Passionate Moi

Had I not seen its flower, it would remain a most ignored vine in the whole island. Passion flower, Pulau Tidung Kecil.

Vegetal & Animal@Gunung Gede

Wallace mentioned Gede Pangrango more than twice in his book. I tried to climb Gunung Gede twice. on the last attempt last weekend, friends and i finally made it to the summit. all the way, i saw so many astonishing and rich vegetation and animals. i even saw a silvery monkey (owa jawa) eating leaves, snails, birds, and flowering plants. all in their perfect forms that i felt i should call it--quoting Wallace's term--"luxuriance"! i felt so happy!

Late Late Bloomer!

Rafflesias are curious things. six times visiting Kebun raya Bogor, I only got the chance to see it once and it was fading.

Last week Sulis smsed me, saying that no-blooming-for-more-than-80-yrs Rafflesia patma blooms for two days. ocha sent me the pic. the salmon colored flower indeed looks attractive! (photo by Koen Setyawan)

Feeling Vine

artistic vines@Kebun Raya Bogor

What's the Story?

Morning glories; v Tulambene

Butterfly lovers

Last week when i went to that shop for groceries, it played a traditional Chinese music over the speakers. I thought, oh next week is Chinese new year! that's why.

It took me a minute to recognise what song: Butterfly Lovers Concerto! It was a version i never heard. Before, I only knew Vanessa-Mae's version: an orchestra backing her solo violin. It's one of my fav piece of orchestral music.

Then I remember Fiona ever mentioned this: Butterfly Lovers? That's Sampek Engtay!

Ah really? So I, as always, consulted Wikipedia: It's about a boy met girl. A Romeo, a Juliet. They were Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai. In our dialect, they became Sampek Engtay.

I checked this video. this vid is cool. amazing. it makes me think of how a hundred legs become six and a wingless body become winged. that's the wonder of fasting, eh?

Pome!

just want to say, I admire its flower. Last November I happened to see it for the first time in life. Beautiful! photo courtesy of Enti Nuridah

Poppy!

(poppy by Claud Mey)

Vegetal: Highlands of Bandung

Vegetal: Bali

Vegetal: Australia

I wrote that in early 1999. I am glad that it came true, been twice up to now. Kak Ester went to Auusie for the second time and sent me some preview of the continent.

Vegetal: Fille de Krakatau

Snowdrops (?)

(by Tika)

I was flipping through Tika's European holidays pics. Think these white flowers must have grabbed her attention well. So standout and nice that she turned her head and felt she din have to pose with them :) she said they grow on a hilly city in Austria.

(The species is still unidentifiable to the gardener)

Rows that Wow

I see sumpin fishy!

first we take Manhattan!

MANGO: original

Man, go mango

Ah, granny!

Bend it like Beckham

Jacintha!

for 5c!

(Xem)

Un Flambeau, Jeanette, Isabelle!

tribute to this member of Banana family, Musaceae. love torch ginger

Angels in Flight

Ant Weaving

Observing this orchid, i found this big fiery red ant we call rangrang.

High Tea

They're never as high as their cousin Camelia is. But both produce sweet smelling flowers. Kak Sam can drain a two-litre-stainless-steel glass full of oolong tea in just minutes. Ani makes it regularly, perhaps twice a day. And Becki falls in love with a tasteless popular tea. Anyway, I love teas

Fuchsia

whence the color term cometh

I was happy to find this plant in the morning when i did the sunrise seeing on Tengger
beautiful, no?

Renate said that she discovered the plant on Dieng Plateau--much like what she had back home.
"Fuchsie, you know." Ah, yes.

These brighly colored blooms made my day
love 'em

Wake Up and Smell the Roselle

'why are my roselle bushes dwarves?' typed Debbie

how do i know, you gave me the seeds.

'my auntie did!'

actually, mine is dwarf too. it doesn't exceed a foot!

'hahahahah...'

i did exactly what you said: sow it on the rice husks

'perhaps we should transfer them to the ground.'

or mix the husks with earth?

'hahahahaha, that's what my mom told me to'

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perhaps the variant is dwarf one but i'm glad i planted it. Seed is of no use unless it falls into the ground and dies. it will ressurect.