May 17, 2007: When was the Last Time?

I got this video in my mailbox fron Shar (Centaur).

It's beautiful .....

I thought I might share with everyone.

THANK YOU Shar!

YOU are such a wonderful person!

Love - Larra

May 16, 2007: Rain ....

.

I am singing in the rain

just singing in the rain

O what a wonderful feeling

.

I want to dance in the rain

Will you dance with me .....?

.

.

May 15, 2007: ????

Julien Dupré
(1851 - 1910)
Milkmaid with Cows

~

Ever feel tired of what you are currently doing?

Ever feel that you have enough of your WORK?

.

I feel like doing something that do not require any thought,

but merely physical effort.

.

Oh, did I just detected the smell of lavender

and the whisper of green green grass ......

May 14, 2007: I May ....

Flatter me

~ and I may not believe you.

Criticize me

~ and I may not like you.

Ignore me

~ and I may not forgive you.

Encourage me

~ and I will not forget you.

Love me

~ and I may be forced to love you.

(william arthur ward)

May 13, 2007; Journey Down Memory Lane

Sharing with you videos taken during Howard's holiday at my hometown in Kulim, Kedah.

On the second day, we drove to Sedim River which is known for it's waterfall and and also the newly launched Tree Top Walk (the world's longest tree top walk). This is video of us stopping by at the Kedai Kopi (Coffee Shop) nearby the road in Sedim where H had his 'kampong coffee'. In fact, on our way back we stopped at the 'kedai kopi ' again and H had 2 cups of 'kampong coffee'!

The following video where we were approaching the river and your can hear the sound of the river and the jungle ..... The so-called road is big enough for only one car - so when there's cars coming from the other direction there's some kind of understanding who has to give way .....

After the picnic, we went straight to my sister's house in Bikan and were greeted by little Farah Dania (my sister's grand daughter). She's about 4 years old, was very shy but so eager to show us the fish at the nearby pond.

But on our way to the pond we saw few monkeys - that sounded very happy - they just eaten 10 chicken eggs from my sister's place! This is video of Farah chasing the monkeys - she's just mimicked what my sister normally did to chase the monkey I think.

Farah is no longer shy .... she's now falling in-love with H, and fell asleep in H's arms!

The next day H experienced how lemang is being made. In this video, my brother in-law was layering banana leaves inside the bamboo. While I was eating 'apom' - the traditional kueh that my sister cooked that morning. Most of the time, you will hear Malay language being spoken in this video - but in Kedah dialect (because my sister and brother in-law can't speak English). BUT, if you noticed there are few English words that are common in Malay language and being used widely - i.e my sister said 'fresh' kelapa (coconut)

And that's me trying to 'help' ....

Entry for May 12, 2007

"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best," and then he had to stop and think.

Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do,

there was a moment just before you began to eat it

which was better than when you were,

but he didn't know what it was called.

~A.A. Milne

May 11, 2007: Sweet Memories Remain .........

Note: My friend, Zulrushdi passed away 12 midnight last night. May Allah bless his soul and keeps him in a better place. I would like to thank all my freinds who have been visitng his blog. I know it meant so much to him. He wrote me an email few days ago thanking me for writing about him and putting a link to his webpage.

Below is Kahlil Gibran's poem that I would like to share with you, and I believe that's how Zulrushdi wanted us to feel and think of him.

Rest in peace my dear friend ....

*******

The Beauty of Death

Part One - The Calling

Let me sleep, for my soul is intoxicated with love and
Let me rest, for my spirit has had its bounty of days and nights;
Light the candles and burn the incense around my bed, and
Scatter leaves of jasmine and roses over my body;
Embalm my hair with frankincense and sprinkle my feet with perfume,
And read what the hand of Death has written on my forehead.

Let me rest in the arms of Slumber, for my open eyes are tired;
Let the silver-stringed lyre quiver and soothe my spirit;
Weave from the harp and lute a veil around my withering heart.

Sing of the past as you behold the dawn of hope in my eyes, for
It's magic meaning is a soft bed upon which my heart rests.

Dry your tears, my friends, and raise your heads as the flowers
Raise their crowns to greet the dawn.
Look at the bride of Death standing like a column of light
Between my bed and the infinite;
Hold your breath and listen with me to the beckoning rustle of
Her white wings.

Come close and bid me farewell; touch my eyes with smiling lips.
Let the children grasp my hands with soft and rosy fingers;
Let the ages place their veined hands upon my head and bless me;
Let the virgins come close and see the shadow of God in my eyes,
And hear the echo of His will racing with my breath.

~

Part Two - The Ascending

I have passed a mountain peak and my soul is soaring in the
Firmament of complete and unbound freedom;
I am far, far away, my companions, and the clouds are
Hiding the hills from my eyes.
The valleys are becoming flooded with an ocean of silence, and the
Hands of oblivion are engulfing the roads and the houses;
The prairies and fields are disappearing behind a white specter
That looks like the spring cloud, yellow as the candlelight
And red as the twilight.

The songs of the waves and the hymns of the streams
Are scattered, and the voices of the throngs reduced to silence;
And I can hear naught but the music of Eternity
In exact harmony with the spirit's desires.
I am cloaked in full whiteness;
I am in comfort; I am in peace.

~

Part Three - The Remains

Unwrap me from this white linen shroud and clothe me
With leaves of jasmine and lilies;
Take my body from the ivory casket and let it rest
Upon pillows of orange blossoms.
Lament me not, but sing songs of youth and joy;
Shed not tears upon me, but sing of harvest and the winepress;
Utter no sigh of agony, but draw upon my face with your
Finger the symbol of Love and Joy.
Disturb not the air's tranquility with chanting and requiems,
But let your hearts sing with me the song of Eternal Life;
Mourn me not with apparel of black,
But dress in color and rejoice with me;
Talk not of my departure with sighs in your hearts; close
Your eyes and you will see me with you forevermore.

Place me upon clusters of leaves and
Carry my upon your friendly shoulders and
Walk slowly to the deserted forest.
Take me not to the crowded burying ground lest my slumber
Be disrupted by the rattling of bones and skulls.
Carry me to the cypress woods and dig my grave where violets
And poppies grow not in the other's shadow;
Let my grave be deep so that the flood will not
Carry my bones to the open valley;
Let my grace be wide, so that the twilight shadows
Will come and sit by me.

Take from me all earthly raiment and place me deep in my
Mother Earth; and place me with care upon my mother's breast.
Cover me with soft earth, and let each handful be mixed
With seeds of jasmine, lilies and myrtle; and when they
Grow above me, and thrive on my body's element they will
Breathe the fragrance of my heart into space;
And reveal even to the sun the secret of my peace;
And sail with the breeze and comfort the wayfarer.

Leave me then, friends - leave me and depart on mute feet,
As the silence walks in the deserted valley;
Leave me to God and disperse yourselves slowly, as the almond
And apple blossoms disperse under the vibration of Nisan's breeze.
Go back to the joy of your dwellings and you will find there
That which Death cannot remove from you and me.
Leave with place, for what you see here is far away in meaning
From the earthly world. Leave me.