Arts
Spring has come
Spring has come.
From all direction, outside the door step.
Along the street.
Waving at you!
An unknown tree, but old pals!
Always cheer me up on the street, from one end to another.
It comes from the top.
It comes from the side.
It comes from all direction!
Since he was young and silent.
Now he has grown up as Laughter!
And they group together as Cheerleading!
They sing loudly!
They are everywhere!
In spring!
Tree in the staircases
There are plenty of scenes to enjoy in plant world. We can stroll along the forest, watching wild plants lavishly growing under the sky or make a trip to the garden watching the sunray seeping through the leaves in between.
But this dedicated scene was captured at the border of the Orchard district outside the SOTA.
This is just a tree and it is just one tree!
Standing alone and above all, together with this sleek building. Encompassed with grandeur where buildings, staircases and even roads have to give way to him. It must be an unusual tree, I believe. Given the careful design of the surrounding, I’m sure this tree must have some history behind to share.
Shadow of the tree shades the building from the sun, and the wall naturally washed-out by nature’s providence.
Huge tree is growing larger than it’s expected. How are they going to make way for their soaring height?
Inconspicuous aluminum air-vents allow the rooting of the plant to breathe.
It’s great to see this tree being retained by the authority concerned and be part of our nation. And even more glad, to see green mind blossoming within a city!
32) Be a Happy Monkey
This is the front cover of positive thinking campaign post card by the Singapore Health Promotion Board. Though the campaign was held many years back, but the post card is still sticking on my wall. It pose as a reminder to me and the cute monkeys always made my day.
The campaign is also broadcasted on TV, with a few animated monkeys talking about how they feel so blessed though they are only getting peanuts for their salary.
At the back of the card, the Authority concerned throw 3 questions asking for feedback for a positive mind. This is an effective way of getting people to think and find a solution to their own answer.
I’ve chosen “I think about the good things in my life” among the 3 answers.
First of all, there are too many good things in my life. I’m not here talking about how much I have in my savings, and not referring to how complete a life cycle people always define to be.
I’m talking about the living up to an age with a moderate health condition, moderate standard of living, moderate unevenness of my path. That is good enough for me to conclude how much good things I owned in my life!
I’ve yet to include the blogging trails with the world that I have started 6 months ago. And I have not included my good bonding friendship with all my dear friends, my family members and my other half. Last but not least, how about my pet dog, Cougar!
All these enhance my quality of life and are comfortable enough to be treated like a 5-star dinner. I have so much side dish to recommend if I wanted to!
I can be served with a simple meal just with vegetables, though I’m not a vegetarian. I can bring in plants to add lush to the dinning hall, but I prefer to eat under the sky beside the green.
That’s the reason why these cute monkeys are still swinging on the wall without resting for a day! My gratitude to them for serving as a reminder, reminding us to create positive energy for our own and extension to others beyond your own circle. How about that?!
6) The artist of the 50 dollars note
There is a pair of gibbons on the back of Singapore 50 dollars note. The gibbons are there not only to beautify the note but they also signify a great artist who contributed his entire whole life to the art world.
陈文希, Chen Wen Hsi, was born in China, Guangdong province. He migrated to Singapore in 1948 and passed on in 1992. He loves art and nature at a young age. He grown up in a suburb village and was taught by renowned artists like Pan Tianshou in Xinhua College of Arts in Shanghai, China.
Chen was proficient both in traditional Chinese ink paint and western oil paint. He focuses in observing the behavior of nature and animals. The subject varies from landscapes, figures, birds to animals. He has a penchant for gibbons and owned 6 of them. One white, one gray and four black ones. These beautiful animals gave him the opportunities to study the creature’s postures and its characteristics.
In 1975, Chen was conferred an honorary degree of Doctor of Letters by the then-Chancellor of the University of Singapore and the then-President of Singapore, Mr Benjamin Sheares. He earned many more titles like Public Service Star; Cultural & Communications Award just to name a few.
Chen was also a perfectionist to his own art works. While he was insistant to leave the best on earth, he burnt away paintings he deemed not up to his standard. A rigorous artist, he woke up early in the morning at 6am to do his paintings without a skip for many decades.
So the next time, if you happen to hold on to a Singapore 50 dollars note, just spare some time to say hello to these gibbons and the great artist before you pass it on to another!
60) Let There Be Peace
“Let there be peace” sculpture is made of Bronze, created by renowned sculptor Alexandra Nechita in 2005. Dimension in height 3.0m, depth 1.3m, and width 2.1m, located at the left of National Museum of Singapore.
Alexandra Nechita is a Romanian-born American. She created seven peace monuments that were inspired by the events of 11th September 2001 and she was also named “ Ambassador for Peace” by the United Nations in 2001.
This art piece had selected Singapore as the host Nation in Asia for unveiling the first of the seven works.
So, we can site down and solve it, let’s be peace!
21) Hundred poses, thousands of love
Lately, there’s a father of China mainland who put up a series of “百睡图” (Hundred Poses Sketches) in the website and got himself famous overnight. “百睡图” literally means “Hundred of Sleeping Poses Sketches”. The sketches capture hundred styles of sleeping poses of his young daughter.
This dad is an Architect and started his sketching hobby in early 2011. It took him more than a year to finish his works on his little daughter’s sleeping positions.
