Sunday Morning Musings

Hi

Here I have a few pictures taken on the last Sunday morning.

A beautiful morning is not a time to be missed and not a time to be slaving away in the kitchen, washing sweeping or mopping. All that can wait. The cheery morning can last for just so long as the sun would soon be strong and the heat unbearable. Or may be it could suddenly change to cloudy and then raining hard. So enjoy while the weather is fine.

So there on that fine Sunday morning I walked around and randomly pointing my camera here and there but my mind was still thinking about the yesterday's happenings.

It was a joyous Saturday. But then the joy I felt did not just come from nowhere. It had to be sought. Life would just stand still if you don't make a move. Hence my endurance sitting in the car for more than eight hours(to and fro) of travelling in the same day.

It was a family event.  Greetings and handshakes. Smiles and  hugs. Jokes and laughter and sharing stories. And of course food, food and more food. A time to gather when there is opportunity.

From far and near we went there.

All for the bubbly little fellow.

An alqiqah cum berendoi for him. Welcome little one!

If I had not made my presence there I wouldn't get to feel the warmth and joy of being with them. I would have missed the meeting of brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, cousins and the members of the third generation. And not to forget the besans. We are 'originally' four siblings but now the relatives and in laws had the usually quiet house overfilled . . .

It was fun to mingle, talking aloud and telling family stories that had no ends. Problems were pushed away to the back of your mind. Bring out only the good points and happy tales after all not everyday you are on such a joyful mood . . . but then . . . not everyone was behaving likewise.

I noticed some older members tend to be quiet but wise words poured out when speaking out their minds.

Those in their fifties appeared worrisome and showed concern when picking their food.

Some in their forties seemed never to care and belly laughed their way to a good spread as they were being cautioned. Who cares about diet at a time like this . . .

There were also some serious discussions among the young on challenges in study and work life but there was also sigh of relief of overcoming so much of obstacles and survived to see that all the sacrifices had paid off.

Yes of course it takes a lot of dedication and sacrifice to reach the absolute pinnacle of academic achievement . . .

A role model for the youngsters in the family

And the kids . . . oblivious to worldly problem  . . . the most happy.

And what does the future hold for the bubbly little baby in the handsomely decorated crib?

Ah . . . I  shouldn't lose myself in the rejoice of yesterdays or into thinking about the future of which I have no control . . .

Stay in the present . . .

A bee eater waiting to catch a flying insect

So that was it, picture of a beautiful Sunday morning.

Till next post , bye . . .

Storytelling

Hello again

Sometimes I become a storyteller but I am not so good at it. If I tell stories the listener would not know where the beginning and where the ending is.  Confused, the listener would just turn away.

My audience is usually my grandkids . . . ha haa  . .  at bedtime. My storytelling has songs to break the monotony of my repeated stories especially for the youngest one but sometimes before  I could recite my revised version she would cut with a curt response . . .  don't want twinkle twinkle  . . .

Hmmm . . .

Some people are natural storytellers. There are storytellers who perform on stage where they share stories of educational and cultural in nature. Some travel from place to place in search of audience. Not to worry. There are lots of people ever willing to spend hours sitting to listen.

Then there are storytellers like you and me the everyday and the ordinary storytellers among ourselves . . . Good to have them around other wise life would be bored i.e if they do not sound like a broken record.

From a title a good storyteller can expand it into so many sub headings. Dramatised and with added embellishments entwined into so many paragraphs and with so many words so convincing that you crave for more. They can flash back event of hundreds of years ago as if they were there at the time witnessing everything.

You see a story has got to be told otherwise it will die and what happened nobody will know. You may ask if that is so important. Of course it is because it can refute if there are lies in subsequent stories about certain event.

 A lot of stories are just made up out of wicked bad hearts or mere ignorance.

On the lighter sides there are gossips told with humour and satire which can make you laugh rolling on the floor as the saying goes, though sometimes after getting up you feel like a fool.  A storyteller with a storytelling skill is able to take you to high and low emotionally. Not to mention those teary tales making you feel so stupid after shedding so much tears.

All of us have our own life stories which for whatever reason we sometimes like to tell. Our lives vary but generally most are just mundane everyday stories. Of course not if you are some famous sensational persons or you have extraordinary experiences. Others they have nothing much to tell.

