Spread Your Wings - reaching out - KL Bird Park

What has disability got to do with youth when they 'collide'?

Now and again, I am fortunate to be able to have youth for company in my work with the disabled. Have to say, nothing untoward. Maybe the initial apprehensions but they die away so fast when warmth and caring take over.

The students of Sek Sri KDU took the disabled residents of Selangor Cheshire Home under their wings, on a lovely sunny morning at the KL Bird Park.

At about 10 am, 2 busloads descended on the volunteers who were waiting for our pals for the outing - 30 students and 24 disabled residents from the Home in Selayang, KL.

These are no ordinary kids - they belong to the Reaching Out Club of Sek Sri KDU. I have seen them with my own eyes how they engage effortlessly with the disabled - given the opportunities to do so - on several occasions, in the school fair, open day . They are truly our beacon of hope. Way to go, boys and girls!

Everyone was in expectant moods. In the KL Bird Park, one of the world's largest covered open park, our feathered friends are free to wander among us except for some.

I made a brief welcome and in eagerness, with tickets in hand, we proceeded to the interior.

You should have heard the ooohhs and aahhhs! Especially when some birds took flight, fluttering above our heads. The different calls of the birds elicited excited laughs and responses. The flamingoes, parrots, hornbills and cocakatoos thrilled everyone to bits. When does a peacock not take advantage of audiences to stun us with their shimmery feathers, fanlike? Will the sleepy owl be coaxed to open his eyes to all the noise around him? We tried!

The students were a cheerful lot - going out of their way to make a memorable outing for the residents. Wonderful moments were captured on the polaroid camera. The students offered to pay. For the residents, it's memories to last a life time!

At some parts of the walkway, the students had difficulties manoevering the wheelchairs on the steeper slopes. Caution had to be exercised. Tho tiring, they did their level best.

Before long , the sun was beating down and it was time to leave the confines of the Bird Park. Under the spready, shady trees, the teachers who had accompanied the students had helped get ready lunch. Drinks were downed to quench the thirst. Well, singing was to the strum of the guitar. Now it was the turn for the birds to listen!





The day ended on an equally high note. Goodbyes were said and addresses taken. Us volunteers were more than ready to take a back seat to watch these youths at work. Caring, diligent, sensitive,and oh, with hearts open wide. Brothers and sisters, all.

Little goodie bags with souvenirs - all money raised from the Reaching Out Club projects - just for their newly- made friends whom they know have equal rights to a place in our community.

I wrote a nice note of thanks to the principal, Ms Chan to congratulate her students' community spiritedness. We can safely say there are proud parents too. Good work, boys and girls! Keep it UP!

Blog for FT - YOUR vote counts!

HI friends,

This is so cool! - to blog for FT, short form for Federal Territories.

This competition is organised by the Ministry of Federal Territories . Besides Putrajaya, and Labuan, Kuala Lumpur is one of them. The competition has already started and I want to be part of the action! Am more than excited 'coz this is about putting my feelers out even more than usual. At the same time, letting my fellow bloggers, friends here and overseas readers feel the pulse of Kuala Lumpur vibrate.

So, do stay with me. YOUR vote counts till January ! If you like what you read, please give me your vote! :) Kuala Lumpur has been my home for 18 years. Now's the time to shout louder! - KL rocks !!

Flower sellers - 'Pookaris'

Like the throngs of pre- Deepavali shoppers, I must have walked my feet off - in Brickfields, Masjid India, KL Sentral , not only to get ready - also to savour the sights and smells of Deepavali.

A stop over at the flower stalls is a must. In Brickfields, the flower stalls always face the frenzied flow of the traffic. So, you can see the stalls, awash with colours from far and know where to head to.


I wanted the usual - marigolds and chrysanthemums of all hues - purple, maroon, brilliant yellow, orange, pink. And most important of all, the fragrant jasmine ( jasminum odoratssimum)

'How much do you want?' the 'boss' shouted above the loud Carnatic music over the speakers.

` 20 hands,' I said, stretching my hand to show the distance between my elbow and the finger tips. 'How much?', meaning the price.

` RM1.20,' was the reply. I gave him an uncertain look and true to his business form, he replied, '` Today, RM1.20. Tomorrow you come, RM1.50', casting a reassuring look in my direction.

