Month: June 2013
Misty cloud forest not to be missed!
Entering the Cloud Forest, Gardens by the Bay, a world highest 35-meter tall indoor waterfall welcomes its guests with mist and lush vegetation. These greens are of that from the highlands of up to 2 thousands meter above sea level.
The 42-meter “cloud mountain” can be ascended comfortably with elevator, and descended by a circular path surrounded with vertical greens and cool fresh air.
The “cloud mountain” is completely clad with epiphytes such as orchids, ferns, peacock ferns, spike, clubmosses, bromeliads and anthuriums.
At certain point, you may be so clouded with mist and wouldn’t see the person next to you.
Or what kinds of trees are fronting your eyes!
It’s a trail so wonderful and unforgettable and a trail that makes you forget about getting all drench while enjoying the walk in the mist!
For you, for sparrow, for me!
Spotted a Pacific Sparrow at MacRitchie Reservoir. It stood on the lamppost tip without assuming my presence.
Pacific Sparrow is one of the commonly seen feathered friends in Singapore. It has orange neck with short scissors tail. Vigilant and does not station at a place for long.
This feathered being seems to love photography. So much so that it allows me to snap a few shots of him in a row.
After a well-deserved break, it took off for its air show again.
When he’s done with his show, he returned for this silly photographer, asking “are you putting me up in Youtube?”
What are your 60s products?
These are the electrical products commonly used in the 60s of my country.
They are all PHILIPS’s products. I personally used transistor radios, tape recorders and record players before.
For PHILISHAVE, I was not qualified at that time…
Now, I am qualified but then they are no longer qualified in this Era.
If you have it one or more of those, keep the physical body, share the memories with the next generation.
What are the things on and above the grass field?
When space allowed, the open space grass field next to the Mass Rapid Transport (MRT) station is always able to accommodate many kinds of activity.
Pasah Malam (night market), mobile circle, exhibitions and religion ceremonies are some of those frequent activities I could remember.
This in fact is a good and smart idea for space optimization. The day in day out route draws great attention for community bond, at the same time linked up social awareness as well.
The ceremony here is held outside Eunos MRT station where a Taoism religious celebration took place. The on going Teo Chew Chinese opera performance is a form of showing gratitude to gods while audience enjoy in appreciation.
The wooden throne seats catered for heavenly gods are cart by disciples while it swings in trance. Simple decorations those days were replaced by modern days decorative technology and creativities. Seats are litten up with colors of neon and eyes-catching blinkers.
When the field is empty after the day of activities, what is the something that will draw your attention from above?
Friend 30 – Raindrops, 雨点
I’m so glad to see rainfall after 10 days of smoggy experience. The rain touches the ground, the colorless water colored the pale and grayish land where we lived.
经过十天的浓雾笼罩，今天终于看到无色的雨点，在我们这片灰土无色的地方涂上色彩。
We smell the nature gratefully. We saw the smiley plants and flowers, and the relief of the concrete floor dancing with smoke.
我们终于嗅到大自然的气息，看到植物与花朵的笑颜与地面上跳舞的水蒸气。
We saw peoples happily hiding under the roof. We heard thunder visiting by the window side, witnessed the birth of rain from the sky.
我们看见人们开心地躲进屋檐下，听见窗外的雷鸣声与雨丝如何从天空里落下。
I felt something moving in my heart. Shouldn’t we realize, shouldn’t we cherish the piece of land we are living?
这一刻，有一样东西在我心里头遄动，我们难道还没发觉，如何去珍惜这片土地？
The unbearable lightness of Tree
Balsa tree is the most lightweight wood in the world. It grows in the tropical forest of America; the weight is one-tenth over the same volume of others. It was therefore also given the name ‘Light wood’.
Balsa is one of the fastest growing trees in the world. The tree trunk is huge and tall, leaf like Phoenix tree, and it’s green all year round.
It has a wide range of application. Just to name a few, it can be produced into bottle’s cock; life saving items; electricity insulation and soundproof acoustics.
The balsa wood is also an ideal material for construction of aerospace and marine engineering.
This light tree is just right to reflect the unbearable lightness of being ‘The Tree’.
The Armoured troopers
This giant Weta can only be found in limited area of New Zealand. It can grow up to 10 cm in length, 5 years in lifespan. Giant Wetas can weight more than 60g, which makes them one of the heaviest of all insects.
The name ‘Weta’ was derived from New Zealand Maori words, meaning ‘spirit of ugly things’. The physical appearance of this insect may looks like katydid, grasshopper or cricket but the hind legs are enlarged and spiny. Many of them are wingless and predators.
Wetas are not great leapers like their cousins – katydid, grasshopper and cricket. But with the surprisingly speed and the power of the rear leg, and tough skin he always put on, this solider is like an army trooper with fully armoured protector in the battlefield.
A tale of Orang Laut and Singapore River
According to legend based on the history of pre-Rafflesian time of Singapore, Orang Laut or Sea Gypsies was the communities who lived ‘in the numerous bays, inlets ad creeks surrounding Singapore.’
Half of them lived on water, in little canoes that could scarcely stretch themselves. The water lodgings were equipped with 1 or 2 cooking pots, earthy jars and mats made of pandanus leaves that allowed shading from sun and rain.
They spent most of their time on boat, where birth, marriage and death took place therein. As they were accustomed to life on the boat, they are easily recognized with their wadding gait on land.
The other half of these people lived in huts on the banks near Kallang River and at the wider portion of Singapore River.
During the times of British settlement, Major-General William Farquhar (1774-1839), the First Resident and Commandant of Singapore was appalled by the Orang Laut wearing no clothes, so he distributed money, clothes and rice to them. Their children were terrified by the newcomers, merchants, laborers from all over the world.
One even jumped into the sea and got drowned when people approached near their boats.
And now, if you attempted to jump into the water, hoping to stay closer to the legendary tale, I think that is the only best reason I could agree upon.
More than cloud and sky
By courtesy of http://www.flickr.com
According to a local article written by photographic journalist, Lee Tian QI (李天锜), about 30 numbers of birds of prey transited through Singapore as migrant in September.
By courtesy of http://www.5b.biglobe.ne.jb
They flew all the way from Northern Hemisphere to Southern Hemisphere, some stay for 1 or 2 days, while some stay up for a few months.
By courtesy of wildlife.site88.net
During the stay, the birds frequently visited Sungei Buloh, Seletar, Changi and Jurong Lake, where most of the wetland and mangrove are. While others look for footprints, the avid interest of Lee prompts him to hunt for ‘birdprints’.
He had experienced witnessing a Japanese Sparrow Hawk chasing a group of birds.
By courtesy of ibc.lynxeds.com
I thanked him for the great discovery and generously sharing this information with us. Ever since reading the article, it is not just sky and cloud appearing in my eyes whenever I looked up to the sky.
By courtesy of birdgroupsingapore
There are more things beyond that. I believe this is what the writer is trying to tell us. There is certainly something to look for on this little red dot.
Why are white flowers more fragrant than others?
Did you notice why white color flowers gives out stronger fragrance than other colored flowers?
Plants bear flowers for fruits and propagation. It requires helps from external sources like insects and wind to pollinate.
One way to invite insects is to cosmetic or beautify oneself so as to enhance the chances of visiting.
Nature has its way for survivor and its objective to live. White flowers present themselves by offering unique scent to potential visitors just like the strategy that applies to all beings.
If you sight a frangipani flower wearing a pure white gown waving at you, please do not doubt its intention, it’s as pure as its scent!
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