New Buddy
Ever since a few weeks ago, it has started to turn a bit gloomy. There is less and less sun and it gets dark earlier and earlier in the day. I had always taken Christmas decors for granted when I was living with my family. To me, they were nice, but not absolutely necessary. Now that I’m on my own, I am finally realizing their worth.
So finally, this weekend, this little buddy from my previous post has adorned my empty windowsill! Hihihi! He’s a poinsettia in a pot. My apartment has no traces of any Christmas decor but I’m trying my best to make it look more festive to liven up the atmosphere when I get home. I’m planning to add more before Christmas Day!
How’re everyone’s decors comin’ up?
Yarn used- acrylic
Hook used- 3.0mm
Paid pattern from Laylala
#crochet #poinsettia #Christmas #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotography #Photography #CrochetPH #CrochetHub
Satur’date’ night! 🥰
Got off early today and had my friend over for dinner!
I made roast beef for the first time. Lol! I watched many videos from YouTube to get an idea how to do it properly and after mixing and matching the spices I had available with the different techniques that they showed, here is the result! I made it with herbed potatoes and she made the stir fried garlic broccoli. We finished it off with a glass of sweet red. We got caught up in the moment and I forgot to take a photo of that one! Lol!
We both wanted our beef to be medium rare so that’s a plus! If my mom were here, she’d want hers well done and I’d have to cook it again separately. How would you like your beef?
#roastbeef #dinner #Saturdate #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotography #Food #Photography
Reunion with my love ❤️
I got the day off today, so I’m planning to continue my long-time work in progress. It’s not like it’s a very difficult project! Lol. I started this a month ago. I’ve just been so busy the past month that I neglected continuing it little by little every day.
I’m really hoping to get this finished before Christmas so I can use it to decorate my little apartment. Hihihi! I’m so glad to be back to crocheting- one of my one true loves. I have forgotten how good it felt to me. Can you guess what I’m trying to make?
#crochet #Christmas #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotography #CrochetPH #CrochetAddict #CrochetHub #YarnArt
The calm before the…?
This photo is a perfect representation of my Tuesday. Everything started well- I woke up feeling refreshed and well-rested. Everything went smoothly at work- no blunders, no mishaps. And when I got home, I had a nice, warm dinner and a nice, warm bath.
I’m sure this sounds like just a regular day for most people but I really appreciate how peaceful it is. Lol! Could this be..? A calm before the storm? Nope, we are being positive here! Lol! Wednesday, please continue to be kind to me. ☺️
It might be a little late to ask, but how did everyone’s day go?
#calm #sky #nature #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotography #Photography
A Break from Reality
Today has been such a busy day. I came home tired, hungry, and sleepy. I didn’t have any energy to cook a meal for dinner so good thing I’ve made them in batches over the weekend so I can just reheat my dinner for tonight.
After eating and cleaning up, I headed straight to bed. It’s a little funny how earlier, I felt so tired but after eating and forcing myself to shower, now that I’m in bed, I couldn’t fall asleep instantly. I am spending a little time to browse through my old photos and found this relaxing scene. I’d love to dream about being in the woods again!
Here’s to having good dreams tonight! What would you like to dream about?
#woods #trees #nature #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotography #Photography
Saturday Adventure
After last night’s ginisang monggo, I was feeling a bit more adventurous tonight. But it’s a different kind of adventure than what you’d think. Lol! For the first time, I made okonomiyaki, which is sometimes called a Japanese pancake. I always see this in Japanese dramas and I love ordering it in restaurants. I never imagined that it could be “doable” at home!
Cabbage is the main ingredient and the beauty of it is, you can add anything else you want! Aside from being delicious, it’s a great pantry sweeper. I didn’t have Japanese yam so I just used flour and baking powder with some dashi stock for the batter and it still turned out great. I also didn’t have bonito flakes to sprinkle on top so I just used the nori flakes that I had.
I noticed that I’ve been posting a lot about my cooking these days. Lol! It’s another hobby that I am given the chance to focus on right now because I absolutely have to cook for myself. What did everyone have for dinner?
