Meet Logos Hope

This is the world's largest floating library

The ship that  brings knowledge, help and hope

to the world's port cities

On a lazy Sunday afternoon,

it is unusual to see the long queue

to get into this ship

The ship captain came out to greet us

And this friendly chap from the Isle of man

What a colorful banner !

The forty minutes queue line snake into a canopy tent

and then out of it again



All hands aboard !



Books of all sizes !

Today is the first day of starting a herb garden

The Herb of Honor is Sweet Basil

 This seedlings growing well in a small pot 

So I decided to get a large clay pot to give room

for the plant to grow and spread out

I visited the compost soil store for a pack of compost-topsoil mix


Updates on 15 November


This is how the sweet basil look after 2 weeks

Ripe Rambutans within Reach

This fruit is aptly called Rambutans which means hairy

The third fruit tree in our garden to bear fruits

after the lemon tree

and the Mulberry tree

The tree is only 7 feet tall and the fruits can be plucked easily

Photos taken with iphone4

Fruits already plucked and placed on the kitchen counter

 



The Light of Day

Staying out of the heat from the afternoon sun,

this window provides the perfect frame

to the picture of harsh light outside

Sleepy Siniawan in Sarawak

The visit to Siniawan leaves 

an extraordinary impression on me

It must be the rustic looks of the old buildings 

that has left me in awe

Walking along the buildings, 

I had this melancholy feeling 

and mental images of what life must had been 

back in the early 1900s 

when our fore fathers first set foot in Borneo

Some probably had resettled in Bau (the gold mining town) 

not far from Siniawan

Dogs frolicking on the five-foot walkways in Siniawan

The shophouses here are still made of timber 

which makes them a fire hazard

Ironically, the inhabitants are more worried 

about the frequent flooding from the river 

just behind these shops

Imagine walking on the same cobbled stone path 

and touching the same wooden stilts 

that had stood the test of time

The Twin Towers

Sunday is the ten year anniversary of September 11

That date was a defining moment

in the history of the United States

Postcard courtesy of Postcard Friendship

My Mulberries

We grow mulberies in the garden 

because they taste great and they're full of nutrition

They are considered an important food remedy 

in Chinese medicine

Here are ten health benefits

It should be noted that many of these benefits 

have not been scientifically verified 

but are traditional folk remedies 

that have developed in countries

where mulberries have been eaten 

for hundreds of years

 

Cancer Prevention

 
Mulberries are a good source of resveratrol,

a potent phytonutrient also found in grapes

that researchers believe can prevent cancer

and aid in the fight of existing cancers

Life Extension

 
Because of their resveratrol content, 

mulberries may be a tool in one's life extension arsenal,

as resveratrol has shown in several studies 

to extend the life of mice

Blood Tonic

 
In Chinese medicine, 

mulberries are considered a blood tonic, 

meaning that they cleanse the blood 

and increase its production, strengthening the entire system

Kidney Strengthener

 
In Chinese medicine, 

mulberries are believed to strengthen the kidneys

Liver Cleanser

 
In Chinese medicine, 

mulberries are believed to be effective in cleansing the liver

Better Hearing and Vision

 
In China, 

tea made with mulberry paste is believed 

to strengthen one's hearing and vision

Constipation Cure

 
In Turkey, 

a treatment for constipation is 

to eat white mulberries on an empty stomach 

with a glass of water

Anemia Treatment

 
Because they are quite high in iron, 

mulberries are a great food 

to use in the treatment of anemia

 

Cold and Flu Treatment

 
In Turkey, 

mulberry molasses is used 

as a treatment for colds and flu

Their effectiveness in this way 

may be due to their high vitamin C content

Premature Gray Hair Remedy

 
In several countries, 

mulberries are considered an effective remedy 

for prematurely gray hair