on 20th december, a saturday, little alice in wonderland came to stay. sweet little blonde alice who made kiko and koko rather confused.
kiko sniffed around wonderingly and then lay by the cage where alice was, like a protective older brother. koko took a few looks and wandered away, as if he couldn't be bothered.
alice was feisty, hungry and ran around giddily when let out of the cage. she took immediately to carrots, sengkuang, lettuce, kangkung, galangal, kaduk, jasmine leaves. and the dried keledang leaves.
the first few days she ran hither and thither on the terrace while her cage was washed. kiko would sometimes go near her, perhaps asking her where she came from. koko would steer clear as alice ran headlong into flower pots, rattan chairs as well as both brother bunnies.
then early this morning alice ventured onto the lawn. she frisked with delight as she ran in between plants to her heart's desire.
all of a sudden she disappeared from view and appeared on the next door neighbour's lawn.
alice found a hole in the fence!
she ran madly here and there but cleverly came to the gate when her name was called. the second time she came to the gate she sat down and started grooming.
that was when she was caught, taken home and placed once more in her cage, her adventure ended.
alice under monsoon skies...
Saturday, 27 December 2014
Saturday, 22 November 2014
the hungry cat from the rain
last friday she was in tanjong penaga due to a craving for hameediyah beriani. but it seemed hameediyah does not open on fridays. q ridzwan went to subaidah but it was already way past 3 pm and their beriani was sold out. hmm....
lily rose took her to paragon. after some retail therapy for lily rose (she did her masters dissertation in the morning), mother and daughter had hi tea at savarro (felda's). facing the grey-blue sea she had quite good nasi kerabu and green apple juice while lily rose had fried bihun.
but it was rather scary looking at how the spanking new mall incorporated the ancient uplands school building. she kept looking at the joint between the ridge of the old tiled roof with the huge new glass wall of the shopping mall by the sea. the proportion was weird. that was conservation at its worst, so blatantly hypocritical. the old building looked so forlorn, out of place and forced to submit. no more of its character, its sublime colonaded loveliness.
sometimes she wonder if the new breed of architects have enough willpower to defend their integrity in their material pursuit. i.m.pei's glass pyramid in front of the louvre is in its own class. well thought out in terms of proportion, function, effect to the environment, the local urban fabric.
this monstrosity in gurney drive makes a mockery of the very process of conservation.
and the high end foreign stores.... new age colonisation. subtle, unnoticed by most. its a matter of concepts. hmmm....globalisation.....
that nite while waiting for naj rose in a light drizzle, a cat came mewing by her feet. the cries had an urgent pang of hunger. she immediately gave a handful of maruku to the feline, all that was in her handbag. the cat ate them too quickly, proving that it was definitely very hungry!
she told bill ridzal to fetch some rice for the poor thing. then q ridzwan came with some chicken bones and bits. naj rose gave some fish bones. not much, but the cat ate everything. she felt so sad, the cat must have been hungry for quite some time. if only she had some fish too for the striped cat.
but it felt so good to be able to feed the cat.
all of them then went to b.p. it was already nearly midnite. she felt rather hungry. so they looked for some stalls to see if there were some packet nasi lemak. it was at simpang empat. all the stalls were closed. except one. it was a small warung manned by an arab. q ridzwan asked if there were any capatis. the man in white kopiah and jubah said no more capati but there was a plate of beriani rice left! she couldn't believe her ears! out of the deep black night,unexpected, incredible. beriani!
Subhanallah! Allahuakbar!
that night she had a really delicious chicken beriani with yummy acar/chutney, cooked by an arab!
lily rose took her to paragon. after some retail therapy for lily rose (she did her masters dissertation in the morning), mother and daughter had hi tea at savarro (felda's). facing the grey-blue sea she had quite good nasi kerabu and green apple juice while lily rose had fried bihun.
but it was rather scary looking at how the spanking new mall incorporated the ancient uplands school building. she kept looking at the joint between the ridge of the old tiled roof with the huge new glass wall of the shopping mall by the sea. the proportion was weird. that was conservation at its worst, so blatantly hypocritical. the old building looked so forlorn, out of place and forced to submit. no more of its character, its sublime colonaded loveliness.
sometimes she wonder if the new breed of architects have enough willpower to defend their integrity in their material pursuit. i.m.pei's glass pyramid in front of the louvre is in its own class. well thought out in terms of proportion, function, effect to the environment, the local urban fabric.
this monstrosity in gurney drive makes a mockery of the very process of conservation.
and the high end foreign stores.... new age colonisation. subtle, unnoticed by most. its a matter of concepts. hmmm....globalisation.....
that nite while waiting for naj rose in a light drizzle, a cat came mewing by her feet. the cries had an urgent pang of hunger. she immediately gave a handful of maruku to the feline, all that was in her handbag. the cat ate them too quickly, proving that it was definitely very hungry!
she told bill ridzal to fetch some rice for the poor thing. then q ridzwan came with some chicken bones and bits. naj rose gave some fish bones. not much, but the cat ate everything. she felt so sad, the cat must have been hungry for quite some time. if only she had some fish too for the striped cat.
but it felt so good to be able to feed the cat.
all of them then went to b.p. it was already nearly midnite. she felt rather hungry. so they looked for some stalls to see if there were some packet nasi lemak. it was at simpang empat. all the stalls were closed. except one. it was a small warung manned by an arab. q ridzwan asked if there were any capatis. the man in white kopiah and jubah said no more capati but there was a plate of beriani rice left! she couldn't believe her ears! out of the deep black night,unexpected, incredible. beriani!
Subhanallah! Allahuakbar!
that night she had a really delicious chicken beriani with yummy acar/chutney, cooked by an arab!
Wednesday, 19 November 2014
the magnificent doors of zanzibar
zanzibar..... even the name promises mystery ... and wonder...
in its heyday, it was the 6th wealthiest country in the world. due to spices.
separated by a sliver of intense, blue ocean from the continent of africa, the quaint island is in no hurry to catch up with the rest of the world, remaining unhurried, sublime and lost in blissful dreams.
sleepy villages with mud brick houses complacently dot the coconut groves. cassava followed delicious spicy pilaf rice on dinner tables.
the spice trade brought merchants from near and far. most mansions built by rich traders have arabian, indian, european characteristics. the most notable are the highly crafted carved timber front doors, a sign of the immense wealth of the owners. intricate, beautiful, the huge doors stand proud till today...
and... a jovial coconut tree climber called mr. butterfly because of his prowess, sings while he climbs. his lovely resonant vocals ring out through the palm leaves, among the lyrics some strangely familiar words, ' hey....... aku nama maca-maca... welcome to zanzibar...'
pristine white shores circle zanzibar....while the local men, women and children dreamed of the ancient past....
in its heyday, it was the 6th wealthiest country in the world. due to spices.
separated by a sliver of intense, blue ocean from the continent of africa, the quaint island is in no hurry to catch up with the rest of the world, remaining unhurried, sublime and lost in blissful dreams.
sleepy villages with mud brick houses complacently dot the coconut groves. cassava followed delicious spicy pilaf rice on dinner tables.
the spice trade brought merchants from near and far. most mansions built by rich traders have arabian, indian, european characteristics. the most notable are the highly crafted carved timber front doors, a sign of the immense wealth of the owners. intricate, beautiful, the huge doors stand proud till today...
and... a jovial coconut tree climber called mr. butterfly because of his prowess, sings while he climbs. his lovely resonant vocals ring out through the palm leaves, among the lyrics some strangely familiar words, ' hey....... aku nama maca-maca... welcome to zanzibar...'
pristine white shores circle zanzibar....while the local men, women and children dreamed of the ancient past....
