"The sharp knife of a short life

I've had just enough time..."


- "If I Die Young" The Band Perry


I see Beauty in many things. And like the ghosts that only speak to you if you notice them, they tell me wondrous tales. With my camera and my thoughts, I captured these as faithfully as I can to share with you. And by doing so, they gave me the reasons. And though the thousand reasons may not all be sweet and some indeed bitter; they are still reasons to live. Come to think about it, that is Life, isn't it?

Sunday 17 February 2013

The Imminent Destruction of the Creeping Forest.



I've had just enough time to...   shoot the Creeping Forest before its destruction

Shots of the Creeping Forest in the "Beautiful Island" 

That day was a Sunday. It was also the first day of the 2013 Chinese New Year and the start of the Year of the Water Snake. I woke up early and drove towards the factory where I worked on the island named “Beautiful Island”. I do not what they call it before they call it “Beautiful Island” for there is nothing very beautiful about it unless you love mud flats and mangrove swamps. But every day as I drove to and from work, I will look out to a stretch of land which I called the Creeping Forest.


Use your imaginations

It is one of the last few patches of wild land left on the island that is undergoing rapid expansion and I know its days are numbered when they began to widen the road near it. It may only be weeks or months before part or all of this stretch will be bulldozed over and I will only be left with the memories that amused me every day to work. I will not make the same mistake as when I procrastinated too long before taking shots of another idyllic part of the island. Now, it is just an ugly vacant lot for sales that has been left idle for the last two years.


To see the fantastical creatures

The traffic was very light on this very busy highway exactly as I planned. I will feel self-conscious if I were to stop my car on a normal day to take photos as many people who travel this road may recognize me. But on this day, if they are not celebrating the new year, they will be enjoying the holidays which last until Wednesday and all factories will be shut down during this period. There is no one to ask me questions that I do not want to answer. 


That dwell in this forest (I saw a Keelin here every time except today, sigh...)

About a few minutes before reaching the factory, I pulled over to the laterite shoulder of the highway, alighted from my car and took my shot. Unfortunately, the light this morning was too bright and not slanted enough for the shadows to bring out the best of the fantastical creatures. For the real beauty of the Creeping Forest is what you extract from it through your imaginations. And the weather (cloudy or bright), intensity of light, time of the day (especially in early morning or late evening), windy conditions all play a part but none as important as the imagination of the viewer. What each of us sees may be quite different from the other and on a special day of moving clouds, the transformation happened right before our very eyes.


Visible only to those with the "sights".


As I inched forward in my car to take shots from slightly different angles, a strange bird with a black band across its eyes like a robber flew to settle on a branch in the open not more than 10 yards away from me. I shot quickly afraid that it will fly away immediately but I should not have worried. It perched there comfortably and watched me for the whole duration. That is kind of a strange behavior for a bird so I chalked it as one getting unusual rewards for doing unusual things. 


Unsual rewards for doing unusual things or maybe this bird understands me


The creeping forest may just be wild trees with overgrown creepers to some but to me, it was something more, something much more. I know I am going to miss it when it is gone. So I made this post to remember it by. As I drove back to the house to begin the celebration of the New Year, I can’t help but wonder – am I the only driver who notices it and who feels this way?


I will miss it when it is gone...

5 comments:


  1. ★ineedathis added this photo to his favorites.
    THats a great shot! they do take over and choke everything to death as my Wisteria did when we bought our home it already did its damage,
    Have a great Sunday!

    ★Cissa S. Larsson added this photo to her favorites.
    Wonderful photo :)

    ★czka123 added this photo to their favorites.

    Far & Away (Visiting Africa, On/Off ... limited ac
    Superb !!

    ★saoret58 added this photo to his favorites.

    ReplyDelete

  2. ★Geo_grafics added this photo to his favorites.
    Could be possible it has touched you as no other !
    Sweet work ;)

    bloodybee
    i saw the whole series on your blog, i find it very interesting (especially the fantastical creatures!!)
    i wonder where "beautiful island" is. malaysia?

    henrhyde (gill)
    Well seen , Thou-San
    Great words and image

    ★ΞSSΞ®®Ξ added this photo to his favorites.

    Amg80
    Wow amazing

    oola *
    i read your blog but cannot post there...
    this situation bothers me... a LOT...
    i am feeling upset just now so won't continue to comment...but thank you for taking the shots...thank you for expressing your thoughts and thank you for just being you... an extrordinary man

    vignettes_IND
    Imposing greenery.....so good.....'creeping forest' is a nice expression!

    ★i_still_believe_in_u added this photo to their favorites.

    ReplyDelete
  3. No. I saw them too. Always making the appearance at the end of the corner of your eye, when you are half dreaming and half concentrating on the traffic in front. Sometime naughty and mischievous, sometime angry like a green hulk. Don't annoy them though. Just play along to their mood. Thanks for capturing them in photos as memory. I'll miss their company during the long boring drive to work. You did well!

    ReplyDelete

  4. Luís Henrique Boucault
    Very nice shot! Well done!

    ★Pagan Eyes and october blue added this photo to their favorites.

    october blue
    Excellent images of the creeping forest ...both here and in your blog ! We will also miss it when it is gone ...and I am grateful that you took these pictures and shared them with us . It is such a shame that such places are paved over in the name of so-called 'progress' . I can well-imagine how different times of the day...different lights...different sky moods ...could change the apppearance of this natural place . I hope by some miracle it might be preserved .
    Samantha the snow lover sends her thanks to you for your comment for her photo ....she says your words were purrr-fectly accurate ! And ...I wish I had a penny for every disdainful look she has given me ...I would be a wealthy man indeed :-))) We both wish you a happy week :-)

    SolitudeWays.
    Magnifica!

    ho.ge
    such creeping forests are wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    ★ho.ge added this photo to her favorites.

    Axa_Sofia moments
    Maravillosa fotografia . Genial .
    Saludos .

    ★Steve Taylor (Photography) added this photo to his favorites.
    It looks very invasive

    ReplyDelete

  5. ★Prometheus_BD added this photo to his favorites.
    Beautiful green all around.. wonderful shot my friend

    ★saoret58 added this photo to his favorites.

    just me 1109
    Fantastic image!!! great composition. Have a great day!!

    ★Geo_grafics added this photo to his favorites.
    Wonderful presentation ,, Diggin this light ; !!

    ★ΞSSΞ®®Ξ added this photo to his favorites.
    fabulous light

    ★Scott5619 and october blue added this photo to their favorites.

    october blue
    A human with such a mask across its face would indeed look like a suspicious bandit , but ...on this sweet like bird ...the black band only adds to its charm ! Wonderful pose and light ....a delightful image .

    ★Mohammed.Pix, cc ms, Michael Melloy Images (greasemonkey1978), Natali Antonovich, and 3 other people added this photo to their favorites.

    Brian Kim Studio
    Nice shot

    ★globetrotter96, MITCH2388, and psytomtom added this photo to their favorites.

    le cabri
    Great shot.

    Paul Tymon
    great shot, congratulations on explore.
    Via Today's Explore at #351 on Fluidr

    ★SteSolari, Flamarion N., walterbee, and Steve Taylor (Photography) added this photo to their favorites.

    Steve Taylor (Photography)
    That is a beautiful image

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...