#okonomiyaki #Japanesepancake #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotography
Friday Special
After last night’s “fancy” dinner, I wanted to make it simple and easy tonight. And what could be more comforting than the all-time favorite “Friday Special” in the Philippines, ginisang monggo (mung beans)? I find this warm meal just perfect for the chilly weather. :)
Come to think of it, why is monggo called a “Friday Special”? I first came across the idea in our college cafeteria but I never figured out the story behind it. Most people that I meet call it that, too, so I’m guessing it’s not just our cafeteria who coined the term. Anyone else having monggo for tonight’s dinner? Hahaha!
#ginisangmonggo #dinner #FridaySpecial #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotography #Photography
Self love in the form of dinner~
Since I got home a little early today, I decided to go the extra mile and have a special dinner tonight! Hehehe! But don’t be fooled. These are just simple ingredients prepared in a nice way! Lol! My appetite is elevated when my food looks pretty, even with simple and affordable ingredients.
The steak is not high quality meat. It’s just the one that I had in the fridge and it’s quite a thin cut so it was difficult for me to sear the outside while maintaining the inside medium rare- the way I like it. To balance the meal, I also had some salad and a mash. The salad is just plain lettuce tossed in balsamic dressing and the mash is squash garnished with spring onions from my indoor garden. I wanted potatoes but unfortunately, I didn’t have them in my pantry. Lastly, I brewed some jasmine tea. I like my tea better when iced!
Wonder what’s for dessert? Lol!
#steak #dinner #self-love #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotography #Photography
My Treasures
Since I am away from home, my brother decided to send me a photo of the newly installed shelf in my room. I was surprised to see that he arranged my books for me! Hihihi! He’s never much of a talker. He’s more of a “do” person rather than a “say” person, but I really appreciate the effort he put into this. He has his own book collection as well, so this was definitely done with some degree of passion and understanding.
I want to add so much more but I’m stopping myself because there are still a few of these that I haven’t had time to read! It’s a bit blurry, but do you recognize any of these titles?
#books #reading #collection #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotography #Photography
Fog or Smog?
I woke up this morning with this view outside my window. Looks like the December chill is truly upon us now. Lol! The city has a bit of an eerie feel to it, but not as eerie as when it gets foggy during the night time.
If this is purely fog, I think it’s quite a nice change of atmosphere to give off a cool weather vibe, just like in Baguio. But I doubt that, though. This is a city, and some form of smoke pollution is surely mixed in part with the fog. As the sun shone, this also gradually subsided. Glad I was able to take a photo while it lasted! Looks a teeny tiny bit spooky, don’t you think?
#fog #smog #chill #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotohraphy #Photography
Road to Forever
Next weekend, a friend of mine is getting married. I’ve known her and her husband-to-be for quite a long time and I’ve witnessed how they’ve grown and battled through so many challenges together. No matter what happened, they always found their way back to each other.
It’s amazing how two people can have the same feelings. Unrequited love is so common in my circle of friends. I think mutual love is a bit of a rare find, so once you come across it, treasure it, nurture it, and cherish it. That should be the way to go, right? :)
I decided to wrap my gift for them as a form of therapy this Sunday. It’s fairly simple but I hope they appreciate the effort I put into it. I’m so excited for the day they finally tie to knot! Can you guess what my gift is? Hihihi! Clue: home appliance- affordable but useful!
#wedding #gift #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotography #Photography
And the hibernation continues…
Today, I stayed at home and tried to rejuvenate myself. I reorganized the apartment, did some reading, a little crochet, and cooked meals in batches so I’m ready for the rest of the week. Despite all these therapeutic tasks for me, I still find myself missing nature and the outdoors. So as I was having some tea after dinner, I was browsing some of my old photos and found this.
I can associate myself with the tree. Despite losing all its leaves, it stands to enjoy the beautiful view. It withstands rain or shine, until it can grow back its leaves and flourish again. All it needs is a little hibernation. Or so I hope! Lol.
