Dinner With Ballerinas

We had a delightful alfresco picnic dinner at charming Fort Canning Park, complete with joining the crowds watching "Ballet Under The Stars" on 16 July - all thanks to Hubby who bought tickets to the show pro-actively by himself, much to my pleasant surprise. 

We descended to Fort Canning on an alluring Saturday evening at 6.30pm, imbued with the glory of a promising sunset and consistent, much-welcomed evening breezes. In our hands were pizzas, pasta, fruits, tidbits and picnic mats in readiness for a cosy evening of ballet and food! 

The crowds had already filled the vast field in front of the stage by the time we sauntered into the park. We settled down in a nice corner at the perimeter of the crowds - just by the pavement, so the Bees would have ample room to run about before the show started or during the intermission. 

It was a resplendent evening indeed - we were blessed with balmy breezes that caressed our hair gently throughout the entire night, providing a welcome respite from the typical humid weather. The Bees loved chomping on our scrumptious dinner in the brilliant golden sunrays of a setting sun which gradually faded into enigmatic lavender of the gloaming.

 

The Bees were now at a comfortable age group where Hubby and I were able to sit back, relaxed and observed them lazily, rather than incessantly chasing after them with a hawk's eye during their toddler years. I guess we are also blessed to have 2 girls who had been sitting quietly through long shows since each of them was 2 years old. 

This was to be Big Bee's 3rd ballet show, after the Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty, and Little Bee's 2nd (she was a little young when we watched Nutcracker) - albeit their first long performance outdoors, so I was truly thankful for the beautifully windy weather.

They were enthralled by the performances by the Singapore Dance Theatre, which was speckled with a few guest performing groups. Being avid little ballerinas themselves, especially Big Bee who is on the school performing team, they were able to observe the professional skills of these ballerinas and hopefully, gain even more inspiration from them. 

Big Bee insisted on taking photos of the swiftly moving ballerinas in the dim lighting, which proved challenging. These are some of her performances shots. 

We received an exquisite surprise in the middle of the performance at 8pm, with some gorgeous fireworks emanating and exploding into the night sky from the National Day Parade preview! The crowds were exclaiming in excitement at the colourful fireworks display while the ballerinas pirouetted on - what an enchanting backdrop for the dancers! 

The Bees also spent a good amount of time running about in the dark during the intermission, stretching their legs and taking a little break.

Unfortunately, the show lasted much later than their usual bedtime. By 9.45pm, the Bees were visibly tired and sleepy, so we packed up our stuff inconspicuously and sneaked out of the show. 

It was a lovely evening, and we look forward to many more of such simple, idyllic pleasures in life!

Red And White Resplendence

We spent National Day in an idyllic way, which was just what we needed after 2 very busy weekends of socialising! 

I had the wonderful opportunity of sneaking out of the house early in the morning when Hubby and the Bees were still asleep to indulge in an hour of gloriously invigorating yoga in a nearby yoga sanctuary. Thereafter, I came home just when the family's rousing from their sleep - recharged, revived and invigorated after an active practice :) 

Big Bee suggested to me that the whole family should be dressed in red and white since it was our nation's birthday. 

I must give credit to her school's Social Studies because she knows a lot about our country's history and National Day too! 

A collage that Big Bee did for her art class in school

We then spent a substantial part of our day in Ikea, analysing how we could redecorate the girls' bedroom, and Anchorpoint. It was therapeutic to be by ourselves, without any social occasions or enrichment classes to rush to! 

Back home, the girls were fascinated by the National Day Parade, and both of them sketched out our country's flag when watching the parade. 

Little Bee's Singapore flag

Big Bee's Singapore flag - sorry, too lazy to rotate picture!

Although this year's musical format was a little different from previous years, I kind of enjoyed the parade show because it provided a very succinct history for the Bees in an easily understood mien. 

All in all, a lazy and relaxing sort of day - my type of day! 

Life Cycles

Finally, we had decided to complete our 2 interlinked homelearning themes of "Earth Sciences" and "Space" (with the exception of one final craft!), and progress to another new theme - "Life Cycles"! I truly enjoyed the themes of Earth Sciences and Space, hence my reluctance to touch on another theme, but I guess we need to move on!

