Wordless Wednesday - one and two

one

two

MAKNA - National Cancer Council Malaysia - Majlis Kanser Nasional

World Kite Festival 2013, Pasir Gudang.

Pasir Gudang Johor Malaysia
23rd February 2013.

Both of us went out to Bukit Layang-layang with Syed Shik just after lunch to see for the first time, the18th Pasir Gudang World Kite Festival which was held from 19th to 24th February 2013. This internationally acclaimed event has been hosted since 1995. Estimated 15,000 people turned up that day according to Mr  On Jabbar ,  the mayor of Pasir Gudang. It was an event which had enjoyed continuous coverage by Malaysian media.

We loved the colourful event very much.

_____________T h e       k i t e s_____________

foto 1: the big kite.

foto 2: the kites

foto 3: the kites

foto 4: the kites

foto 5: the kites

foto 6. the kites

_____________ Gudang World Kite Festival 2013 _____________

ceremony graced by DYMM Sultan of Johor

smiling youngsters

Traditional Gendang or Drums

DYMM Sultan of Johor, Dato Khaled , On Jabbar, Dato Ali and Dato Obet.

The police

The police

The police

The crowd

The contingents and a man can be seen running for something

The band

DYMM Sultan of Johor leaving. The policeman just closed the door.

DYMM Sultan of Johor leaving and waving to the crowd

__________Bangchik and Kakdah__________

Pasir Gudang

Stevia on bigger scale.

It's rather an on_and_off kind of adventure with propagating stevia, the god blessed natural sweetener.  So we decided to push for bigger scale, 300 seedlings.  They are now at various stages of growth. I am almost ready for real stevia production.

stevia seedlings a month old

Stevia seedlings a month old

Stevia seedlings about a month old

Stevia seedlings about a month old

Stevia seedlings a month old

Stevia seedlings a month old

Stevia seedlings, just a few days old

Stevia seedlings, just a few days old.

Stevia shoot just about right for propagation

Stevia shoot just about right for propagation

Stevia in polybags

_______bangchik and kakdah_______

pasir gudang

Bakawali dalam pasu.

Our Bakawali had gone to many places, Kuala Lumpur, Pantai Remis Perak and  Felda Nenering as giveaways. I had been here in Pasir Gudang Johor for slightly over a year,  and within that short period the original single Bakawali plant had swell to almost a hundred at various stages of growth. It's a delicate plant with most exotic fragrant flower.  They never stop to amaze me.

Bakawali in pots 1 year old

Bakawali in pots 1 year old, had just bloomed

Bakawali in pots 1 year old

soft delicate young leaves of bakawali

young bakawali 2 month old

young bakawali 2 month old

young bakawali 2 month old

Bakawali, 8 month old

Bakawali, 8 month old

Bakawali, 8 month old

One thing I have not tried is putting Bakawali in the ground, probably around the trunk of a large tree. That would provide different adventure. However growing bakawali in pots is still the best with all the flexibility.

______Bangchik and Kakdah______

pasir gudang JOHOR

Garden Design and Concept.

I thought I knew a few things about gardening, but given a task on someone else garden or plot, DESIGN slowly becoming scary. First it is not my specialty. Second some of the things asked  are beyond my gardening knowledge.

Mother used to say, you don't wait to be a millionaire to give and donate.  So lets see what's the request from a blogger friend through email.

Your passion towards a greener earth is most admired. I may not have a green thumb but I share your passion for a greener earth. I hope to seek your advice on this garden project that I'm planning for my soon to be opened kindergarten. I wanted to turn a 24 meter-run of wall with planter box into a beautiful wall garden and edible garden for the children to enjoy.   Attached is a photo of the wall and planter box. I may have the passion but lacks the knowledge and so I hope it is not too much trouble to bother you with the following questions :

 1- The width of the planter box is only 30 cm with a depth of 25-30 cm, what type of edible plants can be grown in such a small planter box. I hope tomatoes and green beans can be among them.  2-How do I grow creeper plants to cover the wall without having to share the small planter box with the edible garden? I worry that the soil, direct sun and space in the planter box may not be enough to be shared by the creeper plants and the edible plants.  

3-My goal is to have the wall covered with easy-to-maintain creeper plant that is thin layered and would not block the sun required by the edible garden that I plan to grow in the entire 24 meter planter box. Do you think that is possible? and if it is, what creeper plant will that be and how do I grow it?  

4- For the edible garden, can I use one type of soil for different type of plants such as herbs, leafy vegetable, tomatoes, cucumber, green beans, cabbage and etc? what soil will that be and can I get it from any nurseries? Where can I find varieties of plant seeds or seedlings? I do have a longer list of questions, but I will refrain myself till I get your reply :)  

Anxiously waiting for your reply.

planter box waiting for  "green touch"

Suggestion:

1. Most vegetables can be grown in 30cm wide planter box. For immediate impact spinach would be good for children to shout and yell because spinach is quick. Tomato and brinjals may add colour to planter box. But of all vegetables, cabbages would definitely steal the show.  I tried cabbage before, growing them them in pots. With cabbage, everyone will stop and ask questions.... haha.

2. Creeper: I know pokok duit-duit which crawl on coconut trees. On brick wall, I suppose creative addition of cocopeat may encourage such growth.

3. That creeper plant (pokok duit-duit) doesn't get itself rooted to the ground. It's born as aerial plant.

4.  If I were you, I would retain the original soil but add compost and organic fertiliser. Most gardening supplies can be purchased from nurseries, including seeds.

Gardening is an adventure of success and failure. So lets not worry too much, as long as we can be passionate about, things will get better and we feel happy about the gardening adventure.

_________bangchik and kakdah_________

pasir gudang johor

coconut and it's world.

Coconut is truly tropical, designed to migrate to faraway lands. It's within the belt of equator that the plant or tree thrive. Tropical beaches will not be complete without tall coconut trees which will sway sweetly in tune with rhythm of the wind. The coconut with thick lightweight husk will be able to float and will flow along the river or sea. Coconut will reach the land and grow.. That's how coconut conquer tropical islands and beaches. Only with the intervention of man, that coconuts are domesticated into plantations for commercial purposes...

The tree will get old, as anything else coconut trees has to go through different phases... and the look is fairly interesting...

Location: Sitiawan, Perak - Kakdah's hometown

Coconut stump: the tree was felled a few years back for safety reason.

Old leaves 

old stump hosting ferns

Old trunk and old mushroom

an old coconut tree and a lovely pet

bangchik and kakdah

pasir gudang