Lilies

There are more than 100 species, and many cultivated varieties of lilies. They also come in various colours. Most lilies grow from a bulb, which in some species develops into a rhizome, which carries small bulbs.

Clivia miniata, the Natal lily or bush lily is a species of flowering plant in the genus Clivia of the family Amaryllidaceae.  

It is a popular plant for shady areas, and is commonly seen growing in older established suburbs. In temperate regions Clivia miniata is normally cultivated as a houseplant. In warmer sites, it can grow outdoors and is used in landscapes for its attractive evergreen foliage and showy flowers. This clump-forming plant spreads via rhizomes and is particularly suited for shady areas.

Lilium (members of which are true lilies) is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants growing from bulbs, all with large prominent flowers. The flowers are often fragrant, and come in a wide range of colours including whites, yellows, oranges, pinks, reds and purples. Markings include spots and brush strokes.

I am not sure if these are Lilium longiflorum, or Lilium formosanum. I believe they are sometimes called Easter lily.

I don’t know what these are. Too many similar looking varieties.

Many other plants have "lily" in their common name but are not related to true lilies.

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Weekend Humour

It’s the weekend. Time to give yourself a break. Relax, have a laugh. If, for whatever reason, you find it difficult to laugh at the moment, maybe the following humorous quotes will help to bring on a chuckle or two, or put a smile on your face at least. Laugh when you can. A day without a laugh is a day wasted.

Take a look at today’s quotes. They are witty and humorous quotes which have a lot of truth in them at the same time. Remember the ones you like best, and go impress your friends with your wit, humour and wisdom.

You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you. - Walt Disney

I think a man ought to get drunk at least twice a year just on principle, so he won't let himself get snotty about it. - Raymond Chandler

The best measure of a man’s honesty isn’t his income tax return. - Arthur C. Clarke

No woman should ever be quite accurate about her age. It looks so calculating. - Oscar Wilde

As you get older, the pickings get slimmer, but the people don’t. - Carrie Fisher

To think is easy. To act is hard. But the hardest thing in the world is to act in accordance with your thinking. - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained. - Mark Twain

Don’t give cherries to pigs or advice to fools. - Unknown

How happy is it for us, that the admiration of others should depend so much more on their ignorance than our perfection! - Fulke Greville

It is much easier to burn men than to burn their opinions. - Charles Dickens

I am certain there is too much certainty in the world. - Michael Crichton

When in charge, ponder; when in trouble, delegate; when in doubt, mumble. - James H. Boren

You may not be able to read a doctor’s handwriting and prescription, but you’ll notice his bills are neatly typewritten. - Earl Wilson

I am not ashamed to confess that I am ignorant of what I do not know. - Marcus Tullius Cicero

Don’t marry for money; you can borrow it cheaper. - Scottish Proverb

It's funny, don't you think, how time seems to do a lot of things? It flies, it tells, and worst of all, it runs out. - Markus Zusak

Have a great weekend

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Mistakes

The only way not to make mistakes is to do nothing and that, in itself, would be the ultimate mistake. We learn by doing, by making mistakes. In order for you to profit from your mistakes, you have to make some.

Mistakes are lessons of wisdom, they are portals of discovery. Mistakes show us what needs improving. Without mistakes, how would we know what works and what doesn’t. Learn from our mistakes. That’s where our experience comes from, and the easiest way to gain experience is to make some mistakes. They will be our wealth of experiences.

However, that doesn’t mean you can be reckless and attempt all sorts of things. That would not only be a mistake, it is also stupidity. Think, consider, weigh the pros and cons. Then proceed with caution. If it was a mistake, learn from it and it will become an experience – your experience.

We often discover what will do, by finding out what will not do; and probably he who never made a mistake never made a discovery. - Samuel Smiles

Learn from the mistakes of others – you can never live long enough to make them all yourself. - John Luther

Making mistakes simply means you are learning faster. - Weston H. Agor

Everyone makes mistakes. The wise are not people who never make mistakes, but those who forgive themselves and learn from their mistakes. - Ajahn Brahm

The test is to recognize the mistake, admit it and correct it. To have tried to do something and failed is vastly better than to have tried to do nothing and succeeded. - Dale Turner

Anyone who doesn’t make mistakes isn’t trying hard enough. - Wess Roberts

It’s always helpful to learn from your mistakes because then your mistakes seem worthwhile. - Garry Marshall

Everybody makes honest mistakes, but there’s no such thing as an honest cover-up. - Price Pritchett

It is forgivable to make mistakes, but to stand fast behind a wall of self-righteousness and make the same mistake twice is not forgivable. - Dale Turner

No one ever became great except through many and great mistakes. - William Ewart Gladstone

Have a nice day!

