So Many Things To Be Thankful For

Sometimes, we are too busy going about our daily business that we forget to be thankful for the things and the people in our lives. When we begin to be thankful, we cease to complain. I am thankful for good health that hubby and I can enjoy our morning walk. Thankful for sight to be able to enjoy the lovely sunrise and to be able to hear the happy chirping of the birds. A thankful person is a happy person.

Sunrise at 6:55 am.

Sunrise at 7:00 am.

Happy to see this hibiscus plant in my garden budding again.

Thankful for the sun that makes my plants happy.

The chives in my garden are also budding.

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Thankful for the beautiful plants in my garden.

This deep red caladium is doing well in my garden.

When exposed to more sunlight, the colour of the leaves get a tinge of green. especially on the underside of the leaves.

When there is less sunlight, the dark red colour of the leaves will deepen.

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Thankful for the fragrant flowers in my garden.

My variegated Gardenia plant is budding.

Can you see the variegated bud?

The bright pure white of the petals of a new Gardenia flower.

It will turn beige on the 2nd or 3rd day.

A wilted Gardenia flower before it drops off.

Thankful for nature's lesson that I have learned since I started my garden.

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Thankful for the paintings in the evening sky. 

Clouds formation in the sky at 5:49 pm.

5:52 pm.

Beautiful display of light and clouds in the sky above the rolling hills.

Linking to Friday Bliss & Skywatch Friday.

The heavens are telling the glory of God;

they are a marvelous display of his craftsmanship.

Day and night they keep on telling about God.

(Psalm 19:1-2, The Living Bible-TLB)

Cooking Resumes After My Kitchen Has Been Restored

Yesterday was Tuesday, 28th day MCO, the last day of 2nd phase MCO. Tomorrow begins the 3rd phase MCO (15th - 28th April).

Just in time to catch the sunrise at 7:22 am

Pre-fried noodle (yee mein) in soup - hubby's take away breakfast taken with iced milo. My breakfast was just plain Jacob's original cream crackers taken with hot cocoa.

 Sweet fragrant Gardenia bloom from my garden. 

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Our kitchen was closed for one and half day. After putting everything in the kitchen back into order, I prepared an early dinner because both of us skipped lunch. I boiled soup with cabbage, carrot and meat.

Hubby's dinner: Rice, cabbage soup and leftover waxed duck and Chinese sausage.

 My dinner: Cabbage soup, 1 hard boiled egg and oat porridge.

Happy to see my Gardenia plant bearing new buds.

Linking to Wordless Wednesday & My Corner of the World.

Let us get up early and go to the vineyards

to see if the grapevines have budded,

if the blossoms have opened,

and if the pomegranates have bloomed.

There I will give you my love.

(Song of Solomon 7:12, New Living Translation-NLT)

Bacon & Beef Burger Sandwich For Dinner

Yesterday was Monday, 13th day MCO. When hubby suggested Indian flat bread (chapati) and curry for dinner, I quickly agreed because I was feeling lazy. Thinking I needn't have to cook dinner, I took a nap. By the time hubby remembered, the stall was closed for the day. Since hubby had his lunch late, he told me to prepare something simple. 

Hubby's dinner - without bread

 I pan fried a few pieces of bacon and 2 pieces of beef burger.

My dinner

Spread a thin layer of butter on 2 pieces of wholemeal bread.

I had good appetite because I skipped lunch.

 Our quick and simple dinner. 

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From the National Museum.

Antique radio and gramophone player at the National Museum.

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Fragrant flowers from my garden.

 Gardenia flower bud.

 Water Jasmine - single layer petals.

 Water Jasmine - multi layer petals.

Linking to Happy Tuesday, Image-in-ing & Tuesday's Treasures.

As far as God is concerned there is a sweet,

wholesome fragrance in our lives.

It is the fragrance of Christ within us,

an aroma to both the saved and the unsaved all around us.

(2 Corinthians 2:15, The Living Bible-TLB)

Fragrant Creamy White Gardenia Flowers From My Garden

I received some plant cuttings from a friend. She only told me that the plant has a nice fragrant and the flower is white. She also mentioned that sometimes the cuttings might not grow. At that time, I was not told that it is a Gardenia plant. It was only confirmed after the plant started to flower.

There is a variegated Gardenia plant in my garden. I did a post on the variegated Gardenia plant. You can click here to visit the post.

It has creamy white flowers with a nice fragrance.

The Gardenia cuttings started to grow.

I used normal garden soil.

The plant enjoyed the morning sun.

I fertilize it about once in every 2 weeks. 

It grew tall and it began to bud.

Can you see the bud?

A close up of the bud.

 The bud is slowly opening.

The petals unfolding.

Creamy white flower.

It has a very nice fragrance.

It never stopped flowering.

Will this turn into a seed or seeds?

I have yet to see the seed.

One morning I was standing very close to the plant when suddenly a little bird flew very close to me and went off to perch on a nearby plant. It was making a lot of noise like it was scolding me. I didn't know what it was all about. Then as I look back at the plant, I saw before me a bird's nest. No wonder, the bird was so excited. It wanted to protect its nest from me by trying to distract my attention from the nest. I can't do any trimming as long as the nest is there.

A closer look at the nest. I took this photo when the bird was not around.

It conveniently used the leaf above as a roof over the nest.

Just look at the workmanship. It sort of sewed the leaves to build a nest.

The mother bird is a very small bird.

Linking to Floral Bliss

Can a mother forget the baby at her breast

and have no compassion on the child she has borne?

Though she may forget, I will not forget you!

(Isaiah 49:15, New International Version-NIV)

Variegated Gardenia Or Gardenia Jasminoides 'Variegata'

Today, I am very happy to share with you a plant with flowers that gives out a very nice strong fragrance. It is the Variegated Gardenia or Gardenia Jasminoides 'Variegata'.

The plant in my garden has started to flower.

The cuttings were from my sister's garden and I planted them in a pot.

It started off as a slow growing plant.

My patience finally paid off! At last, I get to see a flower bud!

The flower stalk is short.

The flower bud sits in the centre with 2 to 3 branches branching out from it sides.

It is like the branches are shielding the flower. Even the flower bud is variegated!

Unfolding of the first bloom.

Unfolding layer by layer...

Love the soft white petals that smell so good.

This is one plant I want to nurture.

I am thinking of transferring it to a bigger pot.

Or propagate more plants and fill my garden with the sweet fragrance.

A fading Gardenia flower.

Linking to Floral Bliss.

And this world is fading away,

and these evil, forbidden things will go with it,

but whoever keeps doing the will of God will live forever.

(1 John 2:17, The Living Bible-TLB)