The Pea Eggplant

May I present to you... The Pea Eggplant, but I call it the Queen of Green Curry

Not an easy plant to photograph especially when I love closeups... got poked in a thousand places all over my skin... them thorns are just vicious!!!  Just look at them... grinning at you...

 Simply breathtaking little white and yellow blooms... aren't they?

Today happens to be the 57th year Malaya got her independence from the British.  This year's theme is Malaysia Where Love Grows.... I think it is a beautiful theme for our country and for each and everyone of us.

Love...

Starts out small, unsure, unfolding in its power, pure
No knowledge of hate, fear
Unstained, tender as a flower bud growing alone among the thorns in life's garden

Love grows...

By whispers of hope
Laughter in the moonlight, hand in hand
Silent happy tears
Loving souls together

Love sown...

Tiny enough for love and strength
As they grow true but never alone
Becomes a peaceful loving path for two hearts to follow
Together, every step of the way

Love blossoms...

In the gentleness of the flowers, fragrance in the breeze
Soft dancing waves on the ocean
Everything you touch, feel, think... in your mind
Spirits are infused

Two lives together...

Revolves around each other
Dreams together, Hopes together
Never ever want to give up
Always and forever

Since love grows within you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul.  - Saint Augustine -

My favorite photo of all.  It is telling me... no life is a bed of comfy pillows. Along the way, there will always be a torn. What will you do then? Will you let the torn rule your life? NEVER! Not in my mine, anyways.

Thorns and stings

And those such things

Just make us stronger.. (and beautiful)

Our angel wings

- Terri Guillemets -

 My little productive patch in my backyard

 Life is thickly sown with thorns, and I know no other remedy than to pass quickly through them. The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater is their power to harm us  - Voltaire -  

A very meaningful entry for me at this time of my life...

It has been a challenging cantankerous past 2 months for me... new job description that came with a whole new pile of responsibilities.. my pursue for another degree is still on-going; am still determined to achieve that goal, by hook or by crook... just slower than I had planned.  So WOW... it has indeed been a thorny journey since July but I feel good today. I feel on top of the world... for now (I'll worry about the new obstacles as they come). It's a long weekend. I am home. Relaxed. Happy. Loved.

My life is part humor, part roses, part thorns  - Brett Michaels -

Barleria Repens

The Red Barleria is a pretty unusual bloom. I love the way the bud creeps out from between 2 leaves. Guess that's where its other name The Coral Creeper came about. 

Facing tough challenges... feeling a little blue as I am out of my comfort zone... still determined to pull through with flying colors...and I came across this saying:

"Be like a flower:  Be open, frank, equal, generous, and kind."

Be open to all that surrounds the flower; where there is sunshine, rain, wind, and air...  as I radiate joy and beauty.  I can exert a spontaneous influence...

Be frank, from within and in depths... in life and death... for all flows naturally and in due time.

Let there be equality where every single soul may enjoy the flower's beauty and fragrance.

Be generous, without restriction or reserve. Ever wonder how a flower mysteriously gives out its personal perfume of Nature? How it sacrifices entirely for our pleasure? And for those who truly believes in its magic, it reveals the beauty and secrets of life itself.

Kindness is shown with much tenderness, sweetness, and love. When you enjoy the beauty of a flower, happiness will fill your heart and soul. There will be gratefulness to Mother Nature...

Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change - Bob Kerrey -

Kind hearts are the gardens

Kind thoughts are the roots

Kind words are the blossoms

Kind deeds are the fruits

(19th century rhyme)

Looking at my pot of Red Barleria, I am reminded that this tough period of my life is just a passing phase.  I see buds hiding between 2 leaves,  coincides to my exact feelings. My goal is to have emotional positivity. I want to bloom beautiful and bright red.  Passionate, Strong, yet Compassionate.  I trust it will all be okay eventually.  I know it will be. 

You can, you should, and if you are brave enough to start, YOU WILL - Stephen King -

Balloon Flower

Platycodon Grandiflorus...phew! What a long scientific name for a simple pretty blue flower. No complicated-looking petals. No folds. No crazy outlines. Just a classy straightforward design.

I guess it's commonly known as the balloon flower because of its hollow buds. They inflate like balloons and burst open blue elegant beauties when the time is right.

The color blue is a color of mystery to me. A mixture of green and yellow...and walla....blue!

