Monarch Butterflies

My old friend, Daisy Mak, deliberately grows a number of Butterfly Weeds in her yard to attract butterflies . Some beautiful Monarch butterflies do come during their N-S migration within North America .

Daisy is so patient as to observe and record the metamorphosis of this kind of butterflies. Like all insects, the Monarch has six legs, however it uses only four of its legs as it carries its two front legs against its body.

Daisy said, “Since the Monarch butterflies pass through Texas, I planted the Butterfly Weed (a kind of milk weed that their caterpillars love to eat) to attract them to my yard. I succeeded. This year, I found 10 caterpillars that turned to pupae. I managed to witness a caterpillar climb up my window and attached itself to the window top beam. It turned into a chrysalis (pupa). I also witnessed 3 pupae metamorphosed into adults and flew away.”

The top-left photo shows a Monarch caterpillar banded with yellow, black, and white stripes. The head is also striped with yellow and black. There are two pairs of black filaments, one pair on each end of the body.

The chrysalis (pupa) in the top-right photo is blue-green with a band of black and gold on the end of the abdomen. There are other gold spots on the thorax, the wing bases, and the eyes.

The bottom-left photo shows two adult Monarchs hatching out of the pupae.

The bottom-right photo shows the Monarch ready to fly away from Daisy’s garden.

Let us look at the Monarch closely. The upper side of their wings is tawny-orange. The veins and margins are black, and in the margins are two series of small white spots. The fore wings also have a few orange spots near the tip. The male has black veins on its wing narrower than the female’s. The male is also slightly larger than the female. The one here is female.

3-D Look

I like the 3-dimensional look of this advertisement on the side of one of our modern buses in Hong Kong.

It seems that a young man is carrying two bags, stepping down from a side of the bus. We may see the depth of the room which is actually the bus compartment. Such a design of an advertisement is terrific. I expect to see furthermore other outstanding advertisements on our Hong Kong buses.

An Ice-cream Day

Today, I had to stay home in taking care of Elly for at least four hours because all her family members except me went out for different businesses.

There was no problem for Elly and me for the first two hours because she engaged herself wholly watching videos of her favourite film, “Annie”, her video collection of family life in Canada as well as in Hong Kong and, after lunch, videos of Sesame Street.

I gave Elly her lunch earlier than usual (at eleven fifteen). It was screw-like macaroni with ham in salad dressing. She ate not all the macaroni, but shredded ham. Before this, she had already eaten a lump of bread, some milk and rice rolls as breakfast.

Elly is non-resistant to food, so we never worry about her appetite.

For once, she walked to the front door and shouted to find her mother there. Certainly it was impossible for Connie to appear at that time. To distract her attention and stop her cry, I decided to give her a little ice-cream from the fridge. Probably ice-cream was the best “pacifier” for Elly.

Since she enjoyed eating her macaroni and ice-cream, I took a few snapshots of her eating postures.

Elly used both fingers and spoon at macaroni and ham, and later her left hand to spoon up and jut ice-cream into her mouth. Her “lion” bite at her spoonful of ice-cream was funny. Her look of pink ice-cream marks at her lips were wonderfully lovely. Elly uttered “more ice-cream” not only once because she really loved it. Totally I gave her three times of ice-cream which I estimated, half cupful.

Today was an ice-cream day to Elly.

Misty Hills

Mist creates mystery. These misty hills create perfect mysterious pictures suitable for horrid films.

It is true that photography is a nice and interesting branch of life study to human and nature. I love it. To get a good picture is not easy. It depends wholly on time, site, weather, light source and chance.

Take these pictures as examples.
[1] They require a misty day.
[2] Timing is important because the picture composition varies every second when the mist disperses or accumulates.
[3] Site is also important. You have to wait where the scene appears for some time.
[4] Light source and intensity will change the colour tones and effects of the pictures.
[5] The click of the shutter will freeze the best composition of pictures which satisfy the photographer who takes the pictures.

Do you like to take pictures? Please carry your camera(s) along wherever you go and take good pictures of your own.

Shatin Sky

To me, watching Shatin Sky is always rewarding.

This evening when I was washing my dishes, plates, bowls, chop-sticks and spoons, through the thin curtain in the kitchen, I could see a beautiful sky outside. I hurried to finish washing and quickly grabbed my large camera to take the tele-view of the sky.

I liked the sky at that moment because it was lined with clouds that reflected the light of the setting sun. The sky turned yellow, then to deep red. The hills lost colours and soon turned dark leaving behind just their outlines.

