Laman of Life

Specially for you....

2011-07-31T17:55:00.003+08:00

A bouquet of flowers for the most special person

and

A song I just found......

JANGAN LUPA NAMAKU

Walau aku tidak bersamamu
Jangan engkau lupakan diriku
Walau aku tiada di sisimu
Jangan engkau lupakan namaku

Kerana…
Aku mengingati mu
Kerana…
Aku mencintaimu…

Andai aku
Bisa bertemumu
Dengan senyum ku tadah syukurku
Andai aku bisa menyentuhmu
Air mata pasti deras gugur

Kerana…
Aku merindui mu
Kerana aku sentiasa
Menyintaimu oh sepenuh hati

Walau kamu
Jauh di mataku
Jangan aku hilang dalam kalbu
Saat kamu samar mengingati
Jangan aku terus kau lupakan

Kerana aku
Sentiasa mengingatimu
Kerana aku
Sentiasa menyayangimu oh kekasih hati…

Andai aku bisa memelukmu
Pasrah aku tabah diujimu
Andai aku bisa dicintai
Dengan rela menyerahkan hati

Kerana…
Aku merindui mu
Hmmm…Kerana aku sentiasa menyintaimu……

Lagu & lirik : POMPA BENSIN

Floria Fest 2011, Putrajaya (Flowers)

2011-07-17T21:36:00.006+08:00

Rose

Zinnia (??)

Orchid

Hydrangea

Is this 'black-Eyed Susan' or what?

Floria Fest 2011, Putrajaya (English theme)

2011-07-17T12:25:00.007+08:00

We, Mardhiah, my daughter and I, took quite a number of pictures. I've decided to divide them into a few themes. The first being the English garden. White coloured garden furnitures are synonymous with English theme garden. Three benches are placed at a corner, facing a water fountain, another must item for this type of garden. Water fountain attracts birds to the garden giving it a lively environment. Low level flowering shrubs are planted surrounding the small pond. Higher level plants are at the back of the benches screening from preying neighbours...(hehehe...)

Lovely flowering shrubs in red, yellow and white.

A white gazebo with stools inside. Strawberry plants are in the hanging pots. A different feature from the normally creepers used to adorn a gazebo.

This swan replica is rather too big for a normal home garden, I think..... But a good idea for a large scale park!! Anyway, two geese and two ducklings were in the pond adding an attraction to the replica.

A simple design that impresses me. A lattice, a large water jar and different flower pot designs. Colourful flowers indeed. At the background is the red 'bunga balung'.

New Pot for Old Bougain....

2011-07-17T11:29:00.004+08:00

We had a WANDA's gotong-royong last Saturday and some pots were to be thrown away. Not wanting to waste these still-good pots I decided to take one to replace a broken one at home. Yes, for the bougainvillae...

So, this morning the red flowered bougain was transferred to a 'new' pot. Small stones were first put in to cover the drain hole, followed by some black soil. The root ball of the bougain was loosen up a bit. Had become harden after about 2 years in the pot. Fertilizer was then scattered around the plant. Done.... with a little help from daughter to lift the heavy pot onto two bricks.

Now, what am I going to do with the two broken pieces of the old pot? Any ideas?

I believe....

2011-07-08T12:00:00.000+08:00

I believe after winter, there is spring.....

Plumeria alba a.k.a Kemboja Putih a.k.a Frangipani

2011-06-07T23:43:00.005+08:00

We only have one plumeria alba planted in the compound. Its growth is rather slow, maybe due to the infertile soil. The leaves grow out from the end of the branches.

However, it did bloom now and then; giving out a sweet smell that sometimes tickled your nose. This picture shows the buds and a blooming flower at the end of the flower stalk. The flowers will then form a cluster of whites.

A white flower does give out a stronger smell than the red one. This is purely based on my own sense of smell though....

The flower is not 100% white, a bit of yellow can be found at the inner end of the petals.

Taken on : 24/03/2010

It's B for Bougainvilla....#5

2011-06-07T10:19:00.000+08:00

Pictures of bougainvillae taken in 2010. This red species is planted in a pot and put in front of the house. Unfortunately, while working on a tree near the pot, Pakar accidently knocked the pot down and it broke. Haven't had time to buy a near one but alhamdulillah, the plant is still ok. A hardy plant indeed.

Another view...oh, i love the red colour...

Such vibrant colour.

============================================================

Posted on: 28/08/2008

Bougainvilla or bunga kertas, as popularly known, is a hardy plant. The ones that we have at home were given to us by our ex-babysitter, Kak Mashitah (or Kak Mas) from Kayu Ara, Damansara. So these plants are more than 20 years old!!

There are the whites, fuschias/maroonish ones. All are in pots. The one that keeps on flowering is the white. One plant is the verigiated species.

Have seen too, bougainvillas planted along the sides of the LEKAS highway.

Vertical Planting is the Word

2011-05-26T22:46:00.006+08:00

#1: Planted with vegie seeds which I can't remember the name... ;-) Bought the seeds at Giant, Nilai. The troughs, at a hardware store (and I leave that to dear Paka) in Pajam. Green, leafy vegie...

# 2: Same seedlings. Pegaga leaves can also be seen here. Oh yes, I use the plastic spoon the scoop the soil etc. Yeap, another use of the spoon.

Another shot of the vegetable and the leaves looked good, without too many insects' holes!!

And here's our vertical planting box (courtesy of hubby). The cost? That you've to ask the other half.

First Pineapple...

2011-05-26T22:03:00.006+08:00

This is our first pineapple (ananas comosus)!!! Excited is the word no doubt. Harvested when the fruit was still green, and was left to ripe for a week.

We ate it fresh, the taste was sweet and juicy. Bought the original pineapple from a stall along Pasir Mas - Rantau Panjang road. Mak planted the crown first and gave it to us after a few months. Alhamdulillah, it grew well.

The pineapple taking a peek about 5 months ago.

From another angle of an amateur's eye... the unripe ananas

Further away..

And the whole plant... Planted under the shade of a mango tree. Not too sure if it helped but the soil condition there is on the wet side. As far as I can remember, fertilizer was seldom used on this plant. Just leave it on its own to grow.

A Succulent

2011-04-24T11:57:00.003+08:00

A succulent is so easy to grow. New plant will grow from its dropped leaves. I chose to have it in a small container making it easier to control its growth. Want to have a bigger succulent, then plant it in a bigger pot.

Notice the outside pots? They are all reused containers. A mug and a 'bunga telur'!! Now, one can have a good piece of house warming gift for the next host ... To make them more attractive, put in small stones or marbles to cover the soil.

Muscat Grape (Updated : 26 May, 2011)

2011-03-27T21:45:00.006+08:00

Pic taken in Mac/April 2010

According to the nursery man, this is the Muscat grape plant. Not sure of its origin though. We bought one, for about RM40 and he lectured us on how to have the plant bore fruits!! So, finally after about 12 months with us, the fruits are here!!!

Pic taken in March 2011

They are still in infancy stage.... But according to friends, grapes planted in Malaysia will turn out to be sour. We'll just see about it :-( . A tip that I followed was to prune the plant, leaving just a number of leaves on it. After about 3 to 4 weeks, the fruits came out.

Grape plant too is good for giving shade. Try planting it at your pergola and you'll find the plant creeping almost instantly with its large leaves.

(NOTE: Grrr...the grape turned purplish in May 2011, but luck was not on our side. Hubby took a look the next day and the fruits were gone!!)

Plants, plants and more plants...

2011-02-03T14:57:00.006+08:00

Located at Sukhumvit Highway, between Pattaya and Sattahip is the Nong Nooch Tropical Garden and Resort. A very large area to cover in a day indeed. It was the morning of Boxing Day 2010 but tourists had started pouring into the Garden. Since it was already time for the cultural and elephant shows to begin, the staff directed us to park our car nearest to the show area (after we paid the entrance fee that is!) What greeted us first was of course the elephants that were to perform shortly.

The Thai cultural show showcased dances from most of the Thai provinces (above picture depicts the Southern region dance which uses the bamboo), short sketches in which the elephants were brought in, and also muay thai (Thai boxing). The five of us sat in a theater-like area.

Lots of elephant antics here. Ball game, bowling, dancing, tricycle ride and painting. The paintings by the elephants were offered for sale. Bananas were also sold here for tourists to feed the elephants. On our way out, after the show, a tiger cub was spotted on one of the rocks held by its keeper/trainer. Some took the opportunity to take pictures with it.

And yes, after this, it was a long walk... However, the plants and flowers kept me going though I do admit it was tiring. So, garden lovers, this is one attraction you should not miss when in the area of Pattaya-Sattahip. Based on the leaflet, the garden covers 652 acres! Variety of plants here which include the bromeliads, palms, cycads and other tropical trees and flowers. The garden is segmented to a few areas such as the French garden and the bromeliads. Water spouts coming from big, colourful vases further enhanced the serene and beauty of the areas. Walkways were also built to make it easier for visitors to walk and enjoy the garden.

Vertical planting was used extensively in certain areas (as in the above pic - background).

The French Garden. For more pictures, click here.

