Wrapper from the ' Secret Garden '

Enjoying Tulips from the bench.

TGIF, Thank you & Thanksgiving

Shout : TGIF! F...F...F...F...

That fetched an echo. =)

Admit it. Don't you just love Friday?!?! =)))))

Before my return on Monday, I simply want to leave this desk with a cheery tone. =)

What a week it has been! It's very upsetting to watch the news on TV about people suffering in Myanmar and China. Some friends are having predicament, and restless... At home, a little disturbances here and there, but it has been a gracious week to be thankful for. =) I mean, we're living in peaceful times nonetheless, compared to people out there who are confronting serious issues.

We're still learning to give thanks, in fair times and bad.

Not forgetting appreciation to those around us! For myself, great blog pals whom I've come to know! Thank you bp, for the ' E ' award though it's truly a big one for this God-Blessed Box ( I'll still keep it anyway =P ), but I'd like to acknowledge your kindness. It's not exactly the award, but the friendship with sincere concern, and all the heartfelt encouragement that your blog offers. A BIG ' thank you ' and warm hug to you...

To close, a quick roundup of my Orchids' progress...

Ran Ran ( left ) didn't make it since the damage during recent winter. We bid her goodbye in late April actually. Still, we are thankful for her time with us. She was spotlessly gorgeous, and I'm sure that anyone who sees Ran Ran in person will be astounded by her grace. She was definitely one of the most beautiful Orchid we had.

Apparently, Ran Ran is too difficult to raise during freezing winter in Nagano, and many florists have refused to deal with this species in particular. First, it is 3 times costly than ordinary orchids. Second, conservatory-groomed species like Ran Ran are vulnerable in cold areas. However, it is still my desire to own Ran Ran and face the challenge again, so, I'll keep you posted when my new pot comes. =P

Rejoice with me! Good Phal Kun survived his first winter, not unscathed actually. He's left with 2 strong leaves since the winter ordeal. I couldn't believe my eyes when he started sprouting out in March! As I watch him grow day by day, I can't help imagining his new looks in months to come!

It's not just joy, but a thankful heart that something precious to me manage to stay around. It's like a miracle, I was so close to losing Phal Kun.

Well done Phal Kun! Grow Phal Kun, GROW!

And then it's Rowndy, who's already fully bloomed for 3 weeks. Know what I mean by Orchids really last? Every flower is still fresh and sturdy! I bet Rowndy is going to last for at least another 2 weeks!

I deliberately took the picture in a soft mode, that makes him go in sync with the morning sun. I love this fresh and warm look he has. What a darling.

For the benefit of potential Orchid keepers, I shall share tips on raising Orchids, when I manage to find time later. Phal Kun and Rowndy are going to be my assistants! =D

Anyone born in May or happens to know May's Birth flower? It is the Lily of the Valley ( right ). I fell in love with this flower more than a decade ago when I first saw its picture, it was later that I found out that it is the flower that represents May.

With May being a special month for us ( our birthdays and wedding anniversary fall in May ), I can't wait to invite this flower to stay with us. Some may know that there are several species, and I finally found the shape I wanted! This is called a ' Dutch Lily of the Valley '. Below shows a shot taken from underneath.

Not to bore you but I truly hope that pictures of plants do bring ease to your eyes. =) They certainly have a relaxing effect on me! I wish you a blessed weekend... =)

Sakura takes a bow, and the Petal Dance begins

It was a late April affair, but I found no time to post this and I apologize for the stale delay. =P

After a week of glamour, the flaunt of Sakura ends. She takes a bow and descends.



Nevertheless, Sakura's beauty is still admired when she's nearing the end. The Japanese calls this period, ’桜吹雪’which literally means ' Sakura blizzard '. Picture this : As wind rustles the sprouting leaves gently, the delicate petals detach themselves from the branches and take a lift into the air. They swirl and flit along with the breeze, with many travelling together, dancing side by side. Finally, they'll land in different spots, and be swept up all over again, until they find rest where the wind no longer reaches them.