Planes were flying in one by one every two minutes via Sai Kung, over Ma On Shan, Chinese University of Hong Kong, all the way parallel to the Shing Mun River, to Tsuen Wan and landing south-westerly onto our airport. There were hundreds of passengers flying up above us at Shatin most of the time, so the sky was never lonely.

Watching tendrils

This hot June afternoon, I was able to sit down on a bench while supervising Abby riding a four-wheeled bicycle (two small ones are for support). Above me, I found some creepers extending their new territories.

The creepers grow well with green leaves and they send out threadlike tendrils in the air like fingers. Once these tendrils find whatever support and attachment, they twin around them and climb. One strange thing is that tendrils do not have a lamina or blade, but they can photosynthesize. They can be formed from modified shoots, modified leaves, or auxiliary branches. They are “magic hands” in botany.For myself, I like those "spring-like", but "not elastic" curls.

Please double-click the collage photo for closer details.

啤梨迷

艾莉除了橙之外，特別喜歡啤梨。記得以前她在加拿大與我們 Skype 時，我們只要拿著一個啤梨給她看看，她一聲不響便轉了身往廚房找。若是她無氣力開冰箱的話，她會嚷著叫爸爸或媽媽幫忙拿到手裏，然後跑回電腦面前給我們看。她的表現像告訴我們她家也有這麼樣子的生果，我們一致認為艾莉觀察力及反應很強及快，將來她讀書時一定勝過很多同學仔。

這輯照片正好見到艾莉在香港與心愛的啤梨重逢，可幸她手中的啤梨未熟，否則以她的指力，是可以替啤梨開幾個洞。單單看她對這「老朋友」愛不釋手，著了迷似的，就知道她是那麼愛吃啤梨了。

在我們家裏，艾莉也找到了玩具叮噹。以前她只可以在電腦顯示器上面見到，但現在她可以親手拿著玩，比起以前影像式的叮噹，相差很遠呢！

Eating ice-cream in the cold

It was March 4, 2011. The photos were taken by Tony at Fisherman’s Wharf, Vancouver. Tony had just stepped down from a plane that arrived earlier at Vancouver and Philip drove him there as the first stop.

That day was quite cold for Cheng’s family, but it did not spoil their joy of eating an ice-cream cone. Philip bought Abby an ice-cream cone. I guess it was again low-fat Italian “Gelato”.

When Elly saw her sister holding ice-cream cone, she was eager to have a bite. Abby was willing to spoon-feed her little sister with only a hundredth of her share. Mother Connie had to save the spilling of ice-cream from Elly’s mouth several times, so Connie might have tasted one thousandth of the ice-cream when she licked the drops of ice-cream on her fingers.

It comes to a conclusion here: Children eating ice-cream in the cold is great fun.

Artistic Cats in Display

These cats are displayed at one of our Ma On Shan Rail stations.

Let us look at them carefully:
[1] They are of different sizes, one big, one small.
[2] Their genders are unknown.
[3] They are both white.
[4] They look like those Japanese cats with hands raised for money (招財貓)
[5] On their white bodies, realistic animals are drawn. One of them shows a fierce eagle that cuddles to a dragon.
[6] These cats do not have claws.

Postscript:

A pamphlet reveals the following about the artwork at City One Station:
Please read and see how much I am correct from my perception.

Cast aluminium dogs bring good fortune to City One Station

Two friendly neighbourhood guardians have been positioned in the concourse of City One Station since 4 March. "Inu Hariko - Carp & Dragon", made up of two cast aluminium dogs, takes its name from Inu Hariko, a character in the form of a dog which, according to Japanese folklore, acts as a protector and loyal friend of children. Painted in elaborate detail on the bodies of the dogs are images of an eagle, carp, crane and dragon, symbolising bravery, strength, longevity and benevolence. Created by Japanese artist Akira Yoshida, this is the 39th original artwork installed under the MTR Corporation"s "art in station architecture" (AiSA) programme.

A small hill-fire

The nose and eyes of my wife detected the outbreak of a hill-fire on the hill opposite our windows at 19:05 on June 7, 2011.

I remember the widespread of hill-fires on nearby hills several years ago, but this time the scale of the fire was small.

From my estimation, only a small number of trees were burning along the spur of a slope. The fire seemed to extend a little with two stronger “burning-heads”, but it was soon put out by incoming firemen.