There was also elephant rides but we already had one in Damnoen Saduak before. Replicas of flamingos adorned an area. Other animal replicas include colourful birds and frogs. Oh yes, there was also an area where fish were kept. Arapaimas were also in one of the large ponds and smaller fish in the aquariums.

After that long and tiring walk, we headed back to the car park. Next, we ventured to Sattahip town.

Pattaya, Here We Come....

2010-12-27T15:37:00.007+08:00

On Wednesday evening, 22 Dec, 2010, we ventured a little bit further to Thailand's South-East, namely Pattaya. Went via Motorway 9, and after Tapchang Toll Gate and Suvarnabhumi Airport we took a left turn into Highway 7 to Chon Buri / Lat Krabang. Paid Baht30 at Lat Krabang Toll Gate, bypassed Lat Krabang and then made a 'pit-stop' at the Service Area (R&R). The area looks more like a small town when compared to Malaysia's R&R. With 4 lanes on both sides of the highway, the drive was smooth save for some bumpy ones when the road went over the small canals (I guess)

There was KFC, which daughter just had to content with looking at it only, 7 Eleven and few other local shops. A pick-up truck (yes, so many pick-up trucks here) with sea coconuts.... The landscape changed from what we used to in Pathum Thani, when it changed to a little bit hilly once we reached Sri Racha area. Coconut trees, tapioca and pineapples.... Once nearing Pattaya, we were greeted with a big signboard, welcoming us to Eastern Seaboard, Detroit of the East. Reached Pattaya after about 2hr 15mins drive from Khlong Nueng.
We put up at Valida Residence, off Pattaya South Rd. A residence run by a young Muslim couple. Breakfast was included but for other meals, we had to find them for ourselves.

We brought along our Ta-Pau food using my Tupperware Festive Tiffin (what a help... ;-)

Hubby had to attend to work the next day, so we ventured out to Big C to replenish our food stock. Walked all the way, to and fro. No songthaew for us.

The Pattaya South Rd (Pattaya Tai). This road will take one to Pattaya Beach and also Jomtien Beach.

Another Trip....

2010-12-27T11:58:00.007+08:00

Half of the school holiday has gone, and it was time to head to Khlong Nueng. Only 3 daughters followed, while another has lectures to attend. Took a taxi to the airport and had trouble loading the bags inside the boot due to the NGV tank!! Or should we have known better? Cost us RM45 fr home to KLIA. We took MH788 that afternoon (tickets' fare courtesy of hubby's Enrich points...). Nabihah insisted on us to take picture here with the planes models. Then the announcement came, the flight will be 20 mins late.

Nabihah as usual sat at the window seat, and this is her work!! Taken over Thailand's land.

At Suvarnabhumi Airport, Thailand. Nay, we can't read the writings. Poot Thai mai-dai.... (= We can't speak Thai...)

Phew, it was quite a wait at the Immigration. Long queues at all the counters. Must be booming here in this Kingdom. Lined up with tourists from India, judging from their passports that is. Then we had a hard time finding our sole contact here (hehe....). Coming out of Gate C, searching for him... Anyway, managed to find hubby and off we went to the parking lot. Btw, this airport looks more like a shopping complex... With so many people patronising the shops, restaurants.....

Yes, finally, we were on Motorway 9, heading towards Khlong Nueng. Weather? Oh, it was hot...

Bye Bangkok (Holiday Revisited -- June 2010)

2010-12-23T13:55:00.002+08:00

A signboard as we approached Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok.

Nabihah posed with a hat bought at Ayutthaya.

Yeap, traveling can be tiring.

Inside the departure hall.

After a week in Thailand, it was time to say good bye (but with a heavy heart)....

Future Park, Rangsit (Holiday Revisited -- June 2010)

2010-12-23T11:54:00.004+08:00

Future Park, a vast shopping complex situated in Rangsit, a mere 10 mins drive from Khlong Nueng. Robinson, Office Depot, Big C are among the big names that occupy the complex. However, didn't find any Muslim halal restaurants there or may be we didn't really look hard for it.

Floating Market @ Damnoen Saduak, Patchaburi, Thailand (June 2010 Holiday Revisited)

2010-12-20T16:48:00.010+08:00

From the Elephant Village, instead of going by road, we traveled by boat. The 'boatman' was a woman!! Or should I call her boatwoman?? Marvelled at her skill in maneuvering the boat when at tight bends of the narrow khlongs (canal). The 7 of us sat nicely in the long boat. Our boat has roof over our head. Yes, the sun was hot as it was nearing the afternoon...

The route taken along the canal before reaching the floating market. We passed through villages on both sides of the khlongs.

The boat nearing the floating market. Many tourists can be seen there including other Malaysians. Women vendors plying their wares from their boats as seen in the picture. Fruits (eg: guava), local foods (eg: noodles) and other Thai craft were in abundance.

Besides plying their wares from the boats, there were also stalls on the banks of the canal selling bags, bangles, shirts, watches etc.

Though it was hot, the market was alive with tourists bargain hunters!

Daughters bought bags and T-shirts for themselves there.

Elephant Village @ Damnoen Saduak, Patchaburi (June 2010 Holiday Revisited)

2010-12-15T14:02:00.014+08:00

Welcome to the Elephant Village said the signage. It was after about 1.45hrs ride in the van, from Khlong Nueng (in Pathum Thani), that we reached Damnoen Saduak. Bought tickets for the ride. (2 teenagers + 1 kid = Baht 1500). If you'd like to feed the elephants, bananas were also sold.

The weather was good, sunny. Much like our own in Malaysia. So, the ride was fine.

The elephant was rather hungry I guess...well, we didn't buy any bananas for them!

The kids without their mahout guiding the elephant...(he jumped down to take the pic.). On the RHS of the pic, is a canal that we traveled in later on to the floating market.

Our elephant decided to rummage for something to eat.

Leisurely ride by both of us .... on land and in the canal.... Err...actually, I was a bit terrified.

Getting ready to disembark the elephant!!! A landing was built at approximately the height of the elephant to make it easier for us to get onto and off it.

At the end of the ride (about 30 mins), each of us was given a cup of mineral water. Thanks...

It's Long Overdue.... (June 2010 Holiday Revisited)

2010-12-13T15:59:00.016+08:00

This is the morning when we were about to visit Damnoen Saduak (about 80km from Bangkok), in the Province of Patchaburi, Aby smiled and waved her peace sign. And not forgetting her pink backpack. What were the things you had inside, Adik???

Notice the man in the background? Ah...dear hubby, leading the way to the waiting van on the main road.

And now some shots from the van, of Bangkok city as seen from an amateur's lense ....

.... along the road in Bangkok. And yes, we did past the Don Muang Airport...

..... the Menam Chao Phraya (????)

Outside of Bangkok, we noticed some ponds on the left side of the road. According to the guide, they were the salt ponds. Small roadside stalls selling salt were plenty with one or two bigger stores (see picture) in between.

In the distance, we saw a windmill-like structure. In any case, this should not be far away from the sea.

We also went past a town (Mae Klong, if I'm not mistaken) with a railway crossing smacked right in the middle of it. Waited for the train to pass before we proceeded.

For the Rest of My Life

2010-11-25T22:57:00.002+08:00

Sharing these beautiful lyrics. They touch my heart and hope they do the same to you.

For the Rest of My Life Lyrics

By: Maher Zain

I praise Allah for sending me you my love
You found me home and sail with me
And I`m here with you
Now let me let you know
You`ve opened my heart
I was always thinking that love was wrong
But everything was changed when you came along
OOOOO
And theres a couple words I want to say

For the rest of my life
I`ll be with you
I`ll stay by your side honest and true
Till the end of my time
I`ll be loving you. loving you
For the rest of my life
Thru days and night
I`ll thank Allah for open my eyes
Now and forever I I`ll be there for you

I know that deep in my heart
I feel so blessed when I think of you
And I ask Allah to bless all we do
You`re my wife and my friend and my strength
And I pray we`re together eternally
Now I find myself so strong
Everything changed when you came along
OOOO
And theres a couple word I want to say

I know that deep in my heart now that you`re here
Infront of me I strongly feel love
And I have no doubt
And I`m singing loud that I`ll love you eternally

For the rest of my life
I`ll be with you
I`ll stay by your side honest and true
Till the end of my time
I`ll be loving you.loving you
For the rest of my life
Thru days and night
I`ll thank Allah for open my eyes
Now and forever I I`ll be there for you

I know that deep in my heart

Artist: Maher Zain
Album: Thank You Allah
Copyright: Awakening Records 2009

Things we take for granted

2010-11-05T15:25:00.001+08:00

SubhanAllah... Clouds in HIS sky...

Flower Arranging

2010-08-07T23:14:00.002+08:00

A simple flower arranging...and that was the very reason I was attracted to it.
Simple and yet attractive.

Bucida Revisited

2010-08-06T10:18:00.004+08:00

My first pic of the Bucida was taken about two years ago.

Time passed and here's the present image. Had sown off the lowest layer.

Note any difference?

