MOSHI

Me with my youngest fur baby who is named Moshi.  In Japanese the word means Hello.

NE ZHA HAIRSTYLE

 A few months ago, this little guy who goes by the moniker Ne Zha took the world by storm.

Nezha is the number one animation movie for 2025. In Taoism, he is a protection deity. 

Here I am channelling Ne Zha by imitating his signature hairstyle.

My mom and me

Mother's Day was celebrated last Sunday but we should appreciate and celdbrate our mothers every day.

Here is a photo of me with my mom, the late Julie Cheah.

DIY GIFTS

 I made these DIY roses for my teacher friends using ice cream sticks, dish cloth and ribbons.

HAPPy TEACHER'S DAY 2025

Wishing all educationists a very Happy Teacher's Day on 16 May 2025

KAFFIR LIMES

 I got these limau purut (kaffir limes) from my friend

Che Za's nursery yesterday.  Thank you Za.

What am I going to do with them?  Mandi bunga.  In Feng Shui, we believe that these limes help to get rid of negative energies.  

These limes are believed to possess purifying and protective properties, often used to dispel negative energy and ward off evil spirits. The strong, citrusy scent and perceived cleansing abilities of the fruit and leaves are thought to cleanse the environment and ward off malevolent forces. 

Since I have been sick for more than 2 weeks, I would be feeling weak and low in spirit because of the negativity. I will bathe with a concoction of 7 colour flowers, sea salt and kaffir limes and also place the limes in every corner of my house to reset the energy. I will also make a concoction using the limes for space clearing.

RED EGGS FOR BIRTHDAYS

 In Chinese culture, red eggs are traditionally given for birthdays, especially during the full moon celebration of babies. The red eggs symbolise new beginnings and good fortune.

Not only have I have red dyed eggs to giveaway for my birthday, I also have pink, orange, purple, blue and green ones.

65 Today

65 today.  I am blessed to reach another milestone in my life.

Thank God for the journey, the challenges, and the triumphs that have led you to this milestone.

Thank you to all my friends and relatives that have been by my side, supporting and guiding me throughout this fascinating journey.

MAKING EGGS STAND

Yesterday was Duan wu jie also known as Dragon Boat Festival. 

It is believed that at noon on this day, it will be easier to make eggs stand.

I

t took me less than an hour to get 9 eggs upright.

CELEBRATING DUAN WU JIE

 On June 10th, I celebrated Duan Wu Jie with my friends, Lai Yoong, Nalini and Rose.

DUAN WU FESTIVAL

 The Dragon Boat Festival (端午節;  Duānwǔ jié) is a traditional Chinese festival that occurs on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese calendar. 

This day commemorates Qu Yuan who was the beloved prime minister of the southern Chinese state of Chu during the Warring States Period, about 600 B.C. to 200 B.C., and is celebrated by holding dragon boat races and eating sticky rice dumplings called zongzi, which were southern Chinese traditions.

**My maternal (Fujian) and paternal (Guangchow) ancesters were from Southern China.

EATING RED EGGS ON ONES BIRTHDAY

 Traditionally eggs are one of the things eaten by the Chinese on their birthdays. Given that a birthday is the anniversary of the day that a person was born, the symbolism of the egg is obvious. The shape of an egg symbolises fullness and completeness.

Alas ... nowadays this tradition is not so common among the younger generation.

** Red is the normal colour for these eggs as it is auspicious.  Me ... I love green.

15TH DAY OF LUNAR NEW YEAR

 We are into the 15th night of the lunar new year. In Chinese it is  元宵節 Yuánxiāo jié. 

This day also marks the end of the lunar new year celebrations.

May the year ahead shower you with happiness and prosperity. May the Year of the Dragon be filled with confidence and courage.

DRAGON HEAD BAMBOO

 Got my house some dragon head bamboo for CNY.  This plant which is believed to bring good luck, has been in high demand this Chinese New Year

The plant, which looks like the head of a dragon, has been selling very well this year.

BELATED CNY WISHES

Already into 6th day of the Chinese New Year but itbis still not too late to wish everyone a Happy New Year.

Here is a photo of me with Jeremy and Benjamin, my darling nephews.

