Spring Painting- Another THD Enjoyable Activity

Last Saturday, our capable host,  Monica Castro ( THD Activity) led us to a very enjoyable activity-Spring Painting ( see Brochure above).   It was a fun 40 minutes for me resulting an original painting which looked like a painting of a 5-year old Kid. But I am very proud of it since it is my own creation. 

Monica took a photo of my creation and I am posting it here for your viewing pleasure whether you like or not. 

Here are the paintings of the other residents. The Paintings looks like they were created by Pro's. I am a little bit envious that their work is better than mine. However, I realized my talents are in other areas, perhaps in writing, singing and dancing. The truth is not in the end product ( my five year old creation) but the fact that I tried and enjoyed the activity. Please note this was my only 3rd try on this activity during my over 90 years of habitation here on Planet Earth.

I was told this was created by Sue Hoyt- I love the sky background-looks very realistic

I was told this was done by Debbie Baldwin- looked at the initial DB at bottom Right. I love it~   

I do not know the Creators of the Other two paintings.-love the red tulips~ 

Thank you, Monica for the fun activity as well as the Spanish names for colors, murado ( purple), Azul (blue), rojo ( red), amarillo (yellow), verde ( green), blanco ( white), negro ( black) and cafe ( brown). 

Incidentally, Monica is originally from Columbia, South America not the Philippines.  She is a fairly new THD employee. I hope her employment here at THD will be a little bit longer compared to the several previous employees in the Activity Section.  She seemed to be enjoying her role as host of our painting Activity last Saturday. Again, Thank You, Monica for being a good and gracious host. I am looking forward for other activities that you will host in the future.    

Meanwhile, Did you know that.....

Fernando Amorsolo, the Philippines' first National Artist, produced an estimated 10,000 artworks throughout his lifetime! Known for his signature "backlighting technique," he painted idyllic rural scenes that captured the essence of Filipino life.

At just 27 years old, he studied art in Madrid, thanks to Don Enrique Zobel’s sponsorship. His painting "Under the Mango Tree" (1952) was sold for a staggering ₱46.7 million in 2018!

His works, often depicting smiling farmers, golden sunsets, and peaceful countrysides, became the visual identity of pre-war Philippines. Today, his legacy continues to influence Filipino artists.

Under the Mango Tree- Since 1998 the record price for this artist at auction was $1,030,104 USD sold at León Gallery, Makati in 2024.

 For Details visit: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernando_Amorsolo

Personal Note: I do not owned an Amorsolo Painting, But here's painting that I owned which reminded me of Amorsolo's well-known art works. This painting was done by Jesse Santos- My Nipa Hut. Santos is a well-known Filipino-American comic artist used to be our neighbor/friend in the Central Valley of California. His accomplishments are listed in Wikipedia at bottom of this page.💚 

💚https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Santos

Most Recent Trip to Filoli- Part 3- Cashless Gift Shop

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• This is the last series of my posting on my recent visit to Filoli Historic House and Gardens.  Last March 27 (Thursday), Dodie and Ruth treated me for a memorable tour of the Filoli Gardens in Woodside, CA.💚  After our tour and lunch, our last stop was the Gift Shoppe. I purchased 3 souvenir items ( see photo above).  I took cash from my wallet, but I was shock when the Cashier told they do not accept cash. Luckily, I brought my Charge Card and I got my souvenir home. I asked Dodie and he said in some parts of Europe, cash purchase are also not allowed. 
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• Will the world turn to a Cashless Society in the very near future ? 
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• I was shocked by this experience, because the last time I went shopping in an actual store was about a six months ago, I paid cash. Currently,  All my shopping needs are on-line via Amazon, DoorDash and Instacart;          

I did some search on the current status of a cashless society and here's what I learned.  

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• 1. Two-fifths of Americans used no cash in 2022 (Source: Pew Research)
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• 2.13.4% of American consumers have stopped using cash completely in 2024, compared to 11% in 2022(Source: Capital One Shopping)
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• 3.The average number of cash payments fell from 26% in 2019 to 20% in 2021 (Source: Federal Reserve)
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• 4.Between 2012 and 2022, cheque transactions declined by almost half (Source: Federal Reserve)
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• 5.The annual growth rate of digital payment is estimated at 9.25%, which could result in digital payments reaching $16.69tn by 2028. (Source: Statista)
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• 6. 70% of Americans believe that the US is becoming a cashless society (Source: Card Rates)
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• 7. More than 23 million people in the UK used virtually no cash in 2021 (Source: The Guardian)
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• 8.Cash only represents 1.3% of Sweden’s GDP (Source: International Monetary Fund)
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• 9.The number of cashless payments in the Asia-Pacific is forecasted to be higher than Europe and North America combined in 2026 (Source: Statista)

Recent technological developments like the growing sophistication of digital wallets, and the rise of blockchain-based systems like Bitcoin and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) are accelerating the move away from physical tender too. Specifically, the influence of Bitcoin can’t be understated, with the currency currently booming due to President-elect Donald Trump’s recent endorsement of cryptocurrency.