Sawasdee krup 3 - Ayutthaya

2010-07-07T11:11:00.010+08:00

We travelled by car to Ayutthaya from Bang Pa-In using route 309, I think. A good road network. Ayutthaya, once Thailand capital city, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in 1991. I didn’t know what to expect from this ancient town but already heard of it and seen pictures in the Net. Entering the new part of town, via a bridge, we didn’t have to go far, for there was already a stupa in the middle of a roundabout. A picture of the King of Thailand adorned it with a piece of yellow cloth wrapped around. On the way, Paka pointed out the hotel, U-Thong Inn, where he put up for a few days earlier on. One thing that I noticed was the presence of lots of sign boards showing were the wats were.

Ayutthaya Historical Park wasn’t that difficult to find (oops, with the help of a map that Paka had). It’s right in the middle of the town! What we first saw were elephants and of course then came the complex where the stupas are located within an enclosed area (and yes, you need to buy tickets to enter the compound). Frankly telling it was something I haven’t seen before, the stupas, I mean.… The stupa resembles modern day wats, with pointed structure pointing to the sky. Some are higher than others. From far it looks brown-orangish in colour, something like the brick’s colour. Other stand alone stupas were also found here and there, called the satellite stupas. And there were lots of them, almost everywhere in the city. One could even be found in the compound of a hospital! Suffice to say that the ruins were well-preserved. We drove around the city but saw some tourists on bikes.

Elephant rides are also available in the park. We didn’t take any though. Only watched them from afar. Instead, we spent time buying stuff from the stalls outside the complex!

There was also a mosque not far from the park.

We had dinner at a Muslim food stall near one of the roundabouts near the park. A row of shop houses is next to it. Try find the landmark, a Kumon Learning Centre if you want to go there for halal foods. Too bad though, the waitresses couldn’t converse in Yawi (a language that resembles the Malay language). However, the menu given was in English! Oh yes, Paka ordered tom yam goong for us!

Before we left Ayutthaya, we drove past the stupas again and we saw them basking in lights, giving them a magnificent sight.

Sawasdee krup...Part 2

2010-06-19T23:32:00.006+08:00

On arrival we were greeted with pictures of Thais doing the wai gesture. The children knew that they were already in Thailand, when signboards with Thai characters adorned the walkways. Next, the Immigration Bureau counter for foreign passport. Bihah went with Paka, followed by Yah and Wani with me. There was this sign asking us to stand on a spot whereby a camera took our pictures. Each of us was given a one-month-visa on arrival. No problem was encountered with our luggage. We went through the next Immigration check up without a hassle, thus leaving the arrival hall.

Next, we need to find a van to take the 5 of us to Khlong Nueng, Pathum Thani, a place north of Bangkok. A Great Bangkok Travel Co staff approached us and Paka agreed to their rate. (And at the same time, the staff managed to offer us their Bangkok canal tour package to be taken on any morning provided we informed them 1 day earlier.) Paka asked the driver to use the Eastern Outer Ring Road (No 9) to reach our destination. The motorway has 3 lanes all the way. A glaring difference from the highway in Malaysia that I observed is that the office area at the side of the plaza here does not occupy much land! And they use cabin too! No R&R was observed along the way.
Housing areas and paddy fields dotted here and there. There were two toll plazas before we made an exit. After about 1 hr or so, we reached Khlong Nueng. The landmark is Tamasat University. And yes, I have not seen any elevated land area so far during the travel. No hill or mountain in sight. Maybe, in other area in Thailand, huh?

Sawasdee krup...

2010-06-16T22:51:00.006+08:00

It was an impromptu decision and hence that very night Paka made reservations for the 4 of us to fly into Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Bangkok using Air Asia.

The deal that we got was not on our side though bookings were made about 3 weeks before flight. Talking about those who got the RM88 fare and some got even cheaper!! Online booking is the norm now, with the itinerary sent to our e-mail inbox. You just need to print them, and present to the check-in counter on the day of the flight. Pakar had reserved seats for us with the Pick A Seat facility and also pre-booked our meals of fried rice and nasi briyani.

International travelling will be the first for our 3 daughters (another daughter couldn’t make it since she has lectures). As for me, it has been about 3 years since I last set foot on a foreign land. (This will be my second visit to the Kingdom of Thailand, if I’m to count in my visit to Sg Golok, many years ago!) In preparing for the visit, we found Thai phrases in the Sawatdee, Thai Airways in-flight magazine, and memorise them. Sawasdee krup/kaa (Hello), Phoot Thai mai-dai (I can’t speak Thai) and La gon (good bye). Oh yes, we had fun trying to memorise those phrases.

Flight AK 742 on June 6, 2010 was on schedule. Departing LCCT at 1340hrs and arriving Bangkok at 1445hrs (Thailand is GMT+7) after a flight of 2hrs and 5min. Alhamdulillah, the departure and arrival were smooth. Bihah seemed to enjoy the flight. She got a window seat and took the opportunity to snap pictures of the plane wing, clouds and also the land. She didn’t even sleep when her 2 elder sisters took their naps after lunch was eaten.

Petola / Angle Loofah

2010-03-24T13:04:00.005+08:00

Here's our petola / angle loofah. Only managed to get two loofah from a plant. Need more knowledge in this.

The loofah flowers are yellow in colour and bloom only in the evening.

The petola taken from another angle.

Aby Menang 2 Pasu Pokok!!!

2010-03-01T13:52:00.002+08:00

Explorace Kids-Hari Lanskap 2010 di Taman Tasik Chempaka

Luck was with us on the morning of 28 Feb 2010. Were were asked to join the event since the organiser lacked 1 more group. Hubby wrote our names and 2 bottles of drinking water + a piece of paper were given to us. Nabihah's task was to find 5 'stamps' from 5 checkpoints. Once completed she had to hand in the paper to the organiser. She ran alright, fell down but managed to get no. 3! All the other kids were also given plants (which I'm sure made the mum happier than those kids...;-) ). Anyway, thanks to the organiser. the event is on until 14 March, I think.

Nangka...

2010-02-01T10:55:00.002+08:00

Tak sangka...dalam musim panas ni, pokok nangka kami mengeluarkan buah. Baru berputik. First time berbuah.

1/3/2010 : Hmmm.... 3 putik luruh minggu lepas..... Tinggallah dlm kenangan!!!

Hemigraphis alternata / Red Flame Ivy, spider plant

2009-12-29T10:16:00.006+08:00

1. Tumbuhan menjalar, hemigraphis ni sesuai sebg tanaman tutup bumi. Tanam dlm pasu gantung pun cantik. Taken from K. Nosi/Mak Lang's place.

2. At the background, is a succulent (name? Mak Lang gak.) and another one, Spider Plant, chlorophytum comosum (Mak's house).

Euphorbia Milli (betulke spelling?)

2009-12-11T15:44:00.005+08:00

Yellow Euphorbia milli. Have 2 plants and planted outside the perimeter fence.
1. Orange canna. Bought 3 plants but just 1 survive.

2 The cordyline fructicosa (red leaves) / jenjuang are at the back. Bought from previous home.
3. In the foreground is Excoecaria spp. with two different coloured leaves.

Majalah Laman Impiana - Hortikultur: Racun Organik.

2009-11-30T12:45:00.005+08:00

Dua hari sudah, semasa membelek-belek majalah Laman di R&R Sg Buloh, terpandang segmen Resipi racun dan baja organik di cover page. Lebih teruja apabila 'resipi' yang dihantar, disiarkan pula di m/s 46 Edisi 23 (Nov/Dis 2009). Apa lagi terus dibeli majalah tersebut. Suami pulak tersenyum2...

My TupperwareMalaysia Facebook

2009-11-24T22:23:00.003+08:00

TupperwareMalaysia

Visit the page and be a fan. Thanks.

Weeding....

2009-11-24T08:37:00.003+08:00

It didn't rain the whole day yesterday but the sky was dark. Rain came during the night. Took the advantage to do a bit of weeding. It helped for the soil was a bit soggy and loose thus making it easier to pull out the weeds. But, only a bit could be done. There are lots more.... Anyway, thanks to daughter no 2 and 4 for helping out!! Nanti boleh tolong lagi.
Two of my friends were discussing on gardening in the FB posts and yes, I took the time to interject here and there. Seronok bila cerita pasal gardening ni... Another sis (with her friends) helped to replant serai for a single mom.

Exam, Oh, Exam

2009-11-17T10:31:00.003+08:00

Akhir tahun, sinonim dengan exam. Anak2 di rumah, sudah habis exam mereka dan menanti keputusa. Yg di IPT ada yang belum habis. Apa pun, doa mengiringi mereka samada sebelum, mahupun selepas exam. Tadi, di radio ada terdengar antara cara 'release tension' pelajar SPM ialah mengunjungi pusat karaoke. Tak sangka ke situ pulak perginya. Yg beragama Islam, dah penat study selama 2 tahun, apa lagi, marilah kita bertawakkal kepadaNYa. Agar segala usaha mendapat rahmat dariNya. Usaha dah dibuat, ketentuan di tangan Nya.
Kesempatan diambil untuk mendoakan anak2 yang akan menghadapi SPM dan STPM tahun ni terutama pada pelajar2 SPM di SMI Al Amin, Bangi.

