Walk and "fall" in love...

Had my walk the other day and this is how nature welcomed me...

a shower of yellow leaves on a November fall.

I just felt like walking down the aisle in the church while my groom

is waiting on the other end. :=)

 Spottted this car and I couldn't help but took picture. I hope the owner pick this soon

before it's too late and can no longer recognize his/her car...heheh!

 A short walk in the nearby park and I just love how the kingdom of leaves

reign all around.

Oh!How can I complain from a life that may not be perfect but closed to, because of the beauty and feelings that are simply priceless. I can only be thankful everyday.

Have a blessed weekend! :)

Magical nature

I consider this experience as one of my bests, being a naturelover.

And I am beyond thankful to God and my husband, as a living instrument,

 for he never fails to spoil me with trips like this one.

So I can say that it's not luck but a blessing to be able to see such beauty in reality.

Yes, we all are blessed in different ways, and I feel very honored

to be able to encounter nature in such magical way.

"Thank YOU, God! I can only be grateful all my life.

 In these pictures are my friend and I. We just feel like dreaming. And we can only stare at the calm lake like there's no tomorrow. My husband is our photographer, He's a camera-shy. :=)

Nature is God's most humble creation, yet we bow down on its natural beauty. It doesn't boast, it only accepts the changing season. I hope mother nature can teach me much of its calmness, esp. with the passing time, where not everyday is as beautiful and still.

Have a blessed week to all! Enjoy the view!;-)

October break

We went out of town, as we ended the month of October. We went to the mountainside in the Northern part of Italy, near the boundary of Austria. I enjoyed the view so much  that I just couldn't stop my camera from clicking.

Glad the weather was fine the whole time we stayed there. The temperature is still freezing in the mountain areas but the sun was up, so it helped a lot as we drove around the place. We had to cross this mountain to get to our rented apartment. There were tunnels, some only for few meters, but the ones that took few kms. drive, made me a bit scared. :)

As we came past by those tunnels and zigzag roads, these are views that we saw along the way. I just  love the farm life, seeng the animals calmly feeding grasses.

 I was little amazed that it still seemed springtime here, I couldn't help from admiring these lovely flowers in the terraces.

 The color of autumn is always a delight to our sight.

 We made a short stop on that bench and took pictures around while admiring the golden trees, surrounded by mountain rocks.

 As we headed on, these are views along the road. They are so beautiful! Such beauty of nature!

 This is the view from our rented apartment. I woke up for three nights seeng these colorful trees from our window.

Travel is already a part of life. We will have more realization about how grand and great are God's creations in travelling. There are challenges along the way, like dealing with the coldest weather ever, and scary roads, but we all are meant to conquer our fear and are winners in our own ways. Just be positive because God is ever and always present.

Have a wonderful November ahead! Buon Viaggio! :=)

October Fall

I wanted to start the habit of taking a long walk everyday. Yesterday was my first try.

October fall is such a delight to look at. While it has been raining here for days now,

and the sun being elusive, the fall colors seem to substitute the bright.

Luckily, I caught the clouds in blue yesterday during my walk

and got these beauties below. Thank God!

"Autumn is a second spring, when every leaf is a flower"- Albert Camus

Blessed days ahead everyone!:=)

Tuscany

One of the most beautiful regions in Italy is Tuscany( Toscana).

We made our half day road trip along green valleys of the Tuscans and

I brought with me this memory.

And so it's true that travelling will make us realize how much

gifts we actually have from heaven, as we look around mother nature.

It's simply priceless!

Have a wonderful road trip here! Until next stop..God bless!:-)

prize of mornings

Mornings are parts of our travel. We have become used to this routine everytime we go on little vacation or just a weekend getaway. So I take pride in being able to witness how the sun rises every time. There was a saying that goes, " If you want to be a great photographer, you don't need a very expensive camera, you only need to be ahead of sunrise, for there are moments within the day that will never come back for you to capture." And it's so true.

This one is taken in Roma while on our way to South Italy, where my husband's hometown is located.

This second one is located in Central Italy. This city, which is on the hilltop,  is surrounded with thick fog one early morning as we drove on. Looks like a castle, as you can see , but that grand structure is actually the cathedral of the main city.

Have a great ride in here, readers and friends! Enjoy!

my first bigné

Made my first bigné yesterday.. I copied the recipe from a baking show on tv. Bigné is like a soft type of bread and has sweet cream fillings...you either fill them with chocolate or just a simple sweet cream. This pastry is one of the known sweets of Italy.
Perhaps, a good companion to a cup of cappuccino.. anyway, have a sweet weekeday!