Yet some people can con you with their imaginations and dreams just to draw attention to themselves and to feel good and to inflate their own ego. We allow them to fool us without realising it. It does not matter if no harm done anyway but still we cannot throw cautions to the winds.

Then there's the obssessive and promotional type of storytelling. We like to tell stories about our accomplishments and exploits how small or how insignificant . Why do we need to tell ? Aahh . . .we tell because we want  to "compare notes". Yeah . . . how can only the neighbour is having such fantastic stories. Me too . . . haaa . . .  and not to be out done we add sugar to make our story sweeter.

At times we have to become listeners to friends who become instant storytellers after they come back from some kind of a personal mission. Listen to them of what they went through on their tour and how that has made them become greatly enlightened spiritually. To some listening to it can be inspirational but to others it may be just a yawn especially when the storytelling is creeping to boasting.

A good storyteller is clever to gauge the situation.  If the audience is losing interest, more salt and spice will be added. You listen with mouth gapped. When back to your senses you feel like a fool. But the next time you don't mind listening again because the storyteller can make things so believable and interesting.

Ok you say you don't like to listen to cock-and-bull stories. You may go off but many others would still remain and that's why the coffee shop in the kampung or the cafe in the city is full house most of the time. And the storyteller continues to have a great time . . .his stories sell.

Storytelling with funny foolish and hilarious stories, indeed is  popular, a pastime to while away your boring hours. A pastime?

Below - storytelling session ?

The sparrow and the bee-eater

Lets end our chat with this song, his story . . .

bye for now . . .

Seeking Relief

Hello everyone

Today I really don't feel like doing anything as I have yet to recover fully from this flu. Sit in front of the tv and watch whatever comes on the screen. Don't really can enjoy the programs because I keep going to the wash basin to clear the throat. This cough seems too slow to go off. What more the fruit season is in now. Not that I have indulged in the durian or the rambutans that much but cannot stop myself from tasting that one dukong fruit which triggered the cough. Don't know what can stop this persistent cough. I am losing patience.

I am away from home now resting in another place which also could be referred to as home. But of course I am away from the club where I use to go for swimming and tennis. I sure miss both. But then its better for me to get well first before going back for the sports. So here I sit and try to write. Ideas don't come easy . . . sigh . . . and the coughs do not spark ideas . . .

I think tomorrow I must make a point to move, move. I must go for a little walk don't care if I'll be coughing all the way. I hope the walking can get the stubborn cough away. The health article I read says some exercise is good to help clear the condition.

To take a walk along this path

Watch out for stinging insects

Its sting can trigger a problem

And tomorrow I also must wait outside the house with the camera. Previosly on many occasions I saw some big birds like heron flew pass over this area.  Hope it will fly this way again tomorrow for me to capture it. That will be interesting. And perhaps it can take away the mind from all the discomfort.

Mean time lets find some interesting picture in my album.

These pictures were taken from a distance . The small birds were moving non stop. The sun shining hard . What else? My camera and me have limitations  haa. . . any way . . .

May you have enjoyed reading this post.

Bye . . .

The Right To Be Happy

Hello again

I am just back from reading an article on the internet. About blogging. It says blogging is diminishing media as now people are flocking to facebook twitter instagram whatsApp etc. Blog is supposed to lag behind.

Mmm I just started blogging and quite like it . For a long time I have wanted to start a blog only the beginning of this year I manage  to push myself into doing it. And I am happy that I started. Better late than never. Now whenever I feel like writing I have a place and make efforts to do it a little proper than just scribbling on any paper and then it ended you know where.

Do I get readers for my blog. Yes of course but not many out of the number of page views I am getting. I am aware and understand the existence of spams and bots and crawlers and spiders that give false numbers.

So be it I will just write. Most of the time writing for myself. My writting is not that good enough to attract much readership. I am happy to write anyway.

Why I choose to write in English which is not my mother tongue the reason being not wanting to forget it. Seldom use it in speaking and very little in writing. Only in reading. When writing the more I write the more words I can't find to express myself and so I spend more time looking up for the right words. This way I hope to enrich my vocabulary. Do I sound like a school kid.

I learned English in my schooldays decades ago.  I use it very little in my everyday life ever since I left school.  Now I would only communicate in English with only a few people  ya my tennis friends. So if there are flaws in my grammer and choice of words it is understood. I don't mind being criticised even.