Hujung Minggu

2009-10-19T09:18:00.003+08:00

Ada rumah terbuka yang dihadiri termasuklah rumah terbuka Persatuan Penduduk Taman. Dua khemah didirikan dan makanan disediakan secara potluck. Alhamdulillah, makanan yang ada berlebihan hingga kami membungkusnya untuk dibawa pulang. Rezeki yang ada di depan mata, janganlah disia2kan.... Rendang yang dibuat dalam 2 ekor, tak habis pun. Dalam melihat2 juadah, terperasan juga akan kehadiran bekas Tupperware.. :-). B2B and Gloria.

(For more info on this product)

Gotta go back to the laman....

2009-10-17T10:10:00.004+08:00

After neglecting the laman for the past few weeks, I think it's time to get back to it.
Dried leaves are everywhere.... Just pruned a few branches, cleared some dried leaves. Tended to the 'bunga kantan' and roselle trees. Time to germinate new roselles!! Will see what next to be done. A lot!!!

Oh yes, we found a new addition to the koi family. A golden coloured baby fish measuring about 5 cm. Paka found it when exchanging the kolam's water. Alhamdulillah.

The pic above shows the fish when Paka was exchanging the water. Can't find the small fry.... Besides the koi, there's one ikan bandaraya (top, left side).

Tupperware Independent Consultant

2009-10-15T17:26:00.003+08:00

I'm now a Tupperware Consultant. Please visit here to know more about being a consultant.

Bag of Goodies

2009-09-18T11:33:00.002+08:00

Had a pleasant surprise yesterday, when we got a bag of goodies from Denso, Bangi at the toll plaza. There was rather a long queue at an off peak time leading to the 'tunai' lane. My children were saying this might be due to people balik kampung for Raya (and we were heading home after school!!). Nope, it was not. The cars had to slow down to get the Denso yellow bags.... Filled with road safety pamphlets. Part of Denso's corporate social responsibility.

We'll be heading to our kampung soon, and will see if we're lucky to get any goodies along the way. :-)

Selamat Hari Raya to all and take care.

Nasi Ulam

2009-09-01T09:41:00.006+08:00

We had a simple nasi ulam for berbuka yesterday. The nasi was the usual boiled white rice without any santan added (some recipes use santan). The ulams were either from our backyard garden or bought. The ones that we used were serai kayu, daun gajus (Noni), limau purut, daun sambung nyawa, selasih (basil), mint and we had to get bunga kantan from the sundry shop. All were finely sliced plus also some onions and desicated coconut (tumbuk halus sikit with garam and some people guna gula merah jugak).

My other half brought home 4 ikan keli from Beranang, that had already been washed and he prepared them whilst I, fried them! Our 23rd wedding anniversary had no table laden with exotic food but a simple nasi ulam which each and everyone of us enjoyed!

(**Pokok kacang botol di tepi rumah.**)

Biji Benih Tak Tumbuh??

2009-08-21T08:52:00.002+08:00

Dua hari sudah ada yang bertanya. Mengapa biji benih cilinya tidak tumbuh? Mungkin ini boleh menolong....

1. Mungkin tempat semaian terlalu panas, tidak bersiram.
2. Ada ulat, serangga perosak yang memakan biji benih?
3. Pastikan biji benih itu datangnya dari buah yg segar, bukan yang telah dimasak. :-) (seperti anak saya yg ingin menanam biji cempedak dari cucur cempedak!!!!)

Hope this helps.

Tidakkah kita ghairah.... ?

2009-08-19T14:09:00.005+08:00

Tidakkah kita ghairah dalam menanti Ramadhan yang bakal menjelang?

Soalan itu membuat diri ini terfikir sejenak... Zaman kanak2 sudah lama berlalu yang mana puasa hanyalah lapar dan dahaga. Dalam usia yang menjangkau setengah abad, masihkah aku tidak ghairah untuk meraih segala pemberian yang tak ternilai dariNya dalam bulan yang penuh barakah ini. Pemberian yang bakal dibawa bersama untuk nun di sana....

InsyaAllah, penuhkanlah bulan Ramadhan ini dengan perkara yang mendatangkan keredhaanNya. Tadarus, tarawikh akan terus dilakukan. Namun, apa perkara lain yang perlu??? Oh ya, time management pun harus diberi perhatian.

Ahlan Wa Sahlan Ya Ramadhan!

Pergi Tak Kembali

2009-08-17T11:57:00.002+08:00

Pabila bersendirian, muhasabahlah diri... Agar segala lisan, laku dan bisikan diredhaiNya.

Rabbani
Pergi Tak Kembali

Setiap insan pasti merasa
Saat perpisahan terakhir
Dunia yang fana akan ditinggalkan
Hanya amalan yang dibawa

Terdengar sayup surah dibaca
Sayunya alunan suara
Cemas di dada...lemah tak bermaya
Terbuka hijab di depan mata

Selamat tinggal pada semua
Berpisahlah kita selamanya
Kita tak sama nasib di sana
Baikkah atau sebaliknya

Amalan dan takwa jadi bekalan
Sejahtera bahagia pulang...ke sana
Sekujur badan berselimut putih
Rebah bersemadi sendiri

Mengharap kasih anak dan isteri
Apa mungkin pahala dikirim
Terbaring sempit seluas pusara
Soal-bicara terus bermula

Sesal dan insaf tak berguna lagi
Hancurlah jasad dimamah bumi
Berpisah sudah segalanya
Yang tinggal hanyalah kenangan

Diiring doa dan air mata
Yang pergi takkan kembali lagi

Biskut Oat

2009-08-12T13:31:00.003+08:00

Bulan Ramadhan bakal berkunjung tiba... (Semoga aku sempat bertemu Ramadhan yang penuh barakah ini tak lama lagi...), tiba2 terasa nak makan biskut pulak. Hmm... Alhamdulillah, ramuan memang ada di rumah, maka jadilah biskut oat ni. Resipi yang memang simple ie tak payah beracuan.

Anak Selasih (Basil) - RM5 only

2009-08-06T10:00:00.002+08:00

Anak selasih (basil) setinggi lebih kurang 1 kaki. Harga RM5. Maaf, gambar belum dimasukkan.

Daun selasih banyak digunakan dalam makanan Siam. Ianya boleh juga dijadikan ulam.

Anak Misai Kucing -- For Sale!!

2009-07-11T11:16:00.000+08:00

MISAI KUCING UNTUK DIJUAL

Anak misai kucing #7 (Orthosiphon stamineus - betulke nama saintifik ni) ini disediakan oleh lamanoflife sendiri. Tanah hitam dan baja digunakan.

Setiap polibeg berharga RM5.

Untuk pertanyaan, boleh hantar ke ruang comment.

Produk dari BioHerbs2U

2009-07-08T14:48:00.004+08:00

Produk HEBAT yang di cari-cari oleh SEMUA orang!Produk keluaran BioSirih adalah berasaskan Sirih. Sehingga kini terdapat lebih 30 produk kosmetik telah dikeluarkan oleh pihak syarikat. Produk-produk tersebut telah mendapat sambutan hangat dari semua pihak dari dalam dan luar negara seperti Brunei dan Singapura.
BioHerbs2u pula adalah satu rangkaian perniagaan memasarkan produk-produk BioSireh secara ( online ).
Dengan Modal Mula RM 30,Anda mampu menjana pendapatan Sampingan sehingga RM 35,xxx.00!
Untuk maklumat lanjut;
http://www.BioHerbs2u.com/niza

Perniagaan ini sungguh MUDAH. Cuma SMS dan EMAIL laman web anda kepada kawan2. Selainnya, kami buatkan untuk anda.
Anda juga di jemput menyertai kami dalam pemasaran produk HEBAT ini, juga produk-produk lain sebagai alternatif kepada menambahkan pendapatan anda dalam kemelut kegawatan dan kos kehidupan yang makin meningkat.
Terima kasih---
Layari http://www.BioHerbs2u.com/niza Kemudian klik di 'Daftar' untuk mendaftar keahlian anda.

Tanah Yang Sesuai....

2009-06-20T15:53:00.003+08:00

Semenjak berkebun ni, ada juga tanah yang dibeli dari nursery yang digunakan untuk penanaman pokok. Ada tanah merah, dan ada juga yang hitam bercampur baja. Yang merah selalunya tiada brand. Boleh dapat dlm RM1.50 - 1.80 sekampit (tak pasti beratnya berapa). Tanah hitam + baja pula, ada yang dalam kampit kuning, ada yang putih dan ada juga yang tiada brand. Kalau tak silap ada yang 'berbrand' Jaya. Harga dalam RM2. Ada juga sampai RM4 dijual di sebuah hypermarket!!! Memang tak jadi beli... Apapun, nursery yang selalu dikunjungi ada 4 di Bandar Baru Bangi dan 1 di Pajam. Dari situ, bolehlah di congak-congakkan harga yang mana sesuai denagn isi poket!!! Agaknya di nursery mana boleh dapat yang murah lagi?

Of leaving the nest....

