Handkerchiefs in the air!

I came upon this tree about 15 years ago at En Esa's nursery in Sungai Buloh.  He knows the botanical names like the back of his hand. If he has to refer, he would bring out his much -loved thick tome on plants to double check some info. Sadly, he passed away more than a year ago or even longer. En Esa introduced the maniltoa or commonly known as handkerchief tree to me. A maniltoa  tree now stands in my garden. and years later, I gave a plant to my sis-in-law and it is thriving.

 Really, it is not an outstanding tree 'coz it is just leafy green. But catch it when the little 'spears' appear- light pink. They then grow longer and more prominently pinker. Look out for the unfolding and the 'handkerchiefs in the air!
 You have seen how a magician holds a kerchief with the thumb and forefinger gently grasping the cloth which falls like an inverted V before mesmerizing you with what's under it or whatever! If I 've described it nicely, then you've got the picture!!

 Day by day, the pink turns to a light yellow /green and lightly wrinkled leaves hang in the air, opening up and getting longer and longer, cascading . What appears are the leaves enclosed in the 'spear'. Day by day, Mother Nature does its wondrous work . Finally, what you'll see are green leaves. What a transformation!

When  you come across a maniltoa, it will strike you in the emergent stage. That I would say is its crowning glory.

Look skyward and you'll not fail to see a different shade 

See the 'spear' opening up - hiding  the tender leaves

No more tightly enclosed -  waiting to be set free!

Light green in contrast to the 'old' green leaves

Leaves turning to a light green

 In its glory!

Unravelling and getting longer -  the handkerchief look

The cluster of leaves (just about the middle of the picture)  is already spreading out to be like the rest

Sturdy trunk

Say it for our TIGER!

I wrote to a few friends to ask for contributions for Tiger Blogfest 2010 in conjunction with Earth Day. The plight of our Malayan Tiger is obvious. Would they pen a few lines and let us know their thoughts?

Thank you contributors! Your views/ideas are important to us.

Sugurajah Ramalingam, retired civil servant

Melbourne, Australia

The idea is laudable but it is the implementation of it that faces enormous hurdles especially in a country like Malaysia with so many competing demands politically, economically, and socially.

However, one can still try despite all the ever present constraints to evolve a strategy towards the objective. I feel that before anything is done, one needs to carry out some sort of a survey to at least guesstimate the number of tigers by tracking them by implanting micro chips in them. That will enable one to obtain their geographical habitats or the extent of it as well as indicate their numbers.

Besides one needs to know their approximate current numbers as that will serve as a benchmark against which one can monitor the outcomes of the strategies adopted to save the tigers. That should tell one whether the strategies in place are a success or failure and if the latter, whether one needs to look at alternative strategies.

Ho Ce Line, 11 years

Round and round

there they roam

until they are found

please do not destroy their home

On all fours

they walk around with their paws

save our Malayan tigers to be fair

please think of them with care

While the young tigers play

at the place they can stay

leave them alone

they have enough trouble of their own

Tiger skin bags

tiger skin boots filling up the shoe racks

is it the best we can do?

let the tigers continue to rule!

Linda Tan Lingard, publisher of OYEZ! Books, president of SCBWI Malaysia ( Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators)

Do check out Friends For a Tiger by Peter Worthington., author of The Tipee Hipee Animal Adventure Series. Please click on the link to view.

http://keatsthesunshinegirl.googlegroups.com/web/tim%20tiger%20ebook.pdf?gsc=0wmw8C4AAABmpWzABHOLezSiEVufgPCXOYHfCcXL9eVJP9niPcRNNP1gDKXkFGmuSdQiZPsgnNc

Tiger Blogfest 2010 - Kids get to know our Tiger

Cool tiger!

What I've found time and again, when storytime comes along, you gotta inject fun into the learning. Children are keen to learn and if we do some things right, we've got them with us - eyes, ears and mind open for as long as they're with you.

More so, this time when I've a 'mission' to accomplish. Earth Day is round the corner and together with over 100 bloggers, headed by the King Monyet, we're zooming in on ' Save Our Tiger' in our special Tiger Blogfest 2010. I had the privilege of 2 sessions with some kids in the MBPJ library and Times Bookshop , all within an hour each. Big task? Yes, but like they say, chunk it and for the young kids, keep it simple.

