I’m also not thrilled about this one. At this point, I started getting really frustrated that many of these birds were not satisfying me. But there’s always a new bird tomorrow…
Greenfinch
Author: clairemeyler
Young Black Crowned Night Heron
I’m not a big fan of this one. It’s Rick’s least favorite and I don’t blame him. I think I did this one really late at night.
Blue Footed Boobie
I love this bird. So goofy and cute. I thought I’d draw only “noble” birds like the hawk. Turns out goofy birds are more fun. What a surprise.
California Juvenile Red Shouldered Hawk
First bird of the year. Overworked. I tried too hard.
Hot stuff
50 years ago three guys courted me at Lopez Jaena Church where I preached. Oni, second wife, Epi all grey. Adan passed away. A relative said, “If Adan married you, he would have lived!”
Nanay has lots of old flames in the Philippines. She’s hot stuff. Even for an “old lady.”
Texted Sunday, November 25, 2007 4:20 p.m.
Daig na posit
At USA customs, a Pinoy didn’t know what’s daig na posit in English so he declared it as ‘dried pussy.’ The customs officer said ‘Oh! Smells like one. All right go!’
This is only hilarious if you know that diag na posit is dried squid. And yes, it stinks – really, really badly. I LOVE it. It’s one of my favorite Filipino treats. And the one time I brought it to school, it labeled me a FREAK FOREVER. I had underestimated how badly it smells to white people. (Well, all-white people, not half-whites like me.)
Texted Friday, October 5, 2007 8:01 p.m.
De Guzman
Congratulate him! Inquire his relation to ‘Nong Tony and Norma De Guzman, L.A. accountant family friends. And famous actor De Guzman, heartthrob of my youth!
This is Nanay’s response to my text about the new Senior Curator of Art at the Oakland Museum of California, René de Guzman. I was very excited to have a Filipino as a senior staff member. You see, in museums, Filipinos are usually security guards. I’m not even joking. – So I thought I’d share some ethnic pride with Nanay. She was super excited.
Texted Tuesday, September 11, 2007 7:10 p.m.
No puede cortar
Wow! Must be a big home! Hire a Central American, arrange an amount to clean the weeds. Be sure to instruct ‘NO PUEDE CORTAR’ if you want to preserve plants. God day.
I texted Nanay to tell her that we bought a house in July and finished moving in. The much-neglected yard held many surprises: multi-colored roses, calla lilies, plum trees, and even a little guava tree. Here, she’s responding to my inquiry about how to tend to these over-grown plants and weeds. I know that texts force you to simplify language, but I’m still a little surprised by the subtle tinge of racism in this message.
On another note: Nanay has always loved gardening, and roses are her clear favorite. In fact, she’s pretty much obsessed with them. She’ll save little scraps of paper, product packaging, cloth scraps, and old magazines, just because there’s a rose on it!
Texted Tuesday, September 4, 2007 5:35 p.m.
Wildlife at CPU
CPU, great natural museum setting: 5’ snake in strike mode with cat 2’ from our door, cat-size rats eat soap at night, dogs, cats romp with humanus erectus. Buy spider?
CPU stands for Central Philippine University, Nanay’s alma mater, where she’s volunteering. Technically, I think she’s supposed to be tutoring the kids and helping professors. But, according to her texts, I think she’s really a jack of all trades: carpenter, counselor, exterminator…
Also, if the rats are eating the soap, I wonder what’s in the soap!
Texted Thursday, August 2, 2007 3:36 p.m.
claire meyler 