Wednesday Birds and Flowers

Happy New Year  to all

The Gaharu

Greetings to dear readers

The other day when surfing the internet I came across a blog entry which captured my interest. 

The article is about the gaharu, a jungle tree that I also have in my house compound. We also have many more trees planted on our land in the kampung. That was what made me read on.

We had the trees planted in the compound at the request of my son. He got the saplings at an agriculture course he attended.  It was some sort of a trial and from the start, the saplings grew quite well. Actually, I was skeptical about growing it in the compound but I was assured that the roots dig straight down and not spreading and invasive. 

Later he bought hundreds more to plant in the kampung. Initially, everyone was quite excited about this venture. At long last, our neglected piece of land in the kampung would be put to good use. 

It was all his ideas and now that he is too busy with work or perhaps he is focusing on something new, the trees are just left mostly to thrive on their own. They keep on growing without we seriously putting much effort to care. We have to travel quite a distance to the kebun. We can't be going there often. Anyway, some trees are ok but some look pitiful. 

Now I don't really know what's going to be done next especially to the ones growing here at home. They are growing higher and higher but not really matured yet. According to the article in the Anim Agro blog, a matured tree would be 40 meters high and 60 cm in diameter. Ours is only 60 cm in circumference. But the height is already frightening as it is quite close to the house. Hope it is not a mistake to grow them there.

To me, the trees in the compound are already too big and too tall for the space. They reach higher than my two story house. At that height, it is always a worry when there is a strong wind. Fell the trees? 

The tree is supposed to have value. Someone may incur losses if I chop it down. Wonder if there's anyone around to buy our trees. People make perfume out of the tree. Of course, it has to go through many processes before you get the perfume.

I was told that this jungle tree is strong and the trunk stems and branches don't break easily but if they are tall and heavy with branches and leaves and keep swaying and swinging when there is a storm would you not worry. I am. 

I have also thought, being strong the gaharu tree is resistant to termites. But then one of the five trees that we have here was infested by the insects.

The tree, the biggest one, became yellow (the leaves) and died leaving the trunk standing like a leaning tower but later I felled the whole tree heh.

My nephew once asked me how I managed to fell the tree and avoid the house since it was leaning towards it. He was amazed at my strength when I told him I just pushed it the other way💪💪💪😁😁. . . but in reality, it was light - all hollow inside . . .

Anyway, I am quite ok with the remaining trees as the threatening weather comes not too often. I easily forget my fright over its swaying and swinging when the weather is back to fine.

I should be happy at least they help to cut off the harsh afternoon heat, though of course, I would like to see and want more of the benefits for planting them in the first place. 

Taking shade in the gaharu tree

Wonder when those trees can make us rich 😉

Cheers.

When Things Are Scarce

Hi everyone,

The mulberry tree in my compound is already old. It is now not producing as many fruits as before. Yet many birds still come for the berries especially the blackbirds with the glossy feathers and the red eyes.

In a time when there are lots of fruits, small blackbirds, fly in, pick and eat the berries quietly and then they go. Now that there are fewer fruits they are quite noisy and seen pecking and shoving each other.

But these two bigger birds (male koels?) caught my attention by their super loud aggressive cry. I saw them chasing each other among the mulberry branches and ended up on the gaharu tree where their behaviour became more intense. Surely they couldn't be just fooling around . . .

By the look of it, I think they were duelling. And whatever for, of course, I don't know. Can't understand their language. My guess, they were fighting for the territory (the mulberry tree, I mean). When food is scarce they become more territorial perhaps.

And the winner is . . .

When things are scarce . . . the effect is the same as in our human life. Don't you agree . . .


Till next entry, bye . . .

Red Eyes

Hi everyone,

This is the time of year I like most. A special month in all its seriousness and discipline yet a time of celebration and joy with love ones. And me, am expecting all to come back this weekend to be together to celebrate and to contemplate in this auspicious month.

So I better get this entry, a short one though, be ready and published before my place be swarmed by the lovable gerombolan hehehe.

Selamat Bersahur  and good morning !

 

In the past week or so time was not so cheery unlike the weeks before that it was full of hurrahs.

The mood was dull (black?) and feelings low and swaying and the mind in the state of indecisiveness.

Aargghh . . .

The sea of red on the computer screen seemed a bother. It was in a way affecting me not as much in a big way but the overall mood was sinking, regretting with . . .why didn't I. . . I should have . . .

Its like a missing zero in a figure . . .

A short in a sum . . .

Its easier to say like this, you have a bird in the hand, but now it has flown away . . . 😞😞😞😞😞

Bulbul on take off

Why would you be emotional if things are not so much affecting you. But its the waves of red that makes you gasp at every dip of the green as you watched until your eyes go red . . . and helplessly hoping  . . .

When it is red you see red. To whom is your anger directed? No one. Its normal, the indecisive mind.

Red Eye Starling

That's it  my short post . You can also read here about a related story ha ha.

Selamat Berpuasa .

Restraint And Relief

Hi

Now back to my old laptop after few days of being extra busy.

