28 C with a lovely breeze – January is really the best month to be in The Philippines. It is not boiling but it is sunny, plants are green and happy, and the sea turtles are a dream.
It was busy at the tiny house to start, mainly updating flood damage from the last wet season. We were flooded five times, the first time ever. Yes, it is climate crisis in your face, but even more, how irresponsible coastal development affects the entire community around it.
This bothers me a lot because there are many homes around the tiny house frequently underwater, too. For us, the tiny house is a holiday home and while the flood is a nuisance, it does not disrupt our lives greatly and we can deal with it.
But how about all the families living near the tiny house? Their kids, their belongings, their lives? Should they just get used to these floods drowning everything after nearby developments messed up the natural waterways?
Anyway, the work at the tiny house is done and the garden is green once more. Many of our plants suffered and died so we had to grow or buy new ones to take their place. It really makes a big difference, all the green. They soften the place, add life and a sense of calm.
At the family farm, the trees that were planted last season are now bearing fruit. Father is particularly proud of his papayas – a small variety that bursts with plump, juicy, and sweet fruit. We honestly have more papaya than we can ever eat and enjoy sharing them with everyone.
Markus also had his first sugar cane! Father grew a few and we were just in time to enjoy a stalk right off the plant. You cut the entire plant to get the cane, which is its body, while the top part with the leaves is replanted so you get more sweet things.
Fresh sugar cane reminds me of my childhood, when they were sold by the street and children would busy themselves chewing on the edible rods and sucking out the fresh, light, and sweet juice. Have you ever tried it?
Finally, if you follow the tiny house on Instagram, you would have seen our daily life working with the sea turtles. It is an absolute joy.
The hatchery is nursing 24,859 olive ridley and hawksbill eggs and the season continues. Curious, how Season 3 will play out as the tourists are back and resorts are operating in full swing once more. There are more people, more lights, more buildings, and more trash that can interfere with the nesting sea turtles, but we do all we can to support them.
Thus far, 109 nests have hatched and 7,863 sea turtles have been released out of 8,331 eggs, including the nest adopted by Juliette. Thanks again for all of your support! It would be impossible to do this without you. Thanks for believing in the turtles and in our community.
We will continue to update you as the season progresses and your eggs turn into magnificent pawikan. It is a magical moment that we want to share with all of you!
PS. WP does not work with the internet in our province, not sure why, but we can only open the editor but not preview or fixed images. Currently visiting my sister and it works here. Ugh.
Markus + Micah 
I would be proud too if i have those papaya
LikeLike
It is terrible what severe weather does – and it is heart-breaking when people lose homes & livelihood, and even their lives.
LikeLike
I’m so sorry to hear about the floods! I hope it didn’t damage the homes too much and didn’t create too many disruptions.. The tiny house looks beautiful as always, and it’s true that plants definitely add to a place! I love that your father grew all of these papayas and sugar canes! I can’t imagine how delicious they must be there – but I’ve never tried sugar cane! I’m also really glad the turtles are doing well, and I hope this season is even more successful than the previous ones!
LikeLike
I forgot:
1. Had sugar cane in Costa,Rica (2017) and LOVED it.
2. Where is this Instagram?
LikeLike
You are so cool. I love how some of our experiences match! Our Instagram? Handles are @tinyhousebagac and @markusundmicah
LikeLike
Thanks. I don’t use Insta so I was linking through your site.
LikeLike
Thanks, so far the hatchery has no website. It is the same situation – everything goes to the eggs.
LikeLike
Thx. I hadn’t seen the tinyhome I sta before. Can’t get far, since sites now limit views w/o account, but I’ll share with others.
LikeLike
Thanks for sharing your wonderful updates. I always love your photos. Your plants are thriving! I have taken to growing a lot more indoor plants and most of them are doing well. It’s lovely to have greenery indoors at this time of year when it’s cold and dark outside. Looking forward to updates on the 🐢 turtles 🐢 💚!
LikeLike
Very well done on your plants! What do you have? I can’t have a space without green. It just does not feel right. I do not hoard or collect plants though. And yes, will definitely give you updates on the nests. I expect them to be turtles next month!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have a bunch of plants. Some of them I can’t name, though. LOL The ones I’m proudest of are the coleus that I grew from seed last winter and brought indoors at the end of the summer. They are thriving! I also have spider plants, lavender, aloe vera, Christmas cactus.