Friday, 14 November 2014
the beautiful vernacular houses
shapes of things do tell stories.
look at houses high on the mountains of laos. in the irrawaddy delta. on faraway bali. on shady south pacific islands. by the mekong river in kemboja. along old roads in pattani in thailand. in remote villages in tanah melayu. among sugar cane farms in mindanao, in secluded valleys in timur leste as well as in the lush highlands and seas of borneo.
these highly functional, sustainable abodes, humble in their stark simplicity, have much in common. all over the malay archipelago, indo china and beyond. they look almost the same.
built on stilts for a number of obvious reasons, out of readily available bamboo, rattan, sago or nipah leaves, coconut leaves and trunks from the rainforests, these dwellings are well ventilated, have cool interiors to fight the high humidity of the tropics and are very very affordable.
the steeply pitched roofs efficiently channel the heavy downpours. woven bamboo walls allow free movement of wind throughout the open planned houses, resilient to storms. eaves are deep for sunshading. wide verandahs are such effective transitional spaces between the hot outside and the cool interior.
floors of timber or pieces of the trunk of the lontar palm have tiny gaps for cross ventilation.
the houses are flexible in allowing enlargements and extensions when necessary, as for an extra sleeping space or a larger kitchen.
embellishments on the fascia boards, handrails of staircases, roof ridges, windows and doors differ according to culture, prosperity and raw materials. these are such minor differences which give much richness to the architectural characteristics.
imagine the time when the people of nusantara, the malay archipelago, great maritime travellers that they were, going from place to place, island to island, to trade, look around, connect and perhaps inter-marry.
the beauty of the simple traditional timber houses will ever remain....
look at houses high on the mountains of laos. in the irrawaddy delta. on faraway bali. on shady south pacific islands. by the mekong river in kemboja. along old roads in pattani in thailand. in remote villages in tanah melayu. among sugar cane farms in mindanao, in secluded valleys in timur leste as well as in the lush highlands and seas of borneo.
these highly functional, sustainable abodes, humble in their stark simplicity, have much in common. all over the malay archipelago, indo china and beyond. they look almost the same.
built on stilts for a number of obvious reasons, out of readily available bamboo, rattan, sago or nipah leaves, coconut leaves and trunks from the rainforests, these dwellings are well ventilated, have cool interiors to fight the high humidity of the tropics and are very very affordable.
the steeply pitched roofs efficiently channel the heavy downpours. woven bamboo walls allow free movement of wind throughout the open planned houses, resilient to storms. eaves are deep for sunshading. wide verandahs are such effective transitional spaces between the hot outside and the cool interior.
floors of timber or pieces of the trunk of the lontar palm have tiny gaps for cross ventilation.
the houses are flexible in allowing enlargements and extensions when necessary, as for an extra sleeping space or a larger kitchen.
embellishments on the fascia boards, handrails of staircases, roof ridges, windows and doors differ according to culture, prosperity and raw materials. these are such minor differences which give much richness to the architectural characteristics.
imagine the time when the people of nusantara, the malay archipelago, great maritime travellers that they were, going from place to place, island to island, to trade, look around, connect and perhaps inter-marry.
the beauty of the simple traditional timber houses will ever remain....
Thursday, 13 November 2014
congratulations naj on your degree
nov 8. naj's convocation day. the whole family was in usm's great hall to witness the happy occasion. it was a sweet co-incidence that both parents, naj's sisters (nad, dhyra) and brothers (q, bil) were in various shades of grey. naj herself wore beige under the violet robe and orange lapel.
she wanted to bake a cake for naj, her third girl, but had to put it on hold due to an urgent editing job.
they arrived early at the nation's second oldest varsity at minden. proud parents and happy graduates were smiling and cheerful. there was a definite air of gaiety and joy.
she remembered her own graduation years ago at the parliament building in the capital city, kuala lumpur. utm then at jalan semarak did not possess a hall large enough for a graduation ceremony.
she wore her deep green wedding songket kebaya (she married immediately after her final exams) then! later utm forbid the use of songket by graduates!
after the ceremony at usm, they took spontaneous photographs in the hot sun by a green slope with plenty of flowers. then more formal pixes at the studios.
without breakfast the whole family was hungry as it was then way past lunch time.
nad then packed fried chicken, ikan bakar, pajeri nenas and terong, kerabu taugeh, sambal belacan and ulam (pegaga, pucuk janggus, ulam raja, kacang botol) from a popular restaurant across the road from usm, 'awet muda'.
it was really sumptious, that lunch!
later after maghrib the family had dinner at a hilltop restaurant on the mainland, a treat from nad and dhyra. the local and western dishes were great. she had fish n chips with green apple juice. the boys had mixed grill, koay teow, the girls had grilled chicken of sorts while father had fried rice and tom yam with several side dishes..
after her exams naj got a job with a multi-national organization.
it was a beautiful day with all her children. she enjoyed it very much.
she hopes all her kids will further their studies till PhD. work and study are good as they keep the cerebrals well stimulated. this is the actual secret to awet muda....
she wanted to bake a cake for naj, her third girl, but had to put it on hold due to an urgent editing job.
they arrived early at the nation's second oldest varsity at minden. proud parents and happy graduates were smiling and cheerful. there was a definite air of gaiety and joy.
she remembered her own graduation years ago at the parliament building in the capital city, kuala lumpur. utm then at jalan semarak did not possess a hall large enough for a graduation ceremony.
she wore her deep green wedding songket kebaya (she married immediately after her final exams) then! later utm forbid the use of songket by graduates!
after the ceremony at usm, they took spontaneous photographs in the hot sun by a green slope with plenty of flowers. then more formal pixes at the studios.
without breakfast the whole family was hungry as it was then way past lunch time.
nad then packed fried chicken, ikan bakar, pajeri nenas and terong, kerabu taugeh, sambal belacan and ulam (pegaga, pucuk janggus, ulam raja, kacang botol) from a popular restaurant across the road from usm, 'awet muda'.
it was really sumptious, that lunch!
later after maghrib the family had dinner at a hilltop restaurant on the mainland, a treat from nad and dhyra. the local and western dishes were great. she had fish n chips with green apple juice. the boys had mixed grill, koay teow, the girls had grilled chicken of sorts while father had fried rice and tom yam with several side dishes..
after her exams naj got a job with a multi-national organization.
it was a beautiful day with all her children. she enjoyed it very much.
she hopes all her kids will further their studies till PhD. work and study are good as they keep the cerebrals well stimulated. this is the actual secret to awet muda....
an evening in kuala kedah
it was a fine sunday evening, mild and balmy. they took a leisurely drive along the old route to kuala kedah, she and her son q.
they bought some hot steamed corns at the foot of gunung jerai. then they stopped at a stall by the bridge at kota sarang semut, selling lots of Malay kuehs. pulut udang, cucur badak, pulut seri muka, all sorts of kueh talam, curry puffs, qasidah, many different lepats, spicy kacang kuda, onde-onde, numerous bengkangs and many many more....
and the kuehs tasted so good!
the ancient fort, lighthouse, istana at the once great port of kuala kedah have been restored well. there were some vibrations from the past.... she closed her eyes and heard the voices of traders and merchants of yore from near and far, some haggling, some shouting. the sounds of waves as huge ships began to anchor. it was so vibrant. pulsating......