Did you know...

• the Greeks and Egyptians believed that blue wards off evil?
• "Prince Charming" is called "The Blue Prince" in Italy and Spain?
• the God Krishna in India has blue skin?
• Blue is the color for Friday in Thailand?
• it symbolizes conservatism in most of the corporate world?
• to the Cherokees, it means trouble?
• it's a color for baby girls in Belgium?

Mystery creates wonder and wonder is the basis of man's desire to understand. - Neil Armstrong -

As full of spirit in the month of May, and as gorgeous as the sun in Midsummer... - William Shakespeare -

In the gemstones world, the blue sapphire symbolizes harmony and loyalty.

Perfect allegiance to the cultural festivities celebrated in East Malaysia, more commonly known to the world as Borneo. Since the 1950s, traditional events and festivities held by the ethnic minorities are the most fascinating, vibrantly colorful, and educational. The grass-roots: loyalty to the respective native tribes and the harmonious reunion of each tribe in upholding their ancestral customs. It is all about remembering and realizing who you really are.

Each moment of the year has its own beauty - Ralph Waldo Emerson -

The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness. - Dalai Lama 

Everyone of us is a cut of a bigger puzzle. Knowing your ancestors and origin, the cultural history of your people, and the challenges they faced in order for YOU to be here today is important in your present living and journey to the future.

Knowing your lineage and culture helps you to configure a sense of pride. It is a guidance to know yourself better. It aids you to construct your identity; especially when this world has turned into a maze of mixed cultures and traditions. Have you heard of "he who controls the past, controls the future?"  Don't underestimate the power of history just because times have changed,and progressing rapidly. Your hereditary empowers you to look at your life from a worldview point; to appreciate the standards of your beliefs and ethics; gives you the confidence in steering yourself  in this unique and complex world better for a more desirable future.

If you don't know history, then you don't know anything. You are a leaf that doesn't know it is part of a tree. - Michael Crichton

Desert Rose (Adenium)

This desert rose

Each of her veils, a secret promise

This desert flower

No sweet perfume ever tortured me more than this

And as she turns

This way she moves in the logic of my dreams

This fire burns

I realize that nothing's as it seems

I dream of rain

I dream of gardens in the desert sand

I wake in vain

I dream of love as time runs through my hand

(Sting)

Happy Mommy's weekend to all Mommies of the world. Correction!
I should say... to every human being in the world. It's very simple. Everyone of us has a mother, even though not all of us have the privilege to have our mothers around in the world today. For those of us who still do, please go give them loving squeezes. For Mommies who are in Heaven, let's give them spiritual hugs and remember the loving moments.

Desert roses have thick strong solid trunks ... just like our Moms; with their values, wisdom, and love

A mother's love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible. (Marion Garretty, author)

Desert roses thrive on heat and lots of light... just like our Moms; strong in facing challenges with positive attitudes and teachings.

My Mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual, and physical education I received from her. (George Washington, U.S President)

Desert roses are enduring flowers... just like our Moms. How many times have you disappointed her? Plenty. And, how many times has she stopped loving you? NEVER!

A mother's heart is a patchwork of love. (Anonymous)

Desert roses are unique, beautiful, sacred, and can live for hundred of years... just like our Moms; I believe they will forever look out for us even when they are no longer with us on earth.

Is my mother my friend? I would have to say, first of all she is my mother, with a capital "M"; she is something sacred to me. I love her dearly.. yes she is also a good friend, someone I can talk openly to if I wanted to. (Sophia Loren, actress)

However tough you think a Desert Rose is, it does lose its leaves during cold spells... so guard your Rose with the warmth of your love and attention at all times, not this just weekend.

It's because... being a Mother, her heart is no longer hers; it wanders wherever her children are or go. (Nikhil Saluja)

Being a mother is indeed a lifelong under-paid 'job' and honestly, 'payment' is super cheap, if you think about it. Payment is just PURE LOVE. Will you start paying up?

I dream of rain

I lift my gaze to empty skies above

I close my eyes

This rare perfume is the sweet intoxication of her love

Sweet desert rose

(Sting)

This is my "desert rose" of my mom. Every jewel represents the support, the love, the teaching, the protection, the prayer... for my growing soul.

Thanks MOM, you are my jewel and my rock of foundation.