literature
29) Arrowhead & me
Planting arrowhead is famous among Cantonese tradition, as they believe keeping them for good luck and blessing. Sagittaria trifolia L is the scientific name for arrowhead plant. The name is related to the shape of the leaf when it’s mature.
In my young days, filling up pebbles or marble balls to decorate the pot is a joyful stuff to do. When the bulbs started to shoot up, tying a red ribbon around the stem is just like putting a color of red to your coming new year.
Arrowhead bulbs can be eaten as well. The usual way is to clean up the bulbs, slice it and fry it with sweet pork sausage. The texture is powdery, juicy and sweet. It is usually acceptable by most after a few try. According to some medical report, it has some medicinal properties too.
This year, I bought the bulbs quite late and foresee it will not shoot up on time. Nevertheless, am glad to see some new stalks turning green and some sign of growth. I believe it is the soul of my wish and I will keep it in my secret garden.
7) What is the most atmosphere for CNY?
I’m looking for something but it is not on this red withering flower.
Hairy caterpillars say, wait for me to grow up, I’ll tell you!
He said, for the time being offer you a mini mandarin orange.
Or a deep pocket with full itinerary.
What about a blessing to carry along?
Let’s make it double!
Or let the water snake stick by you whole year through!
And come in a pair!
Note: One blogger mentioned to me earlier that CNY atmosphere is diminishing. I totally agree with this! We know we can’t change the way it is but on the other hand putting some thought and effort can change the way you perceive it.
This year is a year that is graceful to me. Being able to spend my time blogging and sharing my thoughts with the world. I feel I have created the atmosphere for myself and it lives in my heart.
This is the most memorable year I had!
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!
26) One week before CNY, in wet market.
We can feel the joy and heat coming from this wet market before Lunar New Year. One typical characteristic of a wet market is, prices are cheap and foods are always fresh. Unlike supermarkets where meat and seafood were usually frozen, in the wet market, vegetables, seafood, meat and other foodstuff are bought directly from wholesalers and skip the packaging process for cold storage.
Bargain is the most common language between hawker and customers.
Wet market in Singapore is segregated in wet and dry segment. Any food you want under the sky is under one roof.
As CNY is just around the corner, the price of seafood will shoot up accordingly.
Vegetables sold in bundle with reasonable price.
How can eggs be left behind where most traditional cakes can’t go without it.
Round pomelo makes your year all round prosperous.
My favorite fruit store stock up with variety of fruits with a humble price tag.
Sweet and sour tidbits always challenge your taste buds.
Nuts and traditional cookies come in loose form and authentic taste.
Some toiletries top-up for a fresh new year.
Dried stuffs and canned foods at one corner conquering the heart of every customers.
Happen to lose your shoes along the way? Not to worry, just pick up one and carry on with the marketing!
Monster ‘Nian’ will not approach this scarlet red shop.
Prayer stuffs all ready for Gods and ancestors.
Live seafood make their stay in aquarium.
Pray for guardian and protection for a better year.
Flowers are all bloomed and ready, what about you?
20) A story of Lunar New Year – Nian (年)
The mythology side of Lunar New Year was originated from a monster ‘nian’ (meaning ‘year’). The beast had a head like a lion and a body like a bull. It lives in deep sea for the whole season.
Every spring around the lunar month or Chinese New Year it will come ashore to destroy farms and attack humans. Villagers were helpless. They discussed how to make the ‘nian’ stay away from them and leave them in peace. So they started hanging red cloths and lighted red lanterns, pasting red couplet outside the houses in the hope to deter this ferocious animal. Whenever, the animal appeared, the villagers make loud noises with drums and gongs, chopping vegetables /meats loudly and ignite fireworks to subdue the beast. Somehow, ‘nian’ was back off by these intimidations. It left the village and never returned again.
Thus, the villagers realized that loud sound, the color of red, bright lights and fireworks etc were effective deterants to ‘nian’.
Since then, people have kept the tradition alive by beating drums and gongs on streets, and lighting fireworks to drive the beast away during the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival. They wish each other ‘Gong Xi” for a new life of survivor, this is the mythology of how the Lunar New Year come about.
The three scarlet friends humming along in their harmony home.