I smiled. 'Buds, please.' The altar has to be decorated and I'll be blessed manifold! The 'boss' shouted an order to an old woman, in her 60s, seated at a table full of jasmine flowers - little delicate, fragrant white buds. Strands of ready -soaked jute were ready to tie up the flowers.

Amidst all the noise of the vendors, muscic, banterings, traffic honks, she caught my attention. She was serene and unperturbed. I fell in love with her there and then!

So, out came the camera and she didn't even know! Like all generations before her, she is an expert in weaving the jasmine flowers into strands. From young, the fingers have been 'trained' to make and slip the knots that hold the jasmine flowers, 2 or 4 at each point with a little space between the next flowers and so forth. This flower seller, 'pookari', in Tamil, worked relentlessly but seemingly effortlessly.

Meanwhile, I picked the choicest of chrysanthenums standing in colourful buckets of water.In no time, my order of 20 'hands' were done! All measured with her own hand. Then she took a small wad of newspaper and began to roll the strand of flowers into a nice,neat ball. Last of all, she wrapped it in a newspaper. I paid the money and wished her 'Happy Diwali'.

Humble as her task may seem, and that of her fellow flower sellers, male or female, their efforts are put to paid when little girls pretty their plaits with jasmines, ladies dangle a short strand on her nicely coiffured hair. What more, the Gods are adorned with the fragrant strands in the homes and temples. Blessings!

When the festival is over and you want some flowers, look for the 'pookaris' outside shops on the five foot way. You will find him/her seated at a small table with his/her bare essentials to serve every customer. Likely too, a small stall resides outside a temple for the worshippers.

My tribute to the ' pookaris' - YOU make us beautiful! May the Gods smile on you too!!

KOLAM - Happy Deepavali!

This Deepavali, as usual, colours mark this joyous Hindu festival. What I saw in the shopping malls were lots of splashes of colour - especially on the FLOOR !It's the KOLAM I'm referring to.

It's a riot of colours bursting with artistry to signal the celebration of Deepavali, known as the Festival of Lights. Having visited Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad before, I'm familiar with the rich colours of India. Right here in Malaysia, our Indian communities too celebrate Deepavali with much fervour.

Back to the KOLAM. The shopping malls have done an outstanding job of bringing colour,and with it the Indian culture to the fore. They seem to get better and better each year.

Do check out the LimKokWing website for their latest initiative with Pavilion for this festive season. What pomp and ceremony! I read in the media that one of the colleges made a fruity kolam . Absolutely unique!

What I saw at the Pavilion is astounding. 200 international students of the LimKokWing School of Creative Technology - from over 140 countries and 10 embassies worked tirelessly to produce the 1st Crytstallized 3 D kolams. Huge as they come, the raw materials used were 1 thousand kg of rice grains, and tens of thousands of Swarovski crystal elements and 30 packets of colouring to produce the brilliant, multicolour motifs. It was a lovely experience to follow the kolam motifs down the Spanish steps right down to the Centre Court of the Pavilion shopping mall. How the magnificent KOLAMS enhance the Deepavali mood ! Besides the razzle and dazzle, the kolams maintain the tradition that still lives.

Photo credit : Display Board at Centre Court , courtesy of Pavilion PR - 4 pics above


KOLAMs are ancient Dravidian geometric motifs that grace the entrances of Hindu homes,to invoke the blessings of the Goddess of Wealth, Lakshmi and to keep evil spirits away. Traditionaly they are curved loops hand drawn around a grid pattern of dots. Also, traditional ingredients like tumeric for yellow, ground brown coffee beans for brown etc make the kolam Nowadays, the commercial powder colours are mixed with rice flour and sandstone for the different hues. Typical motifs are flowers, animals and geometric designs.

To start off,the womenfolk sweep and wash the floor. Then rice powder is placed on the floor for the sandstone to stick better.

I made a kolam sometime ago just for the entrance to my front door. It took more than nifty work to get the pattern out! Have to confess, I even made do with the plastic stick ons and placed the oil lamps on them last year when I had an open house celebration.

Well, like all Deepavalis, I will be colourful, in my new salwar khameez and greet this festival with open arms. Here's wishing all Hindu readers,' Happy Deepavali'! May the lights of this festive season shine on you!

Get Krafty!

