ok guys! you can drop a cute note down there, simple things makes me happy…

Thanks for reading my blog!

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Events/ Holidays/ Special Occasions | My Indoor and Outdoor Photography

Welcome ”BER” Months!

By livelifeandlove on September 1, 2021

It’s the first day of September and the start of what is known as ”BER Months” it marks the beginning of the yuletide season. ”BER” simply means the four months of the year September, October, November and December, Take note > BER at the end of the suffix. The first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word ”BER” is Christmas. Philippines holds the longest festive season in the world starting from September to December of each year. what is so special about it? It might be your favorite months of the year, it makes us happy and excited to think of the merriment it brings and the start to create Christmas holiday spirit into your home.

”BER Months” under Pandemic

The 2nd year of the pandemic has been very difficult for all of us, we are still experiencing a global battle facing a common enemy and the blues about cold season approaching. While everyone is at risk to be infected by COVID-19, it’s the time to be more alert and cautious, rainfall varies much more and bit colder than usual, it is considered as health threat as the virus deepens.

Living through a global pandemic and preoccupied with guidelines, How does one celebrate Christmas this year amidst pandemic? Stay safely at home, we might as well celebrate Christmas with only family members as Christmas is always in our hearts so, Cheer up! Let us pray together, spread more love and hope. Stay safe and healthy everyone and May God bless us all!

Wishing you all a COVID-FREE Christmas!

Be a HERO for HEALTH, Get Vaccinated!

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My Indoor and Outdoor Photography | Recipes for busy moms/Fruits/Desserts/Salad/Decorative Ideas | Restaurant Review

Double-Boiled Winter Melon Soup with Assorted Seafood

By livelifeandlove on November 2, 2019

The Double-boiled Winter Melon Soup with assorted seafood standing on a large holder for support. The winter melon shell is a very attractive serving bowl for soup although it’s quite heavy and tough but it can hold up to the heat of the soup. Peking Garden, 4th level, Greenbelt 5 Makati City serves the best Double-Boiled Winter Melon Soup with Assorted Seafood. The big size is suitable for 10 to 12 persons, it is a hot clear soup almost boiling when served. The most delicious soup is when you bring up the total hotness on the table, the natural freshness of seafood and vegetable brings up the good flavor.

Peking Garden, 4th level, Greenbelt 5 Makati City

Double-Boiled Winter Melon Soup with Assorted Seafood, the shrimp tails hanging over the edge of the winter melon bowl.

It’s not oily, it is clear and tasty as I’ve mentioned previously, you don’t see any tiny floating particles on top.

Individual serving, Small bowl of Winter Melon Soup.

How it was served? The Double-Boiled Winter Melon Soup brought inside the room by the server.

The winter melon flesh It’s still smoky hot!

Wheeled by the server using a service cart ( 2 shelf cart with wheels) along with soup bowls and a ladle.

The server carefully ladled in assorted seafood inside the shell and scraped the flesh of winter melon using a long-handed cup-shaped spoon followed by the clear soup to fill each bowl. For our finale, picking a piece of shrimps over the edge of the winter melon bowl.

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