Magpie

This Oriental magpie appears daily behind my house especially when I open my window and back door. I was puzzled and then one day discovered why it liked to perch at my plants - it is preying for food.

When I open my door, sometimes a hiding lizard will have to come out of hiding and I will chase it out. Thats when the magpie catch it and eat it.
Holding onto lizzie. Another magpie was nearby watching and this magpie shrieked noisily to chase the other away.

With the other magpie gone, yummy lizard breakfast begins.
(Magpies - their bird calls (or is it singing) is pleasant to listen to).

Peaceful dove

Peaceful dove looking for food behind my house. They walk most of the time instead of flying. They are pets belonging to one of the house a few doors away. This is a welcomed bird, so tame.

My backlane and my plants. The green door (right) is my humble abode.

And this is the unwelcomed no. 1 nuisance at my back door. Scurrying around in drains and my flower pots.

Digging at the earth in my pot, sniffing for food. I bury potato peelings or discarded vegetables here to make the soil more fertile.

Dirty rodent, dirty rat, a sumptious pink feast awaits you and your lot!
(Pink feast refers to rat poison which is bright pink in colour.  It contains warfarin which when eaten by rats makes them bleed to death!!! So if you see a rat bleeding from the anus, thats the rat which ate the poison.  Yucky)

Insects

This big bee went buzzing erratically in my front yard and kept landing on this gunny sack bag. Must have mistook it for its beehive.

Found a small beautiful cocoon hanging on my fence. Curious on what might be inside, a worm? Put it in a glass jar and next morning a moth or butterfly emerged but was dead because it was entrapped. So butterflies are meant to fly free. (The small empty cocoon skin is in between they moth and jar.)

Another insect that always hang around my plants. Its wings have transparent spots. They are tiny about 1 cm long head to tail.

I like this blue and black butterfly. It loves the nectar of the water jasmine flowers. The scent always attracts insects as well as bees.

Another butterfly resting on a leaf. It seems to be enjoying the afternoon sun shining on its back because it was here for quite a while.

Moon landing

20 July 1969 : Apollo 11 landed on the moon. The whole world watched in awe at this historic moment. I can still remember, everyone was talking about "Apollo" spaceship. This event diverted away some of the sadness, grief and anger, the demise of my beloved grandma, due to the May 13, 1969 tragedy. The chinese myth also shattered - there is no fairy living on the moon.

The American flag and look at the footprints on the moon dust. Is that lunar wind blowing or is it the lesser gravity effect on the flag?

The commemorative stainless steel plaque (attached to leg of lunar landing vehicle) which they left behind with signatures of President Nixon and the 3 astronauts.


Apollo 11 crew: Neil Armstrong (1st man on moon), Buzz Aldrin (2nd man on moon) and Michael Collins.

Two videos about space science that I found interesting.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1513658585/bctid1755362478 (Video)
Apollo 11 space mission, first man on moon, July 20, 1969.


http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1513658585/bctid1782584504 (Video)
Earth's alien sounds. The sounds are radiowaves (scientifically known as auroral kilometric radiation) created high above earth where solar particles interact with earth's magnetic field.

Zodiacal light

The mysterious beautiful Zodiacal light or false dawn. The bright star is Venus. (Photo by Dominic Cantin taken in Aug 2000, Canada).

Another photo of zodiacal light (by 808caver taken in Pi'Imoi, Maui.) These lights can be seen 2 or 3 hours before sunrise (east) or after sunset (west) in the tropics throughout the year. Its not the sun rising and certainly not UFOs. Its light reflecting off the dust particles in space. The next few weeks try viewing it if favourable conditions permit. It is impossible to view from my house but would be something interesting to look out for next time I am on a beach holiday.

Bonsai plants

My water jasmine plant which is the first bonsai plant that I grew from a small 3 to 4 inches root cutting about 13 years ago. Since the thief stole 7 pots of my mini size bonsai last year, I have decided not to to grow bonsais anymore, and prefer bougainvilleas and its bright flowers. More cheerful to see some colours in the porch.

Celosia flower

Celosia Plant which I bought and had to be thrown away after nearly 2 months due to a very bizarre occurence. I found a nest of bed bugs on one of the flower. The bugs fed on the flower which has dried up and that was how I noticed the bugs. I killed one of the bug and there was a pale red juice instead of blood. Blood would have been redder and thicker. Yuck! They must have thought the plant was an animal, they usually prey on animals or humans. The bugs definitely must have come from my non-chinese neighhour dirty house!

Holy basil

Holy Basil - the tiny flowers

Holy Basil - the plant. Leaves can be eaten raw

which is beneficial to health.

 This is the Rue plant which is a herb or in cantonese "Chow Cho" - a very pungent and bitter herb. Its leaves can be boiled to make a drink which, is cooling and rid the body of toxins. Be careful as some people might have an allergic reaction and develope a rash or blisters  after touching its leaves. I have problem growing this plant, it always dies after I cut the leaves.

Gardenia

My gardenia flower blooming.

The fragrance is lovely and strong.

Flowers

White gardenia blooming. Gives off a sweet fragrance.

"Mickey Mouse flower" or Bird's Eye Bush. (Ochno serrulata) The face of mickey mouse, idea came from this flower. The yellow flower fades and drops off and you see the red seed and petals.



Mickey mouse inspired by this flower?

My favourite duo colour leaves bougainvillea. Butterfies love it too.

My Flowers

Ruellia brittoniana also known as desert petunia or mexican bluebells.














Pink colour.
















Plumbago auriculata. Nice blue flowers in clusters















Wrightia religiosa or water jasmine, single petals. Fragrant flowers.

Wrightia Religiosa or water jasmine, double petals commonly grown as bonsai.

(photo deleted by mistake - will take again)

Snowflakes

Snowflakes are so beautiful when photographed under studio lighting in the lab. Brings out all their features. No snowflake are alike. Each has its own shape and angles and its only water (H2O). I have never seen snowflakes and hope to see snow sometime in my lifetime. Photos from http://www.snowcrystals.com/.