This laptop its battery is dying. I have not replaced it. So it is permenantly plugged on to an outlet. Am using it like a desktop.That means I am stuck at this corner. Not too bad 'coz I am facing the window.

Also when I turned it on sometimes Windows refuses to boot. I got freak out at the black screen and later by the error messages that came up. I am no computer savvy so you can imagine me clicking nervously to find ways to make the whole thing work again for me.

Somehow it works.

And so now I am happily typing.

For the last three weeks or so I had an elderly person staying with me. You must know one old person taking charge of a much older person is quite challenging. More so when feelings in your heart and words on your mind could not be spoken out. You cannot just speak like talking back to your tennis partner when your are being wronged for losing a point.

I needed to be patient and compromising because I am the younger one (he he he) if not I would be considered disrespectful. Many times your trying to assist her to do certain task was misunderstood for being too dominating and you would see her kind of merajuk. My reaction? Laugh it off and not be weary about it.

An old person in a quiet way can be very demanding. They command you without being loud. You must know her likes and dislikes and you must do things accordingly. They wouldn't listen to you they won't want to change their ways. In your impatient heart you mumble . . . stubborn . . . oh excuse me I am just a human being . . .

So you have to be patient.You have to give way. A lot of bersabar.

You cannot complain because when you become old like them you will behave the same way.

Its forgivable to be cranky when we are old. So is the crankiness of my old laptop.

For many days I stopped  my hobby activities. Of course nobody stops me from going out but I just couldn't. My responsibilities, and worries would be on my mind. So it was better for me to stay home and be a good companion to the person under my care and in between do things like reading blogs or read back on my previous blog posts.

Pictures found in my past blog posts . . .

This pic posted in Birds like and dislikes

Pic posted in Don't want to be a stereotype

Posted in " Back To Normal"

Found in "Something Unusual Something Rare"

This is from "Mulberry Tree For Birds To Stop By"

This picture was taken through the car windscreen posted in much earlier entry

The Brahminy Kite 

The last picture is of the bird that first kindle my interest in bird watching.

There are more bird pictures have a look at my previous posts. The pictures some are ok some are not. Birds, they don't wait for you. "Catch" them in whatever situation and in whatever pose as they don't listen to instructions.

Happy reading . . .

Bye . . .

Balancing

Hi everyone

People like me who is all the time fighting the bulge would always welcome days when you don't have to cook. There is the chance that you would skip a meal or two and thought you would just survive the day with fruits and water only and therefore cutting down the calorie intake.

So when my spouse announced that he would be attending a kenduri I responded with gladness. Haa no cooking today yeay. Mmmm like children. Yaa there is always that young mischievious little girl in every woman.

So I would have fruits only for the day.

Opening the fridge to reach for fruits but the eyes caught on the left over sambal from previous night. It was too tempting. Hmm there was also some frozen roti paratha . There goes my diet . . .

Takes so little time to prepare

Pile on the pounds with this

Making life easy

Just a minute or two

And its ready 

Enjoy.

It takes such a strong will not to go for another one.

Get away!

Get out

Jump in here

 Walk here

Or play here

Or go into the garden

Need trimming

Done

Thats how I burn off the calories

Reminder; eat more fruits

Choose fruits in season

Choose the best ones

Eat to your satisfaction . . .  no harm . . . 

So have a healthy diet today

Have a great day . . .

Bye . . .

Red Eyed #Starling's Clever Diet

Hi

So now here I end up alone in this quiet house in my quest to escape the noise and the dust.

In the beginning I had in mind to do a little exploration around the area, go and see places and parks and the many rimba . Maybe I could meet up with some birds and take their photos .

Since the housing area is just at the fringe of the sophisticated city I also should not miss the opportunity to go and look around and open my eyes to all the modernity. But the weather.....in the end here I am hibernating at my temporary home.

So do something to occupy the time.

Yeah blogging! My new found interest. Day and night I am thinking about the ideas and thoughts to write and mentally selecting pictures to upload. I like it. Hope you too like what I write ....nothing heavy....and the pictures....hope I can help cheer up your dull days.

Well if you are alone you tend to make many trips to the fridge. Its ok if most of the time you go for water in this hot weather...

Don't be like me I almost finished up this 7 inch cake!

Impromptu cake

Since I like baking cakes when I have nothing to do I would think about doing it even though in a situation where the necessities are lacking.

But the oven is there waiting to be used...

Yesterday it happened that I have the basic ingredients plus my favorite flavoring item, lemon. So there was nothing to stop me from baking. Also I was craving for cakes.

Seedless lemon on a two year old plant

This kitchen has only the basic equipment but somehow I got this...  my old baby...

Bought in the late 70s .....

The bowl (additional) look new the original bowl tucked away don't know where is as yellow as the body...

The mixer gave some trouble. The spin was intermittent and the speed erratic and that caused the batter to splash on me on the wall on the floor....

The motor was laboriously noisy.

But no giving up...

Still I can bake a cake and eat it too..ha ha

Hmm while enjoying the cake ...

Think before putting food into your mouth

Fruits are good

Have less calories

Is delicious

And satisfying

Fruits help make your body lean healthy and glossy....

Cheers....