How is everyone’s weekend so far?
#nature #tree #lake #nofilter #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotography #Photography
Maple Madness
That is the name of this drink that I ordered when I went out to catch up with a friend a couple of months ago when the covid situation in the country was a little better. If I remember correctly, the mix was composed of apple cider, maple syrup, apple juice, and vodka topped with a dehydrated apple slice and sprinkled with cinnamon powder.
To be honest, I’m not really big on alcoholic drinks. My taste buds have not acquired the appreciation for the taste of alcohol. Lol! This tasted pretty good but I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite. It does look quite nice on the photo, doesn’t it? Hahaha! Would you give this mix a try?
#cocktail #drink #vodka #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotography #Photography
Nature Break
I’m sharing this photo I personally took on one of my “nature breaks”. These past few weeks have just been so busy for me and everyday as I get home, all I can do is eat, bathe, and sleep. I try to log in and make a decent post but my eyes get too heavy and I end up just falling asleep. Lol!
So today I finally have some time off to rest and unwind. Unfortunately, I’m not going out today. I plan to just stay home and hibernate but as I was browsing my old photos, I came across this one and it makes me want to go in a hike so bad. Do you enjoy hiking?
#forest #nature #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotography
Midweek Musings
Looks like I’m having another busy week! Despite all the hustle and bustle, I took some time to look at the sky. It’s so nice to watch the clouds lazily floating around like this! Even though I’m in the middle of a city, there is newfound peace in the heavens.
Do you also like to gazing at the clouds? Sometimes they just make you feel carefree, don’t they?
#clouds #sky #nofilter #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotography #Photography
Walking towards the Sun
The weekend spent with my family made me realize many things. Sometimes, it’s so tempting to stay in your comfort zone. It feels so secure to always be under the roof of your parents and your family.
But for us to achieve further growth, we must get on with our lives and learn to stand on our own. Independence can take us so much further so that in the end, we can have the means to give back to our family and take care of our parents when they get old. Of course, all this in our own timeline, whenever we are ready to walk this path to the sun. Wouldn’t you agree?
#afternoonsun #sky #nature #pathway #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotography #Photography
Special Sunday Lunch
This Sunday, I finally came home to my family and we decided to have something pretty special (at least to us, lol!) for lunch. We had homemade Chinese style beef noodle soup! But don’t get me wrong though, the noodles are not made from scratch. We bought dried egg noodles. Haha! The pork and scallion dumplings are also ready made.
My mom and I prepared it while my dad watched and gave instructions. First we browned the beef then added some garlic and ginger to sauté. After that, we added the beef stock, some regular soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, a little brown sugar, green chilies, star anise, and cinnamon sticks. We pressure cooked this until the beef was tender. Afterwards, we added it to a bowl containing the noodles, the bokchoy, and the dumplings which we cooked separately. It’s pretty fancy, don’t you think? Hehe! Even something as simple as noodles can become extra special when you’re eating with people you love!
#food #lunch #beef #noodles #soup #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotography #Photography
A Visit to the Park
I personally took this photo when we dropped by a park with a museum in Harbin, China. Unfortunately, the museum was closed for the day. Lol! But there were so many other fascinating things that we saw in that park.
There were 2 old men, probably in their 60-70’s, exercising and balancing some bottles with ropes. I didn’t take a photo of them because I didn’t want to come out as rude. Instead, I just took a photo of this tower. I forgot to ask our guide about it. Lol! So what do you think is this tower built for? Any ideas?
#park #winter #Harbin #China #nofilter #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotography
Not-so-small Bundle of Joy
Since it’s almost the end of the week again, my brother hyped me into coming home by sending a photo of this little one! She had her grooming session a few days back and this is how she looks like now.
She still looks chubby without all her fur. I guess it wasn’t just fur, after all. It was actually… fat. Lol! She already lost a little weight though! She was overweight the last time we took her to the vet. Now she’s just borderline. Hopefully we can move down to normal, soon! You’re doing a great job with your regulated diet and regular exercise, dearest Ellie belly! Keep it up my dearest!