Little Bee's depiction of a sunflower's life cycle

Which also meant re-looking at the sensitive but fundamental issues of .... mating! This literally life-changing word popped up everywhere we read. It is a quintessential element of any life cycle, and the Bees had been asking, "Mummy, what is mating, and what is a mate?" I told them a mate is like a wife or husband. 

And in this theme, it is inevitable that we will be revisiting the origins of human life through discussions about the birds and the bees - again! Big Bee is becoming more aware (and curious) about such issues in her tweenhood now, so it is essential we keep the dialogue open on this crucial aspect of life. 

We had read many books on life cycles these couple of weeks - ranging from spiders (a fascinating look into a spider's unique life affirmation cycle which we read tonight), turtles, crocodiles, ladybirds, butterflies, sunflowers, etc. It should be a fun theme! 

Railway Trek

A few weekends ago, on 10 July, we joined the throngs of curious Singaporeans at the abandoned Bukit Timah railway tracks and bade farewell to a historical monument that had been so much a part of our lives yet remained modestly in the backgrounds of our consciousness. 

It was a sweltering hot morning as we trudged along the railway tracks. What struck me was the hundreds of Singaporeans who had already converged on the tracks, despite our nation's usual aversion to the blazing sun and humid, windless weather. 

I usually detest crowds of any sorts, but these legions of people seemed rather comforting in our common alacrity to caress the dame of our nation's railway history with our multifarious footmarks. 

Hubby, Big Bee and I were busy snapping photos of the majestic tracks, whereas Little Bee marched stalwartly on the rocky and uneven tracks. The tracks were beautifully maintained, and I loved the splendid juxtaposition of the wooden tracks against the granite rocks. 

We crossed the prominent Bukit Timah railway bridge dauntlessly, despite a "no crossing" sign! The Bees were almost melting in the heat by now, but we continued our trek tirelessly. 

What I loved most about the trek was when we traipsed onto the small and rather decrepit signalling station and the many rail tracks alongside it. We explained to the Bees the intricacies and importance of signalling for trains. They were intrigued. 

We explored around here for a considerable time, and we particularly loved the dense primary forest around us. We ambled along the dirt track in the woods for a while, admiring all kinds of little colourful wild flowers and unkempt shrubs whilst listening to the contented chirpings of unseen birds. 

It was amazing how the silence of the forest permeated us, despite the crowds, almost as if everyone was hushed in their expressions within the presence of many verdant giants. 

Hubby and I fervently hoped that this green abundance would not be destroyed like so many of their predecessors before them, just to make way for yet another cold, unfeeling and utterly uninteresting urban landscape.  

It was noon by the time we decided to leave the refreshing forest for the hustle and bustle of a typical city life. We were glad that the Bees got to see a crucial pillar of history that shaped Singapore into who we are today. 

More importantly, we wanted them to see how civilisation and wild nature could exist harmoniously alongside in the past, unlike the senseless destruction of woodlands in most parts of Singapore to make way for dire over-urbanisation now. 

The Bees looking for mimosa and other interesting plants...

I have an uneasy hunch that we would not be seeing much of this breathtaking wilderness in time to come, despite our government's claim that they would be preserving this green belt "amidst other developments". Let's hope I am wrong. 

More photos here!

The Bees were fascinated that these were not just another set of serial numbers, but represented the year in which the Bukit Timah railway bridge was built.

I loved the intricate architecture designs of the bridge

We are so in need of such quaint, tranquil dirt tracks amidst gorgeous wilderness in Singapore! 

Sisters trekking together, hand in hand

Onward we march...

Big Bee was trying to emulate Hubby, who had earlier on posed for a photo as a "victim" trapped on the tracks!

My Sister, My Teacher

These days, the Bees are very fond of perpetual sibling quibbles on a daily basis, but I guess that is very normal sibling behaviour at this age. However, there are pockets of halcyon affection between them, especially on busy days when they could not see each other for much of the day, and I know they had grown to depend on each other greatly.

These spells of sisterly tenderness never fail to infuse me with tingly warmth and gratified contentment - that amidst the stormy, turbulent world, the Bees would always have themselves and us as islands of unclouded assurance and unceasing love where they could find a harmonious shelter away from the turmoils of this harsh world. 

