where's the creek?

I was raised by my grandparents. And when you say grandparents more so in Ilocos Norte, the word "discipline" is not far behind.

At a young age I learned to wake up early 'coz when you wake up late they say you're "sadut" or lazy. After changing into day clothes, us kids were expected to sweep the yard with coconut brooms. At that time in my mind the yard is really soo "dakkel" (a "big" lot, which is common in provincial lots even in fenced in private lots like my grandparents').

I don't know why but I do remember the whole yard is always litterred with lots of leaves. To think the yard is sweeped each morning. There's a lot of fruit bearing trees in the yard. There's mangoes, avocados (3 varieties), langka, bananas (5 var.), guavas(3 var.), dalandan, calamansi, duhat, macopa, guayabano, balimbing, papaya (2-3 varieties), coconut (2 var.), and there's "rimas" also known as seedless breadfruit. The variety of fruiting trees in the backyard kept me from getting sick while I was in the province. My Uncle who planted most of the fruit trees, now and again asks members of the household why the ripe or ripening fruits of certain trees seem to disappear sometimes even before he can have his first taste! Who could the culprit be? Hmmmmmmm...

A creek also runs between the lot of my grandparents and that of the neighbor. That creek had crystal clear water. I remember my lolo "planting" bamboo and string fish baits late in the afternoon then he goes back and gathers/checks the baits early in the morning. He never came home empty handed, and the fish were almost always still wriggling. Us kids took our baths in it and a lot of people from nearby barangays pick freshwater shells along its banks and among the stones. The women also do their laundry there. These days the creek is but a stinky garbage dump.

I was saddened when I last saw it. Some families directed their sewage or dispensed the dirty water from their backyard piggery to the creek. Some even dump their daily garbage there. The creek is dying and out of pakikisama others just don't have the nerve to speak up against those who are polluting it.

I'll post some pics of the creek, upon receiving some files from my cousin.