MY CHRYSANTHEMUMS

 The two pots of chrysanthemum plants that I bought from Palm Grove nursery for Chinese New Year

are blooming beautifully.

Since the weather nowadays is really hot, I make sure to water them twice a day.

NGA KU PLANTS

 I planted these Nga Ku or Arrowroot bulbs about two weeks before the start of the Lunar New Year and they have grown.  My late Auntie May always made it a point to grow these Nga Ku plants on the 16th day of the 12th lunar month.  She told me that it is a good sign if they start to grow on the first few days of the new year.  This would signify a good and prosperous year ahead.

Since I planted them rather early, the Nga Ku plants started to grow just in time to welcome the new year.

The first day of the lunar New Year which falls on 10th February 2024 starts after the day of spring known as Lichun or Lap Chun (4th February 2024). Therefore, there is no Lichun this year. Feng Shui practitioners believe this is not too good for the year ahead. A year without Lichun is called 無春年(no spring year). 無春年is also known as 寡婦年(widow year) in northern China or 盲年 (blind year) in southern China. Marriage is believed to be unlucky in a year without Lichun. Also growth luck might not be too good during such a year.

What you need to do is to stimulate growth luck. How?  Get lots of pussy willow, nga ku, lime plants and other auspicious plants and place them in your home.

Thank goodness that my plants are growing well.  Yahoo!!!

MAKING EGGS STAND ON LI CHUN

 

It’s believed that if someone can make an egg “stand up” on lup chun or li chun day (4th or 5t February every year) he/she will have good luck throughout the year.

As you can see, I managed to make 6 eggs stand 😁😁

ENHANCING NORTH SECTOR FOR WEALTH LUCK

 ACTIVATING WEALTH STAR IN 2024

The #8 star ushers prosperity luck into the North, benefiting those born in the year of the Rat, as well as residents of North-facing homes, or those sleeping in North sector located bedrooms. The 8 brings improvements in cash flow and new opportunities for career and business growth. But because this star weakens considerably, being the star number of the immediate past period, it needs to be strongly activated for it to do its job.

Here are what you can do to activate wealth luck in the North sector of your house:

* place dragon symbols here.

* image of the digit 9

* use water element, e.g. picture of a drop of water, aquarium.

* colours that represent water, i.e. black and blue

* use metal element, e.g. windchime, brass, metallic objects.

* colours that represent metal, i.e. grey, copper, white, gold and silver.

World Cancer Day

 Wear purple tiday to support the cause to.fight cancer.

LUP CHUN 2024

 Today is 4th February 2024. Lup Chun or tye beginningbof spring is set to start at 4.37 p.m. To some of us Feng Shui enthusiasts, Lup Chun matks the official start of the dragon year. So those babies who are born at 4.37 p.m. and after are of the dragon zodiac.

SHOPPING FOR NEW YEAR DECORATIONS

Chinese New Year begins on 10th February 2024.

Lai Yoong and I went shopping for decorations to give our homes a festive feel. Red anx gold are the predominant colours. And so are banners and cut-outs

with auspicuous messages. This year we have dragon images.

EATING LEEKS FOR THE NEW YEAR

Why do Chinese like to eat leeks during the lunar new year? 

In Chinese, leek sounds the same as “count”. Thus, having leek symbolises having money to count in the new year to come.

GIFT GIVING DURING CHINESE NEW YEAR

 Chinese New Year gifts to our dear friend, Datin Teong Choo Yoong from Lai Yoong, Nalini and I.

It is customary practice for the Chinese to send gifts to our relatives and close friends during this festive season. Gift-giving during the new year is a form of love and respect: as every gift is a wish for loved ones to have a year full of good fortune, an abundance of wealth and happiness.

PUTTING UP CNY DECORATIONS

 PUTTING UP CNY DECORATIONS

I carried out the annual spring cleaning for my house on Tuesday.  For Chinese who adhere to cultural practices, the next activity after cleaning and washing away the bad luck of the preceding year, the following day is the best time to put Fai Chun (red paper printed with auspicious messages) and traditional decorations to welcome good luck and prosperity.  

I am very kiasu and have already started putting up some of the auspicious decorations especially with dragon images in my garden. We will usher in the dragon year in about a month's time.