The grit behind the glamour or why I why I missed July Blooms Day.

Yes, from my blog it sounds like a dream job, frequent trips to foreign locales and all.  Like my recent trip to organize and co-conduct a workshop in Barbados. Sounds fab doesn’t it? I had thought so: hotel on the beach with  powder white sands, night swims in the pool, excellent restaurants, visit to the wonderful  Helen of My Rustic Bajan Garden

Yeah, that and Crazy Woman. I invited Crazy woman, a consultant, on the recommendation of someone.  She received full funding (including ticket and hotel) to attend the workshop. None of this would have happened without me. Crazy woman then proceeded to bad mouth me with various participants, interrupt the presentations constantly to criticize AND then launched a complaint with the implementing agency that the workshop was a waste AND galvanize a couple people to also complain. So I have been busy doing “damage control”, defending ourselves and our presentations.

   

What could possibly be the motivation here? When I was new to consulting, I attended every local workshop I could get invited to for the specific purpose of learning and networking. A few times I actually paid my airfare and hotel to attend workshops in the US just to meet people!  I’ve wined and dined many a North American and European colleague when they worked in the Caribbean. Sometimes I cooked dinner for them. Introduced them to my garden and pets. These are the things that build relationships and help you get work. I can’t see how going around bad mouthing and trying to discredit persons who helped you and are in a position to help could possibly achieve that.  The only reason could be that there are people who get satisfaction and joy from causing others distress and loss.

Well here are a few blooms; I do have a fun post coming up of the Tea Party at the Rustic Bajan garden

Some first time bloomers: white orchid tree ( as I recall 4 years ago I planted seeds from a pink orchid tree) and yucca.

I dont know how I never got such an easy, cheerful flower as portulaca/purslane before

My cool new bi-color euphorbia milli

tithonia 

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Spring Blooms: both sides of the Atlantic

My friend, Aoth, sent me these pics she took in her new hometown of Horsham, England. Just in time for Blooms Day, since I have only the same blooms to show. So here's the blooms on her side of the Atlantic first: I will love to learn the names of these.

And here are my flaming, color saturated blooms: desert rose, tithonia, bougainvillea, oleander

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Has it shifted on your list of priorities?

I was listening to "All Things Considered" on the radio this afternoon while driving home. There was a segment about how the American public's perspective on luxuries versus necessities is changing.

Paul Taylor, executive vice president of Pew Research Center, talked about some interesting shifts.

Microwaves are now seen as luxuries, while some newer technologies — including flat-screen TVs — are considered necessities.

You can listen to the segment here.

I was hoping that Mr. Taylor might touch upon - yes, you guessed it....

If the current economic constraints are causing people to consider the microwave as a luxury item, where does life insurance fit along this continuum?

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Silky Coconut Pumpkin Soup

With our indigenous “pumpkin”, calabaza squash, in full season we buy a wedge every week and I try a new recipe. Epicurious.com has been a good source for recipes, some are great as is, and others, like this one, needed some tweaking. Here’s my version which turns out to be very much like those I had in South East Asia. Note that the roasting of the shallots is important for the flavour.


Ingredients


3 shallots, unpeeled (1 small onion can also be used)
11/2 to 2 pounds kabocha or calabaza squash, unpeeled and with seeds removed, cut into 2 inch cubes. If calabaza squash peel is tough do peel before cutting into cubes.
1 cup canned or fresh coconut milk
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup loosely packed cilantro or Thai basil leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon grated white part lemongrass or a few blades of lemon grass
Hot pepper to taste ( eg chili flakes, thai chilis, bird peppers) (optional)
1 teaspoon grated ginger (optional)
2 aji dulce ( seasoning) peppers (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce (optional)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Generous grindings of black pepper
To garnish: 1/4 cup minced scallion greens (optional)

Method


In a heavy skillet, or on gas grill, dry roast/ grill the shallots, turning occasionally until softened and blackened. Peel, cut the shallots in quarters.

Place the shallots, pumpkin cubes, coconut milk, broth, lemongrass, hot pepper, aji dulce pepper, ginger and coriander leaves or half the Thai basil leaves in a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the salt and simmer over medium heat until the pumpkin is tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in the fish sauce (if using), the sugar and soy sauce and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove lemongrass leaves, whole hot pepper, cilantro or basil stems, and any other coarse parts. Puree soup. If using Thai basil add the other half after pureeing.

Taste for salt.

Serve with generous grindings of black pepper, garnish with chopped scallion greens. Serves 6.

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Marigolds are ready to show.

marigolds

marigold bush

marigold bush close-up

the first bud

the second bud

Huh, with summer all year round , we miss the cycle of most flowering plants. We tend to grow flowering plants without the worry of weather and climate. In 4 seasons region, gardeners are quite particular when to start growing and the time should be enough for flowers to appear before winter comes and paints everything white.. Over here, I just grow them knowing that one day they will be kind enough to push out the first bud.
Marigold forms a lovely dense bush, and in a way they do create an impact to the surroundings. After seeing the light of day since March this year, now the first bud appears, then the second. I purposely put this post through before more buds come out, before the anticipation of flowers slowly recedes....

The other day, I saw a snail or two resting on the stems of marigolds. I am sure, they had a quite dinner of marigold shoots. When marigolds come to this height and age, snails cant kill them. It is at the young tender age, that they are very delicate, and a good lick by snails will put little seedlings to sure rest.

