moxibustion,

my sis Helen is learning Eastern med. My Ah Tai practised this, Chinese mugwort (Folium Artemisiae argyi) is used for moxibustion, for a wide variety of health issues. The herb can be placed directly on the skin, attached to acupuncture needles, or rolled into sticks and waved gently over the area to be treated. In all instances, the herb is ignited and releases heat. Not only is it the herb which is believed[by whom?] to have healing properties in this manner, but it is also the heat released from the herb in a precise area

The current theme is "Heat" (Hot, Glowing, Fire, Smoke, Heat Distortion, Curling Iron,...).

Posting begins approximately Thursday 1am UTC (Wed 8pm EST, Wed 5pm PST, Thu 11am AEST) at http://www.spunwithtears.com/thursday.html

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Narcissus 'Erlicheer'

Narcissus 'Erlicheer' double flowered narcissus
Narcissus 'Erlicheer' belongs to the plant family AMARYLLIDACE and Genus Narcissus

A fan brought me this bunch of Erlicheer. It is winter here, and the florist told her that this is a hot house variety. It brings "early cheer" to the recipient.

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

Senior Citizens' home

Last year, I made a trip back to my home state of Sarawak. I met my cousin Jeffery Kong for the first time. He had told me that he was a manager of two senior citizen's homes. I ask if I could visit. I was very impressed with the place and how he treated his customers. He said he treated them as customers because the customer is always first.
I took a few impromptu photos including this one with the oldest customer. I came home and wrote my The Playgroup Club book. Jeffery had inspired me to write about a senior citizen's home. As I was writing, I remembered I used to visit a senior citizen with my daughter Deborah.

cataloguer at the National Library of New Zealand.

Hi Ann,

I am a cataloguer at the National Library of New Zealand. I am currently creating a catalogue record for the item

Asian stories / Ann Kit Suet Chin-Chan.

 

I’m just trying to create an appropriate record for this item,

 

Is it a work of fiction based on 2 true stories?

Yes

 

And on what page does the second story start?

 

If you could help me out here that would be great

Thanks very much and enjoy your afternoon Ann.

 

Collection Description Librarian
National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa
 
Ph. +64 4 4743012

http://www.natlib.govt.nz

 

Nicky, the Kept Woman

Nicky was desperate to find a husband that she didn't mind becoming a Kept woman.

Kōtui

As a writer, I struggle with self belief and self confidence. Would people read my books? It feels validated with the libraries circulate my books.

http://link.kotui.org.nz/portal/World-War-Two-in-Borneo--tales-of-my-Grandpa/KBasmRp7pzU/

Kōtui

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World War Two in Borneo : tales of my Grandpa, Ann Kit Suet Chin Chan = Di er ci she jie da zhan : wo ye ye du gu shi / Chen Jie Xue

Creator

• Chin, Ann Kit Suet, 1954-

Author

• Chin, Ann Kit Suet, 1954-

Summary

"Fiction/non-fiction book", an account of the lives of Chinese villagers in Kwong Tung Bar under Japanese occupation during World War 2

Language

eng

(work)

Publication

• Auckland, Ann Chin, 2015

Extent

199 pages

Isbn

9780473339005

Wattle tree, the Australian National flower.

You will love this story, and it is true.My Dad was a senior civil servant, often the senior servants of Agricultural dept will give him plants to grow, once he had 6 of these saplings. They told him those were Christmas tree. He grew them, but they didn't look anything like the pine trees we associate with Christmas tree.
Mum likes to get rid of thing, Mum says they are not Christmas trees, get rid of them.
Dad likes to keep them. So he allowed to let them grow.
Each time we see the saplings grow taller and taller, we said what the heck.They definitely were not Christmas trees.

Mum and Dad went to live in Oz. Sadly mum died.
I went with my sister Helen and we walked in the bush.
The wattles were in full bloom.There were a zillion yellow baubles.
Excitedly I exclaimed,"That's the Christmas tree dad grew.
I told Helen, now I understand why it is called a Christmas tree. It is the Wattle tree, the Australian National flower.
This Sunday, we are celebrating Christmas in July.

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

Ann's booklist 2017

Diary of a Bereaved Mother  吾儿再见：丧儿母亲的日记  ISBN 9780473187095

This is a real life story of losing one's only son. This experience has made the author strong and caring. This tragedy has been a great help for her to help understand other bereaved people. The author is very brave to write this book. It has not been easy and she aims to touch,...

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/aucklander/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503372&objectid=11030495

From China to Borneo and Beyond 海外华人的中国魂: 从中国，到南洋，到更远 2013 By

ISBN 9780473239008 English ISBN 9780473309626 Chinese
Hai wai hua ren de Zhong Guo hun

Link/Page CitationThis book records with humor the life of a busy and active family through World War II, the formation of Malaysia and Confrontation. It is a personal reflection of a way of life that has moved on and provides insight into a family and its relationships. It is most of all a work of love and respect for the Chan and Kong families and for Father and Mother.M M Ann Armstrong

Mail Order Bride 邮购新娘

This book is about the embodiment of the darker side of today's society.