LikeLike
From seed and in winter? Crazy! I am always amazed when I see Coleus in the West because here in The Ph it is grown in full sun. I also grew some early this month but from cuttings. They are so easy to root. Lavender I really wish to grow here but it is just too hot.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes. I started the coleus seeds indoors last winter and moved them to pots in the spring. They were just starting to grow well when summer was over so I thought I’d try to bring them inside and I’m glad I did. Yes, they do root very easily. I have a few cuttings that I want to transplant into pots before spring.
LikeLike
What colors do you have?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Green leaves with pale pink centres. I think I’ll look for some seeds of other varieties to grow this year.
LikeLike
It is so good to know that you and your Tiny House are safe but my heart goes out to those who have lost their homes and their livelihoods. There are positive stories out there regarding climate change but still there will be big losses and disruptions for many before things are turned around.
I did read Humankind by Rutger Bregman as you suggested. It is excellent although in daily life there are just so many crisis’s it is difficult to keep hope at the top of one’s mind.
I’m looking forward to hearing more about the turtle nests. Coincidently, this morning I received a letter about Medasset in Greece who have been working to save turtles in the Mediterranean for many years.
Enjoy your time with family and friends there. But don’t let Marcus eat too much sugar! 😉
🤗🙋♂️🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢
LikeLike
On YouTube I follow Sam Bentley – he only shares good news about the climate. It does not make me feel as hopeless. And wow, so happy you read Humankind and glad you enjoyed it. It is always a joy when our friend reads our recommendation, right? And yes, I expect the nests to be turtles next month. Exciting times! Haha. He only ate one sugar cane. Have you ever had a fresh one?
LikeLiked by 1 person
No, I’ve never tried sugar cane! I’ve got to look after my teeth 😁.
Actually I’ve been reading an old book “At Time of Gifts” about a walking journey through Europe just before the start of WW2 and today it was a chapter near Augsburg and an interesting bit about the Landsknechts! Grim but colourful!
Also, another Greek turtle group that I found is Archelon 🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢
LikeLike
I particularly liked your photos of the tiny house and the sugar cane. I’ve never seen sugar cane growing.
LikeLike
The cane part is very straight and long while the top has long, slim, pointy leaves similar to some dracaena varities. It is the most fun thing to eat but I no longer see sugar cane on the streets like when I was a child. What food or treats remind you of your childhood?
LikeLike
What a fun question! Oddly enough, a food from my childhood has to do with sugar. Sorghum molasses is made from a cereal grain and is popular in Tennessee and Kentucky, two states in the southern part of the US. We often had molasses on hot biscuits, another Southern tradition. When I was a child, I’d see a mule going round and round in circles, probably powering a grinder for the grain. The stuff was boiled and strained to make a very sweet molasses. The consistency is similar to honey, but the color is brown. We can buy it in country stores, gift shops, and tourist traps in North Carolina. I don’t know whether it is sold all over the country or not. I keep some on hand and use it mainly on biscuits, although there are several other dishes that call for it. If you ever come to visit me, I’ll cook some biscuits and offer you sorghum molasses.
LikeLike
Lovely updates!
A couple low lying areas here in Long Beach and a portion of Pacific Cosst Highway, flooded during year end/begin “king tides”. I feel like people haven’t really absorbed that this is the start of a new reality.
LikeLike
How have you been? Yes, this is unfortunate and I fear it will only get worse. The seasons have changed and the worst of it will affect families that are already struggling the most.
LikeLike
Yep.
Years ago, I read about trees in Brazil dying because they were now blooming twice a year, cutting their lifespans i half. Then I noticed my grapefruit tree doing the same.
Everything predicted in the 60s/70s is here and we’re way past the point of ni return.
I hope the turtles find a way to outlive our damage.
LikeLike
My heart breaks everytime I am reminded that the climate crisis has been known half a century ago. Ugh. Is there an end to human greed and can ordinary people like us ever make an impact fast enough?
LikeLike