Photography - Water Lily (Nymphaea sp.)

And God said: "Let the water teem with living creatures and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky. So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good". Genesis 1: 20-21.

I got a bit more serious with photography so you will see improvement in the quality for a picture paints a thousand words. Let David Gates and Bread (roti) entertain you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGfVOdTiUEc

Now my daughter is blogging and into photography and I hope you will enjoy her works:

http://photovineyard.blogspot.sg/

Now for my first picture on arrival on a sunny morning. Nature is really an oasis for the disturbed mind. Don't get me wrong, yours could be more disturbed than mine. It is just that lots of people do not know. Even normal people or perfectly looking ones can be very disturbed. I see nature and then I see people. Patience and calm is needed before you can capture beauty.

 

Unbeknownst to us, the wetlands are important environments in our midst that must be valued. Like other parts of nature like the oceans and the jungles, they are a source for education and opportunities for research that can lead to many discoveries, etc. Wetlands are  ecosystems that are productive even on its own and in capturing energy, they provide a refuge and food for many species of animals to sustain life.

In fact, they are an important support system for flora (plants) and fauna (animals). It is also a breeding ground for wildlife (not a wild life). They usually attract migratory birds from far away places beyond your wildest imagination. We wanted to shoot water lily this time. They open and close at different times of the day and on different days. They dance for you in the sunlight.

So we came to the Lorong Halus Wetlands that have been created to be part of the water treatment process, to absorb and treat toxic substances that may contaminate our waters. Many Cat-tails have been planted there for these reasons. Here, you will find a beautiful pond filled with Water Lilies. Many plants in a pond remove carbon dioxide replacing it with oxygen. It is essential for the pond's ecosystem allowing aquatic life to thrive. Water lilies have large green and round leaves and they float on the pond's surface. I caught one with a reflection. Beware your own reflections. Reflections can do you a world of good in humility and wisdom unless you are narcissistic.

Water Lily grows in calm waters and can grow in water to a 7 feet depth. The flowers are wonderfully showy. They open at different times of the day - some open during the day and close at night and others the other way around. There is a type of water lily that is called "Fragrant Water Lily" and as the name suggests it is fragrant. American Indians used the dried roots to make flour. It has also been used as traditional medicine to treat many ailments. I saw a wasp frolicking and surely helping in pollination. The flower was smiling at us just like the glorious sun.

Do not underestimate the qualities of water lilies. Its leaves shade the water keeping it cool to allow more dissolved oxygen. It also provides itself as hiding places for aquatic creatures. I stumbled upon a spider which reminded me of Spiderman and what his uncle Ben once told him: "With great power comes great responsibility". 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIGdcEx4TLE

Or do you prefer the Kick Ass version? "With no power comes no responsibility"? If you haven't seen it, go get it! Watch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0042p82lmg

Spiders are amazing. That's why we have the amazing Spiderman.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atCfTRMyjGU

If you visit me in the office and you couldn't find me, try looking up the ceiling!

Many people can't tell the difference between a water lily and a lotus. You may think it is not important. What if you put a tattoo and you mistake a water lily for a lotus? There was a guy who went to the hospital and asked the doctor for a castration and the doctor asked him if he really wanted that and he said: "I am absolutely sure". The next day he awoke obviously happy with himself with the successful operation when he met another guy who walked in a funny way and he called out to him: "You just had that done too?" The other guy replied: "Oh yeah, I just got my circumcision". At that moment, he started screaming "Oh shit, that's the word. I told the doctor castration!"

They are different plants as Water Lilies have lily pads that actually float on the surface of the water while Lotus leaves tend to stand up tall well above the water and they are much bigger. Even the Lotus blooms are larger and most often only pink in colour. Lotus seeds are edible and their huge leaves have been used for food preparation like Lotus leave rice.

I found an old friend all coiled out. Only it doesn't hiss with a fork tongue. A millipede can have between 40 to 400 legs. God once said to the serpent "cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals. You will crawl on your belly and eat dust all the days of your life". I could not understand this then one day I found out that ancient snakes do have legs!

 
The ecosystem.

All kinds of flowers will brighten anyone's day. That is why they are used in all kinds of occasion.

 

The lovely blue sky made me grateful for another day in our paradise, simple as it may be.

The water hyacinth produces an attractive and colorful flower and its main benefit is to remove harmful toxins ammonia and heavy metals from the pond. Nature removes toxins from our minds. 

Next time - Lotus! Ciao!