Sakura Flowers ....

The rows of blooming "tecoma" trees along Al-Bukhary mosque 

What a sight for sore eyes on a blazing, scorching day. This is the view along parts of Jalan Langgar in Alor Setar. I take this route to Taman Jubli Intan or Taman Rimba as is locally known for my walk. This is the blooming season. They are known as "tecoma" trees or the locals call it "sakura" as it is known in Japan. The council or whoever is in-charge plant these trees lining Jalan Langgar and along the North-South highway after Gurun. They are colourful, eye-catching and cooling to watch. Flowers have a way of making you smile and soothe the tired, overworked and stressed-out souls. I don't know about you folks ... but I love it. Especially when I stopped at the traffic lights near Masjid Derga and the winds blow the "sakura" flowers all over the cars .... it's like colourful, light snow flakes falling onto your car. It makes you smile and your heart lighter despite the heat. Even along parts of Taman Rimba, there are a few "tecoma" trees. I catch a falling flower. It is so light and fragile to the touch. No wonder when the wind blows, they fall easily and gracefully down to earth ....

The view along Jalan Langgar after the traffic lights at Masjid Derga

The "tecoma" trees in full bloom. They bloom in all their glory during this hot and dry weather

Yet, amidst the beauty is the leftovers of the dried flowers which litter the roads .... what a bane for the road sweepers ... sometimes I feel it is such a monumental, uphill task .... one sweeps the dried leaves and flowers ... before one's back is turn or the sweat has not even dried ... more leaves and flowers will come gently down and settle on the roads ..... it's all in a day's work ... :-))

Imagine your grave covered full of flowers ....

*Credits go to Yusuf Ne - Kelab Peminat Bunga facebook - for the glorious photos. I cannot take the photos while driving, can I ????

My Feline Friend ...

This is Cik Ching. She is the resident cat. She belongs to my neighbour at the back of my house. I do not know what she is called by her owners but she likes to drop by for a visit and a saucer of milk whenever I open my back door. She does not make a lot of noise. She will mew once for her milk and to inform me of her appearance. After that, she will go under the ladder near the store room and go to sleep. When she wakes up and she is hungry, she will look for you and mew once or twice and sit quietly until she gets something from you.

Looking at you with soulful eyes ... 

Waiting quietly until you give her something ...

Siesta time after a saucer of milk

Having her milk - powdered milk since we do not drink condensed milk 

Well, this is the latest cat which seems to think that it has a right to my house and milk ration. I have no wish to be attached to it yet it endears itself to me. I do not like noisy cat so she suits me fine. When I have to close the back door, I will let it out first. Well, at least there is "someone" home to greet me when I return from school to an empty house. Hmm ... maybe that is why I am having problems socialising with humans. Cats are so easy to get along with .... :-))  

After Nala died, I refuse to have another cat. No more attachments to any felines. Regular visitors are allowed as they usually do not stay long. And I do not feel guilty of leaving them whenever I go off to visit my sisters or sons. Neither will I miss them ...

MARDI Agro Technology Park Cameron Highlands

Perhaps because it was a public holiday thus the park was left unattended. There were no staff around thus the crowd did what they wanted to do. The garden was not attended to as it should so it had overgrown vegetables and flowers which needed replanting and tendered to ... enjoy the photos as much I have enjoyed taking a stroll among them ...

The hanging overgrown orchids at the entrance into the garden 

The rows of strawberry out of season or maybe too many visitors had plucked them

Rows and rows of blooming colourful blooming daises

A section of the garden dedicated to various types of cactus plants

Another type of hanging potted flowers

The brinjals where the leaves are much bigger than the vegetables

The 2 types of lettuces 

The overgrown rosemary bush

Asparagus ... too matured .

Extra large celery and matured too ...

Rows and rows of tomato plants ...

Something new - lavender flowers .

I have always loved this view of MARDI's office - a dream house of a simple cottage with a lovely variety of flower garden in front of it .... one day .. :-))

Up On The Hill ....

The view from Kak Hajar's backyard of her apartment on top of a hill ...

During the Chinese New Year long weekend found my family and I at Kak Hajar's place at Cameron Highlands after more than seven years. It was so cold at this time of the year. It rained. It shone. The holiday crowd came in full force creating traffic jams. But since her apartment was in Tanah Rata opposite MARDI on top of the hill, it was quiet and scenic. A soothing balm for the tired and weathered soul. She fed us, made sure we were comfortable, listened and was the perfect hostess. I appreciated Abang Zul for tolerating our presence for the 3 days we were there. We ate home-cooked food as the crowd would be all over the food stalls.

