Whetting Your Appetite

Falling in love with English gardens.
Dad says many of his clients love to have English gardens as part of their landscape.
It is only a dream; it can never thrive under the tropical heat and humidity.
So, one of the best things that can happen to you is to savour in the blooms which survive so naturally and beautifully in this temperate land.

An English garden which seems to need so little care ; imagine the amount of effort we have to put in here to persuade them to live... one week maybe.

This species just grow so naturally outside an apartment in Kensington...

So neat and pretty; a delight to the eye and you never seem to have enough...

Look; they are everywhere, the periwinkle ; it's at a park near Soho Square...

Petunias of different shades in a pot; they are so beautiful you are afraid to touch them lest they die...

In the countryside along Wiltshire, this is a common sight; you want to live there for them..

Daisy, daisy will you marry me...

Roses and daisies when combined is a sight to behold...

So sweet the pink roses that it's natural to fall in love with them... falling in love.

Lavender so purple and pretty...

The poppy is a common sight here; they are not here to kill but to add beauty...

What's this ? But it is pretty...

Ma, take a shot please; I love the flowers; who wouldn't ?

I simply cannot resist a shot here. The beautiful flora makes the daily walking pleasant and remove all tiredness. The cool weather adds further pleasure and you only want to go on and on. Each time you come to a spot like that above, you pause, gaze at them, turn your head in all directions and agree that it is it : they make your day.

It's lovely to be here in the UK...just for the flowers; believe me.

Sally Port

A beautiful port.
Dad said he must see Sally Port again.

Walking round Portsmouth we noticed that the livelihood of the local folks has everything to do with port ; fishing, trading, tourism, transportation...

Isn't it pretty? Sally Port is sweet and quaint. Look at the display of pots; so inviting and it is even more attractive if you peep in. Have tea...

Dad related that Portsmouth positioned at the southern most part has always been connected to emigration and immigration ; the British were known to have left the shores of England looking for greener pastures in America and Australia. In Sydney when we visited it in 2008, we were shown the place near Opera House where British convicts were sent to... they could have left through Sally Port.

Below the statues was a written reminder of the legacy left behind by those who left the shores of England for America ; nostalgic. Somehow sometimes in one's life there is a need to leave the homeland for survival. So we can safely say America is connected to UK through blood ties?

Along the port underneath the fort, we noticed that many openings were sealed.

However those that were opened have lovely scenario beyond the opening...

A lovely flint-stoned filled beach. Sun bathing is popular and the locals never seem to get enough of the sun; I take an umbrella everywhere to avoid the scorching summer sun...

We climbed a flight of stairs in search of a better view of the port...

Dad said he used to visit the spot...

The fort was once used as a spot to encounter the enemy; the structure told me so...

The place brought back memories for dad; he said not much change but noticed a few new tall buildings in the far end...

Beautiful, clear blue skies and seas; so pleasing to the eye...

So this photograph will be remembered...

Strolling further down the quiet town, I saw an interesting building...

I went closer and it read : Portsmouth Sea Scouts Headquarters... I thought Sophie Lau would be excited about it. She was crazy about scouting activities in her school days.

Indeed it was a pleasant morning walk along this still and west country place; the flowers are incredibly beautiful...

The girls holding tight to a used 'cannon' probably of no use today but only fit as a decor item along its street. When will their stories end? So many challenges they face; and they become mine at times. I pray for God's favour to be upon them as they mature into useful beings.

Sally Port; a point to reminisce.

Marion Syms

An Old Acquaintance

Daddy before leaving for the UK requested that Vincie help him find the whereabouts of a lecturer who taught in the University of Portsmouth during his time; Marion Syms.


Dear Vincie did us the favour and went on a nation wide search for her and it therefore brought us to a picturesque sweet county; Emsworth.


Emsworth is a sleepy little place nestled in the natural beauty of God and this old oak tree is but a symbol of poise and sturdiness. "Oh tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree, it's been..." To see a real oak tree means all the story books I read about them coming true.


Marion in her 70s is still active, very warm and spontaneous. She left her position some years ago and is now actively involved in a counselling ministry in the local church. Her wisdom is clearly deciphered through her soft and gentle demeanor and the moment she saw the girls she looked at dad and laughed. " You mean these are your girls?"; after all those years.
Next she sat down beside them and like a typical teacher, asked questions from age to studies and vocations. She was delighted at God's goodness to the family.



As we entered her door she showed us a painting on the wall; similar to the theme above. I regretted not taking a shot. It was a painting done by dad as a gift to her. She has been keeping it since then. Oh, why did not I take a shot ?


This is a typical painting now hung in the house. Dad's hobby is to paint during his free time and many good friends and pastors had received paintings from him.



So you should guess by now who has inherited this gift among the girls. Yes, it's the architect of the house; Esther. Yesterday she attended an Art class and came home with the piece. She says she has yet to give some final touches but alas she leaves me again tomorrow... Children do inherit latent skills from parents but perhaps the greatest yearning of all parents is that they develop into wholesome beings approved by God.


I admire Marion for her energy, imagination and willing spirit to entertain. "How shall I entertain the girls?" She quickly took out a croquet set and started to teach them the game. Teaching never leaves her, does it ?



She showed them how to hold the 'hammer' and gave little knocks to the ball...who will finish the game first?


So it became a frantic game. Needless to say, the man of the house did it followed by Grace, Esther and Sara; all in good order.



At the end of the game, the girls said "Look mama..." Girls they may be but fight they do and you will be surprised that the youngest is not the least vocal. It goes by the profession.


Don't you think they are adorable? While I was shivering and covering myself in a cardigan, these babies were enjoying the summer breeze. Perhaps one need to be trained to stand the cold? I definitely need it.



The energetic Marion then took us for a stroll behind her abode to a beach fronting the sea. On the way there, we saw yachts and boats parked behind a gate. The existence of the boats is a fore tale of what we were going to see.


A typical evening where families and people walk their dogs along the beach filled with bright, hard flint stones; dad told us.




Flint is bright and shiny and they have very hard features appropriate for building purposes.

Esther was all excited as she shot the scenery along the mud-filled beach. Beautiful, isn't it?

It is so natural; so real.

The floral is so spontaneous and bewitching too.

All thanks to the right camera, Esther.

We took some last shots before having tea with dear Marion and had real fellowship.
This is another of dad's desire ; to meet Marion. Another close mentor and a mutual friend, Gwen, who was especially close to dad passed away a couple of years ago. Dad actually regretted not meeting her earlier. So he took pains to visit old friends whom he met in the 70s.

Emsworth and Marion; we will remember.