when she opened her eyes, she was by the side of a weary cannon, q snapping a pix of her...
on the way home after the huge bridge she saw a man selling ikan kembung by the road. it was only rm5.00 per kilo!
they bought 2 kilos of the fresh fish which she cooked into curry a few days later. she added wedges of cabbage and tomatoes. it was delicious. the fish was exceedingly tasty and sweet.
but because she hadn't cooked curry for ages, for years in fact, she didn't put santan in it!
so it was a healthy ikan kembung and cabbage curry......
they bought some hot steamed corns at the foot of gunung jerai. then they stopped at a stall by the bridge at kota sarang semut, selling lots of Malay kuehs. pulut udang, cucur badak, pulut seri muka, all sorts of kueh talam, curry puffs, qasidah, many different lepats, spicy kacang kuda, onde-onde, numerous bengkangs and many many more....
and the kuehs tasted so good!
the ancient fort, lighthouse, istana at the once great port of kuala kedah have been restored well. there were some vibrations from the past.... she closed her eyes and heard the voices of traders and merchants of yore from near and far, some haggling, some shouting. the sounds of waves as huge ships began to anchor. it was so vibrant. pulsating......
when she opened her eyes, she was by the side of a weary cannon, q snapping a pix of her...
on the way home after the huge bridge she saw a man selling ikan kembung by the road. it was only rm5.00 per kilo!
they bought 2 kilos of the fresh fish which she cooked into curry a few days later. she added wedges of cabbage and tomatoes. it was delicious. the fish was exceedingly tasty and sweet.
but because she hadn't cooked curry for ages, for years in fact, she didn't put santan in it!
so it was a healthy ikan kembung and cabbage curry......
the green pear
the early morning breeze was cold and sharp, rippling through the lemuni and the lengkuas leaves.
she was at the terrace enjoying a green pear. then little koko stood up on two feet in front of her, front feet on her lap.
it occurred to her then that koko might like a bite of the pear. so she gave him some which he gobbled up happily.
she gave a piece to kiko too but after taking a sniff kiko looked away.
so it seemed that koko likes green pear but kiko does not.
and the morning soon welcomed the soft rays of the monsoon sun.....
she was at the terrace enjoying a green pear. then little koko stood up on two feet in front of her, front feet on her lap.
it occurred to her then that koko might like a bite of the pear. so she gave him some which he gobbled up happily.
she gave a piece to kiko too but after taking a sniff kiko looked away.
so it seemed that koko likes green pear but kiko does not.
and the morning soon welcomed the soft rays of the monsoon sun.....
sekapur sireh
the sireh or betel leaf is synonymous to the Malay Archipelago (which includes the pacific islands and atolls, philippines (before spain's inquisition this was a Malay Kingdom)), indo china (kemboja, vietnam, laos), thailand, myanmar, taiwan.
travel documentaries give an insight into this singular phenomena.
in remote villages in the northern mountains of luzon, with centuries old terraced rice fields, men and women are still chewing the betel leaves wrapped up with slices of areca nut, some slaked lime (burnt shells).
on sunshiny pristine beaches in the south pacific people enjoy shady afternoons under swaying palms, mouth full of the same concoction.
by the banks of the tonle sap lake, while gathering lotus seeds, cheerful tanned ladies chewed happily the intoxicating betel leaf mix.
on the busy streets of mandalay, women with bedak sejuk on their faces eschew the betel leaves while peddling out their wares.
in the highlands of the Malay Peninsula, the indigenous inhabitants enjoy the cool of the evening chewing betel leaves with family members, surrounded by million year old rainforests.
etched in history. polynesians, melanesians, they were agile, able, excellent seafarers wandering the many islands of the far-flung Malay Archipelago. these were the Malay people, encompassing regionally classified Melayu, Siam, Jawa, Acheh, Bugis, Banjar, Mandailing, Bangsa Moro, Cham, the original inhabitants of australia, Maoris, Pacific Islanders,....
hmm... and look closely at the features, way of life of the natives of north and south america, japan, taiwan, indo china....
travel documentaries give an insight into this singular phenomena.
in remote villages in the northern mountains of luzon, with centuries old terraced rice fields, men and women are still chewing the betel leaves wrapped up with slices of areca nut, some slaked lime (burnt shells).
on sunshiny pristine beaches in the south pacific people enjoy shady afternoons under swaying palms, mouth full of the same concoction.
by the banks of the tonle sap lake, while gathering lotus seeds, cheerful tanned ladies chewed happily the intoxicating betel leaf mix.
on the busy streets of mandalay, women with bedak sejuk on their faces eschew the betel leaves while peddling out their wares.
in the highlands of the Malay Peninsula, the indigenous inhabitants enjoy the cool of the evening chewing betel leaves with family members, surrounded by million year old rainforests.
etched in history. polynesians, melanesians, they were agile, able, excellent seafarers wandering the many islands of the far-flung Malay Archipelago. these were the Malay people, encompassing regionally classified Melayu, Siam, Jawa, Acheh, Bugis, Banjar, Mandailing, Bangsa Moro, Cham, the original inhabitants of australia, Maoris, Pacific Islanders,....
hmm... and look closely at the features, way of life of the natives of north and south america, japan, taiwan, indo china....
Tuesday, 14 October 2014
a home in the mountains
she watched shane delia's spice journey where he travelled to some mountain villages in south lebanon.
goodness, it was so beautiful, small, open whitewashed abodes on green mountain slopes shaded by courageous fig trees, sheep grazing in the tranquil, cold mountain air. serene.
it must be wonderful living in such an environment , far far from the madding crowd. high above the din of concrete jungles. totally in another dimension!
the mornings must be crisp, misty and cool. the nights silent and chilly. frozen stars hanging low on midnight skies.
she could almost hear the sighing of leaves against fierce northern winds.
and smell the fragrant pine needles carpeting the forest floor.
she once read about the magic of the whispers of the mountains......
goodness, it was so beautiful, small, open whitewashed abodes on green mountain slopes shaded by courageous fig trees, sheep grazing in the tranquil, cold mountain air. serene.
it must be wonderful living in such an environment , far far from the madding crowd. high above the din of concrete jungles. totally in another dimension!
the mornings must be crisp, misty and cool. the nights silent and chilly. frozen stars hanging low on midnight skies.
she could almost hear the sighing of leaves against fierce northern winds.
and smell the fragrant pine needles carpeting the forest floor.
she once read about the magic of the whispers of the mountains......
aidil adha
those at the holy city of Mekah must be so happy that their haj is sempurna now that aidil adha is here.
she could still remember the feeling, especially during the wukuf at Arafah. melontar at the jamrahs. tawaf and saie at the Baitullah! oh so beautiful! she was 43 years of age when she performed the haj, so she had the energy Alhamdulillah to fulfill the wajibs of the haj as well as doing the subuh, zohor, asar, maghrib, isyak and other sunat prayers at Masjidil Haram in Mekah and at the Masjid Nabawi in Madinah everyday except for the few days that she had a cold. it was a fantastic experience. spiritual and physical.
a unique beauty!
and what a satisfaction to be able to bring along her mother for her haj! double happiness!
here at laguna on aidil adha she cooked mee kari as requested by dyra, with plenty of fish balls, chicken, prawns. also chicken rice for the boys and a savoury chicken loaf.