Kak Hajar was not only a sister but also a friend albeit the seven years gap between us. We had heart-to heart talks, we took long walks together in the cold morning and just talked the days away. We even had time for a hair cut. Maybe all I needed was a little pampering with love. The guys entertained themselves. Kak Hajar and I had a sister-friend session.

We did not do any shopping or sight-seeing as Camerons was so familiar to us. We only went trekking up Parit Falls and went around MARDI since we could just walk to these places from her apartment. Thus, we avoided the holiday crowd.

I have always loved MARDI agro technology park. Especially a gazebo where they grew roses. Once when Nadia was still single and we went there for a walk, she had always dreamed of an English garden wedding. Well, she had one albeit in a hall ... full of fresh roses all over the stage ... hmmm ... that was seven years ago. The last time I came up to Camerons....

It was a good break but tiring. My heart is still tired of human nature .... :-{

Face Off - WIth The Slimy Kind !!!

The incidents that had been occurring the whole of last week were confounding and mystifying. This made me recalled almost the same incidents a few years back - refer to my past post dated 10 OCTOBER 2011 - "What Do You Make Of This?". What with all the challenging and depressing incidents happening to me , I did not see any significance in them. Well ... let's try to recall ...

Last week when I came home and tried to pull the gate closed, I saw a large shining black snake slithering fast into the drain in front of the house. I only saw the tail part. It was large and black. It slithered off under and all I could do was stared at it. I guess the noise from the gate surprised it. When Ikram poked out his head from the front door, I told him about the snake but he did not see it. Ok, another snake incident to be brushed off.

A few days later, I was printing my work in my bedroom. After a few prints, suddenly, out poked a pretty yellowish-greenish head from under the printer. It was "face-off" time. Both of us got a shock! I screamed and it quickly ducked itself under the printer again. I was shivering with fright and the only weapon I had was the mosquito insecticide. I sprayed under the printer and it slithered behind the book rack !!! I ran outside and closed the door. I HATE snakes ...... ;-((  When Ikram and Noor came back, they tried to look for the snake but it was already gone. I refused to enter the room and slept on the sofa instead. I kept seeing the snake whenever I closed my eyes....  It took a few days for me to be confident that it was no longer under the bed or behind the books or back to under the printer .... Akmal reassured me that when a snake had been chased away, it would not come back. Easy for him to say as he was in Sabah and I was home alone most of the time ... hu..hu..hu... ;-((  

Next day, Ikram and I went to a road side hawker to eat "char kueh teow". We were waiting for our orders when suddenly I saw a long greenish snake slithering along the road to one of the tables. I could only screamed wordlessly and pointed at the snake to the group of guys sitting at the table. Ikram shouted "Ular! Ular!" but it took them some time to register what it was. A girl at the next table screamed out loud which made the guys jumped out of their chairs. The long snake slithered into one of the manholes into the drain. It was right in the centre of town near a busy main road !! Snakes did not suddenly materialise in the middle of the town !!! ;-{0} Later, Ikram and I had a good laugh recalling the  guys pushing and jumping from their chairs!! Their late reaction could be because Ikram did not pronounce the word "ular" in their dialect. Thus, it took time to comprehend what was being said. I guess so !!!!. Why another snake ??????

After that, the bees came. Small, grey and black bees came swarming around the lamp in the house. Oh no !!! Now what???? I thought bees came out in the morning to look for honey. Of course, I had my most trusted weapon - the insecticide. I switched off the lights and left only the kitchen and dining area lights on. By morning, they had bashed themselves against the lamp and died. Akmal, the "wise" one said that they were the "look-out" bees who went off to survey the best places to build a new hive. Oh dear ... why our house ???? !!!!

These incidents happened when I was bogged down with the accusations and malicious slander against my integrity and reputation. I had no encounter with the slimy kind since the 2011 incident. What is Allah trying to show me? Is there something I should learn from this ? I honestly do not like the slimy snakes, the buzzing bees and any creatures that can do me harm.... May I always be protected from them since I am always alone and on my own. As Ikram commented that only I could see these creatures and had a personal encounter with them. Hmmm ... the chosen one !