This evening was one wonderful example that uplifted my spirits. After work, I was asking Little Bee if she would like to record a brief entry in her journal about her field trip to Sentosa's Butterfly Park yesterday. 

She looked at me cheekily and quipped, "I had already done it, Mummy! Go look at my dairy!" 

I gazed at her with incredulity, my mind hovering between the thin, indistinguishable line of disbelief and trust. "Are you sure?" I ventured to ask. Little Bee responded with an excited "YES!" and vigorous nodding of her head. "Go check my diary NOW!"

Little Bee's diary

True enough, there was a new entry about her field trip with sketches of the butterflies in the park. I turned and praised her effusively, gushing, "You did this on your own?" Little Bee was hopping around in sheer ebullience and pride, proclaiming loudly, "Jie Jie asked me to write, and she helped me!"

I quickly praised Big Bee, who nodded in shy satisfaction and mumbled that she was just trying to help Little Bee jot down her field trip experience. It may be a brief entry, but it was their espirit de corps devotion that touched me. 

Little Bee's short journal entry

I am exultant to hear that Big Bee had been such a responsible big sister, encouraging Little Bee to write a journal entry and guiding her all the way. And I am also very pleased that Little Bee willingly listened to her big sister in obedience. 

I may seem to be over-reacting, but to me, in a phase of incessant sibling bickerings, this little episode of teamwork and sisterly affinity brought glorious sunshine to my heart tonight!

I do hope they will be pillars of stalwart support for each other in their long odyssey across the stormy oceans of life :)

Recipe For A Volcano Eruption!

One lazy Sunday afternoon a few weeks ago, we decided to ditch all homework, and experiment with some messy, hands-on fun. Since we were still dabbling around with our "Earth Sciences" homelearning theme (we had completed the "Space" theme slightly earlier), we decided to create an erupting volcano.

Step 1: Mould the volcano out of an empty, old plastic water bottle and aluminium foil. The volcano would look a lot better if we could layer brown playdoh or clay over the foil, but we were all way too lazy to do that! Hence, we had a silver volcano that looked like it could reside on any planet in outer space! 

Step 2: The "ingredients" for a red-hot, fiery volcanic eruption!

Vinegar + baking soda + red/orange paint = a blazing eruption :)

Step 3: Mix some red/orange paint into a cup of vinegar  

Step 4: Put in 1 to 2 teaspoons of baking soda into the volcanic crater (into the "throat" of a volcano). 

Step 5: Pour the cup of reddish vinegar into the throat of the volcano, and wait for a swift, frothy eruption!

Throughout the messy fun, I took the opportunity to explain the various parts of a volcano to them, and described how and why volcanoes erupted in real life. Little Bee had firmly informed me she would avoid going to Hawaii, which used to be one of her favourite countries, because it is a land rife with volcanoes! 

The Bees were thrilled during the whole session, and had such fantastic fun that they repeated the whole experiment twice until we ran out of vinegar (really rapidly!). 

Thereafter, they spent almost an hour doing nothing but pouring water and paint into the volcano, having crazy fun all by themselves, shrieking and giggling in delight. They created a complete mess but I did not stop them as it was such a glorious retrieve when I could read a book in a quiet corner for an hour :) 

Emerald MacRitchie

Sometime in June, we embarked onto MacRitchie Reservoir for a peaceful breakfast, and were treated to emerald scenes of tranquillity and harmony. 

The breakfast was rather cheap and delicious, and the air was fresh though humid. It was liberating to sit back and be surrounded by sheaths of jade-green grass, wise majestic trees and dainty flowering shrubs. 

We took a walk around the grounds after breakfast, and found that large parts of MacRitchie was under construction. I hope they would retain the natural rustic feel of this grand old reservoir, and not create yet another sophisticated but unnaturally cultivated water park. 

We sauntered to the familiar reservoir of water, and we explained to the Bees the usage of the pump room, as well as the concept of a reservoir. They were very fascinated that this huge lake embodies our drinking water!

We were also intrigued by the large pockets of wild, untapped forests in little islets across the creek. How nice to camp there overnight! The Bees loved such sprawling places of nature, and Big Bee was busy snapping photos everywhere. 