Do you see the petals resting on the water surface? I adore the daintly spotted sight.



I'd rather name this lovely scene in my blog, the ' Petal Dance '. It's like watching numerous naughty petals flirting in wanderlust, and being carefree...


Just when we thought that this flower comes and goes in a heavenly gesture, we may be in for a deceptive mistake.







Last year, we were busy with house-building plans, and garden planning was one of them. When I told my husband that I would like to have a Sakura tree in the garden, he gave me a flat ' NO '.

My husband claimed that Sakura trees get incredibly large over the years with roots expanding widely, which may upset the ground. Many households seem to have their Sakura trees out of control, only to cut them off in the end.



Another explained fact got me dismiss the idea completely. IMAGINE the trouble of sweeping the petals and going after them as they ' dance ' in the wind! Clearing the mess, and serve the tree 2 times a year ( after Autumn and Spring ) sounds like complete lunacy to me!

Anyway, the building plan is pushed back but the garden's verdict is reached : NO Sakura trees allowed. See the following picture and get my idea!



And so, I've come to appreciate the Sakura trees outdoors, their awesome blooms, and vain petal dance, at a deal absolutely hassle-free. =)

As we looked back and contemplated on how we've spent 2008 so far, we're amazed how fast time has passed but how much more abundant we've made 2008 for ourselves. Last year, we didn't get to enjoy the seasons and burnt every weekends or possible time on much important matters. We've spent much time silly, trying hard to resolve matters at the wrong time... It was like a huge sack off our backs when we've round up everything and decided to have a fun 2008.



Life in a hurried pace robs much of happiness that may have been laid in our hands, but failed to grasp.

Take time, take time... this is what we've learnt after we've reviewed Spring of 2007 and 2008. There is a time for everything under the sun, and in God's best timing, things get into place in utmost perfection. We've learnt not to be anxious about matters and enjoy what's being presented to us, now.

' Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ' Phillipians 4:6

Don't let ' urgent matters ' grab you and turn you away from what deserve your attention more. =)





Spring doesn't end just yet. Look! New signs of life are such a comforting sight. We'll see what more Spring is going to bring in... =)

A wrapper from the Petal Dance scene

Sakura's petal dance, at the Husband & Wife Bank、 夫婦堤。

I had to chase the petals along the stream to take the shot.

A Birthday Blessing, a baking lesson, & a Wife's Prayer

My husband's birthday falls on the 12th of May. This year for the first time, I had secretly planned to bake my husband a birthday cake! =D

It has been a strenuous weekend for us. There were so much mind-boggling thoughts that made me felt much like a punctured tyre that won't forward another feet more... but I decided not to let this dull mood pull me down. If I don't make this day a special one for my Bear, nobody else will. =)

So the task began before I knew that I was in for another good baking lesson. =P Ahh...

The chosen recipe was a simple roll cake, as I do not possess a round tin that makes a conventional round birthday cake. ' It's the thought that counts ', and I started the project with hope that it'll make the day perfect.

Experienced bakers would have detected that the cake seems somewhat flat and true enough, it wasn't soft and spongy like it was supposed to be! For the cause, I probably need not recollect much to study where went wrong. The entire instruction was carefully fulfilled except for one : silly me forgot to preheat the oven beforehand and had to let the batter sit for 10 mins or so while preheating the oven! Anyway, this may not be the core reason behind the failure though, I shall be attempting the recipe again in hope for a decent roll cake the next time.

As I presented the lighted birthday cake to my darling, I carried it with a prayerful heart. ' Dear Lord, please bless this man, with good health and many blessed years ahead of us... ' It is always such a joy to see the child-like delight on his face, he did not expect anything else other than the favourite dishes that he requested. I truly felt sorry about the flunk, but he wasn't too disappointed with the cake, my husband has always been an accepting person. A promise to bake a better roll cake next time put a perfect grin on this greedy guy's face.

