29.9.11

Paradise


I thought I saw Paradise,
And wondered if I was dreaming.


I checked with a butterfly,
But it was busy drinking.


My lady has an advice,
The scene is ever-changing.


Appreciate while it's nice,
For leaves are disappearing.


"Hoppers' Snacking Enterprise",
Is seen to be opening.


It's the Critters' Paradise,
That I'm actually seeing.

--- O.N.E.

p.s. In case you didn't notice, there are 2 grasshoppers munching.

Linking up with :
This or That Thursday
Macro Friday

26.9.11

Caption - Inhale... Exhale!

Enjoy these Monday Photo Captions and leave your captions for the last two photos.
Selected ones will be posted next Monday with links to your websites.


Genie : Welcome to Mushkinland...I am your greeter. Come right in!

Anna : Mmmmmm, do I love Cocoa Cereal!

Kay L Davies : I have been told people eat mushrooms. So I grew and I grew, and now I am going to eat me some people.

Jennifer : Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street?


Kay L Davies : It's my job to get water this week so I'm ready.

b-a-g : Mushroom doing an impression of a lotus flower.

Jennifer : Nature's satellite dish.

Tina : My Marilyn Monroe moment!

===========

Both the images of mushrooms are put together as a mosaic for the last caption.
Laugh on...


Cathy & Steve : Ok, deep breath in... Now exhale!


==========


Below are 2 new photos awaiting your captions.



Send in your captions for the 3 hornets and the solitary wasp latest by this week.
All comments are welcomed too.

Here's wishing you a happy week ahead!

Linking up with :


24.9.11

Invasion of the Hornets

Did you arrive here to check out a scary post?


This is a Lesser Banded Hornet which has multiplied in quantity over time.


They are about 25mm in length.
This particular one is forming a ball.


I used to see them hovering among plants but now they are everywhere.


Someone must have told them I like critter shots...


...and they passed the message to one another.


It took me quite a while to have 3 of them in focus while a few were hovering around me because I was in their way.
They are on a very serious mission to collect wood to complete their nest.
So, please do not try this at home.


Like bees, they love the nectar.
Their diet consists of other insects and perhaps they are here to get rid of papaya fruit flies so that I get a chance to consume my papayas again.


On hot days, they quench their thirst at my lotus flower pot.
No wonder the water has been depleting quickly.
(Ok. I have heard of evaporation.)


There are many types of hornets.
The Lesser Banded Hornet or Vespa affinis has 2 orange bands covering the first and second segment of its abdomen while the rest of the abdomen is black.
It is true that they have grown in numbers, hence the title as such.
But it is not meant to be a scary post.

I am entering this last photo in Gardening Gone Wild's 'Picture This Photo Contest' with the theme Late Summer Garden.

Linking up with :

Macro Friday

22.9.11

My Journey in Photography

I used to find it cumbersome to carry a camera and never bothered to take any photos during my travels.
What prompted the change and the beginning of this Journey in Photography was the birth of the puppies about 2 years ago.
(Clifford was one of them.)
They were so cute and growing extremely fast that I decided to keep some memorable captures before it was too late.


While I was at it, naturally I snapped a few photos of flowers but was not happy with the outcome.
It was frustrating trying to focus on the pistil or stamen with a point and shoot camera.
It was close to impossible trying to shoot a spider web with auto focus.
Now I appreciate a camera with manual focus as it allows us the choice as to what we want to focus on.


I enjoy experimenting with the camera; shooting from different angles.
Sometimes, I need to contort my body to achieve a preferred outcome.
I find these body stretching exercises a whole lot more fun than doing yoga.


Although I am finally happier with my captures of flowers these days, I would still experiment with some extreme editing to see what can be accomplished from it.
I have learnt a lot from many of you through your comments and photos and I want you to know that I appreciate your sharing.

 

A few days ago, I met this man who used to be an award-winning photographer.
He came up with masterpiece after masterpiece.
He was delighted with each masterpiece but not for long.
He kept pushing himself to improve which he did repeatedly.
Finally, he accepted the fact that he will never ever be fully contented and gave up his career as a photographer for models and brides.
He renounced the world and live his life as a forest monk, walking 4000km barefooted over a period of 14 years, having only one meal a day.
I enjoyed his humorous but true stories.
He even captured some beautiful shots of the forest to share because words cannot describe the beauty he experienced.


Above is a 6 min slide show of beautiful yet unusual sights of the lifestyle of monks living in the forest of Thailand.
We would not possibly get to see these sights in any other way since the forests are making way for development and it is also highly unlikely for a photographer to follow the monks in their journey just to capture some photos.
I am certain you would enjoy these breathtaking scenes.


