Beyond The Colors Of The Rainbow

Hi friends

Have you ever seen the rainbow rises from the sea?

It was striking and inspiring . . . I felt like a child . . . but lots of thoughts went beyond the rainbow   

Seeing the rainbow rising from the sea puts me in awe makes me forget about yesterday's sunset

The rainbow casts its glow over making everything looks stunning to complete the scene

It is useless to look for the end of the rainbow your hope will only run in circles. Just enjoy the colorful arc.

You can persistently try to reach forward but you can never get to catch the rainbow arch. Don't you know that in life sometimes all you get to do is watch? 

Sunshine in the rain brings the rainbow in our lives but too much of both fade the colors away 

(My apology, my pictures (unedited) don't do justice to the real scene. Happened to have only a phone camera at the time.)

We'll meet again in the next post.

Cheers.

When The Sun Is Out . . .

Hi

It has been raining nearly every day in the past weeks. There were short spells of sunny weather but last night it rained again, hard and heavy complete with quite strong wind. And light rain continues in the morning.

Of course, it makes me restless. Can't go out for a morning walk.

So here I sit looking back at past days in between bad weather when the sun was out. Everyone wouldn't want to miss it. 

  

Cheers . . .

An Old Photo In A Drawer

A time and place captured in an old photo

the place that I have never returned to

since we last gathered 

on that solid rock

We were all young then

Fun was all that was on our minds

Smiles were on our faces

and grins and laughter

funny and hilarious

as there were jokers

Now, decades have passed

how have we fared through the years

I ponder 

as I clear the drawer

I wonder where are all those friends

are they still around 

just like me floating in time

Is that rock still there

is it still solid

or has it been eroded by nature

or has it crumbled to human greed

I would not be able to return

to stand or lean on that rock again . . . 

I would never be able to return
to that time again

"Now You Are One Of Us"

Hi

One morning a week back we set out early for kampung to attend an important family event. An adat perpatih ceremony known as berkedim. I actually had no clear idea about it and could not anticipate what was going to transpire there.

My better half was quiet and seemed serious and jittery throughout the journey. Looked like I was talking to myself all the time. Well, it didn't matter, the repeated but beautiful scene of the landscape was there to lift my spirit high. From inside the moving car, I took some photos, something which can take off the boredom from just sitting.

The morning was cool n fresh.

There was still mist floating in the background, though the sky started to brighten as we traveled on, eastwards.

after more than one hour we then reached the junction with the characteristic arch

And then another junction . . .

No, not to this place, the palace . . .

. . . but to just a humble kampung house where the berkedim would take place, a ceremony, a rite, in Adat Perpatih whereby a person is officially declared to be adopted and accepted into a clan or suku. It is an important procedure because it has got to do with the passing on of property to the next generation.

In this particular case, a woman has the customary ancestral land and properties passed down to her by her mother but she herself has no daughter so the matrilineal descent stops there. (Adat Perpatih is matrilineal culture).

She also has no sisters but only brothers. In the event of her demise, she has no one, according to the culture, to take over the ancestral property. So she decided to adopt a daughter but this adopted daughter must first be accepted into the clan then only she can inherit the ancestral land and properties.

Also important is that there would be someone to carry the responsibility for her welfare in old age.

The adoption is also known as masuk suku. The process is called berkedim.

The adoption process was done in front of the chief of the clan, the Datuk Paduka Seri Maharajalela, the head of the perut ( smaller group in the clan) known as buapak , Ibu Soko and then the eldest son (most important to be present) in the family and other close relatives and clan members. 

The process started with a prologue, a reading of pantun and seloka deep in the local slang. I found it quite interesting though I could not understand some of the words.

The rites include the menepung tawar i.e the blessing by the buapak, the mencecah darah where the buapak, the woman and the adopted person dip their ring fingers into a blood-like solution and lastly the signing of the document .

Then the declaration of adoption was read aloud by the chief of the clan, the Datuk Paduka Seri Maharajalela, ( read, now you are one of us)

The blessing by the elders

The dipping, symbol for accepting 

The signing of the document 

Reading out the declaration for all to hear.

With the completion of the rites, the girl was declared masuk suku. And she would be the one who would inherit the adoptive mother's ancestral properties. No one else can dispute this in the future. So there would be no claims and counterclaims which could make life messy.

After everything was okay i.e no one dispute about the adoption and declaration, there was an interesting talk on Adat Perpatih by the buapak .

A pouch of significance in the culture

Oh, I forgot to tell. For this ceremony, there needs to be slaughtered a cow or a bull or a goat. I was told that in the old days the blood from the slaughtered animal was used in the rite mencecah darah.

A kenduri was held in conjunction with the occasion. The meat from the slaughtered animal cooked into curry and served as the main dish. And there was a special tray of goat head curry for the chief of the clan 😊

So there a little bit about the Adat Perpatih in action and how do I see it?

