Vitamins that add zest to sex life

 Vitamins that add zest to sex life

 What we eat greatly affect our energy and behavior, thus people who eat proper food with the needed vitamins and minerals are more active, and they generally lead happier lives. They have lesser problems with health and sex. A healthy body has the energy and positive disposition to a zestful sex life.

Dr Abe V Rotor 

 Let us examine what these vitamins are and what specific roles they play in enhancing a healthy love life.

 Vegetables and fruits - key to a happy love life

Vitamin A. This vitamin helps in the production of sex hormones, and fights inflammation and infection of tissues. Acute deficiency may lead to atrophy of the testes and ovaries. Soft skin and healthy look may be attributed to a good supply of Vitamin A which comes from carrot, broccoli and other crucifers, yellow fruits and green leafy vegetables.

Vitamin B Family. This vitamin complex may be derived from unpolished rice, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Milk principally gives riboflavin, a type of Vitamin B2. Its deficiency may lead to the development of arthritis.

Niacin or Vitamin B3, on the other hand, is derived from asparagus, mungo sprouts, lean meat and fish. This vitamin improves memory, and together with Vitamin A and minerals, gives the flush and glow in the person. Its deficiency may result in skin eruptions and pellagra.

There is pyridoxine, which is vital to the functioning of our brain and nerves. Pyridoxine deficiency is manifested by a general feeling of weakness, neuritis, insomnia, irritability, and anemia. These lead to loss of sex appetite and failure of experiencing sex orgasm.

Most of the Vitamin B rich foods contain pyridoxine and pantothenic acid.

Pantothenic acid is classified as Vitamin B. It is needed in the production of body energy. Choline, which is allied to Vitamin B, enhances sexual arousal and performance. Choline is an ingredient of lecithin, a rejuvenator. Lecithin also contains inositol. Inositol, pantothenic acid, and para-amino benzoic acid (PABA) constitute what is termed as “youth vitamin." Sources of this vitamin other than those mentioned are eggs, crucifers like cabbage, liver, legumes, whole grain nuts and seeds like sesame.

These also provide another Vitamin B member, biotin, the lack of which could lead to depression, indigestion, slow healing of wounds, frequent colds and infections, shortness of breath. 

Most nutritious vegetable - malunggay (Moringa oleifera) 

Mango, avocado, citrus, tomato, guava, and strawberry are among the rich sources of Vitamin C. Doctors recommend a daily intake of 1000 milligrams although some people go as high as 2000 milligrams when exposed to toxins, infection and chronic illness. Taking Vitamin C is a practical way of preventing colds, and some people take it with two cloves (not heads) of raw garlic once they start feeling cold symptoms.

Vitamin D. Although there is no known direct effect on sex, the lack of this vitamin which is actually a hormone complex known as sterols, adversely affects calcium-phosphorus balance and metabolism. Bone deformity in children and osteoporosis are the chief manifestations of its deficiency.

 

 Regular outdoor exercise and sunlight exposure, and taking in of calcium-phosphorus rich foods protect us from deficiency disorders. Calcium supplement, mainly in milk, becomes a necessary part of the diet of older people. Aside from slowing down the aging process,

Adobong kangkong with chili

Vitamin E adds zest to sex life. It prevents the oxidation of fatty acids which are important in the production of sex hormones. It is found in most of the vitamin-rich foods, but some people may still need Vitamin E supplement often marked tocopherols [Greek: to bring childbirth) (Jensen).

Another vitamin is Vitamin F, which is needed by the thyroid, adrenal and prostate glands. It promotes calcium absorption, buffers cholesterol, helps keep our hair and skin look healthy. Most of the vitamin-rich foods provide us with adequate Vitamin F.

Pokpoklo (Codium edule) green seaweed is rich in iodine and vitamin B12 

It is important to keep always in mind that good health is the key to sexual vitality. Although it is highly recommended that we eat a lot of vegetables and fruits, particularly those specifically mentioned, it does not mean that the more we take them the more we are benefited by their nutrients and herbal values.