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Truisms - Words To Live By

An aphorism is a truism expressed in a concise and witty manner. Aphorisms teach a philosophical or moral truth which is relevant to our experiences in life. The relevance is what makes them fascinating and interesting.

The right aphorism at the right time, at the right place can change a person’s point of view, or in some cases, a person’s life. It is like a key opening the lock to a recess of the mind which we did not know existed.

Take an interest in aphorisms. Understand what they are saying and learn the underlying lesson/lessons in them.

You can’t lose what you never had, you can’t keep what’s not yours and you can’t hold on to something that doesn’t want to stay. - Unknown

Quit worrying about how everything is going to turn out. Live one day at a time; better yet, make the most of this moment. - Joel Osteen

Doubt comes in at the window when inquiry is denied at the door. - Benjamin Jowett

Faith is like a bird that feels dawn breaking and sings while it is still dark. - Scandinavian Proverb

The education of a man is never completed until he dies. - Robert E. Lee

Nature is the most thrifty thing in the world; she never wastes anything; she undergoes change, but there’s no annihilation – the essence remains. - Thomas Binney

Thoughts lead to acts, acts lead to habits, habits lead to character – and our character will determine our eternal destiny. - Ezra Taft Benson

To gain what is worth having, it may be necessary to lose everything else. - Bernadette Devlin

Though one should conquer a million men in battlefield, yet indeed he is the noblest victor who has conquered himself. - The Buddha

Whatever is worth doing at all, is worth doing well. - Lord Chesterfield

Usefulness is not impaired by imperfection. You can still drink from a chipped cup. - Greta K. Nagel

Do the best you can in every task, no matter how unimportant it may seem at the time. No one learns more about a problem than the person at the bottom. - Unknown

Even when you are angry, think before you talk. The words you say can only be forgiven, not forgotten. - Unknown

Life is not all about money. Some of the poorest people are the happiest people you can meet. - Unknown

One day you will realize that material thing means nothing. All that matters is the well being of the people in your life. - Unknown

Whenever we’re afraid, it’s because we don’t know enough. If we understood enough, we would never be afraid. - Earl Nightingale

Have a great day!

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Water Structure

This is the main entrance to the Marina Bay Sands Hotel.

Opposite of the entrance is this water structure which is mesmerizing to look at. Water flows down from the top of the wall and flick the little stoppers this way and that. With the sound of flowing water in the background, one can be hypnotised watching the structure.

Unfortunately, this wasn't a very good video. Looks like I need to work on my videoing skills. And perhaps, one needs to be present to experience the full effect of the water structure.

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Chinese New Year Get Together

My friend Ernest, invited seven of us to his house for a Chinese New Year gathering. We were all from the same Food and Beverage Service class back in 1986. There were more of us from that class but some of them couldn’t make it, which was just as well, because a household is only allowed eight visitors per day, during this time of the pandemic.

All of us look forward to Ernest’s invites because he is a great cook. His lunches and dinners were well thought out, and never disappoint. Last Saturday’s dinner was, as usual, sumptuous and luxurious.

Last Saturday's gathering started at 3 pm. We arrived more or less within minutes of each other. After settling down, we did the ‘Prosperity Toss’. We were all feeling a bit peckish and ready for a nibble of something.

'Yu Sheng', also known as 'Prosperity Toss', is a Cantonese-style raw fish salad. It usually consists of strips of raw fish (sometimes salmon), mixed with shredded vegetables and a variety of sauces and condiments, among other ingredients. The dish is a Chinese New Year Speciality. People only do the 'Prosperity Toss' during Chinese New Year.

Preparing the “Yu Sheng” and a toast to the Chinese New Year.

We used abalone instead of raw fish in this instance.

I wrote about the ‘Prosperity Toss’ last year, so I will not go into it again.

After the ‘Prosperity Toss’, we snacked on Chinese New Year goodies while we catch up on the latest. Between the casual talk, the easy banter and comradeship, time flew by. And then, it was time for dinner.

This was our dinner last Saturday.

Chicken n abalone soup. The chicken spent so much time in the soup, it was tasteless. So, the soup was pure 'essence of chicken'.

Braised belly pork with sea cucumber. Now, look at that and tell me it isn't mouth watering.

Stewed mushrooms with seaweed, dried oysters, and dried scallops.

Steamed scallops, with ginger and a sprinkle of wolfberries.

Pan fried oyster omelette. A local favourite.

Sautéed white cabbage with lily flowers, black fungus, arrowhead, leek, and button mushrooms.

Clay-pot rice with Chinese sausages, duck liver sausages, waxed duck and Chinese waxed pork. This itself is a meal on its own.

