Sunday Bridges: Carrington

http://bayphoto.blogspot.com/

This is one of the bridges I travel everyday to work. Auckland had volcanoes which erupted luckily once upon a time, so our land is up and down with ridges, valleys and plateaus.

You won't notice that this is a bridge, and think that it is just a 4 lane road. But when you stop at the lights here, you look down on the motorway. Very often it is jammed with traffic going into the city. When this happens, I am glad I don't work in the city.

By the rails, a lot of students from UNITEC walk to the university. They come in all shapes and sizes, and attire. Some dress very smartly, and some very casually. Sometimes, when it rain, and they are not dressed for the rain. I almost feel sorry for them.

Photohunt: Hot chillis

Habanero chillis I grew in Singapore, originally from Mexico.


This is another unusual chilli. I don't know the name. Do you? This is grown at the winter garden at the Auckland domain.

http://tnchick.com/
In Singapore, I was given this habanero chilli, I ate the chilli and germinated the seeds. I got hundreds of chillis from my two plants. My friends were "burnt" by this very hot chilli from Mexico. Even my Indian friend's husband who could eat very hot food had to surrender to this little thing. All of us had great laughter when we tried the chilli.

The plant is gone but I have the photos. The original chilli came from Mexico, courtesy from my friend W. on his tours.

I also learnt that to beat this fireball, sip slowly milk, giving yourself a milky mustache, or take some yoghurt. This is from my research. It works like magic.

Habanero Hot Pepper (Red Savina™) PVP - Guinness WorldRecord HP426-10

Capsicum chinense. Plant produces good yields of 2" long by 1 ½" wide wrinkled hot peppers. Peppers are extremely hot and turn from green to shiny red when mature. Plant has green stems, green leaves, and white flowers. The Red Savina™ is protected by the Plant Variety Protection Act, #9200255. United States Department of Agriculture, PI 562384 PVPO. A variety developed in California, USA. pk/10

Height: 42"

Sunlight: Full Sun

HPLC Test Results: Guinness Records *

Guinness World Record Holder

* In 1994, the Red Savina was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as one of the hottest spices. It is recorded as the hottest pepper at 577,000 Scoville units.

macroflower: Flat Succulent

I am the proud owner of this unusual succulent. It has red edges and is bigger than the size of my palm. It has fleshy, paddle-like leaves that resemble the shape of a clamshell as though I am closing my palms together.

Sorry I can't tell you the name, Do you know? I googled the images, but can't see any like this, It might be a flapjack but it is definitely not a rosette.

*****Thanks very much Drought Smart Plants said...http://www.drought-smart-plants.com/

That is Kalanchoe thyrsiflora - I have it on my wish list for sure. What a great plant in mixed planters with Echeveria and other succulents.

If any of my friends go to Canada, and when I can propagate them and get lots of babies, I will get them to take them to you.*****



I have joined this meme for a while now, and I am loving it. First I love flowers. Second, the badge for this meme is the North Borneo Orchid. My Dad's favourite flower. It gives me warm fuzzy feeling every time I see this flower.

Join Macro Flowers Saturday, a photo meme for macro photos and close-ups of flowers, garden flowers, wildflowers, blossoms, flowers with insects and butterflies (no insects without flowers), flowers with raindrops and whatever beautiful plants, plant seeds or berries you have, in close-up.

First time visitors, please read the rules. They are simple but I do ask that you, please, use a MFS badge or link back to MFS in some way. Thank you.

Macro Flower Saturday

SPCA cupcake day,

On this day, 30 August, New Zealand celebrated her Cupcake day. People of all walks of life baked, and volunteers braved a chilly winter's morning, to set up the stands to sell the cakes throughout the country. This is SPCA's second annual Cupcake Day. All funds raised will go directly to local SPCA branches.

Someone brought a whole basket of cupcakes to sell in school.

I am glad cupckaes made a comeback. When I was young, mum made cup cakes. We all learned to make cup cakes. I love the yummy buttery cakes.

Ruby red Tuesday: Toilet in the west.

http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com

My friends laughed at me when I took this photo when we took a train out to the west at Swanson. Here in New Zealand, we just say toilet.

When I went to Canada, I thought it was quite strange to say bathroom. In Borneo, most houses have separate bathrooms and toilets. If you went to someone's house and asked to go to the bathroom, your hostess would wonder why you want to go to the bathroom.

In Borneo, Malaysia and Singapore, they also call it WC or water closet.

In another post, I will post a photo of a very elite toilet, where you don't need loo paper and it even massages you. LOL

Macro flowers: Daffodil

These daffodils grow every where in Auckland.
August is Daffodil month in New Zealand. August 27th is the 20th anniversary of Daffodil day. I tried to teach my ESOL students the concept of Cancer awareness.

Nowdays Daffodil Day is the Cancer Society's annual flagship event and one of the most important fundraising and awareness campaigns in the country. As well as providing an opportunity to raise awareness of cancer in New Zealand, Daffodil Day is a major funding source for the Cancer Society. We are proud to be regarded as one of the country's most trusted charities and this is reflected in our fundraising practices.

The daffodil is one of the first flowers of spring, whose bright yellow blooms remind us of the joys the new season will bring. It represents the hope there is for the 1 in 3 New Zealanders affected by cancer.

The donations we receive go towards vital scientific research into the causes and treatment of all types of cancer, as well as providing a wide range of support services, information, health promotion and education programmes to reduce cancer risk, awareness campaigns and programmes for people affected by cancer.

http://ann-mythoughtsandphotos.blogspot.com/2010/08/thursday-theme-song-daffodil-song.html Go to my other site to listen to The Daffodil song, a British artist devoted to cancer.
Thank you Maia.

I am joining this meme for the first time. First I love flowers. Second, the badge for this meme is the North Borneo Orchid. My Dad's favourite flower. It gives me warm fuzzy feeling every time I see this flower.

Join Macro Flowers Saturday, a photo meme for macro photos and close-ups of flowers, garden flowers, wildflowers, blossoms, flowers with insects and butterflies (no insects without flowers), flowers with raindrops and whatever beautiful plants, plant seeds or berries you have, in close-up.

First time visitors, please read the rules. They are simple but I do ask that you, please, use a MFS badge or link back to MFS in some way. Thank you.

Macro Flower Saturday

weekend bridges: Guangzhou, China

http://bayphoto.blogspot.com/

In the land of my roots, industrialization has a price. The haze covers the bridge and the rest of the city.

My great grand father left China for Borneo more than a hundred years ago.

The water engineer took this photo this year when he went to Guangzhou.

Some day, I will make my own trip, "daughter for the return home." and show you my own photos. I will be going to the country where you have to take a four hour rickety bus ride.