This year Deepavali was ushered in by the Indian community on 17 October. Infused with Hinduism and other religions of the Indian sub-continent, this festival is celebrated in a big way.
Curious Pickles standing on tip-toes to have a peek at the world outside her abode
These are the paraphenalia, munchies and treats to keep Pickles happy and contented
These two engravings on glass by Mats Jonasson were acquired last summer while on a sojourn to Stockholm. Placed together, they are the very manifestation of the disparities in this world. Conflicts are reflected in the colours from icy-chill to fiery-torrid and in the mien from angelic to satanic. Opposing intentions of good and bad are depicted with one being the nemesis of the other. Ancient Chinese sages rationally expound this yin-yang philosophy of existence as bringing harmony to the universe. Plainly speaking, too much of a good thing simply spell dissonance and incongruity. 
Long Chin-san (1892-1995) was one of China's early photo-journalists. His photographs incorporated the aesthetics of Chinese traditional ink paintings into Western photographic tecnique. His images are even more amazing as they were from the pre-digital era, some of which were from combining multiple images in the darkroom.
Yellow Allamandas and Madagascar periwinkle, Vinca rosa fringe this brick pathway of circular steps. The steps lead to a look-out point at a higher level for viewing the happenings beyond our stone fencing. 
The rain lashed fiercely at my windshield one day as I drove home after work. Just as suddenly, it stopped. As I pulled into the garage, I noticed the stooping branches of a pine tree, its needles laden with glinting rain drops. At my doorsteps, I found the pot of caladiums totally drenched from the downpour, with shimmering water crystals adorning the bosom of their foliage. I gazed at the largest of them all and in its depth I fathom a deep sense of serenity.
The stone steps leading to my abode always bear the tell tale signs of some explosive activities. Definitely not of nefarious nature, but simply the cacophonous ripening of rubber-seed pods. The pods crackle and expel 3-4 rubber seeds unceremoniously on to the terrain. 
A true blue flower is a quite a rarity in any garden, let alone one of indigo hues. The blue pea flower, Ternatea Clitorea is as lovely as it is useful. A vigorous climber, it grows in profusion and throws out numerous blooms daily. It makes a wonderful food dye. We used it abundantly in our nyonya sweetmeats and in savoury dumplings.
A hibiscus stigma dusted with pollens is at the threshold of starting a new chapter in its verdant life. However this seems quite superflous as most of the propagation of hibiscus is done vegetatively rather than through seeds. Seems like Nature's urging for gene variety is strongly weaved into its reproductive blueprint. There's always a chance that one might take seed naturally or by human means to produce a refreshingly new and pretty progeny.
Toadie is a mature, sedate guy. He sat motionless at my backyard and enjoyed the dusk breeze with nary a twitch. He must be surveying the evening activities with his dark gleaming eyes. I moved very close and yet he hardly gave any indication that he was aware of my presence. He only hopped off after I was done shooting him. The invasion of his last few inches of personal space must have finally rankled him.