Soon there will be yellow dots all over.

bangchik

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Barbadian Pottery

The Chalky Mount district in St Andrews, Barbados is known for it clay deposits and a number of potteries. Potteries were established here since the nineteenth century.
This is a piece of artwork by Hamilton Wiltshire, an accomplished Barbadian Potter.

Above, by Hamilton's Pottery

Lots of colorful and practical pieces are made by Earthworks Pottery (though not of local clay). I picked up the most neat soap dishes and mini vases. I loved these large serving platters.

Earthworks entrance


But my heart belongs to Hamilton's Pottery as Hamilton works on redesigns of traditional pottery, as well as lovely glazes, reminiscent of fine Japanese glazed pottery.

The artist's studio

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They started off the same time.

lady's finger
also known as Okra, or Bendi (Bahasa Malaysia)

lady's finger flowering.

roselle, still waiting
I am sure you can see a part of the twining plant kacang kelisa 
or kacang botol or winged bean. Roselle plants are very close to winged beans trellis. 
A branch is adventurous enough to stray and find roselle.

I did a post earlier about the confusion while transplanting them on vegetable bed [click here: Roselle with lady's fingers in the middle]. They look awfully similar at the early age. Having them in a row, lady's finger in the middle flanked by roselle on both sides, makes them even more identical, to the point that even Kakdah didn't realise there is lady's finger in the middle until the day lady's finger sprouts nice flashy yellow bloom.
So Lady's Finger chooses to be the first to produce flowers and fruits.
Roselle plants  are waiting for the right moment to show off their lovely flowers. I guess Roselle is planning a real big surprise.

bangchik

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sweet corns, first to join.

Sweet corn is not new here. We grew sweet corns during the first half of  last year with some measure of success. Now sweet corns are coming back with a new role to play.  They form a major component as in the Legend of Three Sisters Garden. 

I am facing this problem again and again. Ten  old corn seeds failed to germinate except for one. Then I quickly rush to Mydin supermarket to purchase a new packet of sweet corns seeds.  Now the new seedlings join the sole representative of the earlier batch in the garden bed that was once filled with Ulam Raja, Marigolds, Amaranth tricolour, Spinach, peanuts and raddish. They are transplanted as in the design of Three Sisters Garden.with a little bit of modification.

 

the first trio of sweet corns.

Notice the bigger plant as the sole representative of the old seeds batch.

All sort of seedlings appear as a result of self seeding, mainly spinach, amaranth, and ulam raja. These will be pulled out and some will be scooped out to another location.

the second trio of sweet corns

Peanut plants are visible at the top. I think some peanuts 

from the earlier plants are still in the ground and they germinate. 

I am going to leave those in for a while 

before winged beans really grow.

So corns are the first to join the Legend of Three Sisters. 

Winged beans were sown direct into the ground and so far nothing happen yet. The third component is pumpkins, which are now in tiny pots. One seed has rooted and is pushing the first pair of leaves up. The rest are still quiet.

There will be regular updates on the development of Three Sisters.

bangchik

Putrajaya Malaysia

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In Case You Didn't Believe Me

Last week I wrote an article stating that life insurance rates are on the way up and that the time to buy life insurance is now. Life insurance rates have been decreasing to historic lows over the past couple of decades, mainly fueled by the need for companies to stay competitive with internet quote sites and independent agents.

In case you thought I was just using scare tactics to get you to buy or that I was just spouting off some kind of crazy theory, here is a link to a press release by Accuquote reiterating that many carriers have raised their rates or have rate increases scheduled within the next few months.

Michael, Garden State Life Insurance

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visitors

We know about grasshoppers habitual munching of leaves, and bees nectar licking. Engineers are used to having buildings over designed . The design far exceeds usual standards as of sturdiness or safety. Plants would probably do the same. They have far more leaves than necessary. I am not too sure what is enough as far as winged beans leaves are concerned. The whole plant is so heavy and dense with leaves.



Probably some are reserved for insects to bite. It is just a romantic view to look at their ecosystem. And nectar can also be seen as what we understand as reward system to keep productivity and enthusiasm high. The plants need insect to help with pollination and has nectar to offer for such service.

belalang kunyit,

belalang kunyit  or Valanga nigricornis 

is the biggest grasshopper in Malaysia that I know of, resting on winged bean leaves. According to a laboratory studies on the life-history of Valanga nigricornis ...  it requires 6 and a half to 8 and a half months to complete the life cycle. I never knew belalang kunyit lives that long, definitely longer than winged bean itself.

a carpenter bee

a carpenter bee

a carpenter bee

the carpenter bee is undecided; is it okra or bean flower.

the carpenter bee licking nectar of winged bean flower

the carpenter bee

or xylocopa confusa 

licking nectar of winged bean flower.



Carpenter bee or Xylocopa confusa

is a large bee reaching slightly more than 20mm. Female is mainly black. The thorax is with deep yellow hairs, making it almost fully yellow except for small black patch at the centre. The species is quite widely distributed across Southeast Asia, definitely a frequent visitor in my garden, hopping from one flower to another. It seems to love every flower available here; coleus, senduduk, winged beans, roselle and okra.

[reference:  Xylocopa confusa - Asian Hornet Net]

bangchik and kakdah, my little vegetable garden  

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