she could still remember the feeling, especially during the wukuf at Arafah. melontar at the jamrahs. tawaf and saie at the Baitullah! oh so beautiful! she was 43 years of age when she performed the haj, so she had the energy Alhamdulillah to fulfill the wajibs of the haj as well as doing the subuh, zohor, asar, maghrib, isyak and other sunat prayers at Masjidil Haram in Mekah and at the Masjid Nabawi in Madinah everyday except for the few days that she had a cold. it was a fantastic experience. spiritual and physical.
a unique beauty!
and what a satisfaction to be able to bring along her mother for her haj! double happiness!
here at laguna on aidil adha she cooked mee kari as requested by dyra, with plenty of fish balls, chicken, prawns. also chicken rice for the boys and a savoury chicken loaf.
rock buns for tea
this afternoon she baked some rock buns, using gula melaka. she still remember when she first baked these rustic looking biscuits in form one eons ago...
hot from the oven they tasted great with peanut butter.
on sunday she baked curried tuna loaf, for the boys for lunch they had fried koay teow, rice (brown rice of course), sambal bawal, kicap cabbage, acar rampai (the boys didn't eat this) and bawal masak cuka.
she loves cooking for her children. but sometimes she cooks too much! dyra would often tell her not to cook too many dishes....
she used to cook as many as ten types of fish, chicken and veggy dishes when her children were at home, to cater to all their favorites!
most mothers do this...
hot from the oven they tasted great with peanut butter.
on sunday she baked curried tuna loaf, for the boys for lunch they had fried koay teow, rice (brown rice of course), sambal bawal, kicap cabbage, acar rampai (the boys didn't eat this) and bawal masak cuka.
she loves cooking for her children. but sometimes she cooks too much! dyra would often tell her not to cook too many dishes....
she used to cook as many as ten types of fish, chicken and veggy dishes when her children were at home, to cater to all their favorites!
most mothers do this...
dawn with the little bunnies
each dawn after the subuh prayers she'd be out on the terrace with the little rabbits kiko and koko.
the fluffy duo loves eating sunflower seeds from her hand. she'd call out to them and they'd come running to her like two little balls of fur, one black and the other white.
she realised that both bunnies love being in the garden at night, at dusk and dawn. the most cooling parts of the day.
after eating both bunnies would lay at her feet or under her rattan chair, being close to her. so manja....
when she trims the grass little kiko and koko would be beside her, sometimes right in front of her! she'd laugh then, cos it was difficult to cut the deep green grass with them around her.
she'd cut a few galangal leaves for them, sometimes kaduk and ulam raja leaves too which they pecked at merrily. her bunnies are into herbs! how clever of them.
kiko and koko have a balanced daily diet of carrots, sengkuang, kangkung, cabbage, galangal leaves, keledang leaves, pellets, kaduk leaves, ulam raja and jasmine shoots.
and of course green grass too! one evening she saw kiko with a mouthful of grass....looking so cute...
the fluffy duo loves eating sunflower seeds from her hand. she'd call out to them and they'd come running to her like two little balls of fur, one black and the other white.
she realised that both bunnies love being in the garden at night, at dusk and dawn. the most cooling parts of the day.
after eating both bunnies would lay at her feet or under her rattan chair, being close to her. so manja....
when she trims the grass little kiko and koko would be beside her, sometimes right in front of her! she'd laugh then, cos it was difficult to cut the deep green grass with them around her.
she'd cut a few galangal leaves for them, sometimes kaduk and ulam raja leaves too which they pecked at merrily. her bunnies are into herbs! how clever of them.
kiko and koko have a balanced daily diet of carrots, sengkuang, kangkung, cabbage, galangal leaves, keledang leaves, pellets, kaduk leaves, ulam raja and jasmine shoots.
and of course green grass too! one evening she saw kiko with a mouthful of grass....looking so cute...
yellow twilight
she went out with carrots and sengkuang for the bunnies and a yellow light hit her vision.
it was a very yellow dusk!
instantly she was brought back to those eventides of her youth in the tiny hamlet in dear betong isle.
the old folks called it mambang kuning. kids were forbidden to be outside the house when there was a mambang kuning.
she would sit on the wooden armchair by the door on the ground floor of her grandparents' home, facing the gentle hills. it was so spectacular, the trees around bathed in the warm, ethereal yellowness..... the hue changing by the second as the sun wearily sinks below the horizon... it was a feast for the eyes and the senses...
birds would be noisily hurrying to their homes, the crickets would be warming up for their nocturnal orchestral debut, village folks walking or cycling quietly, serenely.....kids tired after an evening of play....
ah, yesterday when she was young.....
it was a very yellow dusk!
instantly she was brought back to those eventides of her youth in the tiny hamlet in dear betong isle.
the old folks called it mambang kuning. kids were forbidden to be outside the house when there was a mambang kuning.
she would sit on the wooden armchair by the door on the ground floor of her grandparents' home, facing the gentle hills. it was so spectacular, the trees around bathed in the warm, ethereal yellowness..... the hue changing by the second as the sun wearily sinks below the horizon... it was a feast for the eyes and the senses...
birds would be noisily hurrying to their homes, the crickets would be warming up for their nocturnal orchestral debut, village folks walking or cycling quietly, serenely.....kids tired after an evening of play....
ah, yesterday when she was young.....
southern thailand rendesvouz
it was the friday before aidil adha. she journeyed to danork with q.
stopped at alor setar's pekan rabu on the way. bought otak-otak (delicious, not the type sold in johor), bahulu panas, kueh peneram, karipaf mini, agar-agar kering, gula melaka and lots of good asam jawa.
q prayed solat jumaat at masjid zahir, the beautiful more than a hundred years old mosque across the road from the old balai besar in the heritage enclave of alor setar. the proportion of the black and white mosque is great and well thought of, thus the building looks very pleasant.
the weather was mild and the sky was overcast, hinting at rains.
they reached danork, thailand at about five in the evening after a lengthy queue at the checkpoint. bought colek nenas, mangga and a container of the colek paste (rm6) including a plastic full of dried tiny shrimps! been longing for these...
they headed for the pulut ayam stalls, looking for the most hygienic. most of the stalls were at road corners. bought 5 packets of pulut (with fried shallots in them) and seven pieces of chicken. q did not want pulut.
the fried reddish chicken thighs were priced at rm6, 7 8 and 9 each while the pulut at a ringgit a packet.
they then entered a muslim restaurant, ordered fried mee, koay teow, iced lemon tea and warm water. the mee and koay teow came in small plates, and tasted horrible. she finished her plate cos she was rather hungry. q couldn't eat the koay teow which tasted only of soya sauce/kicap. the bill was a whopping rm12!
they then strolled along the streets and lanes. bought some boiled purple corn, some yummy kuehs, dried cuttlefish, mangoes and of course football jerseys for q and bill.
it was drizzling by then but it didn't hinder them. they went round the many stalls at leisure. she realised that now more of the stalls were manned by muslim girls where once only thai women could be seen.
they started for home at dusk. stopped at changlun for drinks.
reached laguna at about ten pm.
stopped at alor setar's pekan rabu on the way. bought otak-otak (delicious, not the type sold in johor), bahulu panas, kueh peneram, karipaf mini, agar-agar kering, gula melaka and lots of good asam jawa.
q prayed solat jumaat at masjid zahir, the beautiful more than a hundred years old mosque across the road from the old balai besar in the heritage enclave of alor setar. the proportion of the black and white mosque is great and well thought of, thus the building looks very pleasant.
the weather was mild and the sky was overcast, hinting at rains.