2009-05-24T14:27:00.004+08:00

Another of our daughter left home to continue her studies yesterday. The location is not that far but it reminds both of us on how time flies (very fast indeed!) as we're approaching our golden years. Alhamdulillah, everything went as planned when we left her at her lodging (for the next one year!). The univ bus was already waiting to take the freshies back to campus to start their orientation week (or Ta'aruf Week as it is called nowadays).
Two weeks before were hectic especially for me. Scouted for pink cloth for her freshie's 'uniform'. Went to Nilai Square and purchased the materials. Not wanting to have both from the same material, we bought two types of cloth. Two mini jubahs were made by our long time tailor in Taman Tenaga, Kak Liah. Alhamdulillah, she agreed to make them.
A medical examination was also part of the requirement. We went to have her x-ray taken and other tests taken at Pusat Rawatan An- Nur, BBBangi. The nurses there donned surgical masks in preparation for any N1H1 eventualities. Good move indeed! Better be prepared then sorry...
Next, the LHDN at Hentian Kajang, Jalan Reko, to get 'setem duti' stamped on one of her forms. Paid RM10 per form, whereby we've three forms to be stamped! The process was ok, needed to feel a form, took a Q-number and waited for the forms to be handed back at one of the counters.

Mahallah Ruqayyah

2009-04-21T12:19:00.004+08:00

Last week, I went to fetch my daughter at Mahallah Ruqayyah (pic). The semester was ending and she needed to vacate her room. It was like moving out of an apartment with her stuff filling the boot and the back seat! She went up and down, (countless to me), and when everything was done, I was as tired as she was.... Took lunch at the cafeteria... not bad for hostel food. And the TV there was blabbering a P.Ramlee's movie.

During my time, I just left some of my stuff or give it away, for moving places is such a tiring must-do! My tertiary edu involved me moving from Toronto to Waterloo and to Guelph. All in Ontario.
Ahh...the good ol' student days.

Tukar Biji Benih

2009-03-30T12:37:00.003+08:00

Dua minggu lepas, anak bongsu mengutip benih ulam raja untuk diberikan pada rakan sekelas. Rupanya mereka bertukar biji benih! 2, 3 hari kemudian, anak pun membawa balik biji benih pemberian rakannya. Katanya kepada saya,

'Ma, ini biji benih daripada kawan adik.' 'Biji benih apa?' tanya saya.

'Biji benih togeh....' sambil menunjukkan beberapa butir kacang hijau kepada saya.

Hmmm... nak tergelak pun ada...

Apa pun, nampaknya mereka bersemangat mengikuti pelajaran Sains Tahun 2, mengenai tumbuhan!!

The White Jasmine

2009-03-24T17:58:00.007+08:00

There was a news article last Saturday, on how some women could benefit from the planting of jasmines. It was in Raub, if I'm not mistaken and the function, officiated by Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen. Jasmines could be used in the cosmetic industries.

At home, we have jasmines planted near our kitchen window. In the morning, if there's a whiff of wind blowing, we'll have the priviledge of inhaling its wonderful smell.

The papers too, brought news on how two first ladies, Datin Seri Jeanne and Michelle Obama with their interest in gardening. Jeanne with her Laman Ramuan, filled with herbs while Michelle with her vegie patch. Hey, it's chic indeed to tend to your backyard... Don't you think so?

On your right is the selasih or basil. One of the many herbs that can be found in our edible garden.

Stretching the RM

2009-03-19T16:22:00.004+08:00

This morning, we (my youngest and I) planted more kangkung seeds. In the next 7 to 8 weeks, the kangkung will be on the dining able, insyaAllah. From past experience, it seems like the kangkung can thrive in our backyard as oppose to the kailan. Yikes, I hate to describe the kailan..though managed to get a few leaves to add to the vegie dish!!

Now, am waiting to see the outcome of our 'kacang botol' / 'kacang kelisa'. The plant is thriving but haven't seen any kacang!! The roselle proves to be fine. Have been getting its drink and managed to persuade the children to drink them too. Hubby loves it. One way of stretching the RM! No need to buy the cordial in a short time anymore.

Racun Ulat Mesra Alam

2009-03-13T12:41:00.004+08:00

Ada yang bertanya tentang racun ni... Dari pengalaman, ada ulat/serangga yang mati tapi ada juga yang survive!! Jadi terpulanglah jenis serangga macm mana... Resipi yang saya guna ialah:

1. Cili padi + bawang putih ditumbuk lumat.
2. Campurkan ke dalam larutan sabun basuh pinggan.
3. Tapis supaya biji cili dpat diasingkan.
4. Masukkan ke dalam botol penyembur dan tambahkan air mengikut kepekatan yang anda inginkan.

Selamat mencuba. Kalau yang lain ada resipi sendiri, bolehlah kongsi ye.

Ulam Raja

2009-03-10T11:05:00.003+08:00

Bagaimana membiak ulam raja? Oh, tak susah.... Hanya melalui biji benihnya, yang akan didapati selepas bunganya layu. Gambar sebelah menunjukkan biji benih ulam raja. Apabila kering, biji benih ini akan jatuh dengan sendiri atau terbang ditiup angin. Kemudian pokoknya akan mati... Don't worry, pokok baru akan tumbuh tak lama lagi. InsyaAllah.

Anak2 telah memberi biji benih ini kepada rakan2 yang hendak. Hopefully, they'll grow. But trust me, it's not hard to grow ulam raja!!

Happy gardening....

Ziarah

2009-03-02T11:39:00.004+08:00

Minggu lepas. salah seorang jiran telah kehilangan suami. Semalam, beberapa orang dari kejiranan kami ke rumah jiran tersebut untuk mengucapkan takziah dan memberi sokongan moral. Banyak perkara boleh dibelajar disamping pertolongan yang terdaya oleh jiran lain. Ada kalanya jiran mengambil tempat saudara mara yang jauh. Begitulah juga yang dianjurkan dalam Islam. Nasihat dan pandangan boleh diberikan oleh jiran yang berpengalaman.
Setiap dari kita akan menghadapi saat ini. Cuma kita tidak tahu siapa yang akan menyahut panggilanNya terlebih dahulu. Namun, bersedialah dalam apa cara sekalipun.

Majalah Laman Impiana - Oasis Pembaca

2009-02-27T13:34:00.006+08:00

'Ma, ada hantar gambar ke Laman ke?' Begitulah ungkapan anak sambil membelek majalah Laman Impiana terbaru, keluaran Karangkraf.

'Ada,' balasku sambil meneruskan pemanduan ke arah Pajam. 'Dah keluar ke?' tanya ku lagi ingin tahu.

'Ha..ah...dahh... Eh, mama letak nama ayah sekali ye?' tanya Mar lagi.

Begitulah serba sedikit perbualan ibu-anak. Gambar laman dan sikit penerangan telah dihantar hujung Jan 09 ke pihak majalah. Tak sangka begitu cepat diterbitkan. Memang seronok bila artikel atau sebagainya di'print'kan. Lebih lagi bila teringatkan waktu jadi 'freelance writer' sedikit masa dahulu. (PS. Those who need writing services, do contact me!)

Yang berminat, silalah ke m/s 12, majalah Laman Impiana, Edisi Bumper, Mac-Apr 2009. Bukan apa, cuma berkongsi kegembiraan.... Mungkin satu hari, pembaca lain pun dapat berbuat demikian, insyaAllah.

Technology - Boon or Bane?

2009-02-18T15:15:00.001+08:00

ICT was brought to my doorstep about 13 years ago to facilitate the admin work at school. I embraced it with enthusiasm after finding how it really helps to expedite things, both at work and home.
Next in line was the handphone. I got mine, a Nokia. Never mind, it was a hand-me-down, but it brought me the convenience of getting connected to others. A digital camera makes it easier for me to snapped pictures and having them posted on the Net and share with others.
Ahh... technology, a God-send tool....
God, the Creator, creates beautiful things. But, alas, human beings are known for destroying the beauty of things themselves. Where are our moral standard when we use the tech for purposes out of the norms? We are getting more into justifying our ends rather than the ways used. Are we not sensitive to the need of personal space or privacy among us? Is this the so-called civilised society that we are promoting in line with Vision 2020?
Blaming technology is not the answer. We need to move forward. Do some soul searching and you'll find the answer within yourself.

Alhamdulillah!

2009-02-13T12:13:00.002+08:00

It was my birthday yesterday. Got wishes from family and a surprise gift from my daughters. I'm thankful to HIM for giving me the chance to be in this world. And at this age, you'll see life from a different perspective. For the better, I hope.

We Will Not Go Down (Song For Gaza)

2009-01-30T13:02:00.004+08:00

Such a beautiful song. Summing up what one's feel towards the war.
======================================================

WE WILL NOT GO DOWN (Song for Gaza)
(Composed by Michael Heart) Copyright 2009

A blinding flash of white light
Lit up the sky over Gaza tonight
People running for cover
Not knowing whether they’re dead or alive

They came with their tanks and their planes
With ravaging fiery flames
And nothing remains
Just a voice rising up in the smoky haze

We will not go down
In the night, without a fight
You can burn up our mosques and our homes and our schools
But our spirit will never die
We will not go down
In Gaza tonight

Women and children alike
Murdered and massacred night after night
While the so-called leaders of countries afar
Debated on who’s wrong or right

But their powerless words were in vain
And the bombs fell down like acid rain
But through the tears and the blood and the pain
You can still hear that voice through the smoky haze

We will not go down
In the night, without a fight
You can burn up our mosques and our homes and our schools
But our spirit will never die
We will not go down
In Gaza tonight

http://www.michaelheart.com/Song_for_Gaza.html

The All Knowing!! Ya 'Alim, Ya 'Alim, Ya 'Alim!