As a wife, I desire to be a blessing to my husband, and to find favour in God's eyes as a good partner. There may be tiring times, but the moment when I know that my efforts are appraised by the Lord, it gives me the strength to carry on. May I never forget to ever embrace my partner with an edifying love and to think first his interest rather than my own. Not solely on birthdays or special days, may I always remember to shower a gentle love and care, with a cheerful heart. =)

The Header Collection starts

Have you ever noticed that there is a frequent change of the picture in the blog's header?

Actually, I'm no fickle-minded person like you've imagined. For most pictures used for the header of the blog, they are mostly NG, theme-less, or waiting to be discarded. What I do is, I will search for areas that vindicate for the picture, apply a little touch-up and there it goes, up at the header. I guess this probably explains why the header keeps on changing, I have loads of NG pictures! =P

What happened is, the headers are discarded upon each renewal. As much as I've tried to salvage them, these pictures transformed simply disappear for good. The N.G. pictures that have proudly served as headers, like beautiful wrappers of this God-Blessed Box, are crushed, disposed and forgotten.

Oh but this is so sad. It's like taking pains to treat a wounded bird, only to leave it to die in due time.

So I've made up my mind to start a new label for these precious ones; Wrappers of the Box ( perhaps, I might change the label's title later ) If this blog is like a talking album, surely it has space for the headers that speak so much for themselves =) I really wish to spare them from the cruel destiny.

I'm sorry if they do not appeal much to you, they're merely remembrances that I'd like to keep. I'll post them in a way that does not interfere with the intended posts.

I wish you a sweet-honeyed weekend. =)

1st May 2008. At Tokyo Disney. Shop window.

Celebration of our 4th Wedding Anniversary

Hi there! Thank you so much for leaving kind comments and wishes for our 4th wedding anniversary! They certainly are a blessing to us, and we appreciate your kind thoughts from the bottom of our hearts.

Every year, the first 5 or 6 days of May is a much anticipated period for us! With the official ' Golden Week ' holiday beginning on the 3rd, My husband will take annual leave especially on the 1st & 2nd to have an extended break to celebrate our special days.

Call us ' childish ' but big kids like us simply can't resist the magical temptation of Disney! As usual, we celebrated our big day at the Tokyo Disneyland, that happens to celebrate its 25th anniversary this year.

Do you know? That there is a Tokyo DisneySea too in Japan? Located adjacent to the Disneyland, DisneySea is much newer and has more thrilling rides. We rotate between the 2 locations for our yearly celebration.

To indulge in true Disney fantasy, let down your hair! It's fun to see visitors putting on headgears or decorations, to feel like part of the Disney team. Oh yes, we joined them too. =P Despite having visited on a non-holiday, crowds of people flow into the theme park and made us queued at almost all attractions. We always choose to visit on a non-holiday so it really makes me imagine its state at peak period.

Ask me my favourite attraction; the answer is the ' Pooh Corner '. It seems that no one fails to be charmed by the silly old bear. The Pooh Corner is a rather new setup, I don't remember that it existed when I first visited 6 years ago. If you like Pooh, the Pooh Corner satisfies you with lotsa cute goods and spots for photos.

A study found that Winnie the Pooh is the most famous, adored and favourite bear character of all. This ' hunny ' loving bear that found its increasing favour, and clothes at last when it is groomed by Disney, is probably having its prime seat for good.

Both Classic Pooh and present Pooh appeal much to me. I can't decide which one I prefer! And it's not just Pooh, but the bees that often surround him. I love bees. I have a special affinity with the bumble thing, and bees appearing in Pooh's world are too cute to describe! The stuff that I have of Pooh, are mostly with bees.

Know more about Winnie the Pooh here.

Have you ever wondered, just why Pooh? It isn't exactly a lot cuter than other bears, I mean all teddies are cute. What makes it an all-time favourite bear?