they reached danork, thailand at about five in the evening after a lengthy queue at the checkpoint. bought colek nenas, mangga and a container of the colek paste (rm6) including a plastic full of dried tiny shrimps! been longing for these...
they headed for the pulut ayam stalls, looking for the most hygienic. most of the stalls were at road corners. bought 5 packets of pulut (with fried shallots in them) and seven pieces of chicken. q did not want pulut.
the fried reddish chicken thighs were priced at rm6, 7 8 and 9 each while the pulut at a ringgit a packet.
they then entered a muslim restaurant, ordered fried mee, koay teow, iced lemon tea and warm water. the mee and koay teow came in small plates, and tasted horrible. she finished her plate cos she was rather hungry. q couldn't eat the koay teow which tasted only of soya sauce/kicap. the bill was a whopping rm12!
they then strolled along the streets and lanes. bought some boiled purple corn, some yummy kuehs, dried cuttlefish, mangoes and of course football jerseys for q and bill.
it was drizzling by then but it didn't hinder them. they went round the many stalls at leisure. she realised that now more of the stalls were manned by muslim girls where once only thai women could be seen.
they started for home at dusk. stopped at changlun for drinks.
reached laguna at about ten pm.
Friday, 26 September 2014
weekend in temasek
she travelled to temasek down south with naj, q and bil last weekend. they started from laguna merbok at 3 am. q drove.
it was a lovely early morning ride, few other vehicles on the highway. she packed potato buns, pandan buns and packets of crunchies.
they stopped at most r&rs so q could buy packets of cold coffee. some fruits at bukit gantang. and to fill up the gas tank at petronas.
they stopped for solat subuh at tapah r&r. bought simple breakfast of packet nasi lemak, bihun n fried koayteow at sungai buluh. and drinks of course.
passed kl at about 7am, then seremban, ayer keroh melaka, machap. stopped at kulai jaya for honeydew,water melon, a giant curry puff. and more drinks.
they reached jb at about noon, filled up the gas tank again at the first gas station they saw. and proceeded to cross the causeway.
everything was fine at the Malaysian CIQ. at temasek's woodland checkpoint, they missed buying the auto-pass. then a hassle in heavy downpour to and fro trying to get it in woodlands town. unsuccessful. managed to buy a cash card and some parking coupons at 7e.
they then proceeded to pasir ris, before changi airport. they refererred to a sketch map she drew, marking all the districts and towns from woodlands to tuas. sle. tpe. not too difficult for first time driving on the island.
between them they managed to locate apt. 723, st. 72 pasir ris. but the person was at work.
so they drove into the city,trying to find chai chee.
a few missed turns, passing the durian esplanade, the much hyped marina bay sands, the giant flyer etc. she decided to find geylang for much needed lunch.
they stopped to ask for directions from the locals.
it was so funny that most of the population spoke very bad and broken english. so much for the hype!
they found pasar geylang. she had delicious nasi sambal goreng. naj, q and bil had nasi padang at the famous stall. they bought otak-otak for themselves and for dyra. yummy.
they then bought egg tarts and kuehs at hajah maimunah's.
they found chai chee. naj even remembered the exact location they went to in december 2012! (she flew there with naj and dyra in 2012)
the shop was closed. the owner moved to ubi road. by that time it was already dusk. so they decided to go back to pasir ris.
he was home. she had a chat with him. after 2 years of silence.
they left temasek at about 10pm through tuas. the causeway was packed with cars going to jb. the formula 1.was supposed to be held that night so a number of roads were closed in the city.
they didn't manage to stroll through the botanical gardens because it rained. yet again. in 2012 she, naj and dyra couldn't savour the garden's greens due to rain too!
they arrived in kl at about 3am. checked into the hotel in front of her former office where dyra was already waiting with lots of nasi lemak, drinks and fresh keropok lekor from losong. dyra was in terengganu the week before.
the next day they had a stupendous lunch packed from a stall in kampong baru which had lots and lots of simply delicious dishes!
they then went to mutiara damansara. but the school holidays and weekend crowd was in the way. they left early after only a few purchases.
sent dyra off to mont kiara. they started for sp after maghrib. stopped at sg buloh for that wonderful satay.
they reached laguna merbok past midnite.
it was a lovely weekend. naj, q and bil were excellent at finding directions.
she was glad she took them for the short holiday down south.
it was a lovely early morning ride, few other vehicles on the highway. she packed potato buns, pandan buns and packets of crunchies.
they stopped at most r&rs so q could buy packets of cold coffee. some fruits at bukit gantang. and to fill up the gas tank at petronas.
they stopped for solat subuh at tapah r&r. bought simple breakfast of packet nasi lemak, bihun n fried koayteow at sungai buluh. and drinks of course.
passed kl at about 7am, then seremban, ayer keroh melaka, machap. stopped at kulai jaya for honeydew,water melon, a giant curry puff. and more drinks.
they reached jb at about noon, filled up the gas tank again at the first gas station they saw. and proceeded to cross the causeway.
everything was fine at the Malaysian CIQ. at temasek's woodland checkpoint, they missed buying the auto-pass. then a hassle in heavy downpour to and fro trying to get it in woodlands town. unsuccessful. managed to buy a cash card and some parking coupons at 7e.
they then proceeded to pasir ris, before changi airport. they refererred to a sketch map she drew, marking all the districts and towns from woodlands to tuas. sle. tpe. not too difficult for first time driving on the island.
between them they managed to locate apt. 723, st. 72 pasir ris. but the person was at work.
so they drove into the city,trying to find chai chee.
a few missed turns, passing the durian esplanade, the much hyped marina bay sands, the giant flyer etc. she decided to find geylang for much needed lunch.
they stopped to ask for directions from the locals.
it was so funny that most of the population spoke very bad and broken english. so much for the hype!
they found pasar geylang. she had delicious nasi sambal goreng. naj, q and bil had nasi padang at the famous stall. they bought otak-otak for themselves and for dyra. yummy.
they then bought egg tarts and kuehs at hajah maimunah's.
they found chai chee. naj even remembered the exact location they went to in december 2012! (she flew there with naj and dyra in 2012)
the shop was closed. the owner moved to ubi road. by that time it was already dusk. so they decided to go back to pasir ris.
he was home. she had a chat with him. after 2 years of silence.
they left temasek at about 10pm through tuas. the causeway was packed with cars going to jb. the formula 1.was supposed to be held that night so a number of roads were closed in the city.
they didn't manage to stroll through the botanical gardens because it rained. yet again. in 2012 she, naj and dyra couldn't savour the garden's greens due to rain too!
they arrived in kl at about 3am. checked into the hotel in front of her former office where dyra was already waiting with lots of nasi lemak, drinks and fresh keropok lekor from losong. dyra was in terengganu the week before.
the next day they had a stupendous lunch packed from a stall in kampong baru which had lots and lots of simply delicious dishes!
they then went to mutiara damansara. but the school holidays and weekend crowd was in the way. they left early after only a few purchases.
sent dyra off to mont kiara. they started for sp after maghrib. stopped at sg buloh for that wonderful satay.
they reached laguna merbok past midnite.
it was a lovely weekend. naj, q and bil were excellent at finding directions.
she was glad she took them for the short holiday down south.
