Transfer America

Good day and welcome to another lovely Monday, the beginning of a new week and new opportunities.

I have recently been in contact with Rebecca Lin who runs a blog named Transfer America. This is an interesting blog and will be of interest for the avid traveller and vacationer. Keep yourself informed of the latest news at:

Transfer America

Hop over to her blog and leave a comment!

As a highlighted footnote to today's post, let me give a word about the A-Z April blogging challenge. It is starting in just over a month's time. Are you signed up yet? I have placed a linky list below my posts - keep scrolling down and you'll find it. You can sign up right here at *Our home called Kuantan*. More on the challenge will be coming soon!

The passing of my grandma

Mary Jean Harmony Kenyon (nee Marsh)

1929 - 2012

My grandma passed away peacefully on Friday evening. The news was not a shock because she's been very ill for several years now. Rather, as my uncle Glynn put it, it was a 'merciful release'.

My grandma was 82 years old so she had gone pretty far in life. Now I have no grandparents alive. She was my last living grandparent - now that makes me realize I'm getting older!

I am living 7,000 miles away from England so it has been rather weird going through this so far away. Sometimes I wish I could be there with her during the final moments of her life.

My siblings and I used to go shopping every Saturday morning with my grandma, and then off to her house to play in the afternoon. It was a weekly time we always looked forward to and really loved as younger children. She let us watch WWF wrestling videos, wreak havoc in her house by using all sorts of blankets and chairs to make tents and dens, and even play table tennis with us across the kitchen table!

We went on short holidays with her to Hunstanton and Skegness and had such great times. I am amazed at her energy in looking after and occupying us 3 young, energetic children!

I'm sure my mum won't mind me using this lovely photo of my grandma taken in 1949 when she was a spritely 20 years of age.

To her children, my mum, Wendy, Steven, Glynn and Edrick (apologies if the spelling of some names are wrong), I send my condolences and best wishes in getting through this difficult time.

I find great comfort in the verses of scripture concerning death, which, as a Christian, brings such hope:

"the spirits of all..., as soon as they are departed from this mortal body,...whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life. And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow."

"...I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die."

So rest on grandma, sleep well, we'll see you again when you awake.

The Fungus Files - Part 4

This is the final installment of The Fungus Files. Part 4 contains more captured memories of these intriguing mushrooms. They do such a good yet unnoticed work in aiding nearby trees.

Hope you have enjoyed this series. Look out for mushrooms the next time you go walking . . .

This one looks so appealing, like a bun!

The Fungus Files - Part 3

Welcome to The Fungus Files - Part 3. If you happened to miss the earlier posts you can click here for Part 1 or click here for Part 2.

Mushrooms are a great benefit to trees they sit around, removing bacteria from the surrounding earth thus enabling the tree to continue its growth in good land.

Here are some gorgeous mushrooms . . .

Remember to stop and admire the mushrooms once in a while!

The Fungus Files - Part 2

Hope you enjoyed Part 1 of The Fungus Files yesterday. Here are some more images of lovely mushrooms . . .

Edible mushrooms at the supermarket . . .

A favourite picture of mine

Part 3 of The Fungus Files is coming tomorrow!

The Fungus Files - Part 1

Hi everyone and welcome to a fantastic Monday and new week! Today's post is entitled The Fungus Files and it has been years in the making.

For the past couple of years I have been snapping pictures of mushrooms growing around Kuantan. They have been taken in various places, sometimes as I was walking in the afternoon, sometimes when out riding my bicycle and some of them while admiring the beauty at Taman Gelora, the beautiful park in Kuantan.

I became rather fascinated with mushrooms during this time and did a lot of research on them too. The one piece of information which stood out to me is that the presence of mushrooms beside a tree tells us that the tree is healthy and growing well. The mushrooms release nutrients into the earth which help to protect the tree and encourage its growth.

So, as a tree-lover, here is my 4-day tribute to mushrooms! Hope you enjoy it :)

Unfortunately, what's left of the tree is a stump . . .

But the mushrooms still look fantastic!

A couple of damaged mushrooms . . .

Stay tuned for Part 2 of The Fungus Files tomorrow!

Taman Gelora through Photoshop

Yesterday I blogged about a lovely park here in Kuantan named Taman Gelora.

Yesterday I played around with one image from that shoot in Photoshop. Here is the original image:

I think it's a really lovely view

After putting this image through Photoshop, I've been able to create some almost abstract images of the same scene but seen through entirely different eyes. 

The exhibition begins here . . .

1. Sharpened and saturated

2. Sketch

3. Crystallised

4. Pixelated

5. Black and white

6. Inverted colours

7. One colour and black

8. Pop colour

9. Distorted

Which ones have the best effect?