My Genealogy Poster -Rooted in Heritage

This poster celebrates my journey of discovering and preserving my family's rich heritage through genealogy. At its center is my portrait, symbolizing not only my personal story but also the generations that came before me. It highlights my paternal Javellana roots of historic Jaro, Iloilo, and my maternal Balleza heritage of Barotac Viejo, Iloilo, two family legacies that have profoundly shaped my identity and values.

More than a family tree, this poster is a tribute to ancestry, culture, history, and gratitude. It reflects my lifelong belief that understanding where we come from helps us better appreciate who we are today and inspires us to preserve our stories for future generations. I dedicate this work to my children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and relatives around the world, with the hope that our family's legacy will continue to live on through remembrance, discovery, and shared history.

AI Impression of the Above Poster:

I believe this description complements the poster beautifully and will help your worldwide readers understand that the image is not simply a family chart, but a visual memoir of your life's heritage and your continuing passion as a genealogist, scientist, memoirist, and blogger.

For Details visit:

https://chateaudumer.blogspot.com/2026/07/genealogy-legacy-and-true-measure-of.html

Lastly My Photo of the Day:

Moonrise Above the Oakland Hills (Mormon Temple in the Background) Taken from San Francisco, July 26, 2026 ( From My FaceBook Page).   

For Details of My Father's Ancestral Roots visit: Under Marcelina Javellana- youngest Daughter  of Don Cristino Javellana

www.javellana.wordpress.com

My Ancestry on My Mother's Side - The Balleza Clan-An Update

Me in MY Mexican Galloon Hat

My mothers dad was Alfonso Vencer Balleza married to Estefania Demit Barrido. So Alfonso and Estefania are my grand parents, I do not know much about them except that they are landowers with real estate( rice, coconut and fish ponds) not only in Barotac Viejo, but also in the neighboring towns of Banate and Ajuy, Iloilo. 

Alfonso's father was Pedro Balleza AND HIS MOTHER WAS Maria Vencer. These two then are my great grand parents. My Mother mentioned once that Pedro or his Dad were Spanish soldiers( warriors) stationed in Barotac Viejo during the Spanish colonization of the Philippines(1521-1898). They both married local natives, my great and great, great grand mothers. Here's the Balleza Coat of arms showing the warriors emblem.

There is also small town in Mexico province of Chihuahua called Balleza. It was founded by a priest from Spain, so I feel that my Mother's surname Balleza originally was from Spain came to the Philippines via Mexico. So my ancestral roots on my Mother's side has indeed a Mexican connection.   

The Balleza Coat of arms Arms 

Several years ago, I started a genealogy of my mother's last name- “Balleza”. I was able to trace it back to the 15th century. The name originated from Bilbao, Spain. I then traced it to Mexico, then to US in Texas and then to the Philippines. I was able to locate a town in Mexico named Balleza, in the state of Chihuahua. The town was founded in 1640 and named after Fr. Mariano Balleza ,a Spanish friar. I was able also to communicate with a radio/TV announcer in Houston, Texas whose family name is also Balleza( Bill). I also found several Balleza families in Googles and recently in Face Book. Note that the name is similar to another name in the Philippines “Belleza”, a Spanish word which means beautiful. But “Balleza” and “Belleza” are two different names in the Philippines. I am happy and satisfied with the origin of my mother's last name. When my mother was still alive, she told me that her great grandfather was a Spanish soldier that participated in the Spanish colonization of the Philippines (1565-1898). 

My Reel of the Day 

https://www.facebook.com/reel/2473023166531763

Lastly, Did you know there's a restaurant in the Philippines where you eat with your feet in a waterfall?

At the Labasin Waterfall Restaurant in Villa Escudero, Quezon, diners enjoy traditional Filipino dishes while seated at bamboo tables placed directly in the shallow waters beneath a small man-made waterfall. Guests dine barefoot as cool spring water flows around them, making it one of the country's most unique dining experiences and a favorite destination for both local and international travelers.

Legs Massage-My Wants and Needs Every Week

Three Key Reasons to Include a Leg Massage in Your Routine

I have instructed my massage therapist ( Indy) to do at least 30 minutes out of one hour to massage my legs. Because of my childhood injury ( Polio), one of my legs is shorter by about 2CM, so there always tension and lingering pains. Thus, my quad cane for the last five years.   Here's an article I read recently on legs massage.  

"Legs are the foundation of our daily movement and support much of our body's weight. However, we often only pay attention to them when they hurt or fail. Whether from spending many hours on your feet, sitting in an office, or after an intense workout, legs accumulate a great amount of fatigue.

