Sunday, February 24, 2013

Sweet 16


My sweet little girl just turned 16. She shared the day and weekend with friends, new and old, as well as her family. Here was Madeline’s birthday in a nutshell...dance practice, school, play practice, nose piercing, dinner with family and friends, present opening with chocolate cheesecake, skype date with Rosie, and a home Disney movie marathon (Lilo and Stitch, Brave, High School Musical 3, and Lion King). Needless to say, she was exhausted the next day when I woke her up for belgian waffles from her new birthday belgian waffle maker ; ))). Here are a few of the pictures from her day...

Monica, Madeline, and Jiayu


Monica, Madeline, and Jiayu

something funny is going on...

Mont' Kiara


Dragonfly Tattoo and Coffee in Love for nose piercing...


Madeline and her support system for nose piercing

here's the much desired pierced nose!

Speak no evil, hear no evil, see no evil

Michael Han, Ahmed, Madeline, and Jiayu Hong



one brief moment together for mother and daughter...

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Frasier's Hill


Chinese New Year's holiday gave the kids and Joe a couple of extra days off, so we decided to visit Frasier’s Hill for a change of pace and a bit of cool weather. Our weekend get away was at Ye Olde Smokehouse near the top of Fraiser’s Hill-about 62 miles from KL at an altitude of about 1200-1500m above sea level. Nice and cool! As the name implies, it is a very British residence in it’s origins, furnishings, food options, and host manners.

In the 1890’s, Frasier’s Hill started out as an area for tin mining. As tin mining dropped off, it was opened to visitors as a cool, easy retreat from the lowland heat. Today, the hill station continues to be visited by folks who want a weekend away from the busyness, heat, and humidity of KL. Birding (270 species of local and migratory have been seen here), jungle trekking, and golfing are some of the most popular activities offered in this area.

We had a very relaxing visit, doing a little jungle trekking and bird watching with a self taught naturalist, general exploration, and some archery at a local archery range. And mostly just enjoying the cool weather...
street sign coming into Frasier's Hill
Madeline in our room

fresh bouquet of flowers in our English bedroom

our room at Ye Olde Smokehouse

love the roofs

getting ready to leave our cool weekend retreat :(

outside Ye Olde Smokehouse

front entryway, Ye Olde Smokehouse

loved the cool weather in our British weekend residence (1200-1500 meters above sea level)

Ye Olde Smokehouse

lovely entryway with swing

wood fungus in the forest

here are a few of the many species of birds found in Frasier's Hill

loved the entry gate

my lovely daughter, looking relaxed before she knew about the leeches!

cool, tarzan style forest vines

green laser light being shined on the web entrance to tarantula tunnel hole

...and here is the tarantula...

native orchid

more roofs!

trapdoor spider

same door,  now open...

where's waldo??? can you see the camouflaged catapillar?

leech-Gabe's pants saved him from an attachment this time, but Joe,
Gabe, and I were all bleeding after at least one encounter with a leech!

partially decomposing building in the jungle

peacock fern

jungle ant nest in the tree



unfurling fern

pitcher plants, in situ

another trapdoor spider, even more camouflaged!
surprise!

he looks worried...

she looks ???
hey, this is fun!!!

not my cup of tea...

can you believe the view here?

the mountain man...

beautiful flowering vines spilling over mossy wall

back staircase at the Smokehouse

graceful tree ferns abound in the forests here

cool moths captured in the stairwell at night

night moth 

night moth 

night moth

night moth

night moth

night moth

night moth

bleeding heart

Hibiscus, the national flower of Malaysia
Silver eared Mesia
Long-tailed Sibia