First, it is wise to think of certain herbs of their specific significance and the kind of illness we may be treating. There are herbs that are actually dilute forms of natural drugs, and not foods and dietary supplements.

Second is that anything taken in excess is bad. It is but proper to take these herbs with moderation, and better still, with proper consultation.

And third, avoid smoking. Smoking reduces life span to as much as 20 per cent, not considering the predisposition to smoking-related illnesses, principally lung cancer and heart attack, which may cut short a good life even before reaching middle age. Drugs, nicotine, caffeine, alcohol and menthol are known to deaden the nerves in the long run. Medical reports point to them as culprits to many kinds of potency problems both in men and women.

Another form of Vitamin B is folic acid, another form of the B vitamin folate which helps eliminate homocysteine from the blood, an amino acid linked to arterial disease and heart attack. It is also essential in embryonic development and early growth. That is why folic acid is added to milk and foods as protection against birth and childhood defects.

People who eat a lot of dark leafy vegetables, carrots, beans, asparagus, and whole grain, need not worry about folic acid deficiency.

Vitamin B6, which is derived from ginger and certain vegetables, brings relief to the so-called carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS, which is a painful and irritating condition developed by long hours at the keyboard. Carpal tunnel syndrome is characterized by swollen tendons that move the fingers. Other than this remedy, proper posture and work habits must be followed. Ginger as anti-inflammatory properties, aside from its value in toning the cardiovascular system and r educing platelet aggregation, thus helping in protecting heart attacks and strokes.

The most complex of all vitamins is Vitamin B12 or cobalamine. It is important in the synthesis of nucleic acid and myelin, the covering of nerves. Vitamin B12 was discovered in papait, derived from the chyme of ruminant animals. The chyme is heated and pasteurized (heated below boiling for a few minutes and filtered). It is then mixed with kilawen (medium rare goat’s meat or beef). This preparation is effective against tuberculosis and anemia. 

Vegetarians are at risk for its deficiency, especially among children, which may result in pernicious anemia characterized by symptoms of weakness, apathy, light headedness, shortness of breath, numbness of extremities, and loss of balance. Among older people acute Vitamin B12 deficiency may lead to loss of memory and disorientation.

 

Top, Spirulina, a blue-green alga as seen under the microscope, made into tablets; lower photos: Chlorella seen at high magnification, and Chlorella tablets.  Both are food supplements rich in vitamins and minerals. (Wikipedia)

Other food sources of this vitamin are fish and poultry, seaweeds like gamet (Porphyra), arusip (Caulerpa), and gulaman (Gracillaria). Chlorella, a green alga and Spirulina, a blue-green alga, contain high Vitamin B12. Lack of Vitamin B12 is manifested by fatigue, irritability, paleness, muscle jerking, and mild mental problems, all of which can greatly adverse sexual life.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Prolonged lack of this vitamin may lead to scurvy. Poor sex life is attributed to its deficiency. Its role is in the absorption of iron. Iron aids in oxygenation of the blood. A well-oxygenated blood is efficient in carrying oxygen, hormones and nutrients to the organs and tissues of the body. How do we know if we lack this vitamin?  It is manifested by the bleeding of gums.  

It is important to consider that we have to maximize the vitamins present in the food we eat. We must remember that heat destroys vitamins and other nutrients, for which reason, vegetables must not be overcooked.

It is also well to know that alcohol, nicotine, drugs and coffee prevent the absorption of nutrients, principally vitamins and minerals. This may develop into a kind of malnutrition that may be taken for granted. Thus, people who abuse themselves with these substances suffer poor health and generally lead sedentary lives.

It is also good to remember that even if we get the proper kind and amount of food, we must complement it with regular exercise and good rest, a positive disposition notwithstanding.

And lastly, both physical and mental well-being are important to healthy sex. Many experts say that the greatest aphrodisiac is the human mind.

"All mankind love a lover.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson, Essays

Reference: Philippine Herbs to Increase Sexual Vitality by Del Rosario RM, Ontengco-Castro D and AV Rotor , 2000; acknowledgement: Wikipedia for Photos.