Truth be told, the kids fear the tiger for all the stories they hear. But then, there's a part of the story missing . Exactly why do tigers kill humans. What's the underlying reason/s for tigers to leave their habitat and create havoc? And what about Man's irresponsible acts of poaching tigers. For the young ones, this information is something new. Unheard of! I could sense some uneasiness to know that the tiger falls prey to man's bad acts.

To get to the core of the important message, I made up a simple song for all to sing.We sang about the Tiger Is A Cat to the tune of The Farmer In The Dell. Simple, catchy and easy to sing -along. Thumbs up for the Tiger - Save our Tiger ! screamed the kids. Here are the lyrics:

The tiger is a cat (x2)

Hi ho the derry o

The tiger is a cat

It lives in the jungle (x2)

Hi ho the derry o

The tiger is a cat

Hunted by Man (x2)

Hi ho the derry o

The tiger is a cat

Killed by Man (x2)

Hi ho the derry o

The tiger is a cat

Eat the tiger? NO! (x2)

Hi ho the derry o

The tiger is a cat

Save the tiger? YES! (x2)

Hi ho the derry o

The tiger is a cat

The tiger is a cat (x2)

Hi ho the derry o

The tiger is a cat

Then, it was time to settle down to a beautiful story Tigress by Nick Dowson, illustrated by Jane Chapman. Well, not before I encouraged the children to growl their best to kick off a tigerish start. Would you have guessed? A little 5 year old wanted to be a tiger alright and that got the bigger kids going. So, altogether, we growled!

I love the excellent text. It brings into focus in the 32 pages so much to know about the tiger without wordy prose. How is it possible? Well, the high standard of illustrations go hand in hand with the text so beautifully. I gathered from the children's attention that what misgivings they had of the tiger , it was slowly shedding away. On and off, at various points, I brought their attention to the similarities of the domestic cat with our wild cat - in nursing their young, their mother's ever tender loving care, and the way the mothers carry their litte ones in their mouths, nary hurting.

Tigress takes the children from the cub stage to adult independence. The young tigers at 18 months will have to find new homes for themselves. With excellent brevity, it comes to a lovely ending as the majestic grown tiger seeks its own life in the jungle. I certainly recommend this stunning , nature storybook to parents. Such a lively book to get to know about the tiger and familiarize its behaviour.

Have fun with a juice carton - a tiger lives there!

Tigress at play and work!

I brought along a craft - tiger, of course! Out of recyclable juice cartons, the kids made their own hand puppet tiger. Very soon, the tiger earned its stripes!! - all lovingly from torn strips of black colour paper and then glued. The 2 sides of the carton were used to to write messages FOR the tiger.

Parents too can play - kids learn tons through play

Some parents were around and I really appreciated their presence. For the fact that it is bonding time and they are fully aware of what a session like this can reap the benefits of informal learning through play. Talking about play. Initially the kids were shy to don the masks. Me, big tigress took the lead. Then, shyness was lost and we had roaming tigers!!

Will our tigers be able to roam free in the jungle? The answer lies with with each and everyone of us. Ignorance is not bliss if we are to save our tiger for now and posterity. Yes, the kids need to know and love our tigers .

As a storyteller and a parent, I say besides the general public awareness campaign, let's invest in our kids. Granted, some are too young to know the implications. But when the love of nature, also our heritage is planted, it will only grow through the years. Storytime 's over but the knowing and learning has begun!

My friend, the tiger

WWF Malaysia

49, SS23/15

Taman SEA

47400 Petaling Jaya

Tel: +603 7803 3772

Fax: +603 7803 5157

Paper lama man

You hear him before you see him! Over the loudspeaker, his cries of ' Paper lama, Paper lama. Old Newspaper! Old newspaper!' ring out loud to signal his presence in the neighbourhood. He's our itinerant collector of recycled paper ( others may ask for all types of paper). Some come on tricycles, while those who can afford a van/lorry, come calling on households in the different townships to eke out an eco - friendly living .

I've forgotten when these familiar figures first appeared on the scene. Initially, there was a kind of curiosity and very soon they became a welcome sight as they go about their small businesses . Demand for recycled paper has taken a leap and a viable business is born!

Mr Lim and others, like him is a recognised figure in residential neighbourhoods. The modus operandi is simple - make regular rounds to buy old newspaper from households and sell them to the recycling plant. Some 'paper lama' vendors also trade in used car batteries .