People say you must read other people's blog do blogwalking and leave trails. There is a chance people might pay a return visit. To tell the truth since I retire blog reading occupies most of my time when at home. Blogsites and websites. From politics to cookery. Until sometimes I thought I have visited all which is impossible because every new day I found blogs which I have not yet visited. Don't get me wrong I dont read rubbish. Of course as humble as I am I still have standard if not . . class haa.

When I read those many blogs I would sometimes comment usually under anonymous. You can say I am timid. Especially on our local political blogs. So heated. Sometimes I got bashed up. Most of the time actually I read personal blogs cookery blogs and medical websites and not to forget the " how to"s. There are so many things I don't know and how  I thought if I have had access to all the infos in my younger days I would have been a very knowledgable person now. And my life would have been different.  At this time I could be addressing high profiles personalities or conducting a board meeting instead of typing nothings on this computer ha . . .

Now since I have my own blog I sometimes leave my trails in blogs I found interesting. Who knows the blog owners might make return visits. But one thing I notice most local bloggers are young and I kind of feel funny to be blogging at this age. But I think by reading their blogs I can understand the young people better, the lives and aspiration of young people. I too have young people around me in real life. Reading the young people's blogs can put me in a lighter mood compared to too much reading of  political blogs the content of which sometimes are too much to stomach.

I have come across foreign blogs by older more matured bloggers. Their literary prowess make me feel so small. Postings with great contents. Great prose. Beautiful poetry. Breadth taking photos. They are all to be admired . . . from afar.

As you can see my blog is so simple in presentation and no fancy design. May be later I will tweak to make it better as for now I concentrate to try make good posts. I am working hard in trying to make the content interesting like choosing the right images to upload. I prefer to use my own photos even though they are not as good as those found on the internet. Those pictures are not so easily photographed. It takes time and efforts . . . and money as I wanted a better camera. Any way I am happy with what I do. If the happiness can catch up on to you then so much the better.

You may find that my blogposts a little immature or childish even.  That don't really portrays the person I am. Its just that my general attitude towards life now is not to take things too seriously, too religiously. At any age a person has the right to be his or her own self and to be happy in their own way without being harped on to be correct always. Or being influenced trying hard to keep up with the joneses. Especially for a person who through out her working life needed to be serious and matured and felt always being under pressure  now is the time to be children again . . .you agree?

I have said quite a lot but leading nowhere as usual. Never mind lets look at some pictures I took a few days back . . .

The feathers don't look good anymore

Do groom it back to perfection

What really happened?

Bee-eater

The bird in the pictures above looks kind of sad. The plumage is not as beautiful as it should be . Has it been battered by someone? Kesian.

Will end here for today. Happy reading.

Bye . . .

In Different Light

Hello everyone

The month Ramadhan is ending and Shawal is coming.

Most people are in a frenzy preparing for the Aidil Fitri. Sprucing up the house, shopping, baking, cooking etc.

Still some are in a football frenzy ha ha.

Euro cup flask and mug

But myself is really not in the mood because I kind of feel missing on Ramadhan which is passing off so very fast. A mixed feeling when anticipating Shawal.

The joy and happiness of Shawal will just end at the afternoon of the first day. Thats how I usually feel. Its kind of nostalgic. So I am like having a feeling of reluctance to let go of Ramadhan.

I think this feeling stem from my childhood experience. Again!

In those days the only time we were allowed to play in the night was during the puasa month usually from the fifteenth up to the eve of Hari Raya.

Why because of the full moon of course.

And when the moon was no more bright towards the end of the month the night was lighted by the oil lamps which every house would have. Remember there was no electricity yet in my kampung at that time. But after the Raya there was no more lamps in the compounds outside the houses and on the first night of the month the night was stark dark. Everyone wanted to save the kerosene now I think.

So although you look forward to the Hari Raya you would also miss the cheerful time of the Ramadhan.

Children now are having a good time.

Given everything even though they don't need all. Being taken for a shopping spree, given lavish treats at the buka puasa, driven to here and there visiting.

Of course I don't deny that there are children who are not getting such treatments but still they are lucky because there are the welfare and charity groups and wealthy people who care to share unlike those days where you were just left there to play in the mud.

I don't look back with a bad feeling or what.

I see life now in a different light.

I am very bershyukur for the time is good now and almost all of us have enough and no one go hungry. I am happy for the haves and full of encouragements for the haves not.

