Sunday, July 29, 2012

Suspension bridge in Jurong Bird Park, Singapore


Inside the Lory exhibit, there were a couple of suspension bridges. Not a nice feeling when kids bounce about.


http://bayphoto.blogspot.com/



Friday, July 27, 2012

"Thank you very much for your kind donation!"


 "Thank you very much for your kind donation!"

This theme iconic song,   "Thank you very much for your kind donation!"  was played during our many telethons.

The lyrics:  "Thank you very much for your kind donation!"  goes on and on, and is implanted in my brain.

The Reunion Alumni of the 70s-80s of Kai Chung school donated MR$200, 000 plus to their Alma meta to build their sports stadium. My student Ling Kie King donated  MR100,000, not 10,000 as I first posted. My Chinese failed in school.

I am not privy to the donations. I have just been told that Francis Tiong and Ivan Lu Su Chiu donated MR20,000 each to the stadium. Nicholas, Ivan and Sia Sung Leong were main sponsors to the reunion contributing MR10,000 each.

Kie King, thank you too for coming up to me to tell me the Trade Mark you guys gave  me when I first came to teach you. That was a high light of my trip, knowing you remembered events that happened in 1974. That Friday, when you spoke to me, I didn't know you are a VIP. In New Zealand, I tell my students Ka Pai, Paki Paki your back, meaning "Well done and pat your back." I am privileged that you were in my class. I have since read up that you are also the President of the Kai Chung Alumni. Paki Paki. I am so blessed to be associated with you.



I am proud of you all, and I want to sing  "Thank you very much for your kind donation!"  Here in white shirt  is Kie King. Others on the committee, Siblings Jenny, Magdeline, Benson, Ivy, Lee, Francis, Principal Ting Pang Keng, and Chairman of the School Board, Thomas Ung Sing Ung.
Photos courtesy : Cheu Kouk Yew, reporter at United Borneo Press, Kai Chung class 69.

Click on this link to watch and hear the song.
http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/telethon---1981-show-1981
Telethon was a widely popular 24-hour live television spectacular aimed at securing donations from viewers for a charitable cause. The feel-good vibe of Telethon was infectious, appealing to both adults, kids (who were allowed to stay up in front of the telly) and willing celebs.


http://hootin--anni.blogspot.com/



http://thursdaythemesong.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

International Day of Kindness.


Spider lily in NTU.

Tomorrow 27th July is International Day of Kindness, founded by Dr. Joanne Cacciatore,the MISS Foundation is a 501 (c) 3, volunteer based organization committed to providing crisis support and long term aid to families after the death of a child from any cause.

There is a group of beautiful women I befriended during the 16 years I lived as faculty wife at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Together with many others who had left, we were touched and worked hard to raise funds for the Deaf children of Kenya. Some of these poor kids had died due to AIDS. We also raised funds to separate a pair of Siamese twins. Sadly Ganga died. I have blogged this and written in my book.

Today, I give a face to these ladies. They gave me a roaring time by taking me to Penang Place when I revisited NTU. It's great to know that though I have been away for 6 years, they still love me as though I had never been away.







http://tinaspicstory.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/weekend-flowers-45.html
http://blueberrycraftandhobbytime.blogspot.com/p/join-my-photo-challenge-flowers-on.html




http://floralfridayfoto.blogspot.co.nz/

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Flowers and plants in Nanyang Technological University



These photos were taken when I came back to Singapore after 3 years away. I have a very happy exciting news. 6 Years away, I see the trees have grown, and what is fascinating is my two neem trees have a tag, and I joyously say that my trees are now protected. No one is allowed to chop them down.

My friends have no idea why they tag all the trees. It was done when Singapore hosted the youth Olympics, and the authorities merely said it was for security. I will post the tree photos when I get back to NZ. In the mean time, I am just so very happy.



I miss this beautiful brazilian button, they are gone.

The ferns, peace lilies, banana trees, iron tree, herbs, some are still  are there.
I was so pleased that it has grown like a bush. My very own mini Botanical garden.






The Neem tree I grew from a cutting. Now it is bigger, though 1 meter of the trunk lies horizontal, it is still the beautiful tree. There more to the story of how I acquired the first stems and how I got to know the world foremost expert in Neem. Gee! I was so clever then. There is another one tree at another location.I hid it among 2 giant trees so the exterminator won't spot them. Now, I sign with relief, they are protected.
When you have read this, you can go rush off and buy Neem products.

You may go to the link with the photos I had taken before I left. The peace lilies are overgrown.

The Neem tree is still there. The gardeners know it is a good medicinal plant. Three times, the wind had blown it over, it was probed up again. Ka Pai. They call it Aunty Ann's tree.

Centratherum punctatum: (Centratherum intermedium) brazilian button flower or brazilian bachelor button flower. Origin : Philippines to Australia

This is a bushy shrub that blooms at the stem tips. The flower is about one inch across, with fluffy down looking petals and the purplish, bluish, lavender blooms making it a very attractive plant. The leaves are jaggedly edge, deep green and very attractive as a
green background foliage for your cut flowers.

Both the flowers and leaves have a good scent that my friends mistake the plant to be a herb. In a big pot, it grows to a meter tall. It grows from rooted cutting. I have also experimented grafting and succeeded










http://tinaspicstory.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/weekend-flowers-45.html
http://blueberrycraftandhobbytime.blogspot.com/p/join-my-photo-challenge-flowers-on.html




http://floralfridayfoto.blogspot.co.nz/




Monday, July 2, 2012

water: Bau lake






This beautiful deep blue lake looks inviting on a hot day. But nobody swims there. It is full of arsenic from the gold mines.

http://waterywednesday.blogspot.com/

http://www.kissess4u.com/2012/04/water-world-wednesday_10.htmlhttp://www.kissess4u.com/2012/04/water-world-wednesday_10.html
http://nfmemes.blogspot.co.nz/






ruby red/rednesday: red muslim dress

At the wedding, all the guests were given a stalk of fabric rose. This lady has something extra, a good object.
http://rubytuesday2.blogspot.co.nz