Human Swings

Recently, Abby and Elly swing themselves on a cross-bar of a low slide for children at a public park below.

It is too easy to Abby because she is five years old already. It is the first time that Elly plays at this slide. I wonder if Elly can hold on to the bar and swings herself about.

It ccomes out that Elly does swing well. I suppose she has strong muscles at her arms and is filled with confidence in herself. She enjoys such a playful trick with big smiles. Satisfaction comes first to Elly during play.

Flame of the Forest

I came across this name of a tree in Biology lessons during my old days of schooling. I knew very little about it at that time except its compound leaves that impressed me most. In this very June, the red blossoms of flowers of this kind of trees in Shatin and Kwun Tong attract my eyes most of the time.

It is a medium-sized deciduous tree, growing to 15 m tall in tropical and sub-tropical regions around India and Southeast Asia.

It is a slow growing tree. Their young trees have a growth rate of only a few feet a year. The leaves are pinnate, with an 8–16 cm petiole and three leaflets, each leaflet 10–20 cm long. The bright orange-red flowers are 2.5 cm long, and produced in racemes up to 15 cm long. The fruit is a 15–20 cm long and 4–5 cm wide pod.

It is a very useful tree, good for timber, resin, fodder, medicine, and dye.

Please note:

[1] The gum from the tree is used in certain food dishes and also valuable by druggists because of its astringent qualities, and by leather workers because of its tannin.

[2] The wood is dirty white and soft and, being durable under water, is used for well-curbs and water scoops.

[3] Good charcoal can be made from it. The leaves are usually very leathery and not eaten by cattle.

[4] The flowers are used to prepare traditional Holi colour.

水中花

今天中午和小學老友記在尖東茶敍，大家寒暄一番，聽聽最近各自有趣的故事，家庭狀況，苦事樂事一一相告。吃罷點心後，女同學提議食甜品。女侍應建議我們嘗試酒樓曾經得獎的「水中花」糖水。該糖水有兩種味道，一是桂花，二是薑汁。我們毫不猶豫，決定兩款都要。

當兩碗糖水出現時，眼見兩花都是白色的；深黃色的糖水帶薑味，有些微辣；淺黃色的則是淡淡的桂花味。這些花其實是軟體豆腐細切成花，刀功像將牛丸切出花紋相約。心想這正是好賣相的豆腐花吧！

熱遊九龍寨城公園

菲臘提議昨日下午到九龍寨城公園一遊，於是大家約定在九龍城廣場裏面會合，原因那裡可以過一下「冷河」，把身上的熱氣消一消。廣場內中空最底層有包糉活動，參加者不算踴躍。可能是害怕被四周上上下下各樓層幾十對眼睛望著去獻醜吧！

我們一行七人未去公園前，冒著攝氏三十二度高溫在九龍城街市周圍幾條舊街逛一逛。侯王道大多是食材、生果、茶莊及調味品的店舖。獅子石道仍然是滿街賣平價至中價成衣的舖頭，就昨日公眾假期而言，逛街的人很少，生意相信很差。福老村道很特別，甚麼類型的店舖都有：高級西餅、豆漿、豆腐花、生果、魚蛋牛腩粉麵、中西美食、甚至棺材都找得到。

忽然見到豆腐花店附近有無線電視人員及演員在拍劇集片段，我們肯定沒有入鏡頭，只靜悄悄繞過他們想著去吃碗豆腐花或飲豆漿，但令大家失望的是豆腐店坐滿了人。我想起很多年沒有幫襯的那間麵包店，決定去看看‧買了葡撻、蛋撻各三個、懷舊的豆沙包及紙包蛋糕各兩個。令我心裡嚇了一跳的是總共要付五十三元。在家中，女兒說以前那滿口豆沙的感覺完全消失得無影無踪，現在那個豆沙包縮了很多水，錢卻收多了。

我們的歷史文物遊終於展開。從九龍城廣場後門一出正是休憩公園，阿比嚷著要找兒童遊樂場去玩，但她撲了空。轉右見到一組人造石山，菲臘一家四口跑上去，我替他們拍了兩三張相。向下走，不消幾十步已經踏入一道圍牆背後的城寨公園。這裡有長廊，涼亭，池塘，少許花草樹木。長廊壁上有畫有字，極其風雅。