2009-01-28T14:08:00.007+08:00

The whole family spent some time watching the eclipse of the sun last Monday (26/01/2009). Starting from 5pm right up to 7pm, we were in the garden whilst having our tea and doing a little bit of gardening!! Old strips of exposed films were used to see it more clearly. I was hoping to see the 'ring' but there was none. Only about 70% of the sun was 'blocked' at one time.

SubhanaAllah. HE is the All Knowing. The Creator of the Universe and far beyond. And yet, we are the Khalifah of Allah on this planet that HE creates. A heavy responsibility indeed.

'Dialah Allah yang menciptakan segala apa yang ada di bumi untukmu kemudian Dia menuju ke langit, lalu Dia menyempurnakannya menjadi tujuh langit. Dan Dia Maha Mengetahui segala sesuatu.' (2:29 Al Baqarah:29)

It's HOT....

2009-01-23T10:36:00.003+08:00

Blue skies with no clouds.

Yes, it has been like this for the past few days...and my laman needs a lot of water. Kolam ikan pun nampak surut airnya.

Whew, tropical weather at its best!!!

Semua di alam ini atas perintahNya.

Frugality: A dirty word?

2009-01-20T11:00:00.003+08:00

According to wikipedia, frugality among others is the practice of acquiring goods and services in a restrained manner, and resourcefully using already owned economic goods and services.

With a looming large number of unemployment in our country, the buzz words now will be cost-cutting, savings, spend (or the economy won't grow!!) but only on necessary items, just to name a few. Whatever word that you use, it will come back to a little bit of frugality. So, is that a dirty word, in times of economic uncertainties?

Anyway, just wish to point out certain measures taken by others and myself included. These ideas may be of good use for others too.

1. A local bank has sent out its monthly statement using both sides of the paper. Usually, 2-3 pcs of paper were used but the recent one was just a piece of paper.
2. Some cos has resorted to using e-statement ie going paperless. Another membership co had sent materials to both husband-wife in one envelope as opposed to two envelopes before.
3. Plant some veggies and herbs for your own consumption. Use up the idle area in your lawn/backyard. (For examples, you can go through lamanoflife). P/S We've also gotten our share of betik from our parents.
4. Find alternatives to what you've been using all these years (I know it's hard to some), which are cheaper and if you can, locally-made items.

I can only have my hands dirty when doing gardening. Frugality, a dirty word? Think about it and be honest to yourself.

Kangkung - A Tiny Way to Self-Reliant

2009-01-10T16:47:00.005+08:00

Don't worry, I'm not about to become another food blogger... But, just sharing something on self-reliant. Hey presto, my 'kangkung masak kicap', with the veggie harvested from my kitchen garden. Yes, why not find a way or two to become less dependent on the kedai runcit, pasar basah or even the big hypermarket. It's not hard to find one way especially if you've the skill, good attitude and willing to learn. Let us be more self-reliant and less dependent.

My daughters' nasi cawan!! They were hushing to each other before we came down for lunch the other day and no wonder.... Our own ulam raja but the coleslaw ingredients were not though. However, it was self-made. This small thing can make eating at home fun and interesting.

Gaza

2009-01-07T10:34:00.006+08:00

The dawn of the new year, be it the Muharram 1430 or January 2009, brought along almost misery to all. Barely a few days into them, we are greeted with the launching of fires from the Israelis to the Palestinians in Gaza. There goes again, another round of attack.
I read in the news about how a mom who herself was injured, asked the paramedic to stop treating her but instead concentrate on saving her children. A mother's love knows no boundry, even on her death bed. Pictures of children killed splashed in the news. These innocent children had their lives abruptly terminated when other children in other parts of the world are happy playing together oblivious to the adult's world. The price of being born a Palestinian?
Will this ever end? Only HE knows as to what lies ahead to these gutsy people. To the Muslim Palestinians, what ever happens, don't let this erode your Iman in HIM. May HE always look after all of you. Let this also be a test to your Muslim brothers and sisters worldwide on what true Iman is all about.

Roselle

2009-01-05T10:11:00.002+08:00

Have planted 3 roselle plants and alhamdulillah, have used the flowers to get the roselle drink. Without sugar, it's quite sour but full of Vit C, I'm sure. Apparently, the plants are quite hardy when compared to other plants that we've planted. The soil suits them. To get the drink, I've soaked the whole flowers in hot water (not boiling) until the water changed colour to red. Did it 2-3 times until the colour has been fully extracted. The flowers are not thrown but used in the curry that I cooked later on, well ...to replace the asam jawa. Everything is trial and error, though the info on extracting the roselle was taken from an Agri Dept website. Hubby suggested that, the flowers be blended but I haven't come across any lit on it. Furthermore the flowers that are harvested were in small number. Planned to plant more so needs to get some seeds. By the way, a daughter has taken along a bottle of roselle drink to school today!

Keputusan PMR 2008

2008-12-31T10:02:00.002+08:00

Alhamdulillah, keputusan PMR anak amat meggembirakan semua. Tahniah diucapkan kepada rakan2 sebaya seperti Yasmin dan Miera (sorry, makcik ingat nama2 tu aje :-) ). Apa pun, Ting 4 nanti, jangan jadikan tahun 'honeymoon'. Mesti berusaha tanpa jemu kerana usaha itu disaran olehNya.
The results were collected from the school hall at around 1pm and she informed me about it 20mins later. Thanks a bunch to her Muallim and Muallimah of SM Islam Al Amin, Bangi for helping her through this part of her academic life. Hanya Allah dapat membalas jasa baik semua.
Atok dan Opah pun happy sampai pegang handset pun terbalik....patut tak dengar.
Not forgetting her siblings (my other daughters) who had directly or indirectly contributed to their adik's success. Learning through their experiences too, had helped in a way.
Her cousin smsed too, to congrats her and inform of her results too. Congrats Ayuni.
You still have a long way to go gal, but whatever decision is made, do make sure HE is in your mind always, Shazwani.

Laman Impiana Lagi....

2008-12-24T12:37:00.004+08:00

Sejak kebelakangan ini, ramai pengunjung lamanoflife meng'google' majalah Laman Impiana. Memang banyak maklumat dari majalah tersebut. Edisi Jan-Feb 2009 telah dibeli semalam di Seri Putra. Belum habis membelek lagi tapi terdapat beberapa mukasurat mengenai tumbuhan herba yang boleh digunakan seperti aloe vera a.k.a lidah buaya (#9) dan roselle atau nama saintifiknya, Hibiscus sabdariffa (#10). Alhamdulillah, herba tersebut memang ada di laman kami. Memang banyak khasiat yang Allah 'sembunyi'kan dalam alam botani kita. Cuma kita saja yang kadang2 tidak mengambil tahu atau hanya bersandar kepada perubatan berasaskan bahan kimia semata.

Pagi tadi sempat menyambung semula menanam kuku jin. Pagi semalam sambung rafia untuk sokongan pada petola dgn harapan dapat hasilnya nanti!! Just wait and see. InsyaAllah.

Vertical Farming

2008-12-16T20:16:00.005+08:00

I snapped a pic on vertical planting and posted it at flickr a few weeks back. Today, an article in Time, issue Dec 22, 2008, titled Vertical Farming tells us that 'this idea can work in a big way'... with some drawbacks of course. It's an idea that can be looked upon deeper!!

In the morning....

2008-12-12T16:01:00.004+08:00

Taking advantage of the not-so-sunny weather, I spent about 2 hours in the laman this morning. First, the keladi needs to find a home. I cleared the grass, dig a hole and put in some black compost soil and went in the tuber. Hopefully, it'll grow.

Next, the area around the blue vase (heliconia). I want to have some plant covering the base area. The same procedure repeated. But for the plant, I had to dig them from the planter box at the gate. So off I went to the front and digged out the purple 'kuku jin' (#8). Now, they have found a new home. By the way, only one vase is 'decorated' for I don't have enough of the 'kuku jin'!!

As for the mulch, after pausing and thinking for some time, I decided to use the (??? brown thatched-like material) from the coconut and palm trees!! Yes, I'm a frugal gardener....

And in today's edition of the New Straits Times (Life and Times - Living), there's an article on thrifty gardeners, plus a column by Desmond Ho of Terra Garden on Orchids. Anyone for the contest in Desmond's column?

New Seedlings

2008-12-11T16:14:00.003+08:00

Some new seedlings have found their way to our home. Though not yet planted, we look forward to have these additions that we brought home from Pasir Mas. The seedlings include mango, sukun, a type of keladi, purple-coloured-flower misai kucing and pokok duit (the Chinese love this plant).

A few days before, I took some white rose cuttings, green ati-ati seedlings and hydragea cuttings from an ex-neighbour's house. These too, haven't been planted. Ohh...so many plants to be planted.