Are you all excited for the weekend, my friends?
#Shihtzu #dog #pet #ILoveMyPet #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotography
Kites, Fishes, or Flags?
I personally took this photo at the Gamcheon Culture Village in Busan, South Korea. We were lucky enough to be there during springtime, and the cherry blossom trees are all in full bloom. They are scattered along the village. There was also art everywhere- the walls, the narrow passageways, the buildings themselves, etc.
We spent half a day in this village and I sure wish we could have stayed longer. It’s set on the side of a mountain so there are paths leading to a mountainside trek but we didn’t get to explore those. We only walked around the village itself. I particularly got attracted to this wall art featuring colorful kites or fishes or flags. What does your imagination tell you? Hihi!
#GamcheonCultureVillage #Busan #Korea #cherryblossom #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotography #Photography
Forever a Potterhead
During our trip to Osaka, Japan way before the pandemic, we went to Universal Studios and what honestly excited me the most was the entire Harry Potter attraction. Of course, we didn’t miss ordering some butterbeer! Me and my cousin shared a cupful.
I started reading the books while I was in grade 4 elementary school and I’ve always loved it since then. I’ve read the entire book series twice and I’ve seen the movies enough for me to memorize most of the lines. Lol! Talk about being a fanatic! It’s so nice to be passionate about something. You’re always giddy and happy whenever you talk about it. Don’t you agree?
#HarryPotter #butterbeer #UniversalStudios #Japan #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotography #Photography
Warm & Hearty
I originally planned on making myself this dinner last Sunday but I totally got engrossed with reading and I put it off to tonight. Lol! I made my own version of Caldereta style beef stew.
Even on a Monday night, this dish was not so hard to prepare. Most of the work is just chopping the ingredients but they’re rough cuts and that’s basically quite easy to do. I had no liver spread so I left that out and just added some other ingredients on my pantry that I think would “belong”. I like this because it’s a one pot dish and you basically just add everything in the pot after browning the meat.
The warm and hearty stew is perfect for this chilly, damp night! Can’t wait to dig in! What’s everyone having for dinner?
#stew #beef #caldereta #dinner #food #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotography #Photography
A Cloudy Sunrise
Woke up early this morning to try and start the day right. I opened my windows and the sky looked so nice. It was cloudy but the clouds were so defined and slushy. It’s not the plain white sky type of cloudy. If you check out the photos that I took, I think you’ll get what I mean. Lol!
My Sunday is going quite well so far. Been maximizing it to do the things I love. I’m doing a crochet project and planning to read a little later. Hopefully, I’ll have enough willpower to make myself something a little special this dinner.
What’s everyone up to this Sunday?
#sky #clouds #sunrise #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotography #Photography
Victory of Light
Had a little get-together today to celebrate Diwali with my Indian friends! As one of my friends explained, the festivity is all about the triumph of light over darkness. There were candles lit by the windowsill. We agreed on a potluck and these were what we had. There’s chicken biryani, vegetable biryani, mushroom curry, fish fry, chickpeas, and lentil samosas (not in the photo). I liked everything!
Guess what I brought? It’s easy to guess from the photo. Of course, I do not know how to cook Indian food. Lol! Since most of them were vegetarians, I wanted to make something that everyone can eat. So I brought the pasta. It was a pretty simple recipe, which only involved spaghetti pasta, garlic, butter, chili flakes, soy sauce, a little sugar, and Parmesan cheese. The original recipe called for oyster sauce but some of them probably don’t eat that so I just left it out.
I personally appreciate getting to experience different cultures of the world. I have deep respect for every country’s culture and I hope these get preserved despite the changing times.
#Diwali #nofilter #food #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotography #Photography
A Thoughtful Gesture
Yesterday, a friend from work came home from a vacation leave and brought me some fresh strawberries. I never asked for them and it was such a delightful surprise! I love strawberries! I’ve been feeling under the weather lately and it was just perfect to cheer me up.