Crocodile in the Sky

Crocodile in the Sky
Dr Abe V Rotor

These two photographs of Manila Bay along Roxas Boulevard
were taken from the Cultural Center of the Philippines where
the 2009 Ramon Magsaysay Awards Ceremonies was held on
that day, August 30, 2009.


Crocodile in the Sky

I thought I would see the last of your kind
With every tree cut, swamp drained,
The river dammed or made into sewer,
The shore into resort and fishpond.
Or at least in homage, I would visit you
In a museum, stuffed or in skeleton.

Darwin and Freud studied you well
Didn’t they? So with Orwell and Marx,
Prophets and sages of old and new,
Crick and Watson, Venter and Collins –
If your DNA doesn’t suffice to tell me
All about you – then who are you?

You must be a ghost who haunts and lurks,
Immortal before your mortal demise
And haunting man since his fall,
And haunting him still - perhaps forever;
Ah, you are the biblical devil no less
To test man's rationality and obedience.

You have no place then except the place
Of your birth and those of your ancestors
In flesh and blood – and if you are a ghost,
It’s time to say goodbye to your friends,
Your guardians, benefactors,
And clear your image in the sky. ~

Energy from Plants. Can we harness energy directly from plants, rather than harvest energy from their products?

Energy from Plants

Can we harness energy directly from plants, rather than harvest 

 energy from their products?

Dr Abe V Rotor

Author (left) and UN-FAO scientist Domingo Tapiador inspect fruits of bitaog or palomaria (Calophylum inophylum) at the UST Botanical Garden. The seeds contain

oil for lubrication and fuel.

 

Stick plant (Euphorbia tirucali). Extract is processed into diesel fuel and oil, UST;

Hanga, ripe berries burn bright yellow, DENR Loakan, Baguio.

 

Green charcoal from talahib (Saccharum spontaneum); Plant residues and farm wastes, as firewood substitute (eg rice hull, coconut coir and sawdust), generation of biogas and composting into organic fertilizer. Landscape supplies, QC

Can we harness energy from plants, rather than harvest energy from their products?

As a simple review, only plants - green plants (those containing chlorophyll which include algae and relatives) - have the ability to capture solar energy and convert it into chemical energy. That is, the light of the sun into sugar (calories), by means of photosynthesis.

Sugar (CHO) is either transformed into energy for the use of the plant itself, or transferred to animals that feed on the plant.

Otherwise this primary product is stored into complex sugar like starch, oil, and more importantly protein (CHON) which is used as "building blocks" in growth and development. Post-photosynthetic processes are specific in the production of resin, gum, cork, wood, and many other organic compounds, which when taken by animals are converted into energy, and compounds needed in their growth and development. Otherwise the unused materials remain at store, or may be lost through oxidation, biological (e.g. fermentation), and physical means (e.g. burning).

Energy is a continuous, incessant flow in the living system, moving in and out in the process. Biologists explain it in terms of metabolism (catabolism or energy-gain, and anabolism or energy loss or respiration), whereas ecologists draw the lines of interrelationships of participating organisms as food chains forming food webs, and food pyramid to indicate hierarchy in energy utilization. 

  Intricate network in a leaf through which energy and materials flow.

But as a basic principle plants are autotrophs (photosynthesizers), while animals are heterotrophs (consumers in hierarchical order, with man being the ultimate consumer in most cases).

With this in mind, how can we the harness solar energy in the plant during photosynthesis?

How can we create a short circuit in directing the electrons before they are used in the final stage of photosynthesis - and instead, convert it directly into electricity?

We can - theoretically - if we can only develop a method to “interrupt” photosynthesis and redirect the electrons before they are used up to make sugars. So instead of harvesting sugarcane, and make alcohol, and burn it to produce light and heat – or electricity - we might as well invent a living solar panel and directly "harvest" electricity for our domestic and industrial needs.

Sounds futuristic, isn’t? Well, it is. But remember, no one believed in splitting the atom a century ago and produce nuclear energy. There are now hundreds of nuclear plants all over the world, producing electricity to as much as 50 percent of a country’s electricity need. Such is the case of France, Germany and Japan.