After listening to his sharing and understanding his message, I am still looking forward to my first masterpiece.
How many do you have already?

19.9.11

Caption - Feeling Flat

Enjoy these Monday Photo Captions and leave captions for the last 2 mushroom photos.
Selected captions will be posted next Monday with links to your websites.


GardenWalkGardenTalk : At least I puff back up, but it is a bummer getting stepped on.

Anna : Boy, I hate those All-You-Can-Eat buffets! I can't seem to control myself!!!

Christine at The Gardening Blog : Sometimes, I Sit and and Think. Sometimes, I just Sit.

Kay L Davies : I'm feeling a little flat today.


Kay L Davies : Okay, so I wrapped myself around and around; and now I can find my face but not my other end. Have you seen it?

Lisa : Can't help you right now. I'm tied up!

Christine at The Gardening Blog : I'm hanging in there!



Send in your captions for the mushrooms latest by this week.
All comments are welcomed too.

Here's wishing you a happy week ahead!

p.s. In reply to Andrea's question below, I did not add the eyes to the mushroom.
Mother Nature is beautiful and full of pleasant surprises.
All I did was looked around for images suitable for Monday Photo Caption and found this mushroom grinning at me with grains dropping out of its mouth!

Linking up with :

14.9.11

Illuminate


Word for Wednesday at GardenWalkGardenTalk is 'Illuminate'.


The lotus flower is a symbol of illumination for some.

The lotus plant has its roots in mud, yet it rises through murky water to blossom cleanly and brightly, without a tinge of mud.


This reminds us that although we live in a rather chaotic world with illusionswe may strive to rise up and move towards illumination, just like the lotus flower.


May you be filled with inner peace just by admiring this delicate and beautiful lotus flower.


Linking up with :

ABC Wednesday - I
GBBD at May Dreams Garden
Cottage Flora Thursdays at Fishtail Cottage
Word for Wednesday at GardenWalkGardenTalk - Illuminate

Come and join this illuminating game at GardenWalkGardenTalk and link up next Wednesday.

12.9.11

Caption - Humpty Dumpty

Enjoy these Monday Photo Captions and leave captions for the last 2 photos.
Selected captions will be posted next Monday with a link to your website.


Bom : I want to be Mr Magical Mistoffelees.

Bananaz : What?! No way I'm gonna do the triple backward somersault on this unbalanced beam.


One : Copycats

Lui : Synchronized Hunting


GardenWalkGardenTalk : You jump. No you. Are you a scaredy-cat? No, are you?

(note their extremely worried expression as they look down)

Bananaz : Pheeeeeeeeeee............thud! (sound effect)

"Humpty Dumpty!!! Are you ok?!!!" shouted the kittens together.
Silence
... and all the One's dogs and all the One's cats couldn't put Humpty together again...



Send in your captions for the frog and snake latest by this week.
All comments are welcomed too.

Linking up with :

8.9.11

Fair vs Unfair

There are many meanings to the word 'fair'.
Today I'm sharing some of the meanings of 'fair' pictorially.
There are 3 sets of meanings to this four-lettered word below.

Caution : Do not take the meanings too seriously.

Firstly,...


Fair


Unfair


Affair

=========

Secondly,...


Fair


Unfair


Unfairthered

=========

Thirdly,...


Fair


Unfair


Fairer


Fairwell

What is fair to you?

Lining up with :

Flaunt your Flowers

5.9.11

Caption - Food Cravings


Monday Photo Captions wouldn't be as much fun without your wild ideas.
I appreciate all of you who submitted your captions and especially those who came back when ideas struck after being stuck.


Luna Miranda : She said YES?

Malay Kadazan Girl : A good fluffy cover for hide and seek!

Bananaz : Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee... or is it a wasp. Gee! DOGgoned memory!

GardenWalkGardenTalk : And I thought I got a portrait all for myself without that big lug, Clifford. Dang fly!


b-a-g : I'm not going through a midlife crisis. It's just my wisdom teeth coming through.

Anna : My! These chew toys are getting bigger all the time.

One : Effective solution to avoid teeth grinding during sleep.

Autumn Belle : Almost all expectant mothers experience food cravings during pregnancy.

Kay L. Davies : A very hungry dog eating furniture.



My kindhearted teenage neighbour rescued these abandoned kittens over a week ago. Now that they have been fattened up a bit, they are available for adoption. Don't they look adorable?

Send in your captions for the kitten photos and stand a chance to win a kitten of your choice!
How about that?
All selected captions will be posted next Monday with a link to your respective blogs, with or without a kitten.

For those who didn't have enough of the kittens, here is a mosaic of them.


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