Bintulu trees glowing in gold colours

The Angsana trees are flowering today in Bintulu.  They were staple trees when Bintulu started its 'Greening ' campaign some 25 years ago. Now they have reached huge matured forms and impressive majesty. Today's flowering must have been induced by the sudden fall  in temperatures a few days ago when Bintulu experienced at least a fall of 10 degrees in temperature due to very heavy rains and after experiencing a prolonged drought.

The Angsana trees or sometimes referred to as 'Pokok Sena' by the Bintulu locals have a compact spreading crown which makes it an ideal tree for lanscaping of major roads, open parks and  car parks for the tremendous shade it offers.  Angsanas are easily propagated from woody cuttings and can be transplanted as an instant tree with little difficulties .

A closer look at the Angsana flowers reveal its bright golden yellow colours. The flowers are very fragrant but last only a day long. When they drop they leave a mass of yellow blossoms that make the ground turns gold and heavily scented as you walk over it.

Below is a picture I managed to retrieve from my plants album showing one angsana tree on the same stretch of road like the picture above except that it was taken years ago.  

New Store for Eco-Farm

Today (23/7) we are starting to make a new store for the Eco-farm which will double as a Nursery Store too. The dimension is 22'x18' and I think will suffice for keeping fertilisers, weedicides, farm tools and equipments, and other building and maintenance materials( like cement, paint, polypipes, plywood, timber etc..Progress of the store contruction will be blogged here

Ong Tipuk in Season at Bintulu Tamu

Last Sunday ( 20/7) while doing my weekend shopping at the local jungle produce market ( Tamu) I came across a trader selling these sweet sour fruits called " Ong  Tipuk "  by the local Melanaus of Bintulu.  The fruits are about 2 cm long and are seasonal.  A small bowl of it ( the white bowl in the picture below) costs two Ringgit Malaysia.

Next to the white bowl on the left is the flower spike which is peeled to show the tiny fruits and even tiny seeds as shown below.  Well it is easy to eat these fruits.  By peeling off its skin, the tiny seeds held together by a slimy substance are ready to be chewed as they are very soft to the tonque.

The Tipuk fruit is of the Zingiberaceae family ( Ginger family ) and to the best of my knowledge belongs to the Hornstedia species.

Three Fat Worms for One Ringgit Malaysia

I went to the town , about 20 kilometers from my farm , to do my normal Sunday shopping . At the local jungle produce market called the 'Tamu' I came across this collection of sago worms or technically maggots.  These worms will metamorphosize to become adult beetles later.  Inflation has hit Bintulu.  Three of these sago maggots are sold for one Ringgit Malaysia at today's inflationary times ( Previously it was a a foursome for a Ringgit) .These maggots are kept alive feeding on the inner flesh of the sago tree bark.  They are a gastromic delight among the local Melanaus and Ibans who might swallow them live or for the less adventurous throw them into the frying pan first before eating them.

In Honour of Hibiscus

Over the decades, the Hibiscus Flower has been depicted in Malaysia's postage stamps.  While skimming through my stamps albums I managed to collect a few memorable stamps that were illustrated with the hibiscus flower from as far back as 1967.  The stamp on the botton left clearly showed the date of the stamp based on its issue in celeberating the 10  Years Anniversary of Malayan Independence from British colonial rule ( 1957-1967)

The Hibiscus Flower is generally known as 'Bunga Raya " in Malaysia.  There are hundreds of species of the hibiscus and even more hybrids as more and more people become adapt in hybridizing them.  However my love is still the red hibiscus which is single petalled. There are others that come in semi-double or double petals in various colours and combinations. I have attempted to make some flower arrangement using the hibiscus flowers.  Guys ..and ..Gals..You all invited to see my compositon of the hibiscus flowers in my daily cut flowers blog.

Goa Tree flowering in July

I noticed this Goa Tree ( Andira surinamensis) flowering in colours of purple at the Bintulu town proper yesterday. For more stories and description , check it out at my weblog http://mybintuluclicks.blogspot.com/

Top Hill Footpath completed

With a total of 9 manhours, the Top Hill Footpath is now completed. Two varieties of heliconias planted here are the Heliconia latispatha and Heliconia psittacorum respectively. For more stories about the planting please check it out at my gardening projects blog .

Grapes Fruiting in Bintulu

It's a one kind phenomena. We have now in Bintulu sea grapes fruiting. Check them out at http://mybintuluclicks.blogspot.com/

Wild Banana Flowering next to Oil Palm Tree.

This picture gets me excited to write more about my farming activities now. Thus I'll try to post more items regarding my eco-farm, especially on the status of the oil palm fruits. Carry on loving the plants,the fruits will bear you returns. Did I say that? Or some freak economist?

Ceylon Ironwod Tree Flowering in Bintulu

I was on my way to park my car at Bintulu Town today , when my eyes were caught by the beautiful cone-shaped Ceylon Ironwood Tree (Mesua ferrea) that was in flowering. Below is a close up view of its large white flowers with yellow stamens.

The flowers are scented. The tree can easily reach a maximum height of sixty feet.

Mesua ferrea is native to Malaysia right to the Himalayas. Another interesting feature of this tree is that after each flowering season, it will display dark pink to brilliant red young leaves that are very attractive to see. I sighted this particular specimen at the open car park ( i.e. free car parking area) across the Bintulu Town Fountain .

Millenium Park Opening Ceremony

On Saturday morning ( 12 June) I attended the opening ceremony of BDA's Millenium Park ( Phase One) at Tanjung Kidurong Township here in Bintulu. The Park to be developed in three stages was officially declared opened by The Chief Minister.

Young children frolicking in the newly opened Millenium Park at Tanjong Kidurong township, Bintulu.
BDA Flag and the Malaysian Flag are attached to huge balloons as part of the opening ceremony gimmick.

A Feather-leaved Palm

Encountered a feather-leaved palm fruiting at the car parking area of Taman Temasya , the popular picnic spot of Tanjung Batu, Bintulu. This palm is native to Northern Australia but grows excellently in Bintulu . Here they grow fast and in no time reaches 20 meters . The distinguishing feature is its bunchy mass of red fruits , a feature that makes it desirable as an ornamental palm for parks, roadsides or even homes. It is from these fruits that the palms are propagated in Bintulu,where the germination rate is very good ( almost 95%), according to my experience.

Mid Hill Footpath

The mid hill footpath has been planted with 'parrot flower' heliconia and 'lipstick red' heliconias. I prefer to call this footpath as Lipstick Red Footpath. More stories can be glimpsed at my gardening projects weblog.

Gazes and Glances

Gazes she threw
made my feelings anew
of days and times
spent in the early morning dew.

Her glances paints a tapestry
a romance
of desires and loving her
of smiles so wide
and feelings tender
a heavenly beauty
so perfect and rare
has humbled
this believing heart.

Her sparkling eyes
moved my soul
fantasies and flights of imagination
of moments when her wink
beckoned my lonely heart.

Gazes and glances
casts of gold
brown eyes and sweet smiles
a timeless spell behold.

MOOD, 1 July '08.
Laman Kambatik, Bintulu.

P.S. Inul and Einstein has kept me in company till the late hours to give the finishing touches to the poem .........check them out at http://havpawswilltravell.blogspot.com/