How about hydrogen fuel? There are cars - thousands of them running on Hydrogen fuel. And the byproduct is not smoke that add to pollution. It is H2O or water.

Now, hear this. During photosynthesis, the photons that are captured by the plant are used to split water molecules into the component parts of Oxygen and Hydrogen. By doing so, they produce electrons. The electrons are then utilized by the plant to create sugars that are then used by the plant (and the animals that eat it) for growth and reproduction.

Architecturally the leaf is like a battery.

"The technology involves separating out structures in the plant cell called thylakoids, which are responsible for capturing and storing energy from sunlight. Researchers manipulate the proteins contained in the thylakoids, interrupting the pathway along which electrons flow.

These modified thylakoids are then immobilized on a specially designed backing of carbon nanotubes, cylindrical structures that are nearly 50,000 times finer than a human hair. The nanotubes act as an electrical conductor, capturing the electrons from the plant material and sending them along a wire." (Reference: Ramaraja Ramasamy, assistant professor in the University of Georgia and the author of a paper published in the Journal of Energy and Environmental Science.)

Tree-planting project, Mt Makiling, Laguna

This research is important, because photosynthetic plants function at nearly 100% quantum efficiency. Almost every photon of sunlight captured by the plant is converted into an electron. And what do we get in our solar cells today? A measly fraction - 12 to 17 percent. This huge difference propels us to research towards this direction, away from fossil fuels, and even from the circuitous biomass fuel generation

Harvesting electricity directly from plants may be weird and wild an idea as in Jules Verne fiction novels. But now we can go Around the World in Eighty Days - and even reach the moon and explore outer space. We can now go deeper than Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and even reach the ocean floor.

And how about coming up a perpetual machine, elusive dream child of science?
The answer may lie in Plant-Based Energy Generation. ~

Nature's Recyclers - Biological Agents of Ecological Balance

Nature's Recyclers

Biological Agents of Ecological Balance and Sustainability

Dr Abe V Rotor

Foliose lichen grows and breaks down the lignin of wood.
Parks and Wildlife Nature Center, QC

Moss builds soil from rock, an example of biological weathering.
Calaruega Retreat Center, Alfonso, Cavite

Termites eat wood with the aid of protozoa that live in
their stomach, an ideal example of symbiosis. At home in QC.

Termite mound covers a tree stump. Parks and Wildlife
Nature Center, Quezon City.

Mushrooms grow on plant residues, and convert them 

into humus which fertilizes the crop. Antipolo, Rizal

Shelf mushrooms grow on dead wood, eventually converting
it into soil that piles up on the forest floor. Mt. Makiling, Laguna



Rot fungi blanket the dead limb of Ficus tree.
UST Manila.

A host of soil insects, principally crickets and grubs, was
responsible in toppling this tree. Caliraya Lake, Laguna.

Rhizobium bacteria convert atmospheric Nitrogen into 

nitrate for the use of legume plants (e.g. mung bean - 

Vigna radiata). Note tubercles attached to the roots 

where the beneficial bacteria reside. ~

-----------------------------------

"Humans are the only creatures on Earth that will cut down a tree, turn it into paper, then write 'save the trees' on it."

--------------------------------

Phosphorescent Caterpillars

Phosphorescent Caterpillars

Dr Abe V Rotor

Caterpillars eating the leaves of ilang-ilang (Cananga odorata), 

at home near La Mesa watershed.

They came - an army of hungry glowing worms,

on a sunset on a tall ilang-ilang tree;

there they hang like lanterns or neon far away,

and in crepuscular light there I could see

a familiar tree traced by its essence in the air,

and now by the phosphorescence from this tree -

Christmas ahead and beyond yet here at hand,

by the glow of these worms reminds me of Thee;

through nature's ways to guard the frail and lowly

through the secret of ephemeral beauty. ~

Have you tasted Stone Soup?

Have you tasted Stone Soup?

Dr Abe V Rotor



Stone covered with green algae (lumot); microcopic structure of Lyngbya
crosbyanum, a common green freshwater alga. (Photos by AVR)This is one

for the Book of Guinness.


