Author: SALT BLEACH

A Spontaneous Drive
I don’t plan weekend things for the kids and usually just let things flow, you know? But last weekend, a drive to Tabuelan sounded interestingly hard to resist. After lunch at Hoshino in SM JMall, we drove all the way to Durhan White Beach Resort in Tabuelan stopping only in Jollibee Compostella to answer nature’s call and in Metro Danao to get chips, water & ice tea for the kids.

Squishmallows

Lately, Coxon doesn’t want to sit in his car seat, opting instead to sit with Kuya together with some squishmallows. During long drives, they lay squeezed together sleeping the drive away. Here, however, you can see them a little excited.

I picked Tabuelan, despite it being a little away from the city, thinking about the majestic sunset it offers. It’s a town on the west side of Cebu island. West can only mean sunset, and lately, the sunsets in the city has been really full of colour. In my head, Tabuelan and the rest of the west can only mean even better if not the best sky shows.

Kuya didn’t want to get salty and wanted to play with the sand so only Coxon and myself changed to our swim clothes.

I was a little disappointed at first because the sunset, while wonderful, looked like something I’ve seen over and over. It wasn’t after the sun had sunk into the horizon where the colors exploded.

Before We Knew It

The sky changed colours a few minutes after I put on dry clothes for Coxon. I hurried and changed too so I can get a glimpse of the sky show. I snapped this picture of Kuya admiring the colours suspended over the vast canvass in front of our eyes..

Three

There are so many things that we go through every day. We laugh, play games, we argue, we cry but our days always end the same. The three of us in bed, whispering prayers of gratefulness for the things we are able to understand and for heavy things in our rearview mirror, especially.
We left while there was still hints of colour in the sky. It was getting dark and I was a little anxious driving through Tabuelan to Logo. I remember it being always dark. Plus, we were hungry and McDonalds in a Danao was still a long shot.

I can only wish for another opportunity such as this in the nearest future. Good seeing you Tabuelan!
April 10, 2025
Duwa-duwa at Canta Homestead
We were kidding around and joking about how difficult it was trying to carve our own bamboo spoons when I realized that all of these were the typical duwa-duwa growing up. We’d build our own toy trucks with used slippers as wheels, forage for wood in the neighborhood to build a fire, use a tin can to boil ipil-ipil leaves, make swords using worn our bamboo fences and so many other imaginative things we could come up with because that was pretty much the only thing we had back then. We were lucky! Now we have to organize these sorts of things so the these little ones get a taste of what it was like growing up in the 80’s and 90’s.

Cantabaco

I was a little familiar with the place as I spent a few years in Elementary at La Salle in Toledo City. Kuya, Coxon and I left Cebu City at 7AM and passed by Manipis on our way to Canta Homestead.
Cosmos

Greeting us, as soon as we’d stepped out of the car, were these Cosmos flowers in full bloom.

There were only a few of us but luckily there were also kids around. Coxon enjoyed playing around with the little ones while Kuya focused on the “life skills” at hand. Hahaha,
First order of business was to gather wood for the fire.

And then making the spoons out of bamboo. Right Kuya?

After lunch, we tried our hands at eco printing our totes with pigments from nearby flowers and leaves. The kids, again, including the adults had the time of their lives.
We spent the remainder of our free time chatting while doing the finishing touches of our totes and the kids playing like there’s no end in sight.

And before we knew it, it was time to drive home. But not before a picture of Kuya and Coxon.

Thank You Forest School and Thank You Canta Homestead! Until next time…
March 24, 2025
Karren & Serge’s Small Wedding

I remember bringing Coxon and Kuya when I met Karren & Serge to talk about their wedding. This was a Saturday afternoon just as they wrapped up their pre-Cana seminar. Luckily, they also have a little girl so having the kids during the discussion was pretty much normal.

I was on my way to their house but Karren told me their baby was sick and asked if we can just start taking pictures at the church. It was my first time taking pictures at San Isidro Parish in Talamban.

I wish I took something like this every time.

Everybody’s always exited about the first kiss.

Karren told me their little girl had a dress. Unfortunately, she wasn’t feeling all too well and chose to wear this instead. With the unicorn, of course.

A small gathering followed at Kape Tano just nearby. There wasn’t a formal program. Just food, and drinks, and kids running around. Karren and Serge just sliced the cake and drank wine. After that, we all went home.

Thank You Karren & Serge.

March 23, 2025
Turning 10

Back in January I received a call from Gia’s Mom. She was celebrating her 10th birthday and Gie was asking if I’d be willing to take pictures at the Director’s Club in SM Seaside City. I hesitated because I didn’t know you can take pictures inside the cinema but after a little back and forth, we decided I’ll be there.

Gia

Would you believe that this little lady just a baby when I first met here? That’s right. I first met Gia when she was baptised back in 2016.

This bunch are regulars. We see each other multiple times a year. I could not have been any more lucky they trust me more than I trust myself. Maia, the lady holding the powder asked for smiling candid photos. This was one of our attempts. By the way, I took pictures when she got married many years ago too.

Inside the cinema was dark and there was nothing for the flash to bounce on. I think the iPhone took better pictures but anyway, it’s not always about the perfect technical aspects of a picture. Most of the time it’s about preserving a feeling in a moment that might never happen again. I’ve got Gie, Dave, JV & Gia to thank for allowing me to do just that every time we meet for pictures.

I casually remembered being the principal sponsors for these two back in 2023. And then I took back what I said, because I didn’t bring pinaskuhan for the kinugos. Hahaha.

Thank You Canonizados

There are no words to express how grateful I am that you trust me with all of these memories you’ve made throughout the years.

March 10, 2025
A Little Weekend Getaway

Hello again. I thought I could get by without running a blog. Turns out, I can’t. Luckily, WordPress looked like something I could probably keep so here I am.

When the years pile up, I hope I’d get the chance to restore old posts from the old blog until then, I’ll keep writing.

Doc, Di & RJ

I first shot this trio towards the end of 2020. I remember eating lechon right after that shoot in December.

I trailed their car when I first came here back in 2023 and was happy I still figured my way despite it being hidden in the middle of the mountains. This time, I brought Kuya & Coxon with me. I’ll reserve some of those pictures for later.

Sunset

We almost didn’t make it for sunset but I’m glad we still caught a few minutes of the marvelous early evening light.

I was initially planning to post the pictures that happened after these few photos. It’s looking like that is going to wait a little bit after this is done and I’ve figured my way into this new blog site.

Dear Di, I’m not judging you 😀 Hahahaha. But if I have to, I’d say wonderful things. You know?

And I’m just going to end this here. With the silhouette of the of the mountains adding a little bit of enchantment to that weekend that myself and the kids had. How can we ever thank you Doc, Di & Rj. Until the next!

March 10, 2025