As you can see, there was plenty of mouth watering delicious food. We had a slow, leisurely dinner, savouring every bite of the food.

There was ice-cream and fruits after the dinner, while we continue with our chit-chat. So, we have been eating non-stop since we arrived. We had the 'Yu Sheng', the Chinese New Year snacks, the dinner followed by ice-cream and fruits. Now, isn't that a glutton's delight?

It was almost half past ten when we call it a night. I always felt a bit reluctant to leave. As they say, parting is such sweet sorrow. But guess what, we will be meeting again in less than two weeks' time. So, that is something to look forward to.

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On Love

People have a romantic idea of what love is, and they go into a relationship with expectations, not only of how they want their partners to be, but also expectations of what they want in a relationship. Unfortunately, this is not how a relationship, or love works. And when this delusion is shattered, the relationship crumbles.

We all have our definitions of love, and expectations of our loved one. Nothing wrong with that since we are going to spend the rest of our lives with him or her. The problem arises when our expectations are too high. We want our loved one to be perfect. But there is no such thing as a perfect person, or a perfect relationship.

Love is acceptance of the person as he or she is. It is a two way street. In a relationship, there has to be give and take, and sometimes compromise. If you are not ready to enter into a relationship, don’t. Do not enter a relationship thinking that a person will change because of you, or that you can change a person after you are in a relationship with them. That is not how it works.

It is so unusual for people to realize that love means being individuals who choose to stay together while remaining individuals. - Khalil Gibran

Love is always bestowed as a gift – freely, willingly, and without expectation. We don’t love to be loved, we love to love. - Leo Buscagalia

Love involves a peculiar unfathomable combination of understanding and misunderstanding. - Unknown

I am coming to terms with the fact that loving someone requires a leap of faith, and that a soft landing is never guaranteed. - Sarah Dessen

Those who love you are not fooled by mistakes you have made or dark images you hold about yourself. They remember your beauty when you feel ugly; your wholeness when you are broken; your innocence when you feel guilty; and your purpose when you are confused. - Alan Cohen

Days will come when the magic of the senses shall fade. And when this enchantment has fled, then it first becomes evident whether we are truly worthy of love. - T. S. Arthur

Perfect love is rare indeed – for to be a lover will require that you continually have the subtlety of the very wise, the flexibility of the child, the sensitivity of the artist, the understanding of the philosopher, the acceptance of the saint, the tolerance of the scholar and the fortitude of the certain. - Leo Buscaglia

The truth about love is that it is ever changing. Throughout the life of a relationship, individuals change and life itself changes. Love has to be flexible enough to accommodate new information, new roles, and new ways of loving one another. - Patricia Love

Have a great day!

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Orchid Flower

This pot of Orchid flower was a Chinese New Year gift from one of my nieces. It looked a bit bare sitting on the table on its own. So, I got thinking and did something about it.

What do you think? Does it look better?

Lovely flowers and they last a long time too.

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Sarcasm

Sarcasm is a sharp, bitter, cutting expression or remark; a bitter gibe or taunt. Some are downright insulting, while some are rude, and at the same time, humorous.

Sometimes, people are momentarily stunned by a sarcastic remark. They are not sure whether whoever said it was being funny, or whether they are being rude. They do not know whether to laugh, or to feel offended.

Call them sarcasm, glorious insults or whatever you can come up with, this selection of bitter, or cutting expressions, or remarks will surely bring on a chuckle, or a smile at least. Enjoy!

I can’t criticize what I don’t understand. If you want to call this art, you’ve got the benefit of all my doubts. - Charles Rosin

You can get the monkey off your back, but the circus never leaves town. - Anne Lamont

They love their hair because they’re not smart enough to love something more interesting. - John Green

A man who could make so vile a pun, would not scruple to pick a pocket. - John Dennis

He is a self-made man and worships his creator. - Irvin S Cobb

With just enough of learning to misquote. - Lord Byron

I regard you with an indifference closely bordering on aversion. - Robert Luis Stevenson

A man of such obvious and exemplary charm must be a liar. - Anita Brookner

I will try being nicer if you try being smarter. - Unknown

Dumb as a drum with a hole in it, sir. - Charles Dickens

I never forget a face but in your case, I’ll make an exception. - Groucho Marx

Keep talking, someday you will say something intelligent! - Unknown

I know you are not as stupid as you look. Nobody could be! - Unknown

Don’t feel bad. A lot of people have no talent! - Unknown

I’m not mean, I just give people a good reason to hate me. - Haresh Daswani

My level of sarcasm has gotten to the point where I don’t even know if I’m kidding or not. - Unknown

Have a great weekend!

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