Btw, one of my misai kucing has gone to Pasir Mas....

Wedding Receptions

2008-11-22T16:18:00.004+08:00

Wedding receptions are synonymous with school holidays. No weekend passes by without a single kenduri being held. Last weekend, we attended one in Taman Tenaga (previous neighbour and the colour theme was green). Today, there's one in Bandar Baru Bangi (ex-colleague's daughter got married). Next Sunday, a neighbour's son will end his bachelorhood. Come Dec, there are already three receptions in line. Putrajaya, Kuala Kangsar and Kajang. God willing, we'll be there.

Today, we got boiled eggs as the parting/thank you gift from the bride's family. Haven't gotten one for quite sometime since family nowadays are proned to have other type of gifts to be given away eg cakes or other mementos. It's interesting too, to find out that some of our friends are also the friends of the host. It's a small world after all.

With all these weddings taking place and me being invited, it just shows one thing.. Yours truly is getting older...Hmm...

Barack Obama, 44th USA President!

2008-11-05T22:03:00.003+08:00

I just need to post tonite before the next day arrives, just to make sure that a historic moment like this is not missed by lamanoflife. Nay, I'm not an American but nevertheless, like many others worldwide, watched McCain conceeding defeat to Obama, and followed by the latter's speech in Chicago over CNN.
The results truly is a history.

Hari Raya Open House

2008-10-27T12:27:00.004+08:00

We went to three open houses and a detour to a fast food outlet (courtesy of Na and Ridzuan) yesterday. Started from home at around 11am and headed straight to Taman Setiawangsa,KL. The traffic on MRR2 was tolerable. Food wise, the massala mutton was nice but decided not to eat a lot for fear of 'headache'. We had our Zohor prayers at Masjid Muaz bin Jabal. One new thing that I observed was the ATM-like machine for e-derma in the mosque.

From there, we went to Kota Damansara. Satay was the main food that we ate. At around 6, we congregate at A&W, Petronas, Kota Damansara. Been quite sometime that I had the last waffle so decided to order one. Hubby ordered the same. (picture: Mak, Ayah, Mar, Ani (partly hidden) and Aby enjoying the food)

After Maghrib, our last destination was Kajang. Nasi dagang awaited us there.... Reached home at 10pm and had a good sleep last nite.

After all the stuff that went in yesterday, today hopefully all the fats will be broken down. 3 of us are fasting today.

Majalah Laman Impiana

2008-10-24T18:13:00.003+08:00

Isu Nov-Dis 2008 sudah dibeli semasa mengambil anak di sekolah tadi.

Majalah Laman memang menjadi sebahagian daripada rujukan untuk inspirasi laman kami. Gambar2nya cantik dan mengasyikkan!! Banyak perkara yang dipelajari dari majalah ini. Nama pokok, cara menanam, pembiakan pokok (propagation), lanskap.

Tomato....#6

2008-10-24T17:57:00.003+08:00

Here's our lovely tomatoes. Had plucked 4 so far. Not as big as the ones we bought at the market though but that's fine I guess.

We bought the seedling at MAHA and used baja organik!! The wooden 'pancang' + the yellow rafia was done by hubby taking cue from observing MARDI's techniques! Simple and proven effective.

Another seedling hasn't borne fruits yet but I'm keeping my fingers cross.

It's a nice feeling to harvest your own vegie......

Ulam-ulam

2008-10-16T13:43:00.005+08:00

Semalam kami berulam.
Antaranya, daun mengkudu, ulam raja dan bunga misai kucing.
Dicecah dengan cili tumbuk.

Rasa teruja kerana...
tomato sedang berbuah,
jagung pula sedang menunjukkan tanda2 ndak berbuah
putik cili pun ada 2,3.

Alhamdulillah,
Ya Muhyi, Ya Muhyi, Ya Muhyi,
Allah Yang Maha Menghidupkan.

A 10-year cycle....

2008-10-13T14:49:00.008+08:00

the stories today:

a. consumers urged to be careful in spending so that they will be in a good financial shape in the event of a recession.

b. Be frugal but don't stop spending

c. ...makanan, kewangan dan minyak....

d. isu ekonomi global turut.....

**It's time to visit my vegie patch.... :-)**

4.10.2008 - The Wedding - Part 3

2008-10-13T11:51:00.004+08:00

A picture tells a thousand words!! The bride, bridegroom, ayah and mak after the akad nikah. Congratulations and BarakaAllah.

"Selamat Pengantin Baru"

4.10.2008 - The Wedding - Pt 2

2008-10-10T11:35:00.006+08:00

Tiket tol selamat di genggaman, maka meluncurlah kenderaan yang dipandu di lebuhraya PLUS. Melewati sempadan negeri, Selangor dan N Sembilan, jam di kereta menunjukkan masa memihak kepada kami. Masih punya waktu untuk sampai ke Sg Buluh sebelum acara dimulakan. Takut tersekat di jalan, maka kami memilih untuk mengguna Kerinchi Link, walaupun lebih belanja tol!

Tepat 10.50pg, kami tiba di Masjid Sg Buloh. Ehh...mana rombongan pengantin ni? Betulke masjid ni? 'Telefon opah, tanya masjid mana?'. 'Betul, opah kata masjid kat Econsave!' balas anak gadis. Selesai Tahiyatul masjid dan Dhuha, masih juga rombongan belum muncul... Hp berdering. Nombor pengantin di skrin telefon. 'Kak dah sampai ke?' 'Dah lama dah. Awat lambat ni?' 'Ada tukar duit tak? Kami on the way ni.' Dari jauh kelihatan kereta pengantin.... Tekan minyak nampaknya...nasib tak terlepas lorong ke masjid.

Hai, Tuan Kadi sudah sampai. Ahli rombongan lain belum sampai.. Selang beberapa minit, yang lain pun tiba. Alhamdulillah.

Dayang Yah membawa dulang cincin sementara Dayang Akak bertugas mengambil gambar. Dayang Mak pulak bawa fail. Kami pun memasuki ruang solat masjid untuk acara yang dinanti-nanti.

Bersambung.....

Oct 4,2008 - The Wedding - Pt 1

2008-10-09T09:34:00.005+08:00

After a few weeks of preparation, the day finally arrived!
The night before (Fri) we held a small keduri doa selamat attended by some mosque congregation, after Isyak prayers. In doing so, we prayed and hoped that the next day's event will run smoothly. We tried our best and the rest will be left to HIM.

The food (above) was cooked by us except for the pulut kuning which was prepared by a makcik of Saujana Utama. There were kari telur (Zuridah's specialty- my SIL), sayur buncis + carrot (by my bro, the man chef that nite), ayam masak merah and sambal udang (yours truly...).

The small gift on the plate was acquired by the bride. Consists of dates, got them from Shah Alam.

Not forgetting the rest of the team... Amir, my other bro prepared tea and watermelon. My daughters with other details... Mak helped to prepare door gifts, ayah as the host. Last but not least, of course, dear hubby who sweat it out to make things smooth as possible.

Thank you!!!!

Nilai 3 - part of wedding preparation

2008-09-17T13:07:00.001+08:00

We went twice to Nilai 3 in a space of 24 hours last weekend! It's not only a haven for Raya shoppers but also for the brides and bridegrooms-to-be + the planners. I'd like to mention 2 shops that we visited.
First, the Baryali Carpet. Layers and layers of carpets were stacked from the front till the end of the shop which comprised of two shop units I think. Some were hung on the wall. Sizes vary too --plus the the range of prices-- with the low-end to the high-end. When asked of the origin of the carpets the answers were, 'Ini dari China', 'Belgium' or 'Turki'. I left the shop after my sister bought two carpets and after two bouts of sneezing!!
For the second shop...KK Home Decor. This must be the shop for English decor lovers! You have flowers, mugs, plates, drawers, vases... you just name it! And the prices were I think just right. Some items are cheaper than the other shops too. So to those planning to visit Nilai 3, a word of advice, go early or you'll have to drive around to find a parking space.
Just one more thing to add. The road to Nilai 3 is considered ok except for the fact that the white lines (painted on the road) are not visible anymore. Feel that something should be done by the authority just like what had been done on the road at Arab Malaysian Industrial area and in Taman Semarak.

Part of a Wedding Plan

2008-09-12T10:33:00.000+08:00

Planning for a wedding is not for the faint hearted. Lots are to be done in making things go smoothly on the big day. Preparations start as early as possible making sure even the smallest details are covered.

We are involved in preparing a wedding kenduri for our sister which is to take place at our home. Hubby started searching for a caterer once the date is set. The one he contacted declined since his workers will be on leave (the date falls on the 4th of Syawal) but fortunately he suggested another caterer. Alhamdulillah, this caterer agrees! Impressive, with 3 sets of menu to choose from, 'set makan pengantin', tables and chairs (which one? plastic or the banquet chairs...with or without the chair covers? but of course the price varies), tents.... There'll try to get the best things for you. As a matter of fact, the word is if you've the money, the more lavish you can have your wedding kenduri. But isn't the word moderate the 'in' word now. Yes, my sister and ayah will need to work within the budget set and we'll confirm with the caterer next week.