And as for me I don't ask for much and love to be simple in leading and appreciating this life.

Bee eater in the evening light

Light and shadow effects on the colors of the bee eater

Time never stop moving

And wait for no one

So lets rejoyce and never miss a moment.

Have joy in your Raya prep.

Bye . . .

#Bee-Eater In Rainy Ramadhan

Hi hello happy to be back again

Well now the fasting is into its second half of the month. By now we who are fasting have already acclimatized so to say. The change in eating pattern from normal times would not surprise the body systems anymore. Not like in the beginning when people can get low blood sugar making them feel giddy or they get diarrhea or constipation.

Quite a suffering. But you have to endure.

It is the time to self examine the conduct of our life are we true and live up to the essence of our faith. It is a time to abstain and to self control from wants and desires. I mean self control. Do I need other people to police over me of how I practise my faith. Hah.

A time such as this we can see all the greeds and pretences surface.

To persons like me already old and resigned and don't want much more we just go through the puasa so effortlessly. I mean the ritual part of it. But to take it really up to its highest spiritual level I doubt most of us can.

Hunger pangs not everybody can stand. Those who have medical condition like diabetes its tough on them to fast. And those who have to take medications will have to excuse themselves too and there are many other genuine reasons that give you exemptions. Only you yourself know and you need not broadcast about it. No one else should be bothered and to keypoh about you.

Some people just forced themselves especially very old people though dehydrated and sickly will still want to fast which can be detrimental to their already failing health. No amount of explanations can convince them to skip. Its already deeply embedded in their mind not to miss the points.

To most people especially the women folk its time to bring out the culinary skills in them.

Why I say so? Just go to the food blogs you will find these bloggers will post their scrumptious menu which they prepare for their buka puasa nearly everyday. I admire these people. Rajin sungguh. Go to the popular azlitamasammanis.com and see for yourself. It is good to have some place to refer and give you ideas.

Some will crave for certain dishes and will start hunting for recipes. Some have become confused by the thousands of recipes on the internet. Aiyoh! Just pick one and start cooking!

And its also time to have makan-makan get together with families and friends. To take the opportunity to enjoy the variety of kueh usually only available during puasa month.

Anything wrong with that?

Really the fasting month brings goodwill and cheer.

And since its been raining throughout the days fasting is not so tiring the cool condition really helps. And when it rains in the morning its nice to get back to sleeping. Sorry to all those working people. For them its not a time to laze. A luxury you will only get when you retire.

But getting back to bed is not me. When it rains it is so nice to be awake. And sit in a cosy corner with the ipad. Surf the net and catch up with some reading. There are so much happenings in the country and its good to know though its not so much of a concern to me. Nevertheless some news get me to ponder why should man play god.

Block that off !

Listen to the rain and enjoy the quietness of the house.

When the rain is less intense its nice to go to the outside enjoy the wetness of the surrounding and the cool breeze.

Pearls of raindrops after a down pour hanging down on the fence

Mangoes fresh after the rain 

And when the rain stops and the sun starts to peek through the clouds bringing with it the light . . . its time for some photo shoot . . .who could be my model this time . . .

A lonely figure . . .

Expecting more rain ?

Drying out the feathers

Still look wet

All disheveled

Better to fly to a more sunny place . . .

This time of the year there are less birds showing up. They are there in the trees because I can hear their sounds.

The frequent raining makes the trees shrubs and creepers to grow lush and wild. The luxuriant foliage in the fore ground obstruct the vision. The naked trees are partly covered by creepers. Difficult to sight for birds.

I was lucky to have sighted this bee-eater that morning which perhaps was lost and separated from its friends. I say so because I usually see them in pairs or more. So there some pictures to upload for this entry.

Hope you all like these pictures of the blue-throated bee-eater.

Till next entry . . .relax and be happy.

Bye . . .

Morning Walkabout

Hi

For some morning is the busiest time of day. A time to get ready for a new day.

The time when baby cries either of hunger or wet. And awaken the whole household.

But some will go back to sleep and have to be shaken vigorously to wake them up again. Either too lazy or tired because of late for bed.

Then they fight for the bathroom since everyone do not want to be late. And how about the time to dress and to preen in front of the mirror?

Over the breakfast table they continue their squabbling about who's who causing everybody to be late. And the one targeted for the blame will sulk. This also would cause delay.