Along the pristine shallow shores of the sea, lakes and rivers, you will find stones coated with living algae. Along coral reefs the algae growing on these stones are mainly Enteromorpha, and a host of juvenile seaweeds, while those in freshwater the dominant algae are Chlorella and Nostoc, all commonly called lumot. These are edible species listed in books in phycology, the study of algae.

Now there are two ways old folks prepare the soup from these algae-rich stones. The stones are roasted or charcoal or under low fire to bring out the aroma, and then dropped simmering in a waiting bowl of water complete with tomato, onion and a dash of salt.

The other method follows the traditional way of cooking of broth, with the addition of vegetables - and even fish or meat. The recipe is rich in calcium because of the calcareous nature of the stones, especially those gathered in coral reefs.

Try stone soup; it's good for the bones. And it's a good piece of friendly conversation. One summer I started a lecture at one o'clock in the afternoon with "Have you tried stone soup?" ~

I am a Lost Lamb

I am a Lost Lamb
The Good Shepherd in Stained Glass: I AM A LOST LAMB
The Good Shepherd Cathedral, Fairview QC

Photos and Verses by Dr Abe V Rotor

The Lost Lamb

You are everywhere but there's no place I can find You:
on a high rise, in the crowded city,
in the academe, market and mall,
in the theater and concert hall;

I cried out Your name, only to be baffled by the roar of cars,
blaring music of the karaoke,
boisterous parties, unruly rallies,
deafening noise of giant machines;

I tried to touch You like the old woman in the Holy Book,
in the church, in processions,
on a hanging crucifix, and rosary,
religious images on my busy desk;

I have no time, though the city is alive round the clock;
alone I drive on the fast lane,
live in a push subdivision
away from kin and real home;

I am a prisoner in a prison built in the name of progress,
the miracle of science and technology,
the wonder and pleasure of travel,
with social media at my fingertips;

I am lost in cyberspace, in things I seem to understand,
I am the Lost Lamb
in the wilderness of globalization
and postmodernism;

I long to see You, hear You, and touch You.




... through the Storm of Life

Let me go back to my younger years to be with You,
among your little friends and disciples,
where innocence reigns in peace
understanding and joy;

Let me sit beside You and listen to Your stories:
the parables of the Prodigal Son,
the Sower, and the Lost Lamb,
the Sermon on the Mount;

Let me join You in Your walk hand in hand,
to leave my footprints beside yours,
and if I see that I have none, I trust that
You shall have carried me
through the storm of life.~

Wheels of Faith

Wheels of Faith

They come through prism splitting the light of heaven,
     In joyful, glorious colors of seven,
Each color the color of life in joy and sorrow,
     Today and the promise of tomorrow.

Mural and Poem by Dr Abe V Rotor

 
 

Wheels of Rainbow in acrylic, showing details (5ft x 8 ft) AVR,

June 6, 2012

Wheels of fate to wheels of destiny in man’s hand,
     They all come down to the faithful in band,
Through time and space on the road of man’s lifetime,
     Whether this or another or over the clime.

Old as they may or new, while others are yet to be born,
     Their origin is the same – goodness sworn;
Passport to the way beyond this life each one must earn
     Above the material, blind faith and yearn.

They come down in gears spinning, large and small
     Moving constantly bouncing like a ball,
The essence of competition, the essence of oneness,
     How one plays in compassion and goodness.

Claim for heaven alone by the book and tongue is falsehood,
    Veering from the chain peace and unity should;
Poor orphan of humanity, the very core of faith,
    Forlorn, and man returns to his own fate.

But where is heaven, what is the afterlife, ask the people,
     As they look at the sky and the totem pole,
And losing faith they break away from the holy bond,
     Alas! walk down the road of a vagabond.

They pray for heaven to come down, out from the blue,
     The long Promise to billions waiting to be true,
Where the discs as one on some fertile ground must grow
     Into one Eden arched by the rainbow. ~

"Sea on the Wall" Forever

"Sea on the Wall" Forever

    Mural by Dr Abe V Rotor

I love to paint the sea, the sea

     when I was young,

as young today in my memory,

     and after I'm gone.

