CHILDREN no longer just crave for hamburgers or hotdogs. They are now enjoying “home-based” meriendas or “kakanin,” and even help their families prepare them. After all, school is still far from being regular and online virtual learning has shorter hours.

”Baking pastries is fun!” said Julienne Gawchua. One only needs an easy recipe to follow, plus her mother’s help. The family owns “Pan and Pasta” which offers healthy and inexpensive cinnamon, lasagna and cheese bread which you could match with hot or cold chocolate, coffee, juices or ice cream.

More youngsters help their parents cook. The two sons of Ana Fe Ardiente and Rey Castañares, Liam Augustine and Leiton Alphonsus bake cookies. They do this after doing their class assignments.

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Nature at its best! The elements of nature are good subjects for photography. “Fascinating!” Ah, as Holmes uttered, “June can be had by the poorest comer!” Emerson and Keats both agree that “a thing of beauty is a joy forever!” It is enlivening when I see photos captured in Amara by Nelia Neri. These enrich my evening solitude. My good friends Jun and Nora Muntuerto seek peace and joy in their JDM Bougainvillea Paradise in Perrelos, Carcar.