I have no idea about others but to me, the world of Pooh is kind, tender and warm. There is no trace of frustration that you can often find in Donald Duck, Pluto, sometimes Mickey, and others. Whenever Pooh is in deep disturbing thoughts, the scene doesn't last long enough as he soon reaches out for his hunny pot and rests the case. The world of Pooh and friends is without blamers, always helping, and always accepting. Pooh's world teaches most about love and friendship. It is a perfectly stress-less and evil-free paradise that can never be realized in the reality that we live in.

Enough of Pooh, let's join a parade! Clap, people, clap!

Japs are crazy about parades! They'll shout, scream, wolf call, clap at the appearance of the Disney superstars. They actually behave as if the characters have come alive! It's difficult to understand why normally expressionless Japanese can get so carried away at Disney. The love parades so much that they'll grab a good seat along the lane at least one hour before the show starts and standby, come rain or shine!

Me? Nope, I'd prefer rides and shopping instead. However, after being with my parade-lover husband for years, I found myself waving foolishly at some of my favourite characters!! Arrgh, what's wrong with me?

I'm quite certain that I am still not ' there ' yet, cos I'm still calm ( or sane ) enough to care about taking pictures. Or am I just not that spell-bounded after all?

Wait a minute, look who's coming...

It's the POOH, look my way, Pooh! LOOK HERE NOW!!!

Goodness, am I turning into one of those parade-fanatics?

Ok, I'll be starting a new corner called, ' Spot the Heart ', where I'll collect pictures of heart-shaped images. Spot the Heart at the right picture. =) I think the brilliant flowers are poppy.

At Disney, flowers catch your eyes everywhere. A documentary of Disney reveals that when the park is closed at 10p.m., it's when the busy workers begin their hard work overnight. Cleanups, repairs, maintenance, even gardening! Every single plant is removed and replaced with a new fresh pot, so that visitors may never catch a withering sight. Magic at Disneyland comes with great deal of effort, don't you think?

A plain fact about Disney though, we've yet found anything delicious at this fantastic park! This anniversary, we had buffet for dinner as usual. We've noticed slight improvement compared to previous years, though I still feel that it doesn't qualify a pass despite the price we paid.

Have you ever heard? That a couple slowly resembles each other as time goes by. They tend to be unexplainably alike in many ways...

What astonished me was our choice of desserts. Without knowing what our partner took from the dessert platter that offered so many different items, we had exactly the same desserts!

Do you see the bee chocolate decor on a sponge piece? I simply love the bee!

Night falls. Let's go catch some glistering stuff!

Crystals on already glamorous super stars. They come with a dear price that can fetch you a branded bag.

I don't mean to be sour, but I thought that crystals merely made these adorable figures look stiff, angular and almost disfigured? Stitch is my favourite Disney character ( followed by Pooh ), but he's so unrecognizable with this setting. =(

I guess this game is a for some celebrity grandpas who are still young at heart. I like this better than the crystal figurines.

On fine-weathered nights, Disney displays 10 minutes of fireworks with lightup of Cinderella castle and other attractions. This magical place would have make many leave with a contended heart if not for some constraints. First, the park is operated in Japanese language, so foreign visitors do agonize over food ordering, performance showa and etc. I find myself offering translation to English and Mandarin speaking visitors a lot. =P Then, please do not expect much about the food available, quite disappointing actually. Lastly, to be allowed for most of the rides, do stand at at least 132 cm tall. =P

We always return with a reluctant heart even though we were truly tired! Guess what, I must have been so dead beat that I dropped my Stitch cap at the park upon leaving and I failed to discover until 3 days later! My hubby was so upset that I should lose the couple-cap we have, and contacted Disneyland immediately. We recovered it at Lost & Found and they offered to send me the cap by post Besides being thankful for the found cap, I really must praise Disney for being a customer-orientated organization and makes people believe in its wonderful world of magic.