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I am Norain.

This is the diary of my journey.

COVID-19 got me, emotionally.

8/4/2020

3 Comments

 
I have to admit, #COVID-19 finally hit me of a feeling whatever you may call it. I used to ignore the reality and impact of covid-19 and pretended that everything is under control. 
​COVID-19 (Coronavirus) has affected my plan, and my day to day life is slowing down.
This pandemic has affected millions of people, who are either sick or are being killed due to the spread of this disease.  And it affects me personally and my business because the virus emphasizes taking extensive precautions of social distancing, wearing masks, and so on. ​
​Countries are banning gatherings of people where I am accustomed to doing and covering events,  especially baby photo shoots.
Yesterday, I received a very sad news that our apartment's renovation will be on hold until August 18, 2020 (hopefully NO lockdown extension). As the Philippine government ordered a Modified Enhance Community Quarantine (MECQ) locking down greater Manila area, Laguna, Cavite, Rizal and Bulacan. This will enforce a strict quarantine to control the spread of the havoc of this highly communicable disease.
​Presently the impact of COVID-19 in my daily life is extensive and has far reaching consequences. Plus the current lockdown in Laguna and Cavite contributes to another delay of our apartment's construction. My visa here in Canada will be over soon, and that delay of the construction will affect my return. Financially speaking, I am already overwhelmed and more construction work delays will cause me more losses.
Another sad news I received, is that my mother had high blood pressure attack twice. She couldn't go to the doctor due to the hospitals in our area are already filled and they don't accept any walk-in patience for check-ups.
​I have mixed emotions and to be honest I don't know what to do anymore. Of course, I still will have to think positive and hope that by the end, everything will be ok. For the meantime, just remain calm and look at the brighter side of life.
Brighter side of life. So, ​I thought about sunflowers to boost my day in spite of the hardship we are currently facing. A quote from Helen Keller: Keep your face to the sunshine, and you cannot see the shadows. It’s what the sunflowers do.

​Here's another one: "Always look at the brightest side of life, just like the sunflower which looks upon the sun not the darkest clouds."
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"The above photos are from Brantwood Farms in Brantford, Ontario it give me shivers and in the corner of my mind I still believe that HOPE is somewhere near and soon to be FOUND."
We supposedly should travel to Houston, Texas for husband's work. But then, pandemic restricted us. 

Also, a s
cheduled travel next month, September 07, 2020 to Germany for Aliya's confirmation will no longer be possible due to the pandemic. 

Plus, we booked a trip to Curacao this month (August 2020) but again; it won't happen due to the pandemic. Restrictions of travelling from one country to another is strictly imposed. ​
All bookings are closed and done before the pandemic was announced and lockdown and strict travel restrictions were imposed."

​Just four months left for the year 2020, looking forward that normal living will be back soon.

3 Comments

COVID-19 Pandemic has affected my life.

7/24/2020

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I am happy that as of today, no one in my family got infected by the pandemic. I am hoping that this statement won't change at all. We are lucky and blessed on this one.

In terms of financial status, we are fortunate that my husband still got his job; though my photography business with Q-Moments Photography Services has been on hold since February 2020.  The business has been impacted by the measurement we all have had to take to avoid spreading the virus.

In times like this, it is my responsibility to make sure that my husband and I maintain our healthy lifestyle to combat the virus in case we will be exposed to it by proper eating habits and exercise. Every morning, we jog or sometimes walk to the Gordon Glave's trail or in D'Aubigny Creek Park in Brantford. The Gordon Glave's trail is a 26 kms trail that starts from Blackburn Drive to Mount Pleasant. We only take 12 kms, the halfway to the boundary of Brantford and Grey County. While at the D'Aubigny Creek Park, it is around 6-7 kms distance from our apartment. I believe, the morning walk/jog helped us lot having a positive outlook in our daily life.

The walking/jogging made me very happy. I imitated the sound of the birds, ran like a child and got lost. Took lot of nature photos. I also found myself running after the rabbits and squirrels on the way. We encountered group of wild deers as well. I love the fresh air and innocence of the morning glare. 
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D'Aubigny Creek Park
Huge part of my frustrations are my personal and career plans that halted since we moved to Brantford, ON and that was the exact moment pandemic materialised.