But despite this global shift away from tangible currency, the US isn’t likely to transition officially any time soon. Despite popular belief, the government has no plan to make paper money worthless and the majority of Americans aren’t ready to make cash a thing of the past either — with 56% of Gallup respondents revealing they like to have cash with them at all times when they leave the house. Personally, I like paying cash, but will not mind a part of a Cashless Society in the future if I am still on Planet Earth, 

For Details visit: 

https://tech.co/pos-system/cashless-society-stats-pros-cons#:~:text=Two%2Dfifths%20of%20Americans%20used,2021%20(Source%3A%20Federal%20Reserve)

• A cashless society is coming: Due to the influence of Covid-19, and the growing popularity of digital payment methods like digital wallets, digital payment apps, and cryptocurrency, the US is well on its way to becoming a cashless society.
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• The US won’t be the first cashless society: The US isn’t as quick to adopt digital payment methods as the Asia-Pacific, with countries like South Korea and China currently leading the pack when it comes to cashless living.
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• Going cashless pays for businesses: There are tons of incentives for businesses to go cashless. For example, ditching physical tender can reduce fraud and theft, increase convenience for buyers and vendors, and boost consumer spending as a result.
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• Ditching cash isn’t without its risks: Going fully digital can make businesses more vulnerable to cybercrime, while also excluding members of the unbanked population from accessing your goods or services.
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• Investing in the right tech matters: If you’re considering taking the plunge, we recommend investing in a POS system that’s able to accept a wide range of digital payment methods, before carefully selecting which options will best serve your customer base – be it chip-and-pin, contactless, or even cryptocurrency.
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• Meanwhile Did you Know that.....

Despite living in a tropical paradise, many Filipinos avoid direct sunlight to maintain fair skin. It’s common to see people using umbrellas on sunny days or wearing long sleeves at the beach.

This contrasts with Western cultures, where tanning is desirable and sun exposure is often sought after. The Filipino preference for lighter skin is deeply rooted in history and beauty standards influenced by colonial rule and media portrayals.

Lastly, Did you know that.....

When Magellan and his crew arrived in the Visayas in 1521, they were shocked by the intimate traditions of the Cebuano natives. One of the most intriguing customs was "palang", or genital stretching.

Men adorned themselves with "tugbuk" (penis pins), which were inserted near the head of the organ, while women underwent a gradual process of vaginal opening starting at age six. This practice, though painful, was widely accepted and not limited by social class, unlike in Borneo and Thailand, where it symbolized high status.

Personal Notes: Ordered Pinoy Food from DoorDash, yesterday afternoon. Delivery Guy went to the Back Exit Door in Sharp Ave. Took me 15 minutes to instruct him to deliver it in the Front Gate in Shuey. He was texting me in Spanish. But finally after several texts telling him to go to the Front Gate and Call in, he stopped texting me HE CAN NOT Get IN! Here's what I ordered, Lumpia Shanghai, Empanadas, buko juice, dinuguan and steamed rice. Yummy!

For the Non-foodie enthusiast, the blood pork stew may not interest you, but to most Filipinos, this dish is very popular and several variations of this dish is served during special occasions in the Philippines as well as here in the US and other parts of the World, where there are Filipinos. For those of you who have an adventurous palate, I urge you to try it. How does it taste? A little bit sour/spicy and just yummy to me!

Most Recent Trip to Filoli- Part 2- The Gardens

Part 1 of this Postings posted yesterday were photos taken inside the House, featuring antiques, silver, crystal and an Ivory Mahjong Set.  Since Pictures are worth more that a thousand words, here are some of the Photos, Dodie, Ruth and I took during our visit last Thursday March 27, 2025 featuring the Gardens.  

The Filoli Historic House and Gardens is located 30 miles of South Francisco. Filoli is nestled on a slope of the Santa Cruz Mountains and surrounded by more than 23,000 acres of the protected Peninsula watershed.  To the two families who live here, Filoli represented a desire to create a magnificent and enduring country estate. The first owner, William Bourn dubbed it Filoli ( pronounced Fie-low-lee), a made-up word drawn from the first two letters of his personal motto:

" FIght for a just cause;  LOve your fellow man; LIve a good life."

       

The Filoli Historic House and Garden is a site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. It is operated by Filoli Center- a Not for-profit organization.  https://chateaudumer.blogspot.com/2020/09/the-three-most-beautiful-gardens-that.html

Here are photos that Sue Hoyt took during her most recent visit to Filoli. Sue is one of my loyal readers here at THD. Thanks Sue for the following photos you sent me the other day.

Part 3 will be my experience ( Cashless) at the Filoli gift shop.