Strong Durians!

Dear friends,

Kirsty is our hostess at Our Beautiful World this week and her word prompt for us is;

'STRONG'

I cannot help myself but to write about Durian, or infamously known here as the King of Fruits!. What is it gotta do with this week's theme?. 

Well, this thorny tropical fruit is the whiffiest of them all!. You either love it or hate it :). The aroma is so strong that quite often you see 'No Durian' signs in hotels, airports and on public transports!. [I wish I could add a whiff-me button in the post somewhere, so you could sample some :)]. 

The fruits can be found anywhere in South East Asia countries, either grew commercially in orchards or in someone's backyard. Or better still, buy them at local farmers market by the kilos!. It's a common sight to see people enjoy these fruits right there on the streets and not carrying them home in their cars. Smart.

Nevertheless, it brings comfort to a lot of people. Such as my family, minus me :). My uncle used to have a durian orchard in the hill up north. When we were kids, my mom would packed us up and spent the week at my uncle's and you've guessed it ... feast on durians!. Then I got really sick after all the heat from eating them and that possibly made me hated it, ever since. 

One doesn't pick a ripe durian from the trees. We have to wait for them to fully ripen on the trees and fall on the ground when it's time. Nifty?. FUN!!. My cousins and I would listened to the loud boom of the fallen fruit and make a dash to pick it up. Back then, I thought of wearing a helmet when looking for durian in the bush, much to my cousins' amuse. Well, you never know. 

Nowadays, one can enjoy the spiky fruit in little doses too. Like in ice-creams, jellies, cakes, fritters, pancakes, custards, chips, puddings, spicy sambals, you name it. Such as this crepe recipe. For the faint-hearted, this is your chance at trying :).

That's all friends, durian in a nutshell. Thank you Kirsty, for bringing up such sweet childhood memories. 

If you too have a story about 'Strong', why don't share them with us at Our Beautiful World this week?. Until next, have a great one!. HUGS.

Birthday

Hello friends,

It's cool that my friend, Milagros has chosen the theme 'Birthday' at Our Beautiful World this week. 

I celebrated my birthday just last week :). A quiet week for me, a nerve wrecking one when my camera broke down, and then I got sick. There is a flu going on in my area and I'm still not well enough. I hope you're not alarmed by how short my post would be today :).

A cool quote from a wrapping paper.

What birthday means to you?. I always associate birthday with renewal. Birthday is the first day of another journey of 365 days around the sun. An opportunity for growth.

Or, to goof around :). I went out to have some coffee on my birthday. I said my name was Hermione, much to the delight of the sweet barista. She must be a fan.

A cup of joy.

You are welcome to share some giggles with us too, even when you're not celebrating your birthday this week. Link up your photos at Our Beautiful World and I'll visit you soon!. 

Hugs.

{Notes: All photos are taken with Samsung Galaxy SAdvance phone,

edited in Pixlr and PhotoScape, applied Region Out-of-focus}

Everyday 'Wonder'

Hello sweet friends,

This week, it's my turn hosting at Our Beautiful World. And I have chosen one of my favorite word as a prompt for us to play;

'Wonder'

I believe we all wonder at something, every single day :). I wonder at the beauty that I see around me. [And yes, I do wonder at things that I can't see too]. Celestial bodies like the sun setting or the moon rising are simply a 'Wonder' to me. 

The sunset we saw when out driving to Putrajaya.

Eclipses, comets, shooting stars intrigue me to no end. Do you know that NASA recently mapped that our solar system has a tail like a comet?!?. As if, all planets are moving in a spiraling motion across our galaxy. Interesting stuff :).

The full moon on July 22nd, looking east from my window.

No matter where we are in the world, we are looking at the same moon. Humbling to think how small we are in the grand scheme of things. A speck of dust in the infinity of space. Have you ever felt that way?.

Clouds are another wonder to me. I love watching them changing forms, like cotton in the wind. I saw a dragon cloud one year!. 

'Angel' clouds appeared in my backyard, recently.

Moments like this, always make me smile.

In Jun, I visited the annually flower exhibition at Putrajaya and saw pitcher plants. Another wonder, even when I know how they trap little insects. A few years back, I brought home a delicate, foot-long pitcher plant from a field trip in Sabah (Borneo Island). Cool specimen!.

A pitcher plant seen at the Putrajaya Floria exhibition.

During my walk at the park, I saw patches of moss on the wooden bench I was sitting on. I got a few macro shots of it. I'm a big fan of the little folks, you see. Always think about them when I see moss or little mushrooms in the woods. 

What a little wonderland in there?.

Do you wonder at simple things in life too?. I love to hear about them. Do share with us at Our Beautiful World this week :).

Wishing you a great weekend. And if you're watching the early morning sky tonight for the Perseid meteor showers, have fun!!. Hugs.

hello August

Sweet friends,
Hello, August!. Wow, time flies. In a week, we will be celebrating Aidilfitri, after a month-long fasting in Ramadan. So excited. Later this month, the whole nation will celebrate our Independence Day or Merdeka Day.

This week's prompt at Our Beautiful World is;

'August'

August has a special place in the hearts of every Malaysians. We earned our independence from the British on 31st August, 1957.

The Malaysian flag, or Jalur Gemilang as we fondly call.

The flags from other states in Malaysia, as seen at Merdeka Square.

56 years ago at the Merdeka Stadium, our very first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj announced Malaysia's independence (known as Federation of Malaya, back then). 

The National Monument.

Merdeka Day is a day to be thankful for the peace, unity and prosperity we have enjoyed since then. 

A day of remembrance for all heroes who fought for our freedom and still keeping us safe today :). 

KL Tower and the Petronas Twin Towers seen from the nearby National Monument.

Though our nation is rather young compares to many European countries, I'm very much grateful for the joy that comes with being independent. 

Sitting on the grass at Merdeka Square, Kuala Lumpur.

Nowadays, Malaysians proudly gather at Merdeka Square where large parade is held every year and celebration abounds.

Clock tower of the Sultan Abdul Samad Building. 

I must share our National Anthem :). I fondly remembered how excited I was at school assembly every week during primary school days. I LOVE singing, but mostly the chance at spotting my cute crush, really. Naughty!. 

A close up of the Moorish architecture.

Thank you, Malaysia. I've enjoyed great childhood, good education, fair chance at making a living and no wars. I can't imagine living without a country!. This fact alone should make anyone feel humble, don't you think?.

I love to hear what 'August' means to you. No moments are ever so small :). Do share your stories with us by linking up a photo at Our Beautiful World this week. See you soon. Hugs!.