Before entering Canada, I made sure that my Personal and Business goals were in-placed in a timely manner. First, I was planning to get my Driver's License in Test Drive Canada so I can move around legally and freely; but the pandemic stopped me in doing so. Then, I intended to open my own Photography Studio in West Brant by mid of April 2020 since this is not basic needs or essential; there is no way for me to pursue. I thought the restrictions would only last for a week or two when Ontario was under "State of Emergency" due to COVID-19.

I deliberately also wanted to get my drone pilot license as part of the business plan but everything was closed, months after months!

As the result of the pandemic and its damage to our lives, we are permanently returning to the Philippines this coming November 2020. I may never get the chance or will never get to achieve and surpass the goals I had for myself before coming to Canada due to COVID-19. Now, we are back to square one!

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Royal Botanical Gardens, Burlington CA

7/13/2020

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Covid-19 has restricted us to explore places for 4 months now. Ahhh, I am blaming the virus!
Today we're lucky that the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington has finally reopened before all the blooms wilted due to the summer hot weather.

The Royal Botanical Gardens is the largest botanical garden in Canada, a National Historic Site and Canada's plant biodiversity hotspot consist 0f 2,400 acres of Carolinian forest, Niagara Escarpment cliffs, rare oak savannah and coastal wetlands accessed by 27 km walking trails.

Even though we were lucky that the garden has reopened, a huge part of it including trails remain closed.
Though we couldn't explore the whole "come to your senses park" as planned, we still enjoyed our short visit and I got the chance to capture some beautiful and colourful flowers despite limited accessibility.

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How important is the morning walk?

7/7/2020

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A morning walk may help improve our mental clarity and ability to focus throughout the day. A recent study found that amongst older adults, those who started their days with a morning walk improved their cognitive function, compared to those who remained sedentary. Walking may also help you think more creatively.

It is so because during sleep most of the organs of the body are at rest and a 
morning walk helps to revitalize them. In addition, it removes tiredness and the feeling of fullness from the body. The fresh air of the open area refreshers our body and mind.
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My husband having his morning walk in D'Aubigny Creek Park.
It is an excellent start to the day that includes the elements of exercise and socializing often. Walking in nature with the sound of the birds is considered by many to be a form of meditation and helping draw out the hidden layers of creativity.

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Brant Park, Brantford Ontario

7/4/2020

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The inclusive playgrounds have an engineered wood fiber surface. All playgrounds are paved pathways and accessible ground-based play features for all levels of physical abilities.
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This is how it looks like in summer, JUST GREEN!

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The world that I dreamed of!

7/2/2020

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“Life is fundamentally a mental state. We live in a dream world that we create. Whose life is truer, the rational man of action pursuing practical goals of personal happiness and wealth or the philosophic man who lives in a world of theoretical and metaphysical ideas? We ascribe the value quotient to our lives by making decisions that we score as either valid or invalid based upon our personal ethics and how we think and behave.”
― Kilroy J. Oldster, Dead Toad Scrolls
“In the dream world, anything is possible. It requires a fertile imagination, and a desire to explore the half-light between the known and the unknown.”

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Winter vs. Summer in Lion's Park, Paris ON

6/19/2020

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Summer is the time when nature and vegetation has to surface the ground once again. And it is the hottest time of the year with days longer.  While, winter is the other end of the line wherein the surroundings are made not conducive for plant growth and development.
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both photos are taken on the same spot
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"And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer." —F.Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby


The photos are taken from Lions Park in Paris, ON. The park is a wonderful place to spend time with your family. It is a very easy trail that can be used of people of all ages.

Also, there are several play areas and structures, spread out and appropriate for different ages in the park next to the trail. Lots of picnic tables, trees to offer shade and room to run! A wonderful recreational spot in Paris!

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Footbridge in Lion's Park, Paris ON
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"In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer."
​- Albert Camus

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Brantford Walking Trail along Grand River

5/16/2020

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Pussy Willows

4/14/2020

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Salix caprea, known as goat willow, pussy willow, katjes or great sallow is a common species of willow native to Europe and western and central Asia.