25) Glimpse of a Snake in Chinatown
A night scene with a wave of square lanterns appear in Chinatown, Singapore which was captured my me this evening. As this is the Lunar year of Water Snake, I guess that’s why the lightened up decorations come conversely with fire red colour. To me, the deco resembles more like Loch Ness than snake, most probably they belong to the same species. Or I might be wrong..
The illuminated boxes come with twelve zodiac and auspicious words on them. May all my wishes be fulfilled with the dedicated inscriptions, I wish!
Coincidentally, the red break-lights of vehicles match so well with the festive atmosphere.
The much sought after and infamous dried sausages and dried duck legs (also known as wax sausages/duck legs) store give an extra touch to the New Year’s air.
A good technique in bargaining might earned you an extra sausage of joy!
An elder earning his own keeps with his talent earned my appreciation of some dollar notes.
Lim Chee Guan, the well-known BBQ sweet pork shop has been working non-stop day and night through weeks to cater to the long waited customers. Waiting time can be as long as 2-3hours if you have the patience to wait for it. When you see this, you know, the festive seasons is just at the corner!
58) Building makes way to this tree
This Panaga Laut tree is one of the Heritage trees in Singapore Botanic Gardens. This species grow on sandy beaches and lowland forests. It is widely spread over from East Africa to West Pacific. You can find their footprints in Singapore too.
This tree is slow growing and has low and massive branches with a broad, dense crown. Different part of the body can be made into traditional medicine.
This tree has home itself there for over 100 years. The design of the building, Botany Centre has take into consideration the need to preserve this precious tree. Walk ways were made narrow to accommodate the large spreading root of this tree. The second floor void was created to allow tree branches to be retained.
Isn’t it a good way to show respect to nature?
57) A ride to Coney Island
Pulau Serangoon, also known as Coney Island in Singapore. It is a 45-hectare in size and located off the north-eastern coast of the Singapore mainland. Back in about 30 years ago, you still be able to make your own way when the tide is low, as the closest distant to the shore is just about 100metres. Fun seekers will just ignore this and have their fun in this sunny island.
Currently, the island is closed for future quality housing developments. The only residents here are the coniferous trees and the breeze shuttling between trees. While some visitors watch over the waters with approving admiration.
Coming in by Waterway@Punggol direction, a red-soil route welcome you like the red carpet.
Pine trees, ripples with the wide horizon make up an account for Coney Island beyond words.
A pavilion with an irregular arc comes with semi-open concept allows viewers to capture the beautiful scenery at the same time to hide away from the rain and sun.
The inner side of the arc, laid with reflective aluminum ceilings, mirror the bleeding red ground and turn him to a blush!
Rest enough for the day, let’s carry on with the red carpet trail and explore the next destination.
30) Song of wild flowers
Wild flowers, my dearest wild flowers
Spring is your day
Spring is your mom
Spring is your holy faith
Poem within your palm
O!
Wild flowers, my wild flowers
Aren’t you turning down my admiration?
Aren’t you releasing my nuisance?
Aren’t you realizing a fool is waiting for your enlightenment?
Wild flowers, my dearest wild flowers!
Dawn is on you way
Dawn is by your side
Dawn never fade away
Praises within your lovely farm
O!
Wild flowers, my wild flowers
Wont you care about my admiration?
Won’t you release my sorrows?
Won’t you able to feel my sympathy?
Wild flowers, my dearest wild flowers!
Rippers living by your side
Rippers waiting for your ride
Rippers need your smile and make him bright
Pleasant within your kindly eyes
O!
Wild flowers, my wild flowers
Won’t you still be seeing me tomorrow?
Won’t you be able to?
Wont you able to speak softly to me again?
Tell me where is your next destination!
55) Crouching Tiger and the Hidden Dragon, Why are you hiding there?
The wood sculptures are display at the Green Pavilion, Singapore Botanic Gardens. They were carved from disused tree stumps with different hidden animals.
Perhaps they are happily gossiping behind us in their very own enclosure.
One here, trying to hide away from us!
Another one here!
At last, I caught a Dragon. Oh no! Is a Godzilla!
Beware! They always come in a pair.
Come on, don’t be as slow as the tortoise!
How many of them are there? Hmm…yet to figure out.
Oops! Is that an octopus or a snake or other thing else?
Are you the octopus or an “automated push button”?
Are there anymore?
Most probably the Tiger has escaped in the bush!
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