近門口的地方卻見兩三「拍友」找來模特兒拍沙龍照。城寨衙府門前有兩尊大炮、一台巨型木轎。裏面有幾間民房，其實是公園辦事處。正廳左右各有兩張雕花木椅，艾莉及夫人老實不客氣地坐了上去休息一下。女兒抱著阿比給菲臘影了一張相作留念。

此時艾莉不作他想，竟然來一個「自由行」，忘記了背後的父母、姐姐和外婆，不顧一切地踏出衙府，下了幾級石板梯級。公公的我當然要像艾莉的影子在後隨著她走。艾莉好像裝上了衛星導航系統，知道那裡是公園出口似的，一鼓作氣地頭也不回的向前走。我曾經兩三次叫她回頭走，但她只說「NO」，令我為之氣結。終於艾莉走出了公園，向左轉走在賈炳達道上。這時我若果不抱起她回去的話，那怕她越走越遠。回程時，艾莉一直都不肯，我也攪不清那時候艾莉把自己的鞋踢到地上，及後離遠見菲臘及女兒等人，由他們口中才知道艾莉掉了一對鞋子。回頭去找鞋時，得到好心的街坊指引方向，我們才輕易找得到。我們帶著又熱又倦的身軀返回九龍城廣場去和東尼會合。這場小小鬧劇終於下幕了！

Black and White Milk tea cups

Recently I learn from an advertisement that Black and White Milk has a series of cups for promotion in which customers can redeem such cups from restaurants using the milk. To me, the problem is that I do not know which restaurant to go because I seldom visit cafes or restaurants for milk tea drinks or coffee.

A few days ago, it so happened that my family took lunch at a fast-food restaurant at Shatin and I saw a beautiful cup like this holding milk tea. The milk cow on the side of the cup was attractive and interesting and when I finished the drink, the cartoon face of “Shum Fei Fei” at the bottom of the cup was even more interesting.

I know that there are other figures or patterns at the bottom sides of the cups. Sure enough, I shall investigate further more when I visit this restaurant again.

Electric Torch

Elly considers this electric torch as her toy looking glass. How does she play it? Well, she put it at her forehead in such a way that she can still see things in front or thrusts it at her body or swings it about. Up to this moment, Elly does not know that the torch can emit light.

This electric torch does not need batteries of any kind because the electricity is generated by shaking a magnet forward and backward through a coil of wire, that is, by magnetic induction. As it says, it serves as environmental protection.

I believe when Elly grows up, she would rather use it as a torch than a toy.

What was Elly looking closely at?

Here comes an interesting photo I took yesterday morning.

What was Elly looking closely at in the photo? You may guess!

Hint: It is transparent and made of plastic. It gives out light, but does not contain any battery.

Ornaments

The lady in eyeglasses is an ornament designer, a Chinese who lived in Italy with her husband.

Her designs on ladies’ ornaments are reptiles(e.g. lizards), insects(e.g. spiders) and faces of primitive tribes. She has taken up ideas from nature as well as primitive culture and cast out rings, earrings, necklaces for ladies to wear.

Abby on a tricycle

May 30, 2011 was the day Abby drove a tricycle by herself in our park below. My role was just an onlooker.

It was a hot afternoon. At first, she could only find a four-wheeled toy car, but it was too small for her. There was no pedal for driving.

Later she found a blue tricycle which fitted her height and size. She was able to tread on the pedals for forward movements. She decided to drive the tricycle along the corridors and cycling tracks for children’s cars.

I asked her to follow the arrows that were painted on the floor. She soon got used to the driving manner. In the case that the road is ascending, she found a little hard to pedal up the gentle slope. At times when the road was sloping down, I warned her to be careful and not to drive too fast, otherwise she would bang into a kerb or a plant.

After all she was very satisfied with her cycling skill (only on a tricycle) and enjoyed that hour of play in spite of the great heat from the sun above

Beautiful cakes

Elly likes looking at fabulous cakes. To her, their colours are attractive and the cream and fruits on the cakes and tarts are inviting.

Yesterday evening at a Maxim’s, Elly showed her cheerful face before the show-windows of many cakes. One of cakes showed the face of Hello Kitty and she recognized it right away. This cartoon figure has long deep-rooted in her mind. I remember last time when she discovered Hello Kitty products in a department store at Lok Fu, she called out “Kitty”.

Later at the restaurant we dined in, she saw in different directions two identical advertisements each showing a hand raising a thumb. What did she say? Well, she said, “ 一，二，Good ”. Notice she spoke Cantonese as well as English - bilingual!