Easy-to-grow pussy willows are happy in average to wet soils. Salix discolor can thrive in full sun to part shade, although less light means the plants won’t produce as many fuzzy catkins. Because pussy willows like moisture, they’re a good choice for planting near a pond, lake or stream; in a rain garden; or to help control soil erosion. Because the catkins appear so early, they’re considered one of the 
first signs of spring. 

Pussy willow plants can be male or female. Male plants produce the most ornamental catkins, which may be white, silvery-gray or yellowish. Female pussy willows have smaller, less showy catkins.

Many gardeners don’t bother to buy pussy willows since they’re so easy to root from cuttings. Start by making a cutting 12 inches long, about the diameter of a pencil, in early spring. Make the cut on an angle.

Root the cutting in water or directly in moist soil. To root in water, simply drop the cut end into a glass of clean water. Roots should form in a few weeks. Refill the glass with more water as it evaporates. 
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Coping up with COVID-19 (Corona Virus)

3/25/2020

2 Comments

 
Being away from love ones, families and friends is very stressful esp we are facing a pandemic at the moment. The outbreak of Corona Virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is totally pulling my spirit down. I started feeling the fear when I see the real time numbers from worldometers.info. It is overwhelming and causes a slight anxiety at times and mostly before I go to bed. I think about my mother, my son and my granddaughter back home. 

I have so much fear and worry about my own health and my husband's health as he belong to the high risk age range. We moved here just a month ago. We don't know anything much about the area and its people. As a new comer, we are literally are the ones who are hard-hit by the pandemic as I personally is still under a Visit Visa category. I don't know if the government have program to people like me. My husband is under work permit and we are both health insured through his company. 

I also have difficult sleeping at night, I am mostly awake. I can't control my emotion and it is draining my energy and motivation.

I am relieve that here in Brantford, ON the government are still open for the community to go out for a walk on the trails, making sure that everyone is still able to exercise yet very strict implementation of social distancing and practicing responsible citizen with self isolation and staying at home.

I know there is nothing I can do much but to keep me and my husband safe and isolated. Whenever we need food supplies we make sure we are 2 meters away from others. 

I badly needed a driver's license in order for me to drive legally, my 60-days grace period is almost over. But I chose to remain at home, let the situation calm down and wait till everything is back to normal before applying for it.

It's indeed frightening knowing that we are in middle of a worldwide pandemic, soon countries might be shutting down. We are all bracing for what may come, our 5 senses can not detect or warn us that our enemy is just next to us floating in the air and can attack at anytime.

​With this situation, I am thinking, "What will happen next?"

I understand that those things are now beyond my control. My only share to the world and to the government is to make sure, my husband and I remain healthy. Never be part of the statistics shown in the https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
Sunset at D'Aubigny Creek Park, Brantford, ON
Have Hope. Stay strong. This too (COVID-29) shall pass.
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Peacock Point, ON

3/22/2020

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We decided to visit this beautiful place of Peacock Point located in western border of Haldimand County, Ontario directly across Lake Eerie.

We were coming from Port Dover along Eerie lakefront and travelled for around 25 minutes by car.

We’ve seen a lot of industries on the way. They also have numerous and huge windmills all around as well as scattered massive solar power farms.

They produce alternative and natural sources of energy and it feels good seeing these kinds of practices by huge companies; in accordance with the current environmental situation.
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In Peacock Point, lots of cottages and vacation houses. They also have a playground for kids and free access to the waterfront that offers a beautiful view of Lake Eerie. 
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​The place is very relaxing and peaceful. The vibrant blue color from the Lake Eerie to the cottages and its surrounding areas make it more appealing in having a solemnly quiet time.
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​How to get there from Port Dover Pier:
  1. Head north on Harbour Street toward Saint George Street for 300 meters.
  2. Then turn left onto Main Street for 75 meters.
  3. Continue on Ontario-6 and take Haldimand 3 and Rainham Road or Haldimand Road 3 to Wilcox Drive for 24 kms.
  4. Turn left to Wilcox Drive and follow the road.
  5. You will arrive at Peacock Point Park on your left and the Lake Eerie is on your right in 600 meters.
I reckon last month, sometime in February 2020 there was news regarding a boy named Alexander who went missing or maybe drowned in the beach of Lake Eerie due to huge waves. Please see the new link here
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Port Dover, ON

3/21/2020

3 Comments

 
Update:
Today is 21 March 2020 and these are the latest photos I took of Port Dover. It is a beautiful clear sunny day. The scenery is totally different from our last month's visit. 

