It was a thing of the past, this firepit called temtem, around which the natives warm themselves during cold weather in the Ilocos of old in the old country. It consisted of a shallow circular hole in the ground on which straws or wood were burned and old folks gather around and made conversations. It was usually early in the morning in the cold months of December, January and February.
In the Menifee version which was lighted last night, the circular firepit is atop a huge circular concrete post, at least 16 inches in height, that sits on a wide concrete circular base on the ground. The firepit has brown little stones (pulverized river rocks?) and is fired by gas from a source connected to the house by an underground pipe.
It was a chilly night and the blogger, a bonnet on his head, was wearing a shirt over a black sweatshirt--not much clothing to ward off the cold in the first experience of this kind of weather this year in America.
The couple Anib and Dianne, in heavy sweaters along with the Mexican Alex Alvarado who constructed the firepit weeks ago, were sitting on chairs and making conversations around the fireplace which is in a corner of the lighted yard with coconut trees. They were drinking beers, perhaps to celebrate the occasion. An hour later, they broke up and Alex , 29,drove home to Perris City, 15 minutes away.
Quote of the day: "In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of the things not meant for you."--Buddha
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| Frontage of home in Oscariz, Ramon, Isabela, Philippines |
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| Grandchild Denise Margaria Julian, 4th year engineering student at SLU in Baguio City, Philippines |
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