There was a little photo exhibition about the history of MacRitchie. It was so nostalgic and fun meandering down memory's lane as we showed them photos of the famous cross-country runs that most of us had to undergo as school children, the concerts in the park and all those 1980s hairstyles and fashion! It seemed to me that it was only days ago that I was there as a little child, and now, I am bringing my children to this grand old dame of reservoirs. Time truly trundles swiftly through our lives. 

We will be back soon for some trekking in their beautiful, verdant trails! 

An Exquisite Afternoon

On June 15, Hubby and I took the girls to Capella Singapore for an afternoon tea indulgence. It was a weekday afternoon, and one of the luxuries of weekday outings was that there was practically no one around, which was so gratifying for us. 

We pampered ourselves with a traditional 3-tier afternoon tea set. We were able to select different varieties of tea sets ranging from Peranakan, traditional old English and Japanese. Hubby chose the Peranakan set, whereas I aimed straight for my favourite English tea set. 

Hubby's Peranakan tea set

My English tea set

The glorious aspect about high tea in Capella was the brilliant range of teas available for our selection - in all semblances of exotic names and flavours! Hubby selected a fruity, berry-infused tea, whereas I allowed myself to be nourished by a heavy-flavoured Turkish tea with a slightly tangy zing to it. Refreshing! 

The Bees loved the food and the ambience. I am lucky that they could sit through an entire 2-hour long tea session, including Little Bee, so long there was good food with beautiful surroundings! They munched happily on the afternoon delights, chatting and giggling with us.

The Bees loved the strawberries here, and the waitress taking care of us was so kind as to bring out 3 entire trays of cut strawberries for us, much to the elation of the Bees!

It was so tranquil sitting beside the full glass doors, alongside the aquamarine pool whilst admiring the lush, verdant trees and shrubs surrounding the pool. It felt like a little vacation! 

We managed to stroll around the hotel grounds a little after our tea, and were awe-struck by the panoramic views of the South China Sea glistening around us. What an alluring afternoon indeed!

Rise Of The Red Moon

I am lucky that my hubby shares my fascination with astronomy. Which was why we were chatting animatedly about the phenomenon of the red moon in the wee hours of June 16. Out of an uncontrollable impulse, we decided to leave the Bees sleeping at home, and bolted out to the dark grounds of our estate at 3am just to observe the progress of the lunar eclipse. 

It was bewitching to watch the lunar eclipse unfolding right in front of our bare eyes. We stood in the refreshingly cool air of the deep of night, listening to the musical rustling of ubiquitous tree leaves dancing with the rising wind. Our eyes were glued to the mystical and age-old process happening right above us in the celestial heavens - until 3 precious minutes just before the exact time of complete lunar eclipse when the moon was slated to emanate a blood-red semblance.

 

I tried taking some shots of the lunar eclipse progress and could see the moon gradually becoming a sliver of red from a rather large, luminous gibbous shape in less than an hour! 

Right at 3.18am, the moon was abruptly blotted out by a thick, dense, angry cumulo-nimbus cloud which brought with it strong howling winds and a deluge of cold steely rain. Just 3 minutes before total eclipse!

We were sorely disappointed, and ran back into our home in the ensuing rain. But at least we watched the progress of the eclipse. And more importantly, we spent a little couple time under the cloudy skies in the witching hour. Rather romantic and magical, I must say :) 

An Afternoon Of Recreation

We had a spate of playdates during the last week of the June holidays, which was wonderful for the Bees to catch up with some of their friends whom they meet only during school holidays. On 20 June, LP and I took some time off work and indulged in a restorative weekday afternoon of fun, games and food with her 2 vivacious boys, WW and WD, and the Bees.  

The kids immersed in a vigorous session of bowling, getting all excited with fantastic sportsmanship. Bowling is an excellent recreation for older kids, as it fosters strong sportsmanship, competitive camaraderie and teamwork in the kids. In addition, the best advantage for the parents was that we could literally sit back and chat - leaving the kids to their safe devices for almost an hour! 

We also enjoyed an indulgent bout of arcade games (not my favourite activity for children, but it was the school holidays after all!) before heading for a well-deserved teabreak.

We then headed to LP's house where the kids basked in yet another energetic play session, while the mothers continued our chats. 

A great afternoon for bonding between both mothers and children!