Buon appetito! 😊

Happy birthday, Mama Mary!

Temples of the South

It's my first time to have seen temples such as these. This summer is one of my most unique adventures, for I normally go to beaches every summer. But this time, it's a lot really different, discovering some greek temples of Italy.

These greek temples are located in Paestum, Salerno (South Italy).

It's been said that the reasons that led the greeks to settle in Italy are especially connected to the need of cultivable land, the overpopulation of their land of origin, and the fight for famine.

This city was once named Poisedonia. When the Romans conquered the place, its name was changed to Paestum (up present).

Temple of Athena

I love this scene. Father and daughter having their bonding moment

while painting the temple on- the- spot.

 Temple of Neptune (the largest of the three)

 this last one is the temple of Hera, which is the oldest

Thanks for hopping on! Until next ride. Ciao for now! Have a blessed Monday!

Happy Birthday, amore!

Yesterday, my husband celebrated his 43rd. I am sharing this little moment.

It's my first time to make a birthday cake in all my life, hahah!:=D

But since I wanted to surprise him, I believe I have made this day a truly

memorable one for him.  :-)

I intentionally made its theme like kids. It brings a joyful spirit. (hehe!)

Read and learn

Reading gets you travel far.

So, read...read..read..and then learn.

 Have a blessed Sunday! ;-)

savoring gelato's origin

I just knew from my husband that gelato was invented by the Sicilians. Its name was derived from one small town of Sicily called "Gela". I must say that Italy has really the best of gelato and a sure escape from a very hot summer.

Siracusa

Spent our first two days in the city of Siracusa, Sicily.

Our visit to one city won't be complete without being able to

roam around the heart of it.

    Duomo (cathedral) di Siracusa

Basilica Santuario Madonna delle Lacrime

Off to the Sicilian Island

Cloudy view on my first travel to Sicily for a short summer break with my husband.

5 essential weight loss foods

Found this interesting article from Dr. Mao for all health conscious individuals out there. As we all know that "health is wealth", may these tips help you in achieving a good and healthy diet.

1. Millet: A well-balanced diet should consist of whole grains instead of refined grains like white rice and pasta, and millet is a beneficial and delicious staple of this category of food. This non-glutinous grain is over 10-percent protein, has high amounts of fiber and B-complex vitamins, and because it isn't an acid forming food, is easy to digest.

2. Asparagus: When losing weight, it's important to favor chlorophyll-rich foods, including asparagus. Asparagus is a nutrient-rich vegetable packed with folate, vitamins A, C, and K, and fiber. Asparagus also contains a carbohydrate known as inulin (not to be confused with insulin) that promotes healthy bacteria in the large intestine - which in turn promotes a healthier digestive function.

3. Pomegranates: Eating a balanced diet to lose weight should include eating fresh fruits, and pomegranates are a wonderful example of a healthy, nutritious fruit that has antioxidant properties and will help prevent cancer. While the benefits of drinking pomegranate juice have gained a lot of attention recently, you will be more likely to lose weight by eating the fruit fresh to increase your fiber intake and keep the calories down.

4. Pine Nuts: Pine nuts are the edible seeds of pine trees and are considered an essential ingredient in the tasty Italian mixture pesto. Chinese medicine uses pine nuts to improve gastrointestinal tract and digestive functions, and pine nut oil is even used for appetite suppression. Pine nuts and other nuts are a tasty part of a well-balanced diet intended for weight loss.

5. Green Tea: It has been found that consuming large amounts of coffee and caffeine can lead to food cravings, increase one's appetite, and induce stress-related eating. Green tea is a wonderful alternative to coffee in that it does provide a little caffeine but also contains beneficial antioxidants. So drink up!

( Source: Dr. Mao's Secrets of Longevity )

***On thing more to complete a balance lifestyle- don't forget to make exercise part of your routine. I think an hour to sweat around would be enough to have your blood in good circulation and help release excess fats in your body. Have a healthy and smiley day ahead!:-)  everyone! i am starting from here and we'll learn together.

Fresh start

I don't remember anymore how many times I tried to recover my past sites and attempted to make new one but I failed everytime. I don't know if it has something to do with my age that I have become so forgetful about details especially passwords. The "fault in the star" is that I don't write them on papers but only in mind. But what?!! age?? Oh, come on! I just freshly turned 40...as we all love to believe, "life begins". NOOOO!!!

Anyways...i hope this one is for good. We will see what we can do from here. :=)