Gorgeous Pink...

For years we waited for it to bloom. Yes more then two years we waited with patience. My spouse nurtured it tenderly all throughout the years and some time we would just talk about it. Like when are these orchids going to bloom. Like all those lover of flowers especially orchids knows too well that it take lots of loves and tender care to get this wonderful species that share this planet with us, to show its true color. And eventually it did give us back that love we had all those years showered it and Voila!! When the time come its just bloom, giving us that joy that only flowers could give. Well friends just before the Eid Fitri this orchid bloom and to ensure its immortality I took the about image and am now sharing it with all to enjoy as well.. Have a nice day.

Of harmony and the open house...

Image above show a scene at the Raya Open House at our home on the first day of the Hari Raya [Eid Fitri]. Malaysian of all faiths were there enjoying the Eid festival. It is normal in this country for people of different faiths celebrating each other festivals, like Diwali, the Chinese New Year, Christmas, Gawai Dayak and the like. There are even a National Open house for each festival hosted by the Government with the Yang dipertuan Agong and his consort [King and Queen] in attendance. That's my friends is the Malaysian way of life. Have a nice day.

Its Hari Raya today...

Selamat Hari Raya or Eid Fitri to everyone. Enjoy and have a nice day.

The Pak Lah and Dr.M meeting...

They met as schedule on Sunday afternoon and this is what Dr.Mahathir, the former Prime Minister had to say after the meeting as reported in
the Star online. Have a nice day.

Its Diwali today...

Happy Diwali friends. I believe everyone are having a great time on this Hindu Festival of the Light. Above image shows our grandchildren trying their hands in making the Kolam with the help of their auntie. Indeed a work of arts. They are just having fun after the breaking of the fast this evening. Have a nice day.

Windows Internet Explorer 7

Friends, I have just download the Beta version of Windows Internet Explorer 7. It is fantastic and works well. I am now trying to get use to this new tools by Microsoft. Try it at this site. It is fun too. Have a nice day.

The happiness that comes...

As time passes in this golden age, many things happen when you least expected. Like the other day one of our granddaughter after completing her PMR examination [Lower secondary examination] call and say that she wanted to follow me to the Trawih prayer. Grandma could not go, so I told her that I am glad to take her. So just after eight in the evening I drove to her home which is not that far from ours and pick her and off we went to the local mosque for the Isya and Trawih prayer..To me bringing along this young lady to the mosque for the Trawih Prayer is real special, in that thinking of it alone bring tears of joy to me as the old man of the family. Her younger brother Anwar who is just nine years old had been accompanying me from time to time to attend the congregation prayer on Friday. He love to follow me. and even if He come home late from school on Friday, He would rush to change his clothing and then follow me to the mosque. His mother says that He always look forward to that Friday prayer at the mosque come Friday. Personally I had never force my children and now my grandchildren to follow the teaching of the religion. This is because of my strong belief of Surah 2.256 of the Koran. In short its says ' Let there be no compulsion in religion ' There is no use forcing as it would just be superficial and not accepted in whole by one's heart. I believe that education is the best tool for the young to learn about the real meaning of life which includes their belief. To me it is important for us to be reminded of the true teaching lest we forget. We should at least look at this Surah and take a pause and ask ourselves why it is important not to force one's norm and value on others.. Give as much love to everyone and Loves would grow well and in return would benefit everyone, thus would create peace and harmony among mankind.

Another very enjoyable events that happen in this month of Ramadan is that at weekend starting from Friday, the grandchildren and their parent would come over for the breaking of fast session and at time stayed over night. To me and grandma this is an event in our lives that is so wonderful and beautiful in that it is not that easy to explain the beauty of it. It is so beautiful and heart feeling ..Seeing the scene of those little tots breaking fast and the elders of them helping grandma in the preparing of the spreads and then help in the cleaning up of the mess. Personally I love to have them around, playful as usual, their cry and joy that only children of this age could create. At time it bring me back memories of my past, in the villages where we live and go through the same ritual when Ramadan came. But then it was different, we were then the children unlike now we are the grand's...Friends it is so wonderful to be surrounded by those loved one especially now in our golden age. For those young do have children so that later on in life you may enjoy what we are getting now...A wonderful moment in time, so beautiful and memorable, full of love and affection..Happiness that only comes in such a moment in times. Indeed such a treasured moment. A wonderful moment in time. That my friends is the happiness that comes as we continue to enjoy life in this blue planet of ours..

Flowers....

Flowers they say is the keeper of our joy.. It would always bring joy whenever we see flowers. The images above are flowers and green that grows in our garden. Images taken with my new digital camera. Enjoy.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri...