I might be wrong in interpreting what I saw but I would conclude that people here though modern in their ways still take to the custom and their culture seriously.

The women in a society practising this custom are well protected and taken care of in terms of their welfare in their future lives but then I notice that it is the men who are calling the shots.

All the clan chiefs are men except the Ibu Soko who has little say in the matter.

And the most important is without the agreement from the eldest male sibling this process of berkedim can't take place.

Till next post, bye.

A Walk In The Park

Hi

Besides tennis and swimming, I also walk for exercise every other day but my weight seems not to budge. And walking along the same route most of the time is no more motivational.

There is not much choice for me. Either it is by the seaside, the concrete beach trails or worse just on the treadmill. The trail along the wooded area is not so safe. The monkeys found there are becoming bold. Try to shoo them to clear the way to walk past they seem to charge at you. That makes you 😱.

This week since I am taking a few days off from my home I have the opportunity to go for walks on different routes,  by the lake and the forest parks or the hills.

Last Saturday I decided to follow the younger people to hike up the hills at the Taman Saujana Hijau Precinct 11, Putrajaya. It was quite an easy climb for me. There is a long and winding path uphill. If you want it to be more challenging you can hike up by the steeper wooden steps made on the slope or trek up between the trees which  I saw only one person doing that haha.

There is a sitemap to guide but I just walked and took the turns and follow my curiosity.

The landscape is scenic, very inspiring and so green with the conical shaped trees with needle-like leaves. Pine trees and some others which I  don't know the name. There are some beautiful palm trees and bamboos but not much flowering plants. The place is well kept and clean. 

Birds? I could hear but I could see none.

Anyway, I walked up the three hills without problem even when taking the steeper hiking trails to reach the top of the hills. Though the hills are not that high here at the top is where you get better viewpoints if you are taking photos. From the top of the hills, you can view the surrounding areas but that day during the earlier part of the walk the air was a little hazy.

Starting - easy walk on the hiking trail

Wildflowers on the hillslope 

Go higher

Take photo

By ten something it was already hot

Take a last look at the forest

I took nearly two hours going up and coming down. A good sweat though at some points it was very leisurely I must stress. Well, I dare not make my heart pump too fast :)

Walk to good health and happiness.

Cheers.

Life Is Like That

A tree in Mexico - picture by M

Trees grow from seeds 

spread by the birds and bees

on good earth

 a promise of growth

A tree in its prime is green with leaves

rich with showy flowers

on spreading branches

A tree in all its glory

shoots tall to the sky

 a place lofty  

for those who fly high

A tree is a beauty in nature 

giving a place character

To passers-by shelter

Alas 

it is never to last

Just as the narrative of mankind

of sagging skin and losing shine

shriveled and wrinkled

in the face of time

 the shedding away of prettiness

the eventual parting with happiness

How do trees fare 

 against the forces of nature

through time  

the leaves drop

the roots rot 

indefensible!

What now is left

 a naked tree with bare branches

functions just as a place of rest

as long as it lasts

before it slumps to the ground

to complete a lifespan.

  

My Faithful Anthurium

Hi

If for some reasons you are locked out of your house do not panic. Take a screwdriver or a wire,  jiggle it in the keyhole and you might get to enter the house. If not successful don't get annoyed. Console yourself by browsing your garden plants while you wait for someone to come to the rescue.

I was in that situation the other day. I occupied the time and comfort myself by tending to my anthurium plants.

Yes . . . these plants have been with me for many years already. They are just ordinary old fashion anthurium plants with pink flowers. Though the picture above looks more red than pink in reality it is actually pink. As it ages it faded and striated. I know there are other types which have more exotic flowers. I have none of those.

I grow the anthuriums in medium and small clay or terracotta flower pots. Some of the plants have overgrown the pots. Their roots have found ways to the outside soil because all the pots are placed directly on the ground. Looks like my plants have too many leaves ya. Green and waxy.

A group of anthurium here

Another group of anthurium here and  more plants in the background 

Mine grow quite well even without me fussing over it. On some days I forgot to water it, sometimes I have other priorities when coming back late from tennis, after sunset sometimes. So sorry,  my plants. No time.

You see the plants are quite neglected. But they continue to grow and faithfully bloom throughout the years. They never fail to give me a few cut flowers whenever I need it for my vase. And they have long lasting vase life. Though the flowers do not bloom to the max in terms of size its okay for me.

The flower has aged, the spike has become green

The flowers are actually not that many but they are always there and remain in bloom for weeks on the plants. Spots of open heart-shaped bright pink here and there give a little color to my humble garden. The natural position of the flower on the plant is like a welcoming pose. It is as if greeting you on your arrival.

And rightly so the anthurium flower is regarded as the symbol of hospitality

The anthurium is a simple flower nevertheless it brings joy and happiness to the grower. Grow some in your garden.

Cheers.