Menahan lapar dan dahaga?

2008-09-09T10:16:00.000+08:00

Berpuasa tidak hanya menahan dari lapar dan dahaga tetapi lebih dari itu. Mungkin untuk anak2 kecil, itulah yang mereka fahami, namun semakin meningkat usia seharusnya pesepsi itu berubah. Sesungguhnya puasa hanyalah untuk yang Maha Esa dan hanya Dialah yang berhak membalas segala usaha yang telah hambaNya lakukan semasa Ramadan.

Banyak kelebihan Ramadan. Antaranya solat sunat Tarawikh. Yang memeningkan kepala anak bongsu ialah mengapa pula harus solat witir. Persoalan ini sering diajukan walaupun tarawikh tidak menimbulkan masalah untuknya! Witir itu penutup solat malam, itu jawapan yang diberikan, ditambah dengan hal-hal berkaitan.

Malam ini, malam ke-10 solat Tarawikh. Antara kelebihannya ialah - Allah SWT akan mengurniakan kebaikan di dunia dan akhirat.

Salam Ramadan.

Hujung Minggu

2008-08-25T10:27:00.007+08:00

LAWATAN KE MAHA 2008

Kami ke MAHA di Serdang hari Sabtu lepas, hari terakhir! Cuma ke beberapa gerai sahaja. Tak lepas peluang ke tapak pameran Laman Sayur. Seronok betul! Macam2 cara penanaman ditunjukkan. Kemudian ke Petunjukan Rhodeo. Too bad, my daughter didn't enjoy it. Tak suka agaknya. Anyway, a new thing at MAHA. The cowboys from Down Under. Lepas tu tengok cara membela kambing dan bebiri terkini. Pertanian adalah perniagaan, the catch word nowadays. Ramai juga peminat ternakan termasuklah suami sendiri! Sempat membeli 'Baja Tinja Lembu' dr Trengganu! 2 paket RM10, kira lelong ah tu.... Sebelum balik, kami membeli beberapa benih anak pokok seperti selasih dan pudina (anak kata daun ubat gigi).

YES! LEBUHRAYA LEKAS SUDAH DIBUKA

Dalam perjalanan balik dari MAHA, kami menggunakan LEKAS. Khabarnya dibuka pada umum pada Jumaat, 22/08/08. Tol belum ada lagi, bulan Okt kot. Apa lagi, bolehle guna.... Distance wise ie nak ke Kajang, jaraknya lebih kurang sama kalau guna PLUS, tapi masa lebih singkat rasenya. Ptg ni nak buat survey lagi sebelum ada tol. Tol PLUS, Nilai-Bangi RM2.20, Putra-Mahkota-Bangi RM1.40 (about 30km to my destination).

NB: Oct 2008: The toll rate from Pajam to Kajang Selatan is RM2.80

The Beginning of a New Life

2008-08-13T14:34:00.005+08:00

A nice surprise awaited in the laman this morning. Two white eggs were found nicely tucked in one of the palm trees! My first instict was, these would better be the bird's eggs or else.... Took a picture of the eggs since it would be interesting for my youngest to see them. And this afternoon, it was confirmed! Saw the mama bird came visiting and hatching them. It looked like a tekukur though I'm not 100% sure. Will have my watchful eyes on the nest for the next couple of days. Thank you Allah for giving this beginning of a new life for me and family to see.

A for Ati-Ati (coleus)

2008-08-12T08:23:00.004+08:00

So this is #4, ati-ati or coleus. It's red in colour though ati2 (also known locally as nilam, bangun-bangun) is known to be in many other colours which makes it a beautiful plant for the laman.
Been wanting to have it before and settled for this since the price offerred at the nursery in Nilai 3 was rather cheap, RM2 per polybag. So bought just one!
I found it rather easy to plant and had it propagated to a few more new plants. Will find time to propagate more. Just see the pic and you know what I mean.
Read about ati-ati that can be used as a cough deterrent.

Ati-ati is also said to have other medicinal values. However, due to the many varieties of ati-ati ie the different colours; different plants may have different medicinal values or are they the same?

B is for Bucida (Cat. #3)

2008-08-01T23:47:00.007+08:00

I'm trying to catalogue the plant species in our laman. No formal knowledge though but will try to find out. Ok, so this will be the third (since the first was the ulam raja and second, pokok mengkudu).

Cat.3 -- Bucida (molinetti or buceras??? Anyone knows)

The pic on the left is the verigaeted species. When first planted it only had one layer but over 10 months, two more layers have grown. However, the same can't be said about the others (altogether there are 8 of this kind)! This Bucida is right at the front lawn, on your right hand side of the driveway (when driving in). How am i to make others grow into layers?

The pic on the right shows 4 Bucida plants. When planted they were already 3 layered (but haven't grown much since). Any ideas on how to make them grow faster?
Have seen this plant planted by the road side in Bandar Baru Bangi, near Billion and also at the Mahallah Ruqayyah at International Islamic Univ, Gombak.

On the Road

2008-07-24T18:25:00.006+08:00

Have you been in this situation before? It was raining cats and dogs and I was following this overloaded lorry. Phew..

Eating Out

2008-07-21T13:54:00.003+08:00

Bitten by a promotion bug, my daughter kept on suggesting to us to have dinner at an outlet. Apparently, they're having a promo whereby, the meal inclusive of a drink costs RM10. So off we go to their Nilai outlet last night. We ordered 5 promo meals and a drink. The dinner was fine. I had the barbequed chicken with rice and salad, plus of course the ice lemon tea. When the bill was paid (it came up to about RM60), then only I remember my previous post on 'How much can you buy with RM60'? Geez... RM60 for a meal compared to RM60 for a few days food.

What Can you Buy with RM60?

2008-07-13T13:34:00.003+08:00

Here's the list of food items that I bought with roughly RM60 at Nilai wet market and a sundry shop in Taman Semarak this morning.
1. 1 whole chicken (RM13)
2. 3 ikan selar (RM5.50)
3. 1 packet of mee kuning
4. 2 carrots (RM1)
5. 4/5 limes
6. 5 buns
7. 5kg of rice
8. 1 bottle of juice
9. 1 small refill packet of Milo.

Well, some of the items will be gone in 2-3 days (eg the buns and mee kuning). I still need to buy carrots since my vegie plot still could not sustain our daily consumption yet...or maybe, i need some variety to add to the dish.

It needs some deeper thought I think, when I read a byline in the NST (July 13,08) on Feed The Poor. Here goes: If you think skipping that one fancy meal is a sacrifice, imagine having to send your children to a shelter home because you can't afford to feed them.

Labour of Love

2008-07-12T16:23:00.006+08:00

I read with interest an article in the NST on Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah Sultan Iskandar, the Tunku Puan Pahang, having her own vegetable plot. But what makes me smile is the fact that she uses a toy tiger to ward off wild monkeys from invading her vegies. What an idea. I've seen these toy tigers being sold but never in my mind to have it as a 'guard' to my garden. That brings back to mind the use of 'orang-orang' in the padi fields. When I was younger, I used to live in the District of Kerian, the rice bowl in North Perak. Could see this orang-orang from afar in the bendang to fright off the birds. Toy tiger, orang-orang, now what else can we use to 'guard' our plants?

Raja Segala Ulam

2008-07-11T10:26:00.006+08:00

Antara sayur-sayuran di 'kitchen garden' saya, yang paling subur ialah ulam raja (Catalogue 1)

(cosmos caudatus). Dah banyak kali dipetik. Agak cepat juga pertumbuhannya. Mula disemai dari bijinya dan kemudian naik merimbun.... Sekarang ni dalam seminggu, 1 atau 2 kali kami sekeluarga berulamlah. Bunganya berwarna keunguan/kuning,kecil.

Mengkudu (cat. 2) atau morinda citrifolia, daun yang muda pun dicelur dan dibuat ulam. Cuma rase pahit sikit. Pokok ini kami tanam dalam pasu (itu sebab buahnya agak kecil sahaja). Tak nak ianya terlalu merimbun sangat. Seingat saya, semasa dalam pantang, daun mengkudu pernah diguna untuk membalut besi tungku!

Kedua2 pokok ni nampaknya tak diserang serangga perosak...Senang nak jaga.

Jack of All Trade?

2008-07-08T11:41:00.002+08:00

I'm no Amy Beh to cook up a storm in the kitchen. Neither am I coming close to those celebity chefs but hey, I'm the lady of the house, meaning I'm the cook to the whole family (though the other half do take over the duty when he's in the mood...).
With the recent increase in fuel price, there goes up the price for almost everything, food included. Creativity as opposed to frugality is the in-word now as to what to cook and how to save. And oh, it's becoming a great challenge to be a housewife in this too-dependent-on-fuel era. You've to be a Jack of all trade....

Nay, I'm not going to fight using these utensils.

1. The Jack that needs to come up with something from the leftovers in the fridge. Ideas anyone?
2. The Jack that needs to combat the garden pests that are trying to destroy my edible garden. (will share on my laman later)
3. The Jack that needs to come up with a recipe that evolves around things at home without having to go shopping for just one or two items.