ISBN 978047325414-8

Her third book, Mail Order Bride is the first fiction piece from Ann. She said that the book targets an audience of young adults and that it appeals readers interested in social issues and ills that young adults have to face.

http://borneobulletin.brunei-online.com/index.php/2013/10/15/sibu-born-author-ann-chin-kit-suet-promotes-books/

Cry of Oppressed Women 妇女的哭泣

women suffers from oppression. This story traces the life of Nadine who overcomes her own problems of oppression, grows up to be a social worker and helps women who have suffered from physical and mental violence, domestic violence, rape, pornography, swinging, sex slavery, human ... ISBN 9780473287153 Published 1 July 2014  All ages

Judy Lawson, Counsellor  A book I would use in my work as a reference.

World War II in Borneo, Tales of my Grandpa
ISBN: 9780473339005 (Pbk)

It is seventy years after the end of the World War II, or the Japanese occupation in Borneo. Captain Cheng aka Captain Fong and his Canadian soldiers are remembered in their role of leading the surrender of the Japanese.

I've been reading your book World War Two in Borneo: Tales of my Grandpa. I was a bit hesitant to start it, since it is combined fiction and fact and I didn't want to get the history mixed up in my mind. However, I'm finding it very compelling to read.Canadian documentary maker, Keith Lock.

One roof, two lives

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BGRESX0/ref=rdr_kindle_ext_tmbTraces the lives of 2 girls. The poor girl is sold to the rich girl as a slave aka mui zai to serve her for ever. Different Chinese Tradition are explained, and tragedy brings them to the South Seas. The Japanese invasion, the slave protects her mistress and is sent to a brothel as a comfort women.

Wannabe Socialite

• ISBN-10: 1530878063
• ISBN-13: 978-1530878062

Based in Malaya and Singapore from the 60s.

The world is full of big bad wolves for a young girl growing in a small sheltered town. From one small wrong step, trouble snowballs into bigger and bigger trouble. She sinks into the murky seedy underworld. She becomes a kept woman. She finds there is no way out, she commits suicide.

The Playgroup Club
A group  of stay at home meet and socialize and do constructive work.

 ISBN 978 0 473 37871 4

Two Asian Stories
A revised and amalgamation of One Roof, Two lives and Wannabe Socialite.
ISBN 978 0473 402693

Robert Burns

The Auckland statue broke with tradition. Instead of Burns in writer's garb holding a pen, Pomeroy created an image of Burns as the ploughman poet. Burns is shown in a tailcoat, knee breeches and a big Kilmarnock bonnet, leaning lazily against a plough and wistfully holding a pencil and notebook.

Robert Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796) (also known as Rabbie Burns, Scotland's favourite son, the Ploughman Poet, Robden of Solway Firth, the Bard of Ayrshire and in Scotland as simply The Bard[1][2]) was a Scottish poet and a lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, and is celebrated worldwide.

"Blade" Fidget Spinner

"Blade" Fidget Spinner is the HOT new popular spinning concentration toy! I first heard of the word fidget when I was 15. A teacher had told my girlfriend not to fidget her hair. When I was teaching, I told my students not to fidget another's hair. I told them hairs may have nits. Now, fidget blade has a new meaning.

Dischidia ruscifolia – Million Hearts 

When I was living in NTU, in Singapore,m I was the secretary of the gardening club. We stayed in the university residences. Staff came  and went on their three years contract. Some when they left would tell me to come and get their plants. The owner of this plant left and I brought it home. I split t into two, and they grew beautifully. 

One day  another friend and saw the plants. She said she gave to baby plant to the person who left. I told her she could have one.

 When I left, I had a plant sale and raise two thousand dollars for the deaf in Kenya,

 

sunset

Ageratum Flower

The powder puff blooms of Ageratum make outstanding cut flowers. And butterflies love them. Ageratums add easy color in borders, beds, or containers from ...This one lookss like
Looks like one of the taller growing Ageratums


I forgot where I saw these.

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

Physalis alkekengi (bladder cherry, Chinese lantern,

Physalis alkekengi (bladder cherry, Chinese lantern,^[2] Japanese-lantern,^[3] strawberry groundcherry,^[4] or winter cherry;^[2]) is a relative of P. peruviana (Cape gooseberry). It is easily identifiable by the large, bright orange to red papery covering over its fruit, which resembles paper lanterns.

In Japan, its seeds are used as part of the Bon Festival as offerings to guide the souls of the deceased. Also, an annual market is dedicated to the flower called hōzuki-ichi, which occurs in Asakusa around Sensō-ji every year on July 9 and 10. This photo from wiki.

aeroplane

Last year, I was in a situation thinking should I be a busybody aka KayPoh. I flew from Auckland to Kuala Lumpur to Kuching, It was a long trip and I had flown from winter to the tropics. I was feeling a bit bothered.

There was a young mother with a young baby. She had bags, and I could tell she was having problem to get her check in luggage from the carousel. I asked her if she could identify her bags, I will help her take it down. Her luggage came before mine, and I wasn't delayed. She told me she came back to rush to the hospital because a relative was very sick.

I am glad I gave her a bit of good cheer.

