Pinnacles

Last March 2010, my family had a long drive to the a known-tourist spot called the Pinnacles. It was a long-stretch of lime stones. These are extra-ordinary rock formation which located north of Perth. It was 3-1/2 hour drive, but worth it! Located at Nambung National Park, the rock formation can be viewed as your drive through the 4 kilometres of designated driving route. Any car can access it, no sweat.

The Crib

I was excited to try my new camera that time. I have no idea where to take my first few shot..I walked and walked and my feet landed me into this graveyard. I, for one, do not go to cemeteries. I do not like the eerie feeling, the quietness, the loneliness.

However, when I stepped into this old cemetery in Kalgoorlie, it seems to transport you to a different era. Nope, I didn't feel any goose bumps or had eerie feeling. I just walked through and read the epitaphs, counting in my minds how young or old they've stayed in this planet we called earth.

My eye got caught with this crib, old and rusted and dilapidated. I could sense the loss and the pain. I stood there, just wondering how old the baby could have been if he survived; but there was no epitaph.

I moved on and then saw this lady coming in with a rose in her hand, visiting her loved one. She smiled as she passed me by. I was apprehensive to get her permission to take her picture, that will really sound odd, but i wanted to capture this moment...full of love and faithfulness despite the sadness it brings.

happy food

During my university days, I initially stayed at a boarding place at Grove Street in Los Banos Laguna. Ten students shared the entire place with a small family. Our landlady was a seamstress, thus it is very handy whenever we had clothes for mending. Our place is just beside Ellen's Fried chicken, which made it as our "adjacent" kitchen. Feasting with sauteed mongo beans, a leg cut of fried chicken plus rice was indeed comforting for us being away from home.

During study time, me and my mates find ourselves hungry every minute spent on studying. Just across our place is "Jericho Bakery" whose owner we fondly call "Kuya Jerry". From our second floor window, we could smell what he was baking. We will enquire from our windows, "Is it banana loaf?" and he would nod and waved with invitation. This will trigger all of us running down the stairs as if in stampede, and lining up for our turns to be served.

Banana loaf (or we call it banana cake) is a happy food for me. I like to bake if I'm stressing over some matters..it has become a therapy. Eating the finish product is the rewarding part, bringing me back to memory lane, and putting a smile to my face. Most of all, it will make you proud once its consumed and appreciated. If you were one of those students who were lining up at Jericho's Bakery during those times, let me share with you my homemade banana loaf. I promise you this one is easy enough for a 6 year old to make.

For the ingredients:

100 grams of butter
225 grams of flour
1/2 cup of brown sugar
2 eggs beaten
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup of raisins or sultanas
3 medium sized bananas, mashed

Preheat oven at 180C/350F/Gas4.


Rubbed the butter into flour, until you achieved a bread crumb texture. Mixed in the brown sugar, eggs and honey. Mix evenly. Add the mashed bananas and raisins.

Grease the loaf tin with vegetable oil. You can line up the tin with baking sheet, but not necessary. Pour in the mixture and get into the oven for 40-45 minutes. Do check your loaf to make sure you don't overcook. Once done, take the loaf out of the tin and set to cool in a rack.
You now have your banana loaf.

The mixture can be substituted with 2 pieces of grated carrots (less the raisins) to have your carrot loaf; or mash 2 granny smiths apples and add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon for a different twist.

Ready for tea.