A Raindrop Splatters

a raindrop splatters
upon splashes of colours
orchid in the morn

3 Slippers

I came across these 3 slippers one rainy morning ………………

Lady's Slippers

I woke up this morning to find my pink slippers missing (Yes, I wear pink slippers). Later, I found them in the hall, neatly hung up.

p.s. They say these are Lady’s Slippers.

Santa Claus Orchid

Have any of you ever seen a bearded orchid?
I don’t know the name of this orchid with a long beard which I spotted at an orchid show at the Lake Gardens but I think you would agree with me that it is probably ……….the Santa Claus Orchid. Merry Christmas.

Hornbill

I met this fellow a few days ago at the Lake Gardens while at an Orchid Show. Unlike the previous bird, this one has a white coloured bill and was just as noisy.

Bird of Paradise

a spray of colours
blurry in the wind and rain
Bird of Paradise

bamboo trees creak
as the breeze rustles by
treading lightly

[pretty colours]

pretty colours
along a Kyoto street
beckoning

Kyoto

Fall colours of Kyoto.

Philosoper's Walk

The Philosopher’s Walk is a pedestrian path that follows a cherry tree – lined canal in Kyoto between the the Ginkaku-ji and the Nansen-ji temples. It passes a number of other temples and shrines and takes about 30 minutes to complete the walk. This walk is a popular destination for tourists, especially during spring when the cherry trees are in bloom.

Jacaranda

It is springtime in Brisbane, Australia and the Jacaranda is blooming.

A beach

A beach at Kurrawa Park, Gold Coast, Australia.
I can’t help but notice the colours of spring in the sunshine.

This is a Kookaburra bird seen at Montville, a quaint little town up in the Glass House Mountains, Queensland, Australia. I am told that this bird is now rarely seen so we were lucky especially when it sat there posing in front of our cameras. It seems to love the limelight.

Gingko trees

The recent photo show of fall colours got me digging into my albums and I retrieved this photo of a quiet street in Kyoto, Japan. I found these Gingko trees striking.

Pink Frangipanni

The frangipanni is very common over here and has many different colours. This pink one was spotted on Keppel Island, Singapore.

Downcast

Waiting by the river where we said goodbye – downcast

Rain tree flower

A close-up shot of the flower of the Rain tree.

Baobab trees

Inside the Flower Dome at the Gardens by the Bay are these Baobab trees which are also known as Bottle trees. They occur in arid areas and store water in the swollen trunks to endure the harsh drought conditions. They also shed their leaves during the dry season to reduce water loss.

Beautiful flowers

This is another beautiful flower which I saw at the Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay.

Fuchsia

This is another flower which I saw at the Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay, Singapore. I think it is a fuchsia as I have never seen this flower before. I have seen a smaller flower with a different colour combination though; I think it’s violet and pink.

Rain Tree Arcade

A short stretch of the road that encircles our Lake Gardens has been referred to as the Rain Tree Arcade because the tall Rain trees planted along one side of the road arches over the road to the lake on the other side with the tips of their outer branches hovering just above the water of the lake as if thirsty for a drink, and on a rainy day, one can actually see the trees take a sip of the lake.

Flower at the Flower Dome

I visited the Flower Dome at the Gardens by the Bay, Singapore recently. Inside are flowers from all over the world and I saw this one at the Australian Garden. I am sure our Australian friends can tell us what flower this is.

Drain Fishing

Teach a man to fish and he will fish ............
on a Wednesday morning.

Sails in the Sky

Wash and clean;
wipe and dry;
that’s what I do all day.

It’s free time;
lighting a cigarette,
I squat down,
back to the wall,
and wipe my face with the towel
that’s wrapped around my neck.

I look up
at those towers
that are like sails in the sky,
painted gold and orange
by the dying sun.
They seem so far away.

Then tiny yellow lights on the sails
start to twinkle
and I can imagine
the family sitting down for dinner –
Pa, Ma and the kids –
chatting and smiling
amid the clatter of forks and spoons.

I take a drag on the cigarette
and watch the grey tip turn red,
then the smoke rings
floating away.
Pa and Ma are no more.

I’m hungry now,
have to grab a bite;
that’s when the yellow lights of the car arc in.
“How long is it going to take?” he asks.
“About 15 minutes, sir and it will be spotlessly clean.”

Wash and clean;
wipe and dry;
that’s what I do all day.

Roses

I saw this bouquet of roses on a street in Jeju, Korea on a cold spring morning.

{soft babble]

soft babble
by the thicket of bamboo
a mountain stream

Sonnet Sequence

Pic by lisadel65

Introduction:
I have been given an assignment to write a sonnet sequence. Although I protested vehemently, they insisted that the theme must be Love.
It was hard but I have finished the assignment at last. They may not like it but it is their fault; what does someone in his second childhood know about love?


