literature
29) All these are happening in my Secret Garden
When spring arrives and visits my Secret Garden this morning. I am enchanted as it sprinkles his hand to fertile us.
Some may take it one at a time.
Some may take a bigger share and keep it for rainy days.
Some may not be able to catch it on time.
Some can’t even feel it at all.
Some sobbed and are moved by the divine touch.
Some are just glad with their given portion.
Some are overflow with it.
Some stick out their neck day and night begging for the mercy of nature.
Yelling out, “Here, here, we are here!”
Then, they are stretching out each and every day, taller and taller, higher and higher!
All these are happening in my Secret Garden.
18) Check you luck over here
Sydney bump into a shopping complex “Nex” in Serangoon Central, saw twelve animals talking about their luck in 2013!
Sydney share with you.
Before listen to their conversation, please check your Birth year below and zoom into which animal you belongs to.
Year of Rat
Year of Ox
Year of Tiger
Year of Rabbit
Year Of Dragon
Year of Snake
Year of Horse
Year of Goat
Year of Monkey
Year of Rooster
Year of Dog
Year of Pig
Hope the resolution is fine to you! If you can’t see it clearly, this might be your another kind of luck too!
Sydney believes luck, is all in you!
And this is just a fairy tour!
6) I saw my parents this morning
To day, my family and me spent half a day doing prayer to my ancestors and deceased parents. The little Buddhist temple located at Paya Lebar road, where tranquil and serenity lived.
This is the place for holding the prayer for the deceased and the tablets. My parents are somewhere at the left near the front.
But strangely, I couldn’t see them!
I walked to the back yard, saw a young papaya tree waved and said hello to me.
And walked further, asked Phalaenopsis,” where are my parents?”
She just smiled at me in return.
I asked the pearl drop, do you know where are my dearest parents?
I approached the aging bench.
I feel a balmy and gentle hand pat on my shoulder, and I looked up.
I saw daylight resting on the leaves. I saw them!
Dad and Mom said:” son, not to worry about us! We have friends, many friends here! You should take good care of yourself and live meaningfully each day!”
I kept nodding in sob.
Raindrops witnessed and shared with me this moment.
My dearest Dad and Mom, I missed you!
23) My fanciful day
Remembering when I was a little child, I fell sick and lie on the floor with my mum by my side. Those days, a family of seven, were all cramped in a one-room flat. I have to sleep on the living room floor left with not much choice. That night, my mum used this straw fan to cool me down and put me in comfort.
I remember clearly I told my mum something from the bottom of my heart. “Mum, I’m okay! I am alright!” Since then, I never forget the story about this kid and his mum and the fan in her palm. This is one fancy memory I have.
In those days where air-cons and electric fans were considered luxury items, to cool ourselves down we either relied on the nature’s wind direction or the hand-held straw fans. This very authentic fan made of straw is one essential item in every household to refresh each individual soul. With the humid weather we are having on the equator, we just have to keep fanning till we reach our dreamland.
This simple light-weigh fan has many usages and it emits fragrance of natural straws each time you use it! The Satay man needs it for his wavering stove. Some use it to chase away mosquitoes while some use it to tout business.
Olden days, to express herself more dramatically, grandaunt matchmakers carry it with them all the time. Or most probably is she trying to cover her hard-sell body language on the potentially singles that she is trying to unite?
But for now, it is no longer a drama prop in my house. It has its special role to play in my home. It beautifies a corner of my home and it brings back some warm memories I can’t erase.
While the light beam seeps through the fan, a glow seeps through my heart with reminiscence. I wish I could be the fan in my mum’s hand.
What this simple fan has provided me is not just the precious cool wind, it is the uncountable fanciful days I had with it and going to have with it. Would you agree..?
22) Two articles in the toilet cubicle
I managed to extract two informative articles pasted on the inner side of toilets cubicle partition in Singapore Botanic Gardens. The open-concept toilets surrounded with beautiful plants and chirping birds is indeed a good place for inspirations!
1) Do you know the milky saps from Chiku trees (manilkara zapota) produces a gum that was the original source of chewing gum? Does it remind you of the ‘Chicklets’ brand chewing gums or others?
2) Do you know the sea coconuts in our local dessert are from the fruit of palm, borassus flabellifer. The male and female inflorescences are born on different plants.
While doing your business, you’ll enjoy the beautiful plants and birds chirping around you. What more, you can enrich yourself with this information. Isn’t it an idea as brilliant as the beaming sun!
21) My urn, earn me a day of grace!
When I was young, we used to have an urn placed in our lavatory filled up with water. As bathroom and laundry is a combined usage area, it is common to have an urn in most households to hold water for daily usage.
