Monday, December 29, 2008

Eclosed Hawkmoth-Enpinanga borneensis

Enpinanga borneensis is the name of this hawkmoth which Gan left on my table for me last week. It was 6 plus in the evening when I returned to my room after dinner today. Seeing that the moth had eclosed spurred me to do a double quick wash up. Then out with my camera, plastic bags (I usually get good picture results with a grey plastic bag as the background for a closeup), book-light (for backup lighting), pen or a stick to pick up my star and get it into position and a rubber non-slip mat too, to rest my hands in a steady position.

Some unusual props indeed. Anything just so I can get a good enough picture for my keeping. Since I can't hold a camera up at all, I got to count on my subject to co-operate with me. Moths are more accommodating in this than butterflies. I must add, that's for me, coz I know you can just as easily capture a butterfly, newly eclosed, on camera.

I clicked away and got a number of blurred shots. Finally I decided I spent enough time on it and let it go on a shrub outside my room. This is about the clearest shot I took.

Friday, December 26, 2008

No worry, no poos;-)


What do you visualised?
Shooting stars?
Flaming red phoenix?
This is my sister Mary's idea for this year's decoration. Paper cranes sprayed red, add on sprigs of dried flowers to the tail end and Christmas tinsel of red and gold......
Volunteers Dehong and friends put up the decoration in two Saturday afternoons before the festive season kicked in. Soon, or to most people, Christmas is over and Christmas decoration had to be taken down. But these flaming red cranes will usher in the Lunar New Year for us too. The birds are in the Hall and the Sisters ain't chasing these away. They got lisence to stay at least until after Chap Goh Meng.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Out shopping, a visit missed.

Went shopping with my sister Mary for things to put in a hamper. Mary is good at doing hampers besides being good at doing a hunred other things. We are giving the hamper to a doctor friend who is taking us out for dinner come Saturday, 27th. Dr. Yvonne Soong have known the older residents for donkey years. I only come to know her through Mary. She's been giving us free consultation.


It's fun doing shopping with Mary coz she has all the ideas of what to get. I don't have to stress my brain cells thinking about the right choice:-) My job is to jot down and calculate the prices and make suggestions to buy some things that looks yummily good. It's been such a long time since I really shop with Mary. It brought back memories of those years when I was serving as chairman of the Residents' Committee, we had to do Christmas gift shopping for 6o over residents. I was lucky to have Mary's help and a few good volunteer friends who bore with us patiently.


Returning home, I found a little gift atop a plastic container with a rolled-up leaf in it. Gan had came while I was out. A check through my cell phone revealed several sms-es I had missed. Gan had left me little gifts he got from Cameron Highlands and a hawk moth pupa in a rolled-up leaf to ignite my desire to go caterpillar hunting again.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Goodbye Joe :'(

After a morning of traditional Japanese music performed by Mr. Baisho Matsumoto and his wife, I returned to my room for a short rest before going back to doin date entry on the computer. Then, the sad news broke. Joseph Fernandez passed away at noon in the Bright Vision Hospital where he had been staying for the past 8 months.

Joe is very special to us because he is the first resident when Singapore Cheshire Home opened its doors on 23rd Dec 1957. He was 21 then, an orphan with cerebral palsy. Unable to talk but able to understand good simple English, he was helpful and did a lot to help out during the early days of the Home when staff was really limited. He had helped me too during my school days, waiting early every morning outside my room to push me out to catch a cab to school. He's so fun and cute and loves taking pictures. He has a cheeky grin and we often teased each other with monkey faces. I'm gonna miss him.

Those we love never really go away, they are in our hearts everyday...

Monday, November 17, 2008

Why '1 Caterpillar'.

At forty, I'm really begining to feel faulty everywhere!
One would think that at this age I have learn everything about myself. Not so. Everyday presents something new that I need learning to cope. Living with SMA isn't easy. In many ways I liken myself to a caterpillar journeying through life towards that final transformation that will free me from my physical disability. As a Catholic, I looked to what's beyond.
There's a purpose for our existant. Life is, to me, a school that I may learn and be transformed by what I learnt; a journey filled with exciting things waiting to be discovered. Things that point me towards the Creator of the universe. Life has it's ups and downs, but I'm thankful all the same. 1 Caterpillar's Notebook is where I can share my personal encounters and discovery.


What is SMA? I belong to tpye II
Link to our association: MDAS

Monday, November 10, 2008

Becoming moths



Moths are beautiful too. But most people don't think so. Well, ain't these beautiful? You'll be surprised that some moths are more beautiful than butterflies.
Whether they become moths or butterflies, I find my happiness when I see their wings are well developed to carry them forth into a world of freedom. Metamorphosis completed. They flew.

Becoming butterflies

These are beautiful. I had watched them grow. Sometimes I got them from egg.
Above, from left to right, is the Common Mime, the Malayan Eggfly and the Common Mormon.
The Malayan Eggfly caterpillar was given to me by a friend, Gan from Nature Society.