This is the last week of fasting and next Tuesday October 24, 2006 Moslem in Malaysia and all over the world would be celebrating the Hari Raya or Ei_ul-Fitr. So here I am wishing all a Great Selamat Hari Raya or Happy Aidil Fitri. May we all continue to have a great life and Malaysia continue to be as prosperous as ever, with the Multi cultural Malaysian society continue to live in peace and harmony. Have a nice day. [Maaf Zahir Batin]

Happy Diwali....

Diwali the Hindu festival of light is approaching. In Malaysia as in other parts of the world this year festival fall on October 21, 2006, just three days before the Moslem festival of Aidil Fitri. Like all the other Religious Festivals, in Malaysia Diwali is a national holiday. To All Malaysian I wish them all a Happy Diwali and hope that we all would continue to prosper together. Let us all have only LOVE in our heart. May everyone be blessed in this Festival of the Light. Have a nice day.

Seha...

The demise of a great Malaysian performer and artist, Seha, the lead singer of the Malaysian band Freedom. She pass away today and was buried at the Moslem Burial Ground at Ampang. May God bless her soul. Amen.

In the New Straits Time

Another toy....

Well, we never really grow up, do we!!. So I just got myself a new toy. A new digital camera. I went scouting for several days, window shop at a few malls as well as surf the Net, trying to make up my mind as to which one to buy. Actually it is not that easy to select one within one's own budget. What with so many models and ranges available in the market now.

Yesterday I went to the KLCC and drop at a one of the Camera store on the top floor of the KLCC. Ask to have a look of a camera, an Olympus that I had somewhat seen of the Net. The salesman was good at his job and explain whatever I need and eventually got me hooked on this toy. I bargain for a good price and additional free Add on. And in the end bought it for a price much cheaper then as advertised.

Friends I got myself this Olympus SP-350, a gift for my birthday this year. So with this new toy I have plenty of times to be toying around and learn to get the best images from this latest technology in Imaging...Have a nice day..

Traditional Kueh [cake]...

I love traditional cake. In the Malay world it is Kueh. Kueh is a sort of cake. I am not sure whether it is a right translation for the Malay word Kueh to mean cake, like the western cakes. Traditional Malay cakes are mostly made by boiling in water or by frying in vegetable oil. Only a few like the Buah Hulu are made using the traditional oven. The traditional Malay oven is actually a copper pan with two parts, where at the bottom fire is lighted and above on the cover hot glowing amber are placed to create the heat needed to cook as in an oven.

Above are two of my favorites Kueh, the green one is the Buah Melaka [loosely translated it is Malacca Fruit]. This cake is made from glutinous rice flour. The glutinous flour is made into a soft dough. Pandan leave is use to create the green color. Small round dough with a piece of coconut sugar in it are made and then boil in hot boiling water. Once it is cooked, it would float. It is taken out and then dunk into freshly scrap coconut. The other in slightly red in color is the Kueh Sago or Sago cake. It is made from small bead sago which is colored as you like and then slow cooked and after that it is cut into small pieces and then dunk into freshly scrap coconut, just like the Buah Melaka. And Voila!! It is ready to eat. It is sweet and make great desserts. We had these homemade traditional Kueh for the Buka Puasa this week.

Buka Puasa..Breaking of the Fast...

Well, Fasting during the month of Ramadan, to Moslem is real special in that unlike the other four of the Pillar of Islam, Fasting is between you and the Lord only. No one except You and the Lord know about what actually happen. You can pretend to fast for you simple can cheat your good self and like the teaching says God knows all. You could pretend to others that you are fasting but although other could not see whether you eat and drink during the days, You know what is happening. Fasting is not confined to just not Eating and Drinking during the day only, it include other values, like you have to be a good person always and never ever to think of evil. If for some reason you do not practice all the good value and norms, then your Fasting from not eating and drinking would just go to waste. In actual fact you had to fast Body and soul.. Fasting during this month is made easy if you set your mind to do just that. Fasting Body and Soul all the way until the time you break the fast.

The time of breaking the Fast is the most interesting, happy and look up time of the day. It is the time that you gather with the family to sample you first food and drink of the day. The waiting, especially to the child is as exciting and a moment in time you just love to be, to enjoy the meals after a whole day of fasting.

Yesterday the whole family was in our home, three generations Us, the Grandma and Grandpa, our daughters, our in law's and our great grandchildren were there to enjoy the breaking of the fast. To me it is one of the most beautiful moment of my life to have all the loves one around you when the time comes to break fast. Surrounded by the grandchildren was indeed a moment in time that only people who have grandchildren knows. Having everyone in the family together at the breaking of the fast is to me indeed a great moment. Such a beautiful moment. Happiness beyond description. A moment in time that I shall cherished all my life... Friends that is life...Selamat Berpuasa [Happy Fasting].... Have a nice Day...[The image above is Roast Chicken right from our oven,one of the many spreads that is served at the Buka Puasa]