Day 417-418- Garden Variety

Ginger flowers

There's something soothing about the commonplace.  

Star Lilies

In its uncomplicated and unremarkable way, it works its magic. 

Digging, potting, seeding. 

Earth, gravel, dirt. 

  Oleanders In A Wheel

In the mundane routine, I find my calm. 

In the ordinary of my flowers, I find my pleasure. 

And in watching fresh blooms growing side by side a passing one, 

I find my gratification. 

Perhaps this is the secret to success,

our ability for pleasure in the simple. 

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The base for the abandoned house and thus the garden.

I often find myself veering longingly for my miniatures when I am most stressed at work. In the last weeks, expanding the garden of my abandoned house has worked wonders for my nerves. 

Even in gathering moss from the garden, I found myself smiling. 

Is it like that for you too?

Day 418- Spanish Guitar, Desert Rose

In the days when I was void of any creative inclinations, inspiration came to me from the most wonderful sources and in unexpected ways.

Last month, it came to me in a tiny box filled with ginormous flair. I see dedication, commitment, perseverance. In his Spanish guitar, I saw his music. 

Placed alongside a beautiful white shawl from Seville and the desert roses sent to me last year, there was a harmony that made me want to sing along.

Thank you, Contar for the Spanish guitar which every detail you handmade down to the last string. And thank you to your sweet wife for the shawl that she knitted, warming me to my very core. Dear Arantza, thank you too for the wonderful desert roses. 

But mostly I want to thank all of you who with your gifts have inspired me to return to my art which I have neglected for a while.

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This may be a good time to let my friends here know that my mailing address changes every 2-3 years. Regretfully, I have found out that a friend's gift was sent to my old address. It was not forwarded to me as I have moved since 2 years ago. Even as I write, I have just moved again into this new place on 15 Sept.  I hope that the gift was returned to the sender because as with many gifts exchanged in our world, they were made with so much heart, it will break mine if the gift was lost. 

Colours of Bangkok

External Wall of Building With Birdhouses as Mailbox for Tenants

This trip took a while coming, happening almost 7 months since Indochina. After much persuasion, we agreed on a short sojourn, our 1st holiday. Bangkok seemed ideal as SuZ was there for work. We were also in the thick of the coup and the city was quiet.

Flower Arrangement at Anantara

Garden Sculpture in Anantara 

It was new and lush

 House by the Mangrove River

but it was also old and quaint.

Water-Vendor sailing away from Bangkok Seaview Restaurant

We saw a Bangkok we never knew and ate at a restaurant sitting in the middle of the ocean where the only form of transport to and fro was a long boat.

Seats at Bangkok Seaview Restaurant

Great food, good friends, laughter and love.

 Street Food

Coconut Dessert

Condiments for Coconut Ice Cream

And of course, the inevitable Chatuchak Market, coconut ice cream and all the miniature supplies I will need for a while.