If one has not done the homework so it is now to do it in hurry and haste while pleading others to help.

Somehow they would be ready on time and when commanded at lightning speed they scramble into the car. Off they go.

Quiet.

Hmm that's how the morning routine nowadays.

The time when I was a parent to school going children more than twenty years ago it was different. No fuss. Because I live in small town the situation was more relaxed no hurry and no haste. The children woke up dressed up and had proper breakfast. Took their school bags and just walk out to school which was just across the quiet road.

Seeing and helping them prepare for school was no stress. Only when it rained the children got anxious and complaining because mother took so much time styling her hair ha ha.

Me? A five minute drive to workplace. But sometimes I rushed all the same.

In my childhood days parents did not really care so much. Children usually had to fend for themselves. We had to walk miles to reach the school. Parents totally left it to the teachers as to how or what the children learnt.

They were more focused on finding ways to survive.

It is still in my mind that my mother in her life was almost always wearing the terendak . For me it is the symbol for labour.

I picture my mother and friend at the padi field.

Now as a retiree my morning is what and how I want it to be. Want a simple quick breakfast? Linger on  while surfing the net? Do as I like.

Or go for a swim, dance exercise or just walk. . .life is a leisure.

Or make myself feel important and take a walkabout. . . just to see things. . .

Hello morning

Have flowers for the eyes

Put on some colors

Keep clean and beautiful

Go catch some pests

Make up your mind

Sing it clear

Sing it loud

Sing from the tree top

All ready to face a new day?

Have a leisurely day. . .


Bye. . .

Time For Doodles

Hello again everyone

Is twenty four hours in a day enough for you?

Many say oh I wish I have more .....then they are not good at managing their time. Not in every case though.

Truth is for some people there are so much to do. You spend most of your time working. When you get home you have to prepare the meals, sort out the family laundry, and in between see the children do their homework. The house need to be tidied up inside and outside. You don't like to live in a mess.

Then you squeeze tv watching into that busy schedule. How can you miss that drama series or whatever. Make things worse.

Short sleeping hours. No relaxation. Tired.

No time for hobby.

Life becomes bored and you envy those whose lives seem to be so exciting.

So you take a holiday to somewhere to be away from it all hoping to return refreshed.

When you come back the bustles start again.......not until and when you are retired and your children have left the nest.

But then comes the void.

We need to make ourselves busy again because we feel restless when there's no specific thing to do. So purposeless. Aimless.

So you take to watch tv everyday until you find there's nothing more that is worth your time watching. The same thing is screened over and over again until it makes you feel like throwing up.

You drift off to sleep on the newspaper.

You doze off while surfing the net and to be awakened by the i pad falling on your face . . .  ha ha. . .

Then not to be outdone you get yourself a smart phone. . . get busy with  the chat and the WhatsApp .

With all these still  . . .huh. . .

And then you start doodling . . .

The hand scribbling

The mind wandering. . .

And lost in thoughts

After some time in retirement with some efforts you will find something to fill the hollow. . .

But do not be over zealous lest you again feel that the twenty four hours is not enough.

My routine is something like this. I try to follow as best I can. Life can be wonderful.

• Swim---morning at least four times a week
• Tennis ---evening at least three times a week
• Line dancing---A loner ha ha whenever it rains or the swimming pool is over crowded
• Bird watching cum photography---whenever I am not doing any of the above and the weather's fine
• Blogging ---a new found love---when the finger is not typing---the mind is always urging and so I will plonk myself in front of my laptop and start hunting and pecking on the keyboard.

Well about the blogging I want to be more productive.

But sometimes when selecting the pictures to upload I get carried away. Though I know my photography is just so so I can't help staring at it.

The birds, I mean their colors, some are so beautiful. Am not referring to peacock or some other majestic bird. Only the humble kingfisher and the like.

If without the bill showing they look like human                       . . .from behind

I am not delusional ok. I am just doodling  I envision that my descendants would retain our traditional way of dressing. . .

Nature has its way of combining colors

Not so easy to copy the colors

How about this . . .

Inspired by this. . . .

There are many more colorful birds . But for me I am always enchanted by the colors of the kingfisher the #Punai and even the common #sunbird.

You can never miss even from a distance

The beauty we tend to overlook.

Have a beautiful and colorful days ahead

Cheers. . .