As water is as precious as dews and water supplies are not that efficient in those days, keeping an urn with water is good for emergency. As dragon symbolizes benevolence, prosperity, longevity and renewal of life, I guess having a dragon urn is more than what we can ask for.
While some believe putting some coins in the dragon water urn will bring prosperity and wishes come true. Showering with the water can enhance your lucky spirits! Well, to me it reminds me of the song “three coins in the fountain”.
I don’t have such a big urn in my apartment now as my lavatory is too small to make room for the urn but I have got a similar mini urn, size of a flower pot. It does not serve me with water but just sweet and culturistic memories.
To me, keeping a piece of the sweet past ‘urn’ me a graceful day, what else do I ask for….?
19) Few steps to CNY
Wooden clogs are versatile shoes appear in and out of your house in olden days. I remember during my childhood, I saw my mother wearing it into the toilet to do the laundry. Another pair is placed outside the corridor, she wear that to do her gardening.
It is also part of street hawkers’ attire in those days. So it’s hard to miss out the “clark, clark, clark” sound throughout the busy food street.
Wooden clogs are uncommon these days. But as the scent of Lunar New Year gets closer, I realize I need a pair of wooden clog for this festive season. Traditionally, it signifies “步步高升” literally means “higher steps” for the prosperous year ahead.
This pair is meant for the ladies. The shape resembles a woman’s perfect measurement! In the past, it is common footwear for housewives to walk down the street doing bargains with their marketing or sometimes chasing their kids with a cane with it!
The male version comes with broader shape. It is not only domestic footwear for hawkers or coffee shop baristas, it is also ideal footwear for wearers to alert their movement with the sounds it created.
I shall dedicate these two pairs of wooden clogs to all fellow Bloggers and Followers.
Wishing all taking their steps higher and higher, with good health and a very prosperous Lunar New Year!
4) I am no normal tea
“擂茶”, in Chinese literally means Lei Tea (pounded tea). The name Lei arises from the Lei stick (wooden stick) that was used to grind the ingredients. This iconic Hakka food is healthy and body cleansing. It was known that Lei Tea was originated from the Three Kingdom, China.
In Singapore, Lei Tea is also known as “Thunder Tea” as the word “Lei” has the same pronunciation as “Thunder” in Chinese language. The dish is served with brown or white rice, tops up with various chopped ingredients like long beans, tofu, peanuts, cabbage, pickled radish and green vegetables. The ingredients can be varies, as for vegetarian Ikan Bilis (anchovies) is optional.
The tea soup itself is a composite of different types of tea leaves. Herbs (like mint, basil), nuts, seeds and beans ground together with the Lei stick to form a light green paste or powder. Hot water is then added to the tea paste/powder to go along with the rice.
For some, trying the savory soup for the first time may find it raw. But it has a refreshing after taste! The healthy green fragrance may lure you back for more each time! Unlike the normal tea we have daily, Lei Tea is a healthy food mix with tint of ancient culture and healthy modern lifestyle people adore these days!
If you happen to see it, try it! You may like it! But beware, not to let the tea steal the thunder out of you!
27) Not a Lonely Song
Nature is getting further
Weather is getting warmer
And someone gives him a pat on his shoulders
Friend of greens
Friend of moss
Friend of aged old stone
Sydney is not snapping alone
Flowers getting brittle
Winter getting chiller
Sydney sling with his camera
And someone gives him a pat on his shoulders
Chat about garden
Chat about animal
Chat about aged old stone
Sydney is not talking alone
People getting colder
Garbage getting closer
Sydney sling with his camera
And someone gives him a pat on his shoulders
Blog about jokers
Blog about environmental
Blog about aged old stone
Sydney is not blogging alone
Definitely not blogging alone!
26) Song Of Pasir Ris Park
I’m launching a runway to fly
To open up my eyes
Without any yearly resolutions
They asked me why
The sun is lovely bright
People warm and not shy
Whispering wind calling once
Whispering wind calling twice
I said I got to go
I got a flight
I’m looking for a Park where I can write
Write-up about the sky
Without any yearly resolutions
They ask me why
The tree is enchanting
Stroller warm and polite
Whispering wind calling once
Whispering wind calling twice
I said I got to go
I’ll be back for my Pasir Ris Park ride
I’m searching for a coconut tree to climb
Reach up my next higher tide
Without any yearly resolutions
They asked me why
The sky is bluish calm
Moon is gentle white
Whispering wind calling once
Whispering wind calling twice
I said I got to go
I have got another coconut tree to hike
AddGrainOnEarth 