Construction of my treehouse in 2003

My treehouse in a barrio in Bugallon, Pangasinan was constructed in 2004. I have an architect who help design it and trained the local carpenters how to execute things -- my friend and former Narra dormmate in UP Diliman, Clifford Espinosa. 

Since the house is perched on a big and live mahogany tree, construction started from the top, the trusses of the roof of the second floor. Then the 2nd floor was built, then the 1st floor. Bottom right photo is Clifford with another friend from UP, Calmar Palma. Another friend from UP who came that day was Ding Aguila, not in the picture.

Clifford in another photo bottom left, support carpenter Charlie Espinosa looking up. Bottom right, that's me trying the manual driller.

Roof is cogon, well arranged. Danny Paragas and his father Nong Endring Paragas looking.

Near-finished house, after about 3 months.

This is the original treehouse in that tree, a small hut. It was dismantled so that the bigger, 2-storey treehouse could replace it.

Inside the treehouse, this photo taken about 2 years ago.

Thanks Clifford, thanks carpenters and others who helped.

More views from my barrio hut

These photos were taken last November-December 2018. Second cropping rice planting.

Nearby areas not planted yet.

One of my 3 cats, Kitty Rose. My two girls gave the name of the cats.

Complete attendance, 3 cats and 2 dogs, all from our house in Makati. They need bigger space, hence, I transferred them here.

My rotor tractor.

My other cat, in the treehouse in the farm. She's a really hunter cat -- can catch and kill small snakes, birds, rats, bull frogs, etc.

My "pugpog" barrio truck

From the modest income of my rotor tractor (2nd hand), plus additional savings, I bought/ordered for local assembly a "pugpog" (the engine sounds pug-pog-pog-pog-pog... :-)), a famous barrio truck. Japan surplus engine (either Kubota or Yanmar). I got it last month.

Danny's two kids, Ran-ran and Ren-ren, enjoy riding the pugpog. I told Danny to give it a name, "Elle-Bien" after my two girls' names.

Among the pugpog's first assignments was to gather some rocks and stones in the creek in the farm.

Sand taken from another barrio, the stones from the farm.

I made this water impounding structure, divert irrigation water during heavy rains and flood.

My treehouse, again

Posting recent pics of my treehouse in the farm in Brgy Laguit Padilla, Bugallon, Pangasinan. I don't own or lease this land, just helping a family friend take care of the property. This picture was taken last February.

The ricefield viewed from the 2nd floor of the treehouse.

Picture taken today. The ricefield has been tilled, getting ready for 1st cropping season.

Nong Endring (holding the shovel) and his two farmer friends.

My two lieutenants when I walk around the fields, Scaredy and Mylo.

Meanwhile, this is a small, temporary water impounding structure made by Nong Endring. The diverted water goes to his rice field, in front of the treehouse. Pics taken last February.

I added some stones and after less than an hour, the barrier is a bit wider, stronger.

My barrio hut

This is my barrio hut, on the 2nd floor, different from my treehouse because I don't sleep at my treehouse in the farm anymore, no electricity there. This one is in the barrio proper. Wood posts, sawali walls, and about 4-5 meters from the ground.

These photos taken last January, 2nd cropping of ricefields (owned by various farmers, not mine, I don't own or lease a piece of land there) were either harvested or to be harvested. A "fields of gold", mature rice.

My two dogs (Mylo and Scaredy) and three cats, all originally from our apartment in Makati, they have bigger space to run around there than in our house.

Feeding time. Even the chickens join.

A hen and her chicks, strolling the just-harvested rice field.

My Kubota rotor tractor

Last October, I gifted myself with a 2nd hand Kubota rotor tractor, model Sunshine-255. I bought it at a tractor shop in Urdaneta Pangasinan. I posted it in my fb page, many friends were happy to see the machine :-)

It's based in my wedding godson's house in Bugallon, Pangasinan. Our former dogs and cats in Makati are also based there, they have ample space to run around.

It earned some income in late October to December. A few rice farmers also planted corn in January, additional little income.

My two girls have tried driving it, at first gear, so moving slowly. Their Tito Danny assisted them. Below, Elle Marie.

Bien too :-)

Garden in our house in Cadiz City, Negros Occ.

These photos were taken last December when I went home. I was born, attended elementary and high school there. Our house, partly covered by a bignay tree.

My father (RIP, Pa) planted these various crops -- bananas, guayabano, bignay, calamansi, pomelo, etc. -- several years ago.

For some reason, even if Papa was no longer around to attend to these trees, the calamansi was producing many fruits.

A few pomelo remaining, the big ones have been harvested already.

My loot that day, lots of calamansi.

Me, my elder sister Lilibeth (she lives there in our house), my niece Lois, and Bobong my younger brother, also Lois' father.

I still enjoy going home at least once a year. Lots of memories to reminisce when I was young....

The small rock dam

These photos were taken last November 2018, late post.

See also Reducing flash flood, this small rock dam was able to impound modest amount of flood water.

My dogs in the barrio, Scaredy and Mylo. My daughters gave those names.

Meanwhile, the irrigation canal leading to Nong Endring's rice field in the farm.