Thursday, 4 September 2014
the first tomato
while pottering about the garden she stopped by the tomato plant. there were a number of little yellow flowers. she said to herself, 'hmmm... no tomatoes yet...'
all of a sudden her eyes caught a tiny green ball amongst tendrilly green leaves.
her first tomato!
she took a shot of the sweetest little tomato.... while kiko and koko chewed joyfully on ulam raja leaves...
all of a sudden her eyes caught a tiny green ball amongst tendrilly green leaves.
her first tomato!
she took a shot of the sweetest little tomato.... while kiko and koko chewed joyfully on ulam raja leaves...
Tuesday, 2 September 2014
between now and eternity
sometimes news precede actual events.
but of course there are hikmahs. signs. preparations. acceptance.
tranquil. redha. starting a journey with a smile.
it has been a wonderful time. a rich tapestry. lots of blessings. joy.
don't be too sad.
cherish the lovely memories.
forgive.
love....
but of course there are hikmahs. signs. preparations. acceptance.
tranquil. redha. starting a journey with a smile.
it has been a wonderful time. a rich tapestry. lots of blessings. joy.
don't be too sad.
cherish the lovely memories.
forgive.
love....
Monday, 1 September 2014
graduation time again
her third girl naj started working two weeks after her final exams, in august. her convocation is a few months away.
naj was very eager to start her career after working hard as a student in the country's second oldest university, where her eldest sister is a lecturer. she remembered her own impatience to work after toiling in the varsity, ages ago.
now three of her girls are working, her eldest lily lecturing in varsity, her second dyra in a GLC in KL and now naj in a multinational set up on the island.
her boys q and bill are still studying.
and she was really touched when naj gave her some money from her very first pay a few days ago while treating her to her favorite food.
the girls love to buy things for her, be it clothes, handbags, shoes, books, even chocolates, especially when they travel abroad. they are very generous to the parents. and she is glad to see them doing so well in their chosen career.
and the best part is the girls are just as kind and generous to those less successful in life, often giving them gifts or financial aid.
happiness is seeing your children successful in their studies, graduate with flying colors, enjoy their career, passionate, dynamic, innovative, resourceful, visionary.
and kind.....
naj was very eager to start her career after working hard as a student in the country's second oldest university, where her eldest sister is a lecturer. she remembered her own impatience to work after toiling in the varsity, ages ago.
now three of her girls are working, her eldest lily lecturing in varsity, her second dyra in a GLC in KL and now naj in a multinational set up on the island.
her boys q and bill are still studying.
and she was really touched when naj gave her some money from her very first pay a few days ago while treating her to her favorite food.
the girls love to buy things for her, be it clothes, handbags, shoes, books, even chocolates, especially when they travel abroad. they are very generous to the parents. and she is glad to see them doing so well in their chosen career.
and the best part is the girls are just as kind and generous to those less successful in life, often giving them gifts or financial aid.
happiness is seeing your children successful in their studies, graduate with flying colors, enjoy their career, passionate, dynamic, innovative, resourceful, visionary.
and kind.....
Friday, 29 August 2014
planting padi
on the way to fetch the little boy from the 'island' in the sun, she spied some ripened padi kernels left by the side of the fields after the harvest.
so she picked a stalk with lovely golden kernels. in her little garden she planted the padi in a huge pot which had some water retained on the surface of the soil in it. a kind of the tiniest wetland ever...
it rained nearly every day, hopefully the seeds would germinate soon.
hmmm.... a tiny padi plot.....
wouldn't it be wonderful to see padi plants growing in her garden...
and her thoughts flew to those days in the early sixties. her grandparents' padi fields just next to the sea separated only by a stretch of mangrove. when it was the planting season, they would picnic under the swaying palms on the 'batas', the grid of earth dividing rectangular plots filled with bright green padi plants.
her grandmother would cook 'masak lemak labu and pucuk labu', fried salted 'gelama' so delicious eaten with piping hot white rice and 'sambal belacan' on 'mengkuang' mats under the elegant coconut trees. while eating, she would look to the horizon......across a velvety expanse of green young padi plants all around....it was spectacular!
the fields were worked on by a relative. the harvest would be split equally between her family and the relation.
her grandfather often made flutes out of the padi stalks for her. the little girl that she was then happily blew sweet 'music' from the green instrument. hmmm...maybe that was why she played the flute in the brass band in TKC!
there was always rice on the table every day from their own fields. tasty, fresh, fragrant. nothing beats the rice from your own 'sawah'. the padi from the annual harvest was kept in a huge timber container in a little hut called the 'jelapang' behind the house. strange but the padi was intact there all year long until the next harvest.
every month or so her grandfather took some portions of the padi to the rice mill. for a few ringgits they got fresh fragrant rice.
she still remember how her grandmother taught her to value and appreciate each grain of rice, never to waste or throw them. as it took so much hard work to produce them.
memories.....light the corners of my mind...misty water colored memories....
so she picked a stalk with lovely golden kernels. in her little garden she planted the padi in a huge pot which had some water retained on the surface of the soil in it. a kind of the tiniest wetland ever...
it rained nearly every day, hopefully the seeds would germinate soon.
hmmm.... a tiny padi plot.....
wouldn't it be wonderful to see padi plants growing in her garden...
and her thoughts flew to those days in the early sixties. her grandparents' padi fields just next to the sea separated only by a stretch of mangrove. when it was the planting season, they would picnic under the swaying palms on the 'batas', the grid of earth dividing rectangular plots filled with bright green padi plants.
her grandmother would cook 'masak lemak labu and pucuk labu', fried salted 'gelama' so delicious eaten with piping hot white rice and 'sambal belacan' on 'mengkuang' mats under the elegant coconut trees. while eating, she would look to the horizon......across a velvety expanse of green young padi plants all around....it was spectacular!
the fields were worked on by a relative. the harvest would be split equally between her family and the relation.
her grandfather often made flutes out of the padi stalks for her. the little girl that she was then happily blew sweet 'music' from the green instrument. hmmm...maybe that was why she played the flute in the brass band in TKC!
there was always rice on the table every day from their own fields. tasty, fresh, fragrant. nothing beats the rice from your own 'sawah'. the padi from the annual harvest was kept in a huge timber container in a little hut called the 'jelapang' behind the house. strange but the padi was intact there all year long until the next harvest.
every month or so her grandfather took some portions of the padi to the rice mill. for a few ringgits they got fresh fragrant rice.
she still remember how her grandmother taught her to value and appreciate each grain of rice, never to waste or throw them. as it took so much hard work to produce them.
memories.....light the corners of my mind...misty water colored memories....
Wednesday, 20 August 2014
serikaya buns
the kids love the buns. she does too.
soft fluffy buns cut into two portions, filled with margarine and serikaya, the Malay version of custard.
simple down to earth wholesome snack.... delicious
she normally purchases these from a Muslim bakery at transfer road, famous for its 'roti'.
when they stayed at rose avenue, every evening the kids would buy the buns from a peddlar on a motorbike with a huge contraption at the back full of 'roti', buns, cakes, crackers etc etc...
he's quite an institution on the island.
soft fluffy buns cut into two portions, filled with margarine and serikaya, the Malay version of custard.
simple down to earth wholesome snack.... delicious
she normally purchases these from a Muslim bakery at transfer road, famous for its 'roti'.
when they stayed at rose avenue, every evening the kids would buy the buns from a peddlar on a motorbike with a huge contraption at the back full of 'roti', buns, cakes, crackers etc etc...
he's quite an institution on the island.