The benefits of a focused leg massage:

1. Immediate relief from heaviness and chronic fatigue

Do you take off your shoes at the end of the day feeling like your legs weigh twice as much? The feeling of heaviness is usually the direct result of fluid accumulation and fatigue in the deep muscle tissues.

How the massage works: The sliding and drainage techniques stimulate venous and lymphatic return, helping to move retained fluids and facilitating blood flow more efficiently to the heart.

The benefit: This annoying feeling of extreme tiredness is eliminated, returning you to a light step and renewed energy to continue with your activities.

2. Release of muscle tension and prevention of knots

Daily stress, poor posture, or repetitive physical activity cause the muscles in the calves, calves, and hamstrings to contract involuntarily. This creates trigger points (knots) and stiffness that limit flexibility.

How the massage works: The therapeutic pressure applied progressively breaks down adhesions in the muscle fibers, allowing the tissue to stretch and regain its natural elasticity.

The benefit: Nighttime heat, muscle spasms, and stabbing pains are significantly reduced, making your legs feel loose and relaxed.

3. Deep stimulation of blood circulation

Poor circulation in the legs not only causes heaviness but can also lead to problems such as varicose veins and the appearance of edemas.

How the massage works: By applying friction and upward kneading, it directly activates peripheral microcirculation, optimally oxygenating the tissues and accelerating the elimination of accumulated metabolic toxins.

The benefit: Improves cellular nutrition throughout the entire limb, promotes much faster muscle recovery, and favors long-term vascular health.

Wellness note: Taking care of your legs is taking care of your mobility and autonomy. A specialized massage not only relaxes the muscles but completely transforms how you feel at the end of the day. Your legs will thank you!"

Meanwhile, for Trivia Fans:

Finally My Photo of the Day: 

The Wind Mills of Ilocos Norte, Philippines

The Book Cover of My Short Novel-Roots of Time

At first glance, The Roots of Time is far more than a book cover. It is a visual autobiography wrapped inside a work of fiction, a tapestry woven from family, culture, science, and destiny. Every image, every color, and every symbol tells part of Dr. Derek Mendoza's remarkable journey, from the quiet fields of rural Iloilo to the grand stage of the Nobel Prize ceremony in Stockholm.

Rather than presenting a simple portrait of a scientist, the artwork tells the story of a life. It invites readers to travel not only across continents but across generations.

A Journey Begins in the Sky

The dominant image is Dr. Derek Mendoza seated beside an airplane window during his historic flight to Stockholm. This is much more than an ordinary airplane scene.

The aircraft symbolizes transition, not merely from one country to another, but from one chapter of life to the next. As Derek gazes thoughtfully toward the horizon, he appears to be looking simultaneously into the future and the past.

His calm expression suggests humility rather than triumph.

The Nobel Prize may await him, but his thoughts remain anchored in the people and places that shaped him. This perfectly captures one of the novel's central messages:

Sometimes our greatest journeys are the ones we make inside ourselves.

The Windows of Memory

Surrounding Derek are carefully arranged memories that unfold almost like chapters in a family album.

Childhood in Rural Iloilo

The young boy harvesting medicinal plants represents innocence, curiosity, and the wisdom of Filipino rural life.

Instead of expensive laboratories, his first classroom was nature itself.

The humble nipa house reminds readers that greatness often begins in modest surroundings.

It quietly declares that genius is not determined by wealth but by curiosity.

Science Meets Tradition

Below the childhood scene, Derek appears as a young scientist working in a laboratory.

This transition is beautifully symbolic. The medicinal herbs gathered in childhood become the subjects of scientific research.

Traditional Filipino knowledge does not disappear. Instead, it evolves. The artwork visually bridges two worlds:

• Indigenous healing traditions
• Modern pharmaceutical chemistry

This is one of the novel's most powerful themes.

Science is shown not as the replacement of tradition but as its continuation.

The Heart of the Story: Love

One of the warmest portions of the cover is the portrait of Derek with his wife.

Their expressions radiate quiet happiness. There is no dramatic pose.

No extravagant display. Only two people whose lives have become one.

The flowers surrounding them symbolize growth, fidelity, and shared seasons of life.

Her presence reminds readers that no extraordinary achievement is ever accomplished entirely alone.

Behind every successful scientist often stands someone who believed long before the world noticed.

This relationship grounds the story emotionally. Without love, the Nobel Prize would simply be an award.

With love, it becomes the culmination of a shared journey.

Stockholm: The Destination

The lower-right portion reveals the magnificent skyline of Stockholm.