Last month, as I walked into Times the Book Shop ,Pavilion, to my utter surprise,I saw MYSELF beaming from cheek to cheek and as gay as the kids zooming around - on a poster.Great stuff ! 'Grandma's ' on the loose !! If only my kids were with me! Gosh! where's my pen to autograph for a few fans?? It will happen, one day...

Weekends see me doing my rounds of storytelling for kids. That keeps me out of mischief and spreading some cheer too. For sure, some parents are delighted to have their kids under my wings for them to recharge their own batteries. After stories, there's always craft time for the little fingers to explore themselves and be creative.


There are kids that just dive in to do , others will watch and then, after the initial uncertainties, they too are immersed in tackling the craft at hand. In a world of their own , their heart and soul work to produce their art.

When I told The Bharunda Bird, a timeless story from the Panchatantra, I made the 2 headed bird. Several children wanted to know how I got the 2 heads to move. I showed them a little gadget, the paper fastener that made the bird move.

There was more colour following the story. The kids dived into making the most colourful Bird of Paradise mask. I had prepared a big box of colourful paper , cut into strips and odd shapes for them to decorate. Really, the next thing they could do was just turn up at a masquerade ball!!!


In July/ August, we swam with the fishes in the warm waters of the coral reef. As the story unravelled, I plonked laminated hand drawn pics of the sea creatures, held faithfully by the blue tac . The background cardboard displayed a coral reef. Just right to set the scene. Among the sea denizens were - a hermit crab, blue sea slug, eel, spotty fish, fiery dragon fish , cuttlefish, puffer fish.

A baby clownfish was just dying for adventure in the story, The Curious ClownFish. Well, he had a gala time but sea life also has its spills and thrills. Baby Clownfish was frightened out of his wits when Eel gnashed and bared his teeth at him. Heart pounding , poor Clownfish spun away and twirled and swam furiously back to the warm arms of the anemone. Home!

Hope you can spot baby Clownfish among the rest. The kids sang a few songs about the fishes and they made a paper plate fish , mouth open wide. It caught a tiny fish too!!





With the younger ones, the classic, The Lion and the Mouse make them want to be the mighty lion and the grateful little mouse all at the same time!! The toilet roll mouse is an effective prop. When all the bits are glued together, the fat, well-fed looking mouse, as craft is always a winner!



Talk about a dull time with kids? No way! Only thing, 'Grandma's' legs got to keep running to keep up with the young 'uns! Go, Grandma, go! Keep telling!

Small and Sweet

Hoya

Cuphea

pseuderantheum carruthersi van reticulatum


tabernae montana

jatropha integerrima

Do small flowers miss out on the attention that the bigger blooms get? I do not think so unless they are so inconspicuous and dull. But I think nature begs for our attention in one way or another. Something will attract and that's when our eyes see. A walk through the countryside , among wild flowers will reveal the rare find of small beauties. How often do we exclaim ' But it's only a weed!' Staring at us, the weeds too have lovely flowers! Just enjoy!

Strange enough, the song, Edelweiss springs into my mind when these flowers flash their beauty before me. And I've not seen an Edelweiss ever. But I guess, the words from the song enamour me:

Edelweiss, Edelweiss
Every morning you greet me
Small and bright, clean and bright
You look happy to meet me.

Some flowers in my garden are small and sweet looking. I especially like the pink pentas lanceloate ( star flower), a perennial. It hides among the clusters of different hues and it never fails to give the gaiety it possesses. As for the hoya, a sweet striking globe of small flowers, it looks deceptively 'plastic' with its waxy texture. Such symmetry and simplicity !

pentas lanceloate

begonia

arachis pinto

ruellia tuberosa

I used to dabble making pressed flower cards and these small dainty beauties certainly charmed not only me but the recipients. A delicate touch and a good dose of patience were needed to get it right and a pair of tweezers helped tremendously.

So, little flowers of the garden, heaven-sent, thanks for the joy you give in your delicate beauty.

Here's some lovely flower quotes. Hope they liven your day:

Be like the flowers
Turn your faces to the sun - Khalil Gibran

True friendship is like a rose. We don't realize its beauty until it fades
- Evelyn Loeb

Love is the flower you've got to let grow - John Lennon

Where flowers bloom so does hope - Lady Bird Johnson
'Blue Diamond'