"Sea on the Wall" Mural detail, AVRotor 2015 at author's residence in Lagro

QC (30ft x 15ft)

Re-discovering the Camachile Tree

Trees for Peace         

Re-discovering the Camachile Tree                    

Dr Abe V Rotor

Camachile (Pithecolobium dulce) is a medium to a fairly large tree. It is also called Manila tamaind. Its pods are eaten raw and loved by children in the province. The pods that fall to the ground are eaten by goats, fowls, and other animals.

To the rural bred, camachile is virtually a password in summer, its fruiting season. We kids in our time, armed with bamboo pole, would eye at the dangling bright red or golden dehiscent pods, and under the shade of the tree, feast on our harvest to our   delight.

The flesh surrounding the seeds is sweet and somewhat acrid (mapakla) because of high tannin, which is good to those suffering of diabetes and high blood, so our old folks believed. I do not know of any way of eating camachile other than raw.  Just split the pod and separate the seeds. Seldom is it served on the dining table. There's no recipe I am aware of. Simply enjoy eating, no soft drinks, no sugar or salt. 

The tree is resistant to drought and grows in poor soil because it makes its own fertilizer, so to speak. It has a spreading root system that harbors nitrogen-bacteria (Rhizobium).  It is also resistant to saline condition (halophyte) and is found growing in estuaries and in fact along the seashore with coconut trees venture into the breakwater.

I remember old camachile trees, some perhaps fifty years old, lining the Bantaoay River in our town San Vicente, site of the historic Basi Revolt of 1807. There under their adventitious roots were the burrows of river eels or palos (igat Ilk), while under their overhanging branches over the river, mullets (banak Tag., purong Ilk ) would idly group in summer. Adventurous as we were then, we would hook for both igat and purong, and in Ilocano, brag of our catch, fair or big. We did not starve waiting for our fish even for a whole day, thanks to the benevolent camachile. What tree can beat camachile?  We got shelter, breeze, fish, fruit, firewood to broil our catch, and birdsong in its top.  

    

Trees growing along the riverbank serve as natural riprap, and those along borders make a natural fence what with its spiny stems and branches. And when planted close in a row or two become a windbreak against typhoon. Thus Camachile is recommended for reforestation and rehabilitation of wasteland.

 

On the farm the leaves serve as feeds for goat and other ruminant animals. The leaves make good compost and are often mixed with hay or rice hull to serve as bedding of farm animals. The spent litter is then cleaned off and sent to the garden or field for fertilizer and mulch.

Nothing is wasted of the tree. Old branches are pruned for fence, post, rama (fish sanctuary, and firewood. Old trees make good house materials and furniture. Camachile wood is durable and make fine furniture. It can be mistaken for narra. I remember a Manila visitor who came to town to buy a sala set. All the time he was thinking of it was made of narra. "It it camachile wood, " revealed the artisan, and got a premio (token) for his honesty.

In my research in college I came to know that the bark and pulp are astringent and hemostatic, true to the claims of our folks at home. So with the natives of the tree's origin - Central America - who use the pulp and bark against gum ailments, toothache and hemorrhages. Medical science has advanced such remedies. A bark extract is used against dysentery, chronic diarrhea and tuberculosis. An extract of the leaves is used for gall ailments and to prevent miscarriage. The ground seed is used to clean ulcers, among other uses, many of which remain to be discovered.

 I shall never outgrow camachile.  It's a classic tree of childhood. It opens a curtain for our troubled earth in returning the balance and pristine nature of our environment. ~ 

Views from a High Rise

Views from a High Rise

Dr Abe V Rotor

Retreat Center, Lipa, Batangas

One sweep of the magic wand

By the hand that drives the wheel,

That makes chips out of raw sand

While time flies, is never still.

Spring is when birds sing, when bloom

The cherry, when it's time to wake;

Long are the days away from gloom -

To beauty, the views they make.

Through the window of a high rise,

Poor is the sight, sad is the song;

To nature before its demise,

Like gem lying deep unknown.

Seasons seep in and swiftly go

Across the forest, over the reef;

Through the veil of the window

Creation's wonder is brief.

