Lantana, Okra, Bougainvillea, Cadena-de-Amor, Begonia and Gumamela. These are the ‘fruits’ of my stay in Baclayon, Bohol for nearly 2 months. Now back in Manila, I’m writing the patterns and making more prototypes at the same time catching up on CALs with crochet friends on Ravelry.

One CAL I've managed to finish is Maria Merlino's rendition of the Pineapple Scarf, a classic pattern.
In Baclayon, leisure time wasn’t so generous since we started work on fencing, planting and building a small house on an agricultural site in barangay San Roque (as well as all the paperwork involved in such duties), in a ’sitio’ we have been visiting for nearly two years. We have gained many new friends and acquaintances there and in the surrounding barangays.
These friends are the ones building our new home now, a home radically different from the flat we are renting here in the city. It is a new home made of gemelina wood, with amakan walls and nipa roofing – a construction often referred to as an “Indigenous House.” No architects were involved in the design of this house.
San Roque is a small barangay with about a thousand residents. Occupation of the place is mostly fishing and farming. We are staying not very far from the sea – maybe about 500 meters. Trevor and I try to go to the sea everyday, to swim (for Trevor) or just to relax (for me); and on the way back, pass by the market to buy some fish for dinner.
During the bit of spare time I managed to crochet some flowers, those beautiful flowers found in San Roque.
There are many more flowers, fruits and vegetables to draw inspiration from in San Roque, as well as such colorful creatures as the tuko (spotted gecko) and the tree snake. The banana heart is also an amazing work …
I have posted some photographs of our stay in San Roque, Baclayon, Bohol. You may find them in the Gallery: Home in Baclayon.
Later, I will be posting the photos and patterns of the flowers I made in San Roque.





Twisting coir in Kerala, India, 2008.