\Though a dad’s love is always treated as secondary to a mum’s. But for this instance, it has proven otherwise. The scene is hardly found anywhere, it’s just like a male angel guiding over his little angel. How not to be touched by such love?
You may explore further to get the meaning of “百睡图” through some Googling. Challenge the creativity of this little angel or you may like to try it out yourself!
59) When each day is a blessing
While we are enjoying a life of luxury in peacetime, have we wonder how the under privileged in the past had lived through their life? Are we able to understand how they cope with their daily stress? Are we able to put ourselves in their shoes and empathize how tough their world were?
When we are sandwich like sardine in the train, we started to complain and throw anger on others. When we face the cruelty of reality and went under boundless stress, did we ever question about how much we have contributed instead? A mouthful of swear? Confrontation? Or even an endless sigh?
So now, are we ready to step down on these uneven steps, to perceive their way of life from this little tiny corner from the past?
When you are away from your motherland, staying alone and dozing off on this single timber bed, what do you look for to warm your heart? A picture of your family during your happy day? Or a straw fan to release home sick sorrows?
Or do you make a living by making wooden clogs? Working day and night in your petite cubicle?
The simple abode of a respectable Sam Shui woman with all she has in her entire life.
A double-decked bed come with all-in-one, kitchen wares, resting stool and even a simple playground!
Open concept kitchen come complete with kitchen shelving, dressing room. Are we able to understand the meaning of this living standard?
Mirror and a pair of chopstick, let’s call it a day or let’s get ready for work?
When space is precious and it’s a constraint, hanging clothes on a hook is the most space saving and logical way.
Some physician may live under the same roof. Charging $2 for a consultation, $3 for outpatient and free of charge for those who can’t afford the bill. Are we able to hear and feel the bitterness of life?
Well, to me, compare to olden day, each day is a blessing and a blessed day!
Pictures was taken in Chinatown Heritage Center
Valentine’s Song
I’m always by your side
I’ll always be your pride
To ease your pain
We go for a ride
We walk on the bridge
Everything will be fine
Don’t ask me why
I’m always by your side
I’ll always be your bride
To soften your face
We go for a ride
We walk on the water
Everything will be fine
I don’t know why
I’m always by your side
I’ll always be your pride
To brighten up your day
We go for a ride
You look at the east
Me at the west
Everything will be fine
Don’t ask me why
I’m always by your side
I’ll always be your bride
To alleviate your naughtiness
We go for a ride
You look at the left
Me at the right
Everything seems to be fine
I don’t know why
I just don’t know why
32) River Song
Hey, are you able to perceive my vocal?
I know,
You were born beyond the heart of South China Sea
Driven day and night
Arrives at dawn
Who should we care when we look up?
Someone at the riverbank
Who will be there while we look up?
Someone at the riverside
It flows, flows and flows…
Flowing into my ground
Flowing into my house
Flowing into my tap
Flowing into my thirsty heart and dehydrated chest
Hey, are you able to hear my voice?
I know,
You were born within the heart of Sungei Serangoon
Lying there day and night
Awakening at dawn
Who should we love when we look up?
Someone at the riverbank
Who will be tearing when we look up?
Someone at the riverside
It flows, flows and flows…
Flowing into my land
Flowing into my home
Flowing into my cup
Flowing into my dehydrated chest and thirsty heart
Hey, are you able to hear my loitering?
I know,
You were born by the heart of My Waterway
Dreaming day and night
Awakening at dawn
Who should we stop when we look up?
Someone at the riverbank
Who will be smiling when we look up?
Someone at the riverside
It flows, flows and flows…
Flowing into my earth
Flowing into my room
Flowing into my throat
Flowing into my empty boat and uncountable books
28) More than a cup of coffee
In the 60s, using plastic or Styrofoam cups is not a common sign comparing to the can you see in the picture. Nobody knew who started this wise and environmental friendly idea. Using the finished bottom-up milk tin for filling up coffee is a common scene along the street. Some worker hang the canned.
The process of making the can useable is easy. First open the can with a drill-opener, then allow a string to go through the hole of lid and hinge. Next, fill up the coffee and it’s done.
The tricky and amazing part of this is to press and slide the tin a little to allow the uneven lid edge to stay closed. Amazingly, the cover will wedge inward and you carry the canned coffee with the attached string. You may worry about spillage but after a few practice, you can’t agree more than this ingenius invention.
Process to enjoy the coffee is similar, pressured the tin and lift up the cover. The fragrance of the coffee is unleashed together with the smile on your face! Whatever the beverage is, I bet you will never forget the joy and the ethos behind.
After you have done with your drink, the most important thing to do is to wedge the lid back to the can, to ensure safety to cleaner who are clearing the rubbish bin.
Conversely these days, this environmental friendly method is no longer a common way to take away hot beverages as it is regarded not glamorous to some, to carry their drinks in a used can. Thus, the Styrofoam cups have replaced this tradition quietly. Before this is completely replaced and left in museum, I better take one before it’s gone with the wind.
Every single part of this, the string, the sharp cover edges, the sticky milk can, and the caution to carry it along the way home, make up an un-returnable journey with sweet wisdom and a wholesome me!
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