Feeling on with nature (Querencia Final Draft)

         With my back sinking into the soft couch I typed in youtube on the top line. My computer warmed my lap, I can hear myself typing very hard on the computer. I took a big sigh and looked around the living room, then I grabbed my  laptop and slowly placed it on the couch. I slowly got up and looked in the other living room to see if my brother was there. All i found was a clutter of video games on the carpet and his stuffed animals which were all over the place. I took a sigh of relief, thinking my brother won't bother me for awhile I decided to go to my yard. I walked to the door and opened it, hearing the sliding squeaking noise of the door. When I got outside the cool breeze of the golf course blew. 

           When I got outside there is this a view of the golf course with miles of green grass and golfers trying to hit the ball into the hole, and the bright color of the sand in the bunker. I sat down on the soft cushion of the swing and started swinging back and forth a a decent pace. I started to sing is sweet melody while looking around the yard at the bright, varied colors of the hibiscus and the juicy tangerines which will be ripe really soon. In the middle of the yard there's a water fountain with murky water since my family is to busy to clean it . I closed my eyes slowly and started to dream, listening to the loud chirping of the birds and the talking of the golfers. The cool breeze relieved me of how humid it is. I felt calm and happy, being in a place where I can sit down, close my eyes and listen to nature. Hearing the rattling of the leaves in the tree following the breeze made me feel like i was in another place, and not in my back yard.

            Suddenly, I heard my brother yelling "Tasha, come inside!"I opened my eyes,  wishing I have more time got up from the soft cushion. Sitting down and resting made me feel more relaxed and satisfied, feeling I have nothing to worry about . I look around one last time, seeing that there is no more golfers. The cool breeze settled and the leaves weren't rattling, I slide open the screen door and went inside. That moment I though to myself, I should do that again sometime to help relive me. Its a special place for me, and to let my imagination take me away.

Querencia

          With my back sinking into the soft couch I typed in youtube on the top line. My computer warmed my lap, I can hear myself typing very hard on the computer. I took a big sigh and looked around the living room, then I grabbed my  laptop and slowly placed it on the couch. I slowly got up and looked in the other living room to see if my brother was there. All i found was a clutter of video games on the carpet and his stuffed animals which were all over the place. I took a sigh of relief, thinking that he won't bother me for awhile I decided to go to my yard. I walked to the door and opened it, hearing the sliding squeaking noise of the door.

           When I got outside there is this a view of the golf course with miles of green grass and golfers trying to hit the ball into the hole. I sat down on the soft cushion of the swing and started swinging back and forth a a decent pace. I started to singing while looking around the yard at the bright, varied colors of the hibiscus and the juicy tangerines which will be ripe really soon. In the middle of the yard there's a water fountain that is covered in dirt since we're too busy to clean it. I started to get into my deep thoughts and closed my eyes slowly. I sat there with my eyes closed, listening to the chirping of the birds and the talking of the golfers. The cool breeze came in and got rid of how humid it feels outside. I felt calm and happy, being in a place where I can sit down, close my eyes and listen to nature. I felt like i was in another place, and not in my back yard.

            Suddenly, I heard my brother yelling "Tasha, come inside!"I opened my eyes, and got up from the cushion. Sitting down and resting made me feel more relaxed and satisfied. I look around one last time, seeing that there is no more golfers. The cool breeze settled, I slide open the screen door and went inside. That moment i though to myself, i should do that again sometime to help relive me. Its a special place for me, and to let my imagination take me away.

Batchoy (Final Draft)

One day I was playing games on the computer which were fun and addicting, I couldn't stop. Then this aroma of fried garlic filled the air, trying to stop, I got up from my chair and ran down the stairs knowing that my Mom is making her delicous batchoy.

Soon as I enter the kitchen I can hear the oil sizzling and poping as the garlic cooks on the pan. My Mom saw me and asked " Can you chop the green onions for me?". Replying yes, I grabbed a handful of green onions and wash it through the cool , soothing water. Grabbing a knife I started chopping it slowy hearing the crisp sound of the onions. The crisp sound of chopping it made me excited for the soup to be prepared. She was stiring the broth slowly with the meat inside so the meat becomes tender and absorbs the flavor of the soup. "Can you try the soup for me ?" my mom asked, and i excitedly grabbed a small dish from one of the top shelves to put the soup in. I held it up to my mouth and drank the soup, and the undescrible flavor and the warmth of the soup filled my mouth. The flavor of the broth mixed with the taste of the meat was so delicous, I told her it's good and asked for seconds, but she said "no". I knew the sooner i set up the table the faster we can eat, so i grabbed four bowls from the the shelf so she start pouring the soup into the noodles. I helped her by grbbing the boling hot noodles and evenly putting it invthe bowls, after i was done she poured the steming hot soup into them. After that i helped her put the meat on top and bring it to the table, one by one I carefully brought it to the table. My brother came yelling with excitement "Can i crush the chicharon!" so I grabbed a bag of it from the pantry from the garage, put some in a another bag and started crushing it, hearing the crunching noises of it at he smashed it. I called my dad and we all sat at the table and started eating.

I asked my mom why batchoy is special to her and she said "reminded her of childhood of living in the phillipines aboard It hard for her to be living here in hawaii while my parents are in need of support back in the phillipines." I felt like my mom is going to tell her life story so I tried to stop her but then she told me wait, so sat there eating my soup hoping that it won't take forever. She then continued with "when I was little and we were finished watching a movie, we would go to this particular shop that makes the best batchoy. I would watch the cook prepare the food. Then I told her that "I love eating this food because it somthing i can taste that come from my mom's culture, and i learn alittle bit of the cusine from where my mom grew up which is in Granada " then I asked her if she would pass down the recipe to me and she with a weird look on her face and said "maybe"