The Ningjar shines

Once upon a time, there was a commune called Ningjar. Thus called because they specialised in exquisite jars made of special material called Ning, found only in that area.

The commune was known far and wide because of its unique product. People flocked from far and wide to the Ningjar Shopping Mall to get the Ningjar products, ranging from jars to vases, to mobilephone accessories to necklaces and cufflinks. Even dowries were known to have included Ning jewellery as centrepieces.

In the commune of Ningjar, lived two aunties who worked side by side, hand in hand, weaving artistic and beautiful tapestry out of Ning threads. Auntie Wand had a Harry Potter-like wand - with one swish, and the tapestry needles wove the Ning threads magically into various unique designs. Aunty - just called Aunty (she be the Aunty of all aunties) - made gorgeous tapestry evening bags, fit for royalty and nobility.

In the neighbourhood lived many children. One agile little boy called Jet used to hang around the home of the two aunties, playing with the tapestry needles, trying to get them to tap dance, taking pictures of the tapestry with his little cameraphone. Jet grew up over the years, showing great potential as a Ningjar Jedi, despite his lanky frame and cheerful grin.

Often as Auntie Wand delivered tapestry to the buyers, Jet would trot along, helping to carry them. Through these trips, Jet caught the eye of the Master Ningjar Jedi. As Jet grew up, the Master brought him into his fold, teaching him skills and often, huddling together to share experience and impart values.

Jet became a Ningjar Jedi, going up the ranks to Senior Ningjar Jedi. One day, Jet burst through the door, and excitedly announced to the two aunties that he had been promoted to the ranks of SAC Ningjar Jedi! Everyone roared with joy, and danced around the house. Even the tapestry needles did their own dance routine, and wove a special edition for that special moment!

That evening, Jet took the two aunties out to dinner in the famous restaurant in town. The two aunties tasted every dish, relished every morsel, with sweetness and pride in the heart.



Go, Jet, go! Cheered the tapestry needles, clicking furiously away, as they did the Ningjar Wave ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

杏仁香

Almond, almond, almond drink.

I love almond

- the aroma of almond;

- the off-white powder form,

so like a serene land covered with snow.

Almond in jelly,

almond in bean curd,

oh so yummy, oh so aromatic!

Finally I have a tin of almond powder, a whole tin!

Bought from faraway, or nearby,

the perspective depending on how well-travelled the commentator is.

Almond, almond,

yum, yum, yum!

clear skies after the rain

The Sunday morning began with the sounds of birds chirping, the sound of water flowing (as people started getting up and about), and the intruding commotion of the garbage truck as it dutifully picks up our rubbish.

It's clear skies, thus far. Though the air is still humid, making it difficult to dry the laundry ... But a cool chill remains in the air, as the sunlight tries to break through the clouds.

It was a wet wet Saturday yesterday,

with baby torrential rains.

Making it all the more difficult to dry the laundry ...

But then, I've been grateful for rain, for it brings water, the important H2O, that is so crucial for life. Grateful for rain - and water - even after the Newater breakthrough.

Water also featured in Greek mythology - there was a Titan God of oceans and fresh water called Oceanus, and his wife was thought to distribute water to the earth!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

meet U at the bus-stop

Here's an old bus-stop, still standing. Now used to the ultra-modern ones, with metal bars and all, this does look like it came out of the old old past ...

Straits Times on Saving our Landmarks >> http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/sp/landmarks/

"Bus stop at Old Choa Chu Kang Road
This particular concrete design, created in the 1970s, served generations of military men from the army bases around sleepy Old Choa Chu Kang Road. It was where young man bid lingering goodbyes to doting sweethearts and caught their last glimpse of civilian life before they booked into camp. Slated to be replaced by 2011. "

(ST Life, Sat 6 Jun 08)

水 * Cohesion *

Water. Little droplets, and not-so-little droplets of water, clinging onto the plants. Remnants from yesterday, when the rain poured, onto the ground, onto the soil, and splashing onto the plants nearby.

Interesting how the water droplets cling on. Cohesion it is, we were taught in school. How the molecules cling together. But if there are too many, they break - loose.

