The phrase “ring in the new year” apparently stems from an old practice of church bells tolling a somber end to the previous year and a cheery ring to the entry of the new year. I never knew that. I suppose the modern equivalent would be using firecrackers to do the job. How I wish they used church bells instead of burning up a phenomenal amount of gunpowder while maiming or injuring thousands of people at the same time. Personally, I am all for large public fireworks displays rather than everyone and their personal pyromaniac tendencies… :)
We have this rather large bronze bell at the beach, old but probably not yet really an antique, from our days living in Indonesia and frequent side trips to Bali. The bell gives off a wonderful ring–loud, deep and piercing all at the same time. When we didn’t have any neighbors for a 200 meter radius around our home, we used to ring the bell loudly at meal times to call guests to the table. You could hear it at the beach just 60 meters or so away… Today, I ring it to wake up the Tee if it is approaching noontime and she is still fast asleep… :)
It’s been a while since I looked at the bell closely, and was happy to rediscover the details which probably attracted our attention to the bell in the first place…
In this last photo, a few “cobwebs” were visible, and this was part of the reason for the discussion over spiderwebs vs. cobwebs, in this previous post. So here we are, the end of 2011, and an auspicious(?) 2012 ahead of us… a DRAGON year (think even more babies than usual in some cultures), an olympic year, and the year the world will come to an end, according to the Mayans… I will be writing out my New Year’s resolutions for 2012 sometime later today, and hope that I meet at least 80% of them by the end of the year. This year I did about 70% of my goals, a solid “C” grade… :) From our family to yours, we wish you all a very prosperous and healthy 2012! Happy New Year!!!
33 Responses
This is much better than those “Good-bye Philippines” nuclear firecrackers!
Sorry for a last-minute spot … “I will writing…” Wow, from where we stand, that’s a lot for 70%!
Happy New Year to you MM, Mrs. MM, the Teen, and all fellow Marketmanila junkies!
As the song goes ” ring my bell, ring my bell” – A Happy and A Prosperous New Year to all!
Love your bell, MM. May I ring it? LOL!
Happy newy year MM and family!
Happy New Year, MM, Mrs MM and the Teen, and everyone in the the Marketmanila online family! Looking forward to your posts in the coming year MM.
Wishing you and all the members of MM’s online family a year of good health, happiness, great surprises and many more adventures in cooking – Happy New Year!
HAPPY NEW YEAR MM AND FAMILY AND CREW AND TO ALL MARKETMANILA FANS!!!
Happy New Year to the entire MARKETMANILA family and worldwide community! Here’s looking forward to another year of treasured posts, MM. More power to you and to everyone reading your blog!
Welcome 2012!!!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! MM and family and to everyone..2012 the year of the dragon, looking forward for an awesome year!!
A Happy and Prosperous New Year to MM and family and to all MarketManila readers! Let’s all have an amazing 2012!
Thanks for all the great posts in 2011 and look forward to your 2012 ones!
Happy New Year to all!
Bagong Taon, Bagong Pag-asa!!!
Sana ang Pilipinas ay tuloy tuloy na sa pagtahak ng tuwid na landas!!!
Mabuhay!!!
Amen! as I look closely at the first picture, I think, “those are the able hands that saw through 70% of his goals!” What a fruitful year you had MM!!! just as babies, you now have to watch your projects grow and prosper…those are able hands indeed..
Lord, bless those fingers and keep them healthy and nimble as they ring more bells, putter around in the kitchen, arrange flowers, lead and direct the Crew, and pound on those computer keyboards—Thanks again, MM!
“high five”, from across the miles…..
Happy new year to you and your family! :)
Happy New Year to the Marketman Family, Crew and readers all over the globe!
Happy New Year to you MM, MRs. MM, Teen, crew, and all the readers of this blog. I wish you all the best in the coming New Year.
Stay safe and celebrate carefully.
PS. that bell looks heavy.
Happy New Year MM and family and fellow readers!
Thought I’d let you know that I had the chance to feast on lechon at Zubuchon when I visited my brother in Cebu just before Christmas. Wow. I agree with Bourdain, best pig ever!
Alas, I am now back in Chicago craving your lechon and suffering at the thought that I might not be able to eat it again until next Christmas.
New Year greetings!
Happy new year, everyone!
I love your bell…I laughed at the portion where you use it to wake up the Teen…hahaha…they really sleep late nowadays. Our generation had to wake up early come what may…but I have five –now grown up children–but they all went thru the stage of sleeping till noon… Natie is right…God bless the work of your hands! A blessed New Year to you and your family,the crew and all the avid Marketmanila readers. We thank you for bringing us so much fun and happiness reading your posts. Happy cooking for 2012!!!
Happy New Year to you, your family and staff and all the voices we hear via your blog.
Let us ring all bells so our people may be liberated from hunger. It can be done. Food is a human right!
An amazing and wonderful 2012 to you and your family!
Happy New Year to you and your family MM, also to the crew and to all fellow readers! :)
Is zubu open today? Jan 1?
lora, yes, all outlets open today, January 1, 2012. They were all closed on Christmas Day, December 25, 2011.
Hi MM, my family and I were finally able to try Zubuchon 2 weeks ago. You ruined all other lechons for us – in a good way, of course. My brother, a self proclaimed lechon expert, now refuses to eat any other. We couldn’t stop our Mom from feasting on it despite threats of hospitalization. We had lunch at Escario and loved it so much we had dinner at Mango! Your crew in both branches were great. I’m taking my hubby to Cebu in 2 weeks time (he was still out of the country when the family went) just for meals at Zubuchon. Thanks MM and crew, we truly had a wonderful time.
Off topic: Kristine, I have a bottle each of kalamansi and mango jam for you (guava was unavailable at that time). I was not able to return to Manila from Cebu as we had to rush to CDO due to Sendong. How do I get in touch with you when I return to Manila on the 8th?
Happy new year one and all!
love the details on that bell! wishing everyone a happy, healthy and generous 2012!
Happy new year, Marketman! Please open a Zubuchon in Manila so I can sample the dinuguan when I go back home!
best of the best for 2012, MM!
Happy New Year, MM! All the best in the new year.
PS: Nice bell :)
A happy and blessed new year to you Marketman and family!
Happy New Year MM, Mrs.MM and the teen. It’s the dragon year, our year, more dragons pls, este, more lechons, pls.
LOL on using the bell to wake up the teen, MM!!