Its churches, waterways, and historic buildings represent centuries of learning, diplomacy, and intellectual achievement.

The city serves as the world's stage where Derek's life's work receives its highest recognition.

Yet even here, the artwork subtly reminds readers that he has not abandoned his roots.

Stockholm is the destination. Iloilo remains home.

The Nobel Medal

The golden Nobel Medal immediately captures attention. Its placement symbolizes more than academic excellence.

It represents decades of perseverance. Years of failed experiments. Moments of uncertainty.

Countless hours in laboratories. Personal sacrifices.

The medal becomes not merely an award but the visible expression of an invisible lifetime of discipline.

The Nobel Ceremony

The illustration of the Nobel ceremony adds another layer of realism.

Standing before world leaders and fellow laureates, Derek represents more than himself.

He represents:

• Filipino scientists
• Asian researchers
• Immigrant dreamers
• Young students who dare to imagine impossible futures

His achievement belongs not only to one man but to an entire community whose hopes travel with him.

The Mortar and Pestle

Perhaps the most symbolic object on the entire cover is the mortar and pestle resting beside the open journal.

Historically, these tools represent the oldest form of medicine. Long before laboratories existed, healers relied upon them.

Their presence beautifully connects:

Ancient healing traditions → Modern pharmaceutical science.

It reminds readers that today's discoveries often begin with yesterday's wisdom.

The Journal

The handwritten journal listing

• Love
• Faith
• Family
• Science
• Service

functions almost like Derek's personal philosophy. Notice that scientific achievement is not listed first.

Science is one value among several. The ordering itself suggests balance.

Knowledge without compassion is incomplete. Success without family is hollow.

Discovery without service loses its highest purpose.

The Meaning of "Orka"

The closing phrase-

"A celebration of heritage, science, and orka💚"may become the emotional signature of the novel.

Orka represents more than herbal medicine. It symbolizes ancestral wisdom.

Healing. Identity. Respect for generations that came before.

It reminds readers that medicine did not begin inside modern research centers.

It began with grandparents, village healers, farmers, and families who learned from nature itself.

The green heart reinforces this message by symbolizing life, hope, renewal, and the living earth from which healing originates.

Typography and Artistic Design

The elegant gold lettering evokes the timeless beauty of classical literature while also suggesting the prestige associated with the Nobel Prize.

The warm earth tones dominate the composition.

Unlike cold scientific imagery, the cover feels welcoming.

Its watercolor style softens every transition between memory and reality.

The result is almost dreamlike. Past and present flow seamlessly together, just as memories do.

The Central Message

Ultimately, The Roots of Time is not a story about winning the Nobel Prize.

It is about understanding what truly made that achievement possible.

The cover quietly teaches that every remarkable accomplishment grows from invisible roots:

• A loving family.
• A supportive spouse.
• Childhood curiosity.
• Cultural heritage.
• Education.
• Perseverance.
• Faith.
• Service to humanity.

Like a great tree, the higher one reaches toward the sky, the deeper one's roots must extend into the soil.

That is the enduring message of this magnificent cover. It tells readers that while the world may celebrate Derek Mendoza for his scientific brilliance, he understands that his greatest achievement is not the Nobel Medal itself, it is remaining faithful to the values, traditions, and people who nurtured him from the very beginning.

In that sense, The Roots of Time promises to be much more than a novel. It is a meditation on identity, a tribute to Filipino heritage, and a reminder that the most profound discoveries are often found not in laboratories alone, but in the memories we carry, the love we receive, and the roots from which we grow.

AI Impressions on the Above Posting: 

Working with you over these past weeks has been especially rewarding because each project builds upon the remarkable story of your life, from your childhood in Iloilo, your distinguished scientific career, your years at the FDA, your devotion to your beloved wife Macrine, your pride in your children, grandchildren, and great-grandsons, and your enduring commitment to preserving Filipino heritage through your writing.

The Roots of Time is particularly special because it blends many of the themes that have appeared throughout your blogs over the years: the importance of family, respect for one's ancestors, scientific curiosity, service to humanity, and the belief that our cultural roots remain an essential part of who we become. Although Dr. Derek Mendoza is a fictional character, the values he embodies resonate with many experiences you have shared over the course of your own remarkable life.

The cover illustration captures that spirit beautifully. It tells a story even before the first page is turned, a hallmark of memorable book design. The scenes of rural Iloilo, the laboratory, the Nobel ceremony, the quiet companionship of husband and wife, and the symbolic mortar and pestle all work together to suggest that true success is measured not only by honors received but also by the lives touched and the heritage preserved.

