30 June 2013

From our garden ( Pt 1 ) – My poor coconuts



If I had a gun I would shoot those damned squirrels. Tell me I am cruel and I’ll say, "Get lost".

Look at what they have done to my coconut – stealing its water!




And look at their spoils on the ground.



__________________________________



But don’t shoot the one below - one of Pakcik’s ten beloved 'squirrels’.
 






Berkhidmat kerana Tuhan untuk kemanusiaan

45 comments:

kaykuala said...

Dear Pakcik,
It's been there for as long as one can remember. Happens all the time! This is not just a survival but choosing of a good bite and knowing where to get one! It's just amazing!

Hank

Rafi Harumin said...

Assalamualaikum. Terima kasih singgah memberikan ulasan serta menggamit kenangan di blog saya. Untuk pengetahuan Tuan, buku Kisah Orang Kaunter merupakan catatan pengalaman saya sepanjang bertugas. Ia merupakan kisah-kisah ringkas dalam pelbagai perasaan yang pernah dialami oleh saya dan orang lain, ditulis semula lalu diterbitkan dalam bentuk buku terbitan Galeri Ilmu Sdn. Bhd.

Ia bukan khas untuk kanak-kanak namun sesuai juga dibaca oleh mereka sekiranya sudah mampu membaca. Ini adalah buku bacaan santai buat semua golongan umur dan sudah ada dijual di kedai seperti Popular dan MPH. Terima kasih atas sokongan tuan, salam ukhuwwah.

Rafi Harumin

Temuk said...

Assalam, al-manar
Those squirrels for their willingness in sculpturing your coconuts have enabled you to accumulate a lot of merits insyaAllah, now safely credited into your "merit investment book". If you think those animals are not going to stop their artistic routine, you might want to consider plucking the fruits while they are still young.

Anonymous said...

Shakirin Al-Ikram has left a new comment on your post "From our garden ( Pt 1 ) – My poor coconuts":

Assalamialaikum,
Sounds like my jiran and her pokok mempelam siam!
Never get to eat it when they are ripe because nearly 100% dotted with grubs and when they are ripening, the mynahs and other birds got to them first!
My sister has the same problem with her `jambu air' - the bugs got to them. Each time she plucked the bunches, wriggling black heads and white bodies will put off her cravings!
Tak de rezeki, beli je! Wassalam

cikgu bio said...

nothing went wrong
pakcik, check out the food chain..........

Al-Manar said...

Dear HANK,

And it has to be from my home grown coconut palms which have taken years to bear fruit. I suppose all is fair when it comes to survival. Howcabout TUPAI for a haiku?

abdulhalimshah said...

Dear Pak Cik,
It is nature's way of telling us that every living thing has to survive and what more there is a depletion of other source of food for the squirrels nowadays. Looks like you have to plant other things that the squirrels do not bite.

Al-Manar said...

Ashrafi

Waalaikumsalaam.
Gaya Street, Jesselton Hotel membawa kenangan lama yang manis kepada kami berdua. Keningau pun tidak asing. Ingin juga saya membaca buku Ashrafi. Kalau ada lain lain buku yang dah ditulis sila beritahu saya melalui email almanar@pd.jaring.my Begitu juga kalau ada apa apa peribadi yang ingin diberitahu atau diketahui.

Al-Manar said...

Temuk

Waalaikum Salaam Sdr Temuk. I surely cannot claim to have the sort of knowledge on agriculture as you have shown in your posting.
And I never thought of the 'merit investment book'.

As for picking the fruit early to beat the creature I must say I need the special art this creature has. It knows exactly the right time to pick. It goes the same with my mangoes which look green outside but the creature knows by smell that they are red inside and ripe to eat! I am sure you are more learned in this, Sdr Temuk.

Al-Manar said...

Shakirin Al-Ikram

By mistake I pressed 'delete' button instead of 'publish'. Realising that I had to post your comments under 'anonymous'. I am sorry for this - the result of receiving so many spams trying to get into my blog and yours is not familiar to me.

We have similar problems with fruit you mentioned, mangoes, jambu etc. Betul lah kalau ada duit sedikit bekli saja.

Al-Manar said...