Since she had them for a long ride, some were a little mushy, so I ate those first with Nutella. Ahhh, the tanginess of the strawberry is such a perfect match with the sweet, hazelnut taste of the chocolate. I am saving the rest to make some Korean style strawberry milk later.
What a way to end the tiresome week! Rainbow after the rain, my friends. We just have to never give up and see the storm through to the end. Don’t you think so? :)
#strawberries #Nutella #positivity #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotography
The Garden of Zen
I personally took this photo of the garden outside one of the temples we visited in Busan, South Korea. It didn’t really have a name, but I think I’d call it the Garden of Zen. Ahh, thinking twice, that name sounds kind of generic, doesn’t it? Lol!
Everything about this garden just emits an air of peace, calm, and meditation. We were there in the afternoon but I thought it would’ve been nice to be here in the early mornings, too. The stillness of the atmosphere at the break of dawn would certainly enhance the very essence of every nook and cranny of this garden. How I wish there was a place like this near my home. This is another rough, busy week for me. A breath of fresh air would be nice- both literally and figuratively.
How is everyone’s week so far? Hope you’re having it a lot better than I am!
#nature #garden #zen #Korea #nofilter #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotography #Photography
Playing in the Woods
As kids, me and my cousins have always loved to play in the small forest behind my grandparents’ house. I remember that the elders always told us not to stray too far away from the path because there might be snakes around. We personally have never encountered any but we heard stories from farm boys that they have seen quite a few.
This short pathway leads to a farm. It feels nice to reminisce all those good and fun moments with my cousins. We all grew up together in my grandparents’ house and that’s why we’re all pretty close.
What about you? What are some of your most memorable childhood memories?
#forest #trees #nature #nofilter #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotography #Photography
Salon Day for this Little One
Today, Ellie was scheduled to get her grooming done. She is now part dalmatian again with all her spots showing. Wahaha! Just kidding. Among our three furbabies, she has always been the quickest to adjust to new circumstances. She was cold and a bit uncomfortable at first as we were in the car ride going back but as soon as we got home and she got dressed, she felt more at ease. That crochet dress that I made her is kind of loose now that she lost most of her coat.
She may not look too happy on the second photo, but that is her resting “kawawa” (poor/sad) face. You have no idea how many treats that face can get her. Hahaha! Right after this photo was taken, she jumped off the chair to go play with her squishy ball. Such an energetic little fella. Absolutely adorable!
How often do you guys take your furbabies for grooming?
#shihtzu #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotography
A Sisters’ Night Out
Today is my cousin’s birthday so we decided to eat out tonight. The restaurant was reservations only because they wanted to control the number of people inside to make sure there is proper social distancing. I think this is admirable of the management because they’re still expressing concern for their customers despite possibly earning less revenue.
We had a serving of chicken pesto pasta, oriental style spare ribs with fries, and fried tofu with honey soy glaze. In my honest opinion, the food was okay. They weren’t exactly exceptional, but they were pretty good. We had some leftovers to take home. It was nice catching up with her! I feel like we’ve grown apart a little but after tonight, I guess I was wrong. Nothing has changed between us. We’re still like sisters who grew up together. Do you have someone in your life who is like a sibling from another set of parents as well?
#food #foodphotography #nofilter #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotography #Photography
A busy street in Dōtonbori, Osaka
Japan has always been my first love. I’ve always wanted to visit the country even as a child. I took this photo on the second time I visited the country back in 2016. It was summertime but unfortunately, we came during the rainy season. This was a DIY trip and it was a whole new experience since the first time was with a tour group.
We spent half a day exploring the famous Dōtonbori in Osaka. We had ramen here for lunch then we enjoyed the street food- takoyaki and grilled crabs. The crabs were quite expensive but we had one order and shared it so we could all try. We didn’t want to miss out on the experience since Osaka is quite popular for their seafood.
Do you value experience as well when you travel?
#Dotonbori #OsakaJapan #nofilter #originalphoto #originalcontent #katsphotography
@KatalinaCraft
