The sounds of home are a constant reminder of the life I live. A way of letting me know I am safe and secure in our space.
Sounds that gave me such comfort and peace when I was living in the countryside, and I missed them so much.
- The sound of the birds singing a sweet symphony in the trees or in the tall grasses in our backyard. A beautiful melody to my ears.
The trees in our backyard are their abode. You can see nests in the trees. They freely eat the fruits that we planted and they enjoyed jumping from one branch to another. Hearing them noisily means they are feasting on the ripe fruits.
The sound of chicken crackling together with their chicks when feeding them in the morning or in the late afternoon before they settle into our little poultry that my father has built.
Chicken and Chicks The sound of the cows (moo) and carabao (maa) grazing in the lush green fields, near the house where we lived at the Teacher's Village close to school. Every morning the owner of the cows and carabaos brings them to the field so they can eat grass in the vast area of the school vicinity.
Cows Grazing in the Lush Green Fields
A Carabao Eating Grasses in the Lush Green Fields The sound of the patter and ripple of the rain bouncing off the roof and trickling down to the leaves of the trees and plants gave a calming effect in my spirit.
Ripples of the Rain to the Serale Tree
Droplets of Rain on a Cypress Tree The sound of the rustling leaves of the fruit trees dancing through the wind. I am glad that my father has planted them in the backyard. We picked ripe fruits anytime we wanted.
Rustling Leaves of the Sour Sop Tree in our Backyard
The Watery Apple Rose Trees with Delicious Fruits Ready to Harvest Dancing Through the Wind The sound of the coffee being poured into the cup on the table while having breakfast on weekends. The sweet-smelling aroma of coffee stings my nostrils and spreads throughout the lanai where we have our dining table. I love drinking coffee or "tsokolate" especially on a chilly morning as the cold breeze touches my skin. It's so different living in the countryside. You can feel the unpolluted air. It's always a joy going back to my birthplace.
Coffee Being Poured Into the Cup The mouth-watering aroma and sizzling sound of the fresh seafood and sliced lean pork being grilled in the backyard. The family was always looking forward to the weekends when we were all gathered at home and had fun grilling our favorites.
Yellow Find Being Grilled
Grilling Sliced Samaral and Lean Pork The sound of my father singing his theme song (The Summer Place)to my Mom happily while the stereo playing the song was on full blast.🤩
The Stereo that My Father Used to Play His Theme Song to My Mom The sound of my abuela's (grandmother) sewing machine when sewing my dresses. Sewing is her favorite pastime. Almost all my dresses were sewn by her when I was a little child and in grade school.
The Old Sewing Machine My Abuela Used to Sew My Custom-Made Dresses Waking up at the sound of the rooster as my alarm clock crowed at dawn, a signal that I have to get up to prepare for school. There were times when I went back to sleep because it was freezing outside. The weather in our place is like Tagaytay, Philippines.
A Beautiful Sight of Dawn While the Rooster is Crowing in the Backyard Listening to the sound of the crickets at night while lying in bed until I fell asleep. The sound of the crickets that stayed in the mango trees serenaded us every night. The calming effect makes you doze.
An Exhilarating Vista of the Moon from My Window in A Glorious Night
In the countryside where we lived, those were more than just a sound, but the happiness that penetrated through my soul.
At present, we are living in another place in the Philippines. As many of us, especially those who grew up in older homes or noisy cities, need that extra layer of sound to feel secure. It is why we prefer to sleep to the sound of a running dishwasher, whirling fan, rattling air conditioning unit, or traffic outside the window.
As I sit here by the window with my laptop typing this article (in our home in Laguna) while drinking coffee, I can hear the chirping birds (I am grateful that we have trees in our backyard where the birds can gracefully and happily dance from one branch to another from morning till night) besides the sound of cars passing through the main road of my place, which is only down at the end of the street.
That's it for now guys! I hope you enjoyed reading my joyful rhythm of home: A Collection of Cherished Sounds, and I also look forward to reading your fair share of your soundtracks of home! Thank you, 
Lead photo edited using Canva
All Glory and Honor to God
A feisty artist, editor, and writer who balances her time penning poetry, soul-stirring content, and flash fiction, sketching, and designing by using fresh blossoms, needlework, gardening, baking, and caring for her partially impaired vision Mom after her intellectually and physically challenged son passed away. She explores unexpected views that ignite her zest for life.