Abstract figures crowd the mind,

Painting imagery anew;

And leaving the old behind,

While a new world comes to view. ~

Once I wondered if ever fish sleep

Once I wondered if ever fish sleep
Dr Abe V Rotor


Fish, pastel drawing by Angelica Mijares, then 9 years old
Summer Art Workshop for Children, SPUQC, circa 2001

Once I wondered if ever fish sleep,
Unless by sleep they remain still
In some quiet pool, like the cow and sheep,
After their fill lie on a grassy hill.

Could either, I ask, bring about man’s ease
And cease his mind to wonder and wander?
And where is that pool or that hill at peace,
Save Flanders, or some place ever after?

Time for Verses: Where land, sea and sky meet

Time for Verses

Where land, sea and sky meet 

Dr Abe V Rotor

Where land and sea meet, in acrylic, AVR 2002

Hidden eyes in acrylic, AVR 2002

1. Hush, hush,
suddenly the world became still;
gone is the lark in the sky
and raven on the window sill.

2. The bamboo I cut is not really mine,
this giant grass, a reed sublime;
in the wind it rings a sweet old chime
into a song sans words and rhyme.

3. When the geese take to the air
their leader first breaks the barrier;
on the dovetail trail ride the flock
in synergy, confidence and luck.

4. A wall unseen by the other,
behind we refuse to be seen,
of what we are and what had been –
break it, and be a true brother.

5. Better the Noble Savage lived
than civilization to Mankind,
in a Garden we long envied,

sans want, war and its evil kind.

6. Look at the arrow and the bow,
the first machine before the plow;
a hunter’s life that man had ceased,
to found the land of love and peace.

7. For just once the world is mine

with rowdy friends and I,

happily with a jug of wine,

words come easy, "Aye, Aye!."

8. Kindness but without honesty -
that is sentimentality;
honesty but without kindness -
simply that is plain cruelty;
peace - that the duo must harness

to bring light to humanity.

9. Judgment isn't just conformity
that binds a class and society;
not for the rich or any sect –
but of the heart and intellect.

10. If my life's to be lived with love,
learned and shared not one but many;
through others it's this way above,
I shall have left a legacy.~

Symbiosis of Drynaria Fern and Acacia Tree - More than Commensalism

Symbiosis of Drynaria Fern and Acacia Tree 

- More than Commensalism

Dr Abe V Rotor



Feathery Drynaria fern atop acacia tree, UST Botanical Garden  

Drynaria fern covers the limbs of an acacia tree. Tagudin, Ilocos Sur

I like the Drynaria 

I like Drynaria for her feathery foliage in the distance like the proud peacock and the turkey trotting to win favors of their flocks;

I like Drynaria for her sturdiness in the wind, cooling the summer air and keeping the coolness of the Amihan in December;

I like Drynaria for her resiliency, bending with the limbs and branches, turning upside down and up again the next season;

I like Drynaria for sleeping through the dry months while her host takes the show, verdant green, robust and free;

I like Drynaria for resurrecting from a state of torpor, as if she defies death and perpetuates life while others simply die;

I like Drynaria for her economy in sustenance, living on captured dirt and rain, yet discreet of such austere living;

I like Drynaria for touching the clouds with her host taming it to fall as rain and shared by all creatures around;

I like Drynaria for her ability to multiply fast through invisible spores, in one sweep of the wind are sown in far places;

I like Drynaria for its benevolence to many creatures, tenants and transients, keeping their brood in her bosom;

I like Drynaria giving the martinez birds a home, where it sings in joy and praise and thanksgiving for a beautiful world;

I like Drynaria for keeping company to passersby, to tired souls in the shade of its host tree at midday, and unlikely hours;

I like Drynaria for giving off oxygen and taking in carbon dioxide that poisons the earth and living things, among them no less than me;

I like Drynaria, for caring its host and vice versa through symbiosis - a perfect bond that humans have yet to learn someday. ~

Martinez birds, long thought to be extinct locally, find shelter
and home with the Drynaria, and the host acacia tree.