The rain had just ceased and it dampened his spirit a bit. With his trolley, he helped me get 2 loads of old newspaper from my store in the porch into his van. It was half stacked with papers already and Mr Lim was making his rounds in Damansara and Petaling Jaya.

Mr Lim was camera -shy and was not comfortable with full- front pictures. However, he was relaxed when we spoke about the business at hand.

A typical day for him starts at 9 am till 5pm, rain or shine. He drives around the residential areas at a slow speed. Sometimes he has to make an abrupt stop as he has bypassed a resident and he pulls back to the gateway of the house. There, he faithfully pushes his trolley to cart the load of papers to his van. Payment for the papers is mutual - the vendor assesses the quantity and pays the 'current' rate. I have never quibbled about the payment as it is a win-win situation! He sends all the paper collected to a recycling centre in Petaling Jaya where the newspaper is used to make newsprint and paperboard. Previously there was a main recycling centre in Kepong.

He laments that people used to buy 3 dailies but these days, it's only one. Moreover, with internet access and information at their fingertips, people do not find the need to source news from the papers. His business has also decreased as schools give their recycled newspapers to the main dealer. That cuts off his source of income.

Business is usually a brisk affair but that morning, with the chat , it lingered a bit. Mr Lim was eager to resume his rounds 'coz the day had barely started for him. Till the next collection round, here's to our convenient collection agent- our very own 'paper lama man'!

Plant Exchange

It is my experience that when gardeners meet, they touch each other's hearts. You only have to witness gardeners meeting for the first time. It's as if they 've known each other for a long time !

At our SFTGS (Selangor and Federal Territory Gardening Soc) bi-annual plant exchange at our dear patron, Tan Sri Chong Hon Nyan's house (just off Jalan Duta, KL) the members were only too glad to be his guests. With his wife, Puan Sri , both are superb hosts. As usual, the couple treated us to a wonderful buffet lunch which made it all the more special.

Our plant exchange works in a simple way. Grow your plants or bring your cuttings and exchange them with someone else's plants. If one has nothing to offer, he/she can buy the plants and the money goes to the SFTGS kitty. The whole idea is to be informal and support the GREEN message.

A circular is sent ahead of time for members/guests to bring some plants to share . That morning, happy faces hugged plants and plonked them with the rest. Needless to say, they got instant attention and were greeted eagerly with 'Hey! What have you got?' Believe me, there's always something , a 'gem' that makes its appearance. You should hear the whoops of delight when that one is there!

My pots of herbs

Red is always auspicious. The canopy overhead gave us a rosy glow!

I came prepared with 7 pots of herbs . And I went home with a pot of caladiums, a cutting of pink hoya, a passionfruit plant, a sample of wild orchid, some miniature cannas and a bunch of orchids.

The plant exchange was like a mini plant fair. Call it 'lelong', if you like 'coz a little bargaining didn't hurt at all! Just think how a simple get -together such as this can engender such liveliness between plants and humans for those brief hours.

The generosity of gardeners is legendary too. Talking to gardeners, most are willing to share on plants, cuttings, seeds, flowers and even produce. Our ex- president, Eric Simon, himself an author and true blue horticulturist, donated orchids, bananas and caladiums from his farm. All sales were donated to the SFTGS.

Plump produce from Eric Simon's farm

Unknown to many, the SFTGS is a great society to join and enjoy the countless green activities. Monthly talks by specialists in the different fields of horticulture are conducted. The SFTGS does a fine job of reaching out to gardening clubs in schools whenever the opportunity arises. I laugh my head off when I hear remarks that refer to gardening as a 'retiree's hobby'!! Personally I would like warped notions such as this erased forever .

Greening the earth concerns every child and adult. If love for gardening can be nurtured, Mother Earth can smile and breathe easy. Children that respect plants will naturally respect nature. As members, we are always delighted to see young faces.

Try to introduce the fun element when gardening with kids. Children love to see flowers bloom. Try some hardier versions of flowers like marigolds. They are quick to grow and hard to kill! Do not have many rules. After all, a little play with earth is alright as long as the hands are properly washed after it is all over.

I would like to suggest to our radio stations to have a radio programme on plants. The incredible wealth of horticulture we possess can be tapped into. Anyone can garden, even be a balcony gardener. For starters, how about gardening tips 'coz everybody loves tips, more so when they come free!

It was a fun and gregarious event. From the plant exchange, I got more than I gave. Certainly there's enough to stir the ground as soon as I got home. My garden awaits...

http://www.sftgs.org.my/