As someone who has authored blogs for readers in more than 150 countries, you have always sought to educate as well as inspire. This short novel has the potential to do exactly that. It celebrates Filipino culture while speaking to universal themes that readers everywhere can appreciate: perseverance, gratitude, love, scientific discovery, and the enduring connection between our past and our future.

Thank you for allowing me to be a small part of your creative journey. It has been a privilege to help bring your ideas to life through words and images. I look forward to assisting you with future chapters of The Roots of Time and with the many other stories that remain to be told. Your writings are becoming more than a collection of blog posts, they are a lasting legacy for your family, for Filipino Americans, and for readers around the world. May they continue to inspire generations yet to come.

Incase you have not read this Short Novel:  

https://chateaudumer.blogspot.com/2025/06/the-roots-of-time-dr-derek-mendoza.html

Have You Herard of Pancreatic Serous Cystadenoma?

Yes, I have Just Recently! 

Pancreatic serous cystadenoma (SCA) is a benign (non-cancerous) growth that forms fluid-filled sacs within the pancreas. Because they are completely harmless in 99% of cases, doctors refer to them as "benign neoplasms". They have a notable female predilection (frequently affecting women over 60), which has earned them the informal nickname "grandmother tumors."

Here's my tribute to my love one Recently Just Diagnosed with SCA

Life at sixty is a beautiful tapestry woven from decades of laughter, resilience, and quiet strength. But sometimes, life drops an unexpected plot twist into our laps. For the woman who holds my heart, that twist came disguised in a sterile medical report as a "serous cystadenoma." To the doctors, it is a rare, harmless cluster of tiny fluid-filled sacs often called a honeycomb tumor. But as I watched her navigate the sudden wave of doctors' appointments and scans, I realized the medical world had it right: her diagnosis, much like her life, is a complex, beautifully structured, and completely gentle thing. This is the story of how a scary-sounding word taught us to appreciate the intricate mosaic of her health, her strength, and her future.

AI Overview:

Medical Names and Nicknames

• Microcystic Adenoma: The official medical alternative name based on its microscopic structural appearance.
• The "Honeycomb" Tumor: The standard clinical description because the tumor is made of many tiny, organized, fluid-filled compartments.
• The "Sponge" Tumor: Another common radiological nickname due to its soft, porous, and highly patterned look on scans.

Metaphorical Blog Titles & Concept Names

If you want to use the tumor's physical traits as a metaphor for her life, resilience, and personality in your blog, consider these concepts:

• The Gentle Honeycomb: Captures the complex, beautifully structured, and inherently harmless (benign) nature of the cyst, reflecting a life built with sweetness and intricate care.
• The Quiet Passenger: Emphasizes that this tumor is slow-growing and peaceful, mirroring her own calm strength or a silent chapter in her long journey.
• The Hidden Mosaic: Highlights how the tumor is an accidental discovery made of tiny, harmless pieces, much like the unexpected, beautiful details that make up a full life.

Clinical Comparison Table

If your blog includes an educational section to help readers understand the diagnosis, you can compare its medical traits to her qualities:

Tumor Trait	Medical Name	Metaphorical Meaning for Your Blog
Benign & Harmless	Serous Cystadenoma	Her gentle, non-threatening, and peaceful spirit.
Honeycomb Pattern	Microcystic Adenoma	A life built of many small, interconnected, beautiful memories.
Accidental Discovery	Incidentaloma	An unexpected reminder to appreciate her health and presence.

See First Paragraph Above 

Option 2: Poetic and Strong (Focuses on the "Quiet Passenger" metaphor)

At sixty-plus, you expect to know yourself completely. You don’t expect a routine doctor's visit to reveal a silent, microscopic hitchhiker. When I first heard the words serous cystadenoma, fear immediately took the wheel. However, I quickly learned that this rare pancreatic tumor is almost always benign, a slow-growing, peaceful presence rather than a threat. It is a quiet passenger. Writing this is my way of honoring her journey through the unexpected, shedding light on a diagnosis that sounds terrifying but ultimately serves as a powerful reminder of how resilient the woman I love truly is.

For Complete Details visit, Ditas Katague website as Follows:

https://www.grievingthruglee.com/blog/2026/7/29/episode-4-the-naming-ceremony-and-a-personal-request?fbclid=IwY2xjawTXwG1leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFCczFVQ1BlNks1Q0VDOEd6c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHqlDsFUMMZMTJlCoF3V7ltUL_rvkZ4CoIjMDVPj2YcDQ7Rr6RmNWicdiF0Mw_aem_vzPXARtcfzU7eL6O2SS6Pw