Tuesday, 19 August 2014
the tomato flowers
after letting out ebony and ivory aka kiko and koko to roam the garden, she took a close look at the plump tomato plant.
viola...there were six new flowers!
so there were then 9 in all.
and the happy bunnies busied themselves frolicking among the grass and tiny wild flowers, now and then tasting some sweet shoot or bud, sometimes chasing each other....
it never failed to fill her heart with joy to see kiko and koko running hither and thither, so full of obvious felicity... ...
she called lily arranging for a trip to the 'dusun' to show her the boundaries. lily mentioned about planting new durian plants at her 'dusun' on the gentle hill slope. they would be going to dyra's and naj's 'dusun' too. she reminded herself to bring along a pair of sneakers.
the 'dusuns' have durian trees, mangosteen, langsat, cempedak, rambutan.
she felt so good to be able to 'give' her children 'something'. lily, dyra, naj and bill got 'dusuns'. q and bill got the house and a car each. alhamdulillah.
she bought the 'dusuns' that belong now to lily, dyra and bill. the one under naj's name was her inheritance. in fact her late grandmother wanted to give her a part of the padi fields too but her late mother wanted her only sister to have it. she did not mind at all.
once she dreamed of planting lots and lots of ulam raja plant on the hill slope so that when the plants are in bloom, the 'dusun' would be covered with layers upon layers of pink blossoms! wouldn't that be such a spectacular sight for the eyes!
viola...there were six new flowers!
so there were then 9 in all.
and the happy bunnies busied themselves frolicking among the grass and tiny wild flowers, now and then tasting some sweet shoot or bud, sometimes chasing each other....
it never failed to fill her heart with joy to see kiko and koko running hither and thither, so full of obvious felicity... ...
she called lily arranging for a trip to the 'dusun' to show her the boundaries. lily mentioned about planting new durian plants at her 'dusun' on the gentle hill slope. they would be going to dyra's and naj's 'dusun' too. she reminded herself to bring along a pair of sneakers.
the 'dusuns' have durian trees, mangosteen, langsat, cempedak, rambutan.
she felt so good to be able to 'give' her children 'something'. lily, dyra, naj and bill got 'dusuns'. q and bill got the house and a car each. alhamdulillah.
she bought the 'dusuns' that belong now to lily, dyra and bill. the one under naj's name was her inheritance. in fact her late grandmother wanted to give her a part of the padi fields too but her late mother wanted her only sister to have it. she did not mind at all.
once she dreamed of planting lots and lots of ulam raja plant on the hill slope so that when the plants are in bloom, the 'dusun' would be covered with layers upon layers of pink blossoms! wouldn't that be such a spectacular sight for the eyes!
boarding school
it was the mid-seventies when she had some wonderful times at boarding school.
ah, TKC, the alma mater close to her heart, right on top of merbah hill. where days and nights spelt hilarious fun as well as serious studying stints.
being a teenager at boarding school was very enlightening with the very much widened horizon handed upon a silver platter.
in primary school she loved reading enid blyton's 'what katy did', 'the twins at st. clares' besides dreaming and fantasizing over 'the faraway tree' and other books filled to the brim with tiny elves, brownies, pixies, fairies, toadstool houses, magic wands, enchanted forests....
thus TKC (Tunku Kurshiah College) was such a welcome home away from home in that adventurous phase, when nothing was too difficult to strive for, while precariously balancing exciting new ideas from the array of new friends, dorm mates and classmates. enjoying the next step in education with gusto. savouring spectacular sunsets at the fence, looking down into the green vales all around.
even looking forward to the weekly friday formal dinners with tomato rice, chicken rendang, salad and ice cream! she remembered being quite hungry most of the time.
it was a time of the flower children, of california dreaming....
seremban was a snug little town then, green with hills and valleys..the lake gardens was still fresh and pristine most mornings....
now TKC has moved to nilai, leaving the quaint buildings in desolation, buildings which used to house laughter filled dorms with names like anggerik (she stayed at anggerik in '73,'74, kenanga '75,'76) (mahsuri/red), alamanda, matahari (siti zawiah/yellow), telang (tun fatimah/blue), (selendang delima/green).
sometimes TKC would come into her vivid dreams and she was a teenager once more.....
ah, TKC, the alma mater close to her heart, right on top of merbah hill. where days and nights spelt hilarious fun as well as serious studying stints.
being a teenager at boarding school was very enlightening with the very much widened horizon handed upon a silver platter.
in primary school she loved reading enid blyton's 'what katy did', 'the twins at st. clares' besides dreaming and fantasizing over 'the faraway tree' and other books filled to the brim with tiny elves, brownies, pixies, fairies, toadstool houses, magic wands, enchanted forests....
thus TKC (Tunku Kurshiah College) was such a welcome home away from home in that adventurous phase, when nothing was too difficult to strive for, while precariously balancing exciting new ideas from the array of new friends, dorm mates and classmates. enjoying the next step in education with gusto. savouring spectacular sunsets at the fence, looking down into the green vales all around.
even looking forward to the weekly friday formal dinners with tomato rice, chicken rendang, salad and ice cream! she remembered being quite hungry most of the time.
it was a time of the flower children, of california dreaming....
seremban was a snug little town then, green with hills and valleys..the lake gardens was still fresh and pristine most mornings....
now TKC has moved to nilai, leaving the quaint buildings in desolation, buildings which used to house laughter filled dorms with names like anggerik (she stayed at anggerik in '73,'74, kenanga '75,'76) (mahsuri/red), alamanda, matahari (siti zawiah/yellow), telang (tun fatimah/blue), (selendang delima/green).
sometimes TKC would come into her vivid dreams and she was a teenager once more.....
Monday, 18 August 2014
on a chilly morn
it rained in the night so the garden was wet and sparkling.
little koko went sniffing at the grass and ran back to his favorite corner at the porch where kiko was day dreaming serenely.
she took a close look at the 6 tomato flowers. the three bigger ones were turning pink from yellow. the tomato plant was getting much bigger and 'fatter' too, leaning snugly against the tough jasmine branches.
a peep at the chilly plants in the same big earthenware pot gave her joy. there was a long green chilly!
nice....
little koko went sniffing at the grass and ran back to his favorite corner at the porch where kiko was day dreaming serenely.
she took a close look at the 6 tomato flowers. the three bigger ones were turning pink from yellow. the tomato plant was getting much bigger and 'fatter' too, leaning snugly against the tough jasmine branches.
a peep at the chilly plants in the same big earthenware pot gave her joy. there was a long green chilly!
nice....
Wednesday, 13 August 2014
soaring eagles
she was enjoying a brisk walk in the park. the morning was serene. the sky was brilliant turquoise.
then she saw them.
three majestic eagles arching the zenith. their wings curved elegantly. grey against the blue heavens.
enchanting....
then she saw them.
three majestic eagles arching the zenith. their wings curved elegantly. grey against the blue heavens.
enchanting....