Took the privilege of capturing the fisherman while the bird was flying near him. Also, a boy who was playing with the bird. The surrounding was really busy and there were a lot of things to capture but the wind was so cold and my ears started hurting. I only lasted 5 minutes outside the car.

For now, getting sick is a big "NO" as #COVID19 (Corona Virus 2019) is at it's alarming stage.

I decided to postpone my photoshoots until the temperature gets a little bit warmer and safer to roam around.
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Fisherman's bird.
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the actual social distancing
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The Sandal Maker.

Previous:
Today is 15 February 2020: Our trip from Paris to Port Dover lasted for 50 minutes. We enjoyed the long drive due to white snowy view everywhere. I've learned that Port Dover is an unincorporated community and former town located in Norfolk County, Ontario on the northern shore of Lake Eerie.
Port Dover is a beautiful place to visit esp for the people who love water and nature. The place is so inviting, yet tooooo cold to explore. I couldn't properly handle my camera, that's why the video is a bit shaky.

I wanted to walk all the way to the Port Dover Lighthouse but I could not bear the cold wind, maybe sometime soon when the weather is a bit warmer.

This is one of a kind scenery to me. I've never seen a beach or lake covered with thick ice before, To me, coming and originally from South East Asia; this is a rare feature of a shoreline. What's more interesting was the big waves of ice smashing to the pier! That's why I was so amazed (you can hear it from my voice) and so happy witnessing it.

Also, I observed that the lighthouse is a perfect backdrop to any future photoshoot session in the area soon.

Here are the other photos I took while my hands are super not stable. But I am still happy with the outcome.
3 Comments

What's the mystery behind the Shoe Tree in Paris, Ontario

3/16/2020

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​As we passed along the Green Lane, in Paris Ontario; this tree catches my attention. Then, I asked my husband (who was driving the car) to come nearer to the tree so I can have a closer look of it. I felt some sadness right away. 


I showed to some locals the photos I took. Posted it in my facebook page and in the local community pages.

After two days, I found myself asking the locals. Some people told me that they didn't like the idea of it and some showed how upset they are as the tree becomes garbage. A place to dump old footwear.
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At first, I thought this tree symbolises that people or kids were killed in car crash or bus crash as it is situated in the near highway. Or families might be killed by flood in the nearby river as it is in a higher point where the river is located. I was hesitant to post it in respect to the families.

In the actual appearance of it, it looks really scary and spooky. That's why it captured my entire curiosity.

After my investigation, I've learned that one grandmother decided to nail her grandchildren's pair of shoes on the tree. After a while, random people started nailing shoes on the same tree and it collected numerous shoes, laces, slippers, sandals over the years.  And that's the story of it.
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Hiro's Baptismal

2/2/2020

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Keirel, newborn photoshoot

1/12/2020

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<<Previous

    Who am I.



    ​I am Norain. I am a photographer and a traveler.

    I am back for good.

    I’ve missed connecting with the online world. I’ve been idle for a very long time as I deactivated my blogspot page. I am feeling pretty good right now and motivated, things are moving along at the manageable pace. I set some goals and good intentions for 2020 and the upcoming years to come and I hope I can stick to them all the way.

    I am more focus on my art in PHOTOGRAPHY and brave about putting it out into the world and make sure that I have the time to post them. Although, some of my shots are already in my website but I wanted to elaborate the journey and behind the scene of every photo that was taken.

    ​Back to where I belong.

    "Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it.

    Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy: the experiences that make us the most vulnerable.

    Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness we will discover the infinite power of our light" - Brene Brown

    ​My final destination.

    Update: Year 2020
    After 2 years and 10 months living and operating my Photography business in the Philippines; we decided to move and live in Canada for good. I am positive that even when I am busy in my new cold world, I won't miss updating my blog.

    ​Back to my roots, The Philippines

    Update: Year 2017
    ​
    I do finally moved back to my country, The Philippines.
    ​

    Adjustment is a huge thing know that I've been away for so long. I hope catching up won't burn me.

    Let me explore my country once again and I will write about my journey soon.
    ​

    Wish me luck!

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    Skydive in Dubai
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  • Home
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