Welcome and thanks for stopping by.

bloomize

Other matters

flickr
music
RSS

As Seen on Delightfulblogs.com

Blog Directory

Arts Blogs - Blog Top Sites

Add to Technorati Favorites

     Archive for July 2008

Kota Taniuchi

From this hanging wall calendar I got to see drawings from Kota Taniuchi (谷内こうた), an author and illustrator. The calendar was given to us by hub’s business associate from Hitachi some years ago.

I didn’t keep the whole calendar but retain only these 2 scenes which I thought was especially nice and warm.

He has also written several children’s books, some are available at Kodansha (limited titles @ Amazon jp/fr) while others are out-of-print.


31st July 2008
Chapter: Japanese + Zakka Comments (4)

Here, here and here

I try to be here as often as I can to take down notes but when I’m not, I’ll be here or even here if time permits.

So here I’m enjoying my 2nd cup of tea. Made possible by Valerie who sent me lots of it last Thursday! I’ve been spoilt and it’s good to be.

I’m now heading here, a bustling place for many things related to cameras and photography!


30th July 2008
Chapter: Food, Sharing Comments (3)

Lantana camara

Okay, shall I do a little name calling today? On these pretties I met along the way?

In Latin, it’s lantana camara. A nice botanical name that’s easy enough to pronounce.

In the Malay language, it’s bunga tahi ayam, meaning chicken droppings flower. The scent from the stem and leaves reminded some people of chicken poop. I wasn’t aware of any smell when I went near them. Whew.

In Mandarin, it’s 五色梅花, meaning plum blossom in 5 colours.

Other names: Spanish Flag, ham and eggs, and yellow sage.

This shrub has got quite a lot of medicinal uses recorded in this handbook.

You are welcome to enjoy (just a few) more pretty lantanas here.


29th July 2008
Chapter: Really Comments (2)

Smoky curtains

The sound of roaring engines in the sky was clear that we were having company on Saturday evening. Just after hub and I had walked across to Bugis Street, diagonally above us were these F-16Cs…looking teeny weeny. Evidently they were busy practicing for next month’s parade to celebrate our nation’s 43rd birthday.

We were about 2-3km away from the parade venue, much further than we were the other time, if you recall. While we remained on the side of the street and with hub watching out for traffic, I slip out my camera in time to catch them leaving their smoky trails. This zoom-up-and-dive act is called ‘Curtains’, hub pointed out to me.

As I view the curtains on the LCD screen on my F31fd, a true teeny weeny camera, I’m continually blown away by its astonishing point and shoot capability!


28th July 2008
Chapter: City rounds Comments (4)

Site seeing: GM food

A list of foods with and w/o GM ingredients from True Food Now

How to tell from the PLU (price look-up) code on the stickers if the produce is conventionally grown, organic or genetically-modified?

How do you know if your food is GM? @ Mercola

GM peas study abandoned after causing lung damage in mice @ New Scientist

Fears over secret study into GM food @ Znet

Even mice prefers non-GM from the Institute of Science in Society

Are GM crops killing honeybees? @ Mercola

How the government is causing the global food crisis and why GM crops are failing @ Mercola

GM ingredients overview @ Seeds of Deception

Syngenta chairman confesses: genetically engineered crops cannot feed the world + Latest news and resources on GE food @ Organic Consumers

Institute for Responsible Technology

Japan Offspring Fund


26th July 2008
Chapter: Site seeing, Food Comments (1)

Square paper folding

How should I fold my personal messages so that each note stays obediently shut and doesn’t take much effort? Well, I went straight to my foreign encyclopedia and found this answer.

Steps:


1. I cut out a square from scrapbook paper. Message-side faces down.
2. Fold it in half and crease.


3. Half it again and crease.
4. Open up. The center is marked with a “+”.


5. Fold a triangle.
6. Then unfold to reveal the fold line (in white).


7. Fold a triangle with tip touching the fold line.
8. Repeat steps 5-7 on the 3 remaining sides.


9. Position it this way.
10. Then turn it over.


11. Fold the left section to the centre.
12. Bring up the bottom section.


13. Fold it down onto the centre.
14. Bring up the right section.


15. Fold it down as well.
16. Finally, fold the top section down to the center. Crease really well.


17. Along the fold line and where the arrow is pointing, make these areas well-creased.

18. At this point, I’m calling the flaps 1 to 3 and the final flap “4″. Lift up “1″ slightly with your thumb and index finger.


19. With your thumb on your other hand, we’re going to hide half of “4″ behind “1″.

20. Where the arrows are pointing go ahead, don’t be afraid to fold and push the paper inwards, right along the folded lines made in step 17.

After making the necessary adjustments, this is the finished aligned look. Just the kind of straightforward origami I need today.


25th July 2008
Chapter: Tutorials Comments (6)

«