 

Chinese dumplings

 My oldest daughter went to uni in Harbin. She learned to eat coriander. We made dumplings with coriander, chives and minced meat. We eat with shredded ginger, more coriander and black vinegar.

Thursday Challenge: Hard

The current theme is "Hard" (Rock, Stone, Pavement, Steel, Glass,..




These are very privileged photos, they are not opened to the public. My friend Ngarimu took us to these gun emplacements and underground bunkers. The British took the land from the Maori people at Bastion Point. The land belongs to his people. His grand dad was the chief and he is a future chief. These structures take us a lot of land and are linked to one another. The Maoris had to "fight" the government to take this land back.

Coastal fortifications were constructed in New Zealand in two main waves. The first wave occurred around 1885 and was a response to fears of an attack by Russia. The second wave occurred during World War II and was due to fears of invasion by the Japanese.

The fortifications were built from British designs adapted to New Zealand conditions. These installations typically included gun emplacements, pill boxes, fire control or observation posts, camouflage strategies, underground bunkers, sometimes with interconnected tunnels, containing magazines, supply and plotting rooms and protected engine rooms supplying power to the gun turrets and searchlights. There were also kitchens, barracks, and officer and NCO quarters.

The Russians never came, and they were left to ruin. These was returned to the Maoris. A famous artist painted the walls, but were not maintained. Young Maori people on weekends hold parties.


 

http://www.spunwithtears.com/thursday.html

I have posted this photo, but I really love it. One day, I was walking along Mt Eden Road. I have not walked this road for twenty years. Down in the valley, in between two buildings was this gem. It is so well hidden that unless you look down the valley, you won't see it. It was so beautiful, just what I would dream about.

I went back today to see if the garden was still here, and it was.

There was a man working down there, so I was discrete when taking the pix. I suppose if I told him I was a keen gardener, he would kindly show me his crops.
I wonder if an original building had been torn down, and the place left to become a bush. The man took it upon himself to make this garden. He puts me to shame with his manicured garden, and when I look at my unruly and abandoned one.

macular-degeneration

http://www.visionaware.org/info/your-eye-condition/age-related-macular-degeneration-amd/12

I am privileged to have a couple of adult students , the husband over 80, and the wife almost eighty. They go walking before they make use of the gold card to ride the free bus. They also go to swim and the sauna to keeep warm.

She uses a pencil, and doesn't use reading glasses. She did tell me she has macular degeneration.

seven-week-old baby was found dead

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4667636/Baby-7-weeks-dies-left-van-8-hours.html?ito=social-facebook

My baby Andrew died at 55 days, almost 7 and half weeks. I don't know how to feel about this mother. 

Chinese lantern

Physalis alkekengi (bladder cherry, Chinese lantern,^[2] Japanese-lantern,^[3] strawberry groundcherry,^[4] or winter cherry;^[2]) is a relative of P. peruviana (Cape gooseberry). It is easily identifiable by the large, bright orange to red papery covering over its fruit, which resembles paper lanterns.

In Japan, its seeds are used as part of the Bon Festival as offerings to guide the souls of the deceased. Also, an annual market is dedicated to the flower called hōzuki-ichi, which occurs in Asakusa around Sensō-ji every year on July 9 and 10.

Aztec culture

Salvia hispanica, commonly known as chia, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae, native to central and southern Mexico and Guatemala. The sixteenth-century Codex Mendoza provides evidence that it was cultivated by the Aztec in pre-Columbian times and economic historians say it may have been as important as maize as a food crop.

Aztec culture (/ˈæztɛk/^[1]) was a Mesoamerican culture that flourished in Central Mexico in the post-classic period from 1300-1521, during the time in which a triple alliance of the Mexica, Texcoca and Tepaneca tribes established the Aztec empire. The Aztec people were certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica from the 14th to 16th centuries.

“chia” is the ancient Mayan word for “strength.”

Sometimes I add a teaspoon of Chia Seeds to my white coffee in the morning.

https://authoritynutrition.com/11-proven-health-benefits-of-chia-seeds/ 



 

My Kai Ma/ God mother

This is Mrs Chew Tien Kui, aka Connie Ang. She is my God Mother in a Chinese social sense, not a religious sense. I went to visit her in Christchurch. I asked her if she would be my Kai Ma, and she said yes.
Many people asked, if she is my mum. I chose her to be my mum. Not many people knew that she did a special thing for me.
In 1974, I was going to teach in Kai Chung School in Binatang, now known as Bintangnor. I caught an expressed boat from Sarikei where my parents were living. The principal Mr Tang met me at the wharf and brought me to the Chews. I had assumed he had found accommodation for me. We made polite conversation. I think it was Mr Tang's intention for me to stay with the Chews, but he didn't know what to say.
Mrs Chew asked if I like to stay with them for the night, and Mr Tang quickly said a relieved "Yes".
That's how I got to know them, I frequented them. When I was going to Canada, I stayed with them.
I didn't see them for a long time. Then I found she had lost a son Ah Kok, whom I taught. We two have some thing in common. We are both bereaved mothers.

'Please let our girl come home'

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11884466

This issue was top news of our National TV. We sad, but I can't understand what it happening, Just very sad.