Thursday, 7 August 2014
the humble loner
she was in the car talking to bill, her youngest. it was the lunch hour. groups of cheerful students dressed in the hues of the rainbow walked in front of them, on the way to the cafeteria. laughing and happy they looked the typical energetic college students, raring to go in the world.
then she saw him.
a thin, youthful looking boy in deep green pants and buttoned-up white long sleeved shirt. he walked alone, face down, neither smiling nor gloomy. there was a hint of humility on his young features. yet his boyish face has an obvious glow! the 'cleanliness' and purity that is always present on the faces of those blessed with good, kind hearts!
she asked bill about the boy.
he is in first year. he does not have many friends. he is from a village up north. he usually eats only rice and gravy at the cafeteria. he seldom play around.
but he is good in his studies! alhamdulillah!
she was very glad to hear that. he must be studying hard. he must be very aware that only a sound education and good grades will lift him out of the vicious cycle of poverty.
she prays for his success in life. that he will have a good well paid career and have a happy family.
that one day he will assist another humble loner who walks the campus greens very much on his own......
then she saw him.
a thin, youthful looking boy in deep green pants and buttoned-up white long sleeved shirt. he walked alone, face down, neither smiling nor gloomy. there was a hint of humility on his young features. yet his boyish face has an obvious glow! the 'cleanliness' and purity that is always present on the faces of those blessed with good, kind hearts!
she asked bill about the boy.
he is in first year. he does not have many friends. he is from a village up north. he usually eats only rice and gravy at the cafeteria. he seldom play around.
but he is good in his studies! alhamdulillah!
she was very glad to hear that. he must be studying hard. he must be very aware that only a sound education and good grades will lift him out of the vicious cycle of poverty.
she prays for his success in life. that he will have a good well paid career and have a happy family.
that one day he will assist another humble loner who walks the campus greens very much on his own......
betong isle
a morning at betong isle, the tiny hamlet on a gentle hill slope where she played as a little girl.
the sky was moody yet it was humid. she was accompanied by her eldest son q. they plucked a few deep red huge rambutans from the tree by the side of the old house. the fruits were nectary sweet. delicious!
the ciku plant was laden with fruits. when ripe the ciku fruits are also heavenly sweet.
but the durian trees were bereft of the spiky king of fruits as it was nearly the end of the fruit season.
she looked at the green hills yonder. nostalgia crept in.
yesterdays of fun and frolic. of playful evenings. of hardworking schooldays. of the joy of excelling in class. of burning the midnight oil to get more As. it was actually fun to study hard. and obtain good grades.
and achieve your dreams.
how true that work is food for the soul. and for the cerebrals.
the sky was moody yet it was humid. she was accompanied by her eldest son q. they plucked a few deep red huge rambutans from the tree by the side of the old house. the fruits were nectary sweet. delicious!
the ciku plant was laden with fruits. when ripe the ciku fruits are also heavenly sweet.
but the durian trees were bereft of the spiky king of fruits as it was nearly the end of the fruit season.
she looked at the green hills yonder. nostalgia crept in.
yesterdays of fun and frolic. of playful evenings. of hardworking schooldays. of the joy of excelling in class. of burning the midnight oil to get more As. it was actually fun to study hard. and obtain good grades.
and achieve your dreams.
how true that work is food for the soul. and for the cerebrals.
Wednesday, 6 August 2014
editing
a foreign student doing his phd in one of the local universities asked her if she would proofread his nearly 400-page thesis. he has been sending his dissertations and articles quite regularly for either re-phrasing or editing.
it gave her much pleasure to do this little bit for him in his studies as she learnt so much from his articles for international journals, literature reviews and others of the sort as he often focused on his home town in the middle east. his write-ups on cultural and historic conservation in one of the volatile, ancient cities were really interesting, very informative and presented yet other exciting perspectives !
and conservation, be it regarding buildings or environments, is an all time favorite topic of hers. in fact she still has in her keeping most of the international charters related to conservation.
of course she agreed to do the proofreading. she normally does about 15 to 20 pages per day. sometimes she'd do it right through the nite too! when she enjoys doing such things, it never is a burden to her!
editing and proofreading thesis of undergraduates, masters and phd students of three local universities in the various fields give her so much enlightenment and joy. it is as if she is studying all the different courses and being paid to do so!
subhanallah, the rezeki in multitudes of forms and guises from The All Mighty SWT!
it gave her much pleasure to do this little bit for him in his studies as she learnt so much from his articles for international journals, literature reviews and others of the sort as he often focused on his home town in the middle east. his write-ups on cultural and historic conservation in one of the volatile, ancient cities were really interesting, very informative and presented yet other exciting perspectives !
and conservation, be it regarding buildings or environments, is an all time favorite topic of hers. in fact she still has in her keeping most of the international charters related to conservation.
of course she agreed to do the proofreading. she normally does about 15 to 20 pages per day. sometimes she'd do it right through the nite too! when she enjoys doing such things, it never is a burden to her!
editing and proofreading thesis of undergraduates, masters and phd students of three local universities in the various fields give her so much enlightenment and joy. it is as if she is studying all the different courses and being paid to do so!
subhanallah, the rezeki in multitudes of forms and guises from The All Mighty SWT!
blossoms in the garden
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| crepe myrtle |
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| white orchids |
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| pink ulam raja flower |
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| heliconia |
then she saw that one of the orchid plants has a row of buds again. four in a row. vivid violet buds gingerly dancing in the breeze.
and when she looked closely at the tomato plant snug in between curling deep green jasmine tendrils, she saw three little yellow flowers peeping out shyly.
her garden was in bloom again!
the bunches of deep fuchsia crepe myrtle blossoms waved merrily in the wind.
the brilliant orange heliconias stood erect on firm stalks.
the pure white fragrant jasmine flowers send whiffs of delicate perfume all around.
the fluttery lavender blooms of the lemuni tree.
the soft pink delicate petals of the ulam raja.
even the chilly plant has small white flowers on dainty stalks.
and amongst blades of grass there was a profusion of tiny blue, mauve and yellow wild flowers.....
oh there was so much beauty in front of her eyes....
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| deep violet orchids |
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| tomato flower |
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| chilly flower |
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| amaryllis |
Friday, 1 August 2014
island in the sun
it was the fifth day of aidilfitri.
it rained after dawn. cooling and refreshing. leaves sparkled anew. the grass laden with millions of glittering diamonds. it was so beautiful.
she went to fetch the 'island boy' who will be facing upsr in september.
on the way to his house she saw that the padi fields were golden with rice kernels ready for harvest! and by the footpath were numerous wild flowers in various hues from yellow, lilac, white, deep pink to indigo. they were so tiny yet so lovely. she captured them joyously in her phone.
back at her home she made him do past years' questions. one after another.
she corrected some mistakes he made, drumming it into him the correct way to answer questions. after a few hours she sent him back home to his island in the sun with a big packet of soya bean, a bun and fried chicken as well as 2b pencils, pens, erasers, sharpeners and a ruler.
she hoped he would do well in the exams. if he scores 5as, it would be possible to apply for a place in boarding school.
then he would be able to concentrate on his studies better in a more conducive environment, with better facilities etc.
right now he lives with his grandmother in a tiny house on the island in the sun.....
it rained after dawn. cooling and refreshing. leaves sparkled anew. the grass laden with millions of glittering diamonds. it was so beautiful.
she went to fetch the 'island boy' who will be facing upsr in september.
on the way to his house she saw that the padi fields were golden with rice kernels ready for harvest! and by the footpath were numerous wild flowers in various hues from yellow, lilac, white, deep pink to indigo. they were so tiny yet so lovely. she captured them joyously in her phone.
back at her home she made him do past years' questions. one after another.
she corrected some mistakes he made, drumming it into him the correct way to answer questions. after a few hours she sent him back home to his island in the sun with a big packet of soya bean, a bun and fried chicken as well as 2b pencils, pens, erasers, sharpeners and a ruler.
she hoped he would do well in the exams. if he scores 5as, it would be possible to apply for a place in boarding school.
then he would be able to concentrate on his studies better in a more conducive environment, with better facilities etc.
right now he lives with his grandmother in a tiny house on the island in the sun.....
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| island in the sun |
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| wild flowers |
 |
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| golden padi kernels |
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