Flowers in Tainan, Taiwan

I have been away for a long time - a ten-day break in Taiwan that started with a 6-day package tour round the expansive island ending with a free-and-easy itinerary in the last three days was just right for a holiday overseas. These flowers bloomed beautifully at the balcony of my friend's apartment in Tainan and as usual I could not resist photographing them.

And these orchids were just as lovely too!

Phalaenopsis Cool Breeze

Today the sun is not out in full force and these orchids in a neighbour's garden have taken on a new personality - a more subdued and mature one.

Orchid

White flowers seldom captivate me and I would have walked away from this spray of orchids had it not been for the way in which the light of the setting sun had
drawn out their hidden beauty.

Today I spent some time with a friend whose father had passed away. She told me he was a wonderful father who had made her life beautiful and we reminisced about old times. She said that he had asked about me because when we had been very close friends in school. Now he is gone having lived a full life for 87 years. The last time I met her father must have been more than twenty years ago.

Time has flown by seemingly at lightning speed, leaving behind questions that we have no answers for.

Time has clouded our vision and we see things in flat tones until one day when the sun happens to shine into our eyes, we realise that it is not that things are one-dimensional but that we do not stop to look long enough to appreciate them deeply enough.

White flowers seldom captivate me but this time I did not dismiss them as being unworthy of attention because of their plainess. This time, the sun shone from behind their petals and made me realise that I had taken a lot of things for granted in life. With that, I decided to drop by to say hello to my mum at a time when I was not expected at all.

Moth Orchids

These are moth orchids and I saw them in one of the cool glass houses of the Hortpark. I guess it must be their shape that gave them such a name.

Orchids

Orchid flowers
for a change
Growing them?
Out of my range
Admiring their beauty?
I think I do it out of
a sense of duty
Nevertheless they do make
good subjects for photography
and most of all, like all flowers
They make me happy

Fragrant Orchid

The colours are dull and that makes the flowers not at all outstanding because they sort of blend into the background. What makes them attractive is their fragrance. Yes, these are fragrant orchids at the Singapore Orchid Garden.

Orchids

"Shoot for the moon and if you miss you will land amongst the stars" - a quotation I came across somewhere. Here are my best orchid shots taken on Sunday at the Singapore Orchid Garden for our Singapore Women Table-Tennis team and swimmer Tao Li who are now shining stars for their spirited and inspiring performances at the Beijing Olympics. The moon will still be there 4 years from now. 加油！

A remarkable Orchid

I have nothing to offer from outside my house. I have not been taking pictures of flowers outdoors. But in my house are these lovely blooms that have been quietly unravelling their beauty over the weeks. I am not into orchid flowers and have no idea what this orchid is called. Last night while watching 'Break Up' starring Jennifer Aniston on HBO, I caught sight of a pot of this orchid on the table next to the sofa she was sitting on. This orchid is a star!