Spring # 1

A red breast’s song proclaims the start of spring;
its sweet tune rings throughout the tranquil hill.
The slumbering trees know that this will bring
an end to their long shivering ordeal.

Although spring buds abound in breezy May,
there’s only one that I in truth adore.
Its elegant charm thoroughly holds sway;
I am ensnared, but joyful to the core.

Winds chase the rain across this chilly land
and branches scream and thrash about in fear.
I watch aghast at my beloved and
on her pale frightened cheek, I see a tear.

A little ruckus can give you a scare
when you’re in love because you learn to care.


Summer # 2

The summer sun, Prince Charming of the sky,
makes his flamboyant entrance in a blaze;
he snares the rainbow with his hot bright rays
and drives away the rain as calm winds sigh.

Enraptured flower buds exclaim: “Oh my!”
as they blush under Charming’s sultry gaze.
This places poor me in a lovelorn haze
for with them is the lovely bud I eye.

The buds hike up their scarlet skirts in dance
as they bloom into beauties of desire;
I am enthralled so I declare my love.

My gorgeous flower looks at me askance
with penetrating eyes that brim with fire,
then cracks that ravishing smile from above.


Fall # 3

Beneath the clear blue sky, she sways each day
to summer’s sultry beat and dazzling sound;
her scarlet skirt in tempting disarray
as she sashays to wild cheers all around.

A wicked glance from her and I am bound
by love’s seductive bond yet I will smile
for if we kiss, her lips will sure astound
and I’ll dream of cavorting down the aisle.

Our love should last for more than just a while
but then the flame inexplicably dies.
Alas, I’m devastated by her guile;
her web of treachery, deceit and lies.

Like fall, our love begins to slowly chill
but in my heart, I truly love her still.


Winter # 4

The cold and piercing winds blow autumn’s gold away
as skeins of migrating geese make a lovely sight.
The sun ignores the angry protests of the night
and trails those migrants therefore cutting short the day.

The flower I adore, her beauty in decay,
sports withered petals that pronounce her faded plight.
Although it’s sad, she recognizes nature’s right
and holds back her tears so as not to show dismay

As fall sails into winter, I plead to the sky,
“Let her lay by my side before we kiss goodbye.”

As we sit by the fire and hark back to the days
when we were on a lark and dancing in the rain,
I am contented, basking in her loving gaze,
‘cause when the snowflakes stop, it will be spring again.




Sonnet forms:

1. English
2. Italian
3. Spenserian
4. French

Pretty posy.

I shot this in the early morning. although it is a common flower, this pretty bouquet caught my attention.

Drain Flowers

I spotted this bunch of flowers growing wild along a drain and thought that they are quite pretty. They must be rather hardy to be able to grow between the cracks and crevices of the cement drain and the tarred road and would look lovely planted along the perimeter of a garden or along the kerb of a walkway. Being hardy, they would not need a lot of attention too. Are these viole

Pining

watching
as you soar with the clouds
pining

Sunrise at the lake.

Propagation

After the fall –
offsprings

Breakfast At The Lake

Rain Tree Café
lofty breakfast with a view
and a flowerish

Jacaranda

A Side Of DO Hill

The District Officer’s quarter’s sits atop this small hill situated at the fringe of the Taiping Lake Gardens, hence its name. The tall trees in the picture are the Tembusu. A parasitic wild fern can also be seen growing on one of the trees.

Hazy Taiping 2

Those hazy, lazy days of June when Taiping was engulfed by thick haze which transformed it into a misty and mysterious land which the sun dares not intrude into.

Hazy Taiping

Those hazy, lazy days of June when Taiping was engulfed by thick haze which transformed it into a misty and mysterious land which the sun dares not intrude into.

I came across these dainty little things during my daily walk in the early morning. They look like pretty flowers but I think they are mushrooms. What do you think?

Awaiting Succour

It's the hot and dry season now.

Beautiful Flower

I don't know what kind of flower this is; perhaps someone can tell me. The tree can grow quite tall.

Dappled Light

where
weary sunbeams rest
dappled light

Hornbills

I don't know whether you can see them but there are two hornbills on the palm tree - one in the centre and the other on a frond on the left.

Mushrooms

A bouquet of pretty mushrooms.

Ramling Rose

Rambling rose, rambling rose

Where you ramble, no one knows

Home-grown strawberry

Morning Exercise

Morning exercise at the Lake Garden

Bouquet

A sun-specked bouquet of bauhinia kockinia

.

After the Storm

hung to dry
after the storm
raindrops

Flame

A thirsty bouquet of the Flame of The forest.

Broken Bridge