~ Cohesion, coming together, staying united ~

leap, leap, leapfrog

He started as a fluff of white fur; then grew into a little hare, making baby jumps.
The little Hare jumped everyday, exercising his muscles, stretching his potential.


He grew and grew, into a handsome hare, winning many a competition and race,
with his jumping prowess.

Soon, he took on responsibilities, more and more, in his hare community, helping to do good for his community.

In his spare time, away from his slew of duties, he chilled out with his friends
- other hares, and tortises.
Often he raced with his friends in the Aff-One track.
Often, he was the winner.


As the Hare toiled at his responsibilities, paving the path for his community to prosper,
he started to fall behind in the competitive race in the Aff-One track.
First, behind one hare, then another, and another ...
Somehow the legs felt shorter; somehow they felt heavier and less agile.
Each time, the legs felt heavier and heavier; each time, the leaps got lower and lower.

One day, horror of horrors (though the Hare was happy for the Tortoise),
his good friend the Tortoise even leapt over him! Yes, leapt!
He who had reached the milestone before the Tortoise.
He who now was discarded and unwanted.

As the Hare trudged along the Aff-One track,
wondering whether to opt out of the rat race,
he saw the Sun setting ...

Its beautiful rays radiating from behind the grey clouds, offering a ray of hope.

Was there sunshine over the other end, wondered the Hare.

Or were there dark clouds as one neared the end, pondered the Hare woefully,

casting his melancholy eyes towards the Sky and the glimmer of the Sun.

>>What do you think?

A Sunny Day, a Bright Day

It's a fairly sunny day today, this first Tuesday of June. How distant it feels from April, just two months ago.

Creatures of habit are we, used to the trails and paths that we tread each day, imprinting them into the memory chips in the brain.

As we change the patterns in our lives, however short-term, we need to re-programme the picture, the paths, the routes in our minds.

Though creatures of habit, we can be fairly flexible. We'd better be, what with black swans swarming us, and the need to create long tails ......................................

It's a bright day today; how simple just to take in the sights of the blossoming flowers and the fallen flowers - oops, no, not "fallen" -

... and the flowers that floated down to cover the garden like a pink blanket.

Hmm. :)

Springtime! :) Or is it summer?

It's sum-mer in Sing-a-pore ...

Flowers burst into bloom

- yellow, pink, orange ... all kinds of colours -

atop shrubs and trees,

lining the streets and roads,

in gardens and grounds.

Along the street, the African trumphet violets flower,

high up on the majestic trees,

now and then, descending like a light pink bridal shower,

dotting the street, decorating the cars parked along the street,

paving the gardens like a light blanket.

All so midsummer-like,

evoking vague memories of pretty poetry and romantic prose

in a quaint British setting

(for those of us who grew up on a diet of books by Enid Blyton and British writers).

Till the rains come.

For the rain would soak through the delicate light pink flower petals,

turning them tissue-like, immediately dispelling their romantic appeal,

rendering them into rubbish that is difficult to sweep up and dispose of.

Romance of the light pink African trumphet violet (think that's the name)

- how fleeting it is.

The intricacies of Trees (or trunks)

The trunks of old trees are so interesting - the way they intertwine with others, and how they provide shade, and shelter to ferns, which flourish and grow on the tree trunks.

See these two found in the NUH grounds - two grand old dames.

a lock too few

Little Baa Bee went to the hairstylist,

to trim her head of hair.

Little Baa Bee was quite happy

with her head of hair.

Just a snip here and there

to trim it and make it even nicer.

But alas,

her hairstylist took a snip too big,

a snip too high,

and snipped off two previous locks of hair

at the sides,

turning a hitherto sweet look

into a hard power look!

And after she (little Baa Bee) had told her what she wanted!!

Sigh, oh sigh,

litte Baa Bee was furious!

But little Baa Bee is nice,

and told the hairstylist civilly of her displeasure.

The latter tried to make amends.

But the damage was done.

Sigh, oh sigh.

Just wash and wash,

and wish the hair would grow longer faster to cover the ears.

=_=