Cikgu Bio,

The 'food chain' - my young coconut fruit are eaten by squirrels which I should shoot dead to have a roast squirrels and tupai-pai (instead of meat-pai). Pakcik and family will be well nourished to plant more coconut palms for more aquirrels to flourish, completing the food chain! Please come more often to give your considered opinions. And Pakcik will use this example to my pupils on this 'food chain' subject.

Salaam to you Cikgu Bio.

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Aaah....itulah dia kelapa yang sudah ditebuk tupai...

T - termakan kelapa Pak Hassan
U - uh uh...that's a no no in his books
P - pahala kan dia dapat
A - asalkan tak buat dia naik darah
I - inshaAllah next time makan lagi

Al-Manar said...

AHS,

I quite agree with Cikgu Bio that I should look at it from 'food chain' theory. And as you rightly say all beings are provided for by the Great Creator. We tend to forget that.Dear AHS, I do hope this short posting and the comments given so far do, in a way, bring home to us the need to be unselfish towards human and animals alike.

Salaam to you.

Cik Minoh Tonggek said...

petuwe arwoh ayoh saya senang je kalu pokcik takmboh tupa kerik nyor, pokcik kene 'cakak 'kabo 'molek ke tupa, 'cakak derek, kate: "mung jangang bahang parok ngak nyor ambe, sutir-duwe doh ar, banyok agi kang buoh laeng hok mung buleh makang" kene kate 'gitu....... ato pong ikuk panda ar pokcik nok pesang menape pong........ lame-klame'ang insa alloh kurang ah tupa mari kerik, acu gok pokcik tra, kene tawakka ar kadang pong......

Al-Manar said...

C-f-S

I wonder if squirrels belong to the same specie as cats. Do squrrels take fish heads? I have winessed how a cat fnished one whole large 'kepala ikan ayer singgang' not very long ago.

Thank you for the TUPAI rhythme.
You know Makcik saw your comments and smiled to herself. She was wondering whether you were thinking of the implication of '..kelapa yang sudah ditebuk tupai ..' I said of course not, certainly not for a cat!

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Dear Pakcik,
Makcik is not wrong. Please tell her, great thinkers think alike. Be they hoomans ot kitties. purrrr...meow!

Al-Manar said...


Cik Minoh Tonggek

Ambe nok terime kaseh bbayok beri petuwe tu. Tapi kerah ppala sikit tupani. Payoh nnok ccare nnatang tupa tepi lauk ni. Dier wak dok dengo. Tapi bile kkelik mater je belubang sebuter. Lepah se se jatoh ddebok. Tok tau lah. Puah doh amnbe duk mmikir guane nok uat. Kalu ader dengor tok bomor mane mane, molek jugok kkabo ke ambe. Nok keene jjapi jjapi sembor jugok, gamok nye.

Cik Minoh Tonggek said...

hehehehe, pa glekek ambe suker pokcik weh.....

nok criter nye, ayoh ambe riktu banyok gok ye tanang nyor lek blakang umoh, kerik ttupa okmo, upoh orang tembok dok jadi appe, lah-lah ayoh ambe kate: "mung beng gok kerik nyor aku mengate-rawe gining... nung, gi kerik hok tepi sunga nung, aku cadang doh ke mung spohong hok nung......"

nok jadi ke ceritenye pah pade tu, pohong nyor hok laeng-laeng tupa dok kosek lasung, nye pakak duk bahang hok tepi sunga nung je, pa licing.....

tapi ayoh ambe pesang, jangang beng suruh ye gi bahang hok kebung orang laeng pulok, dok baik, 'doser wak gitu.....

tu ambe kater, rupenye mnatang ni kite buleh pesang, wak imme broyer ke, rima ke, kucing, ayang..... buleh kite 'cakak nge diye, ye dengo, sebak kejadiang Tuhang belake kang? teringak kate arwoh mok ambe: "kene molek, mnatang ni lebih dengor pade maknusiye agi..." ke guane pokcik weh?

walloh huaklang

kaykuala said...

Dear Pakcik,
A tupai for a haiku, yes, certainly, Sir! Like the red okra when I borrowed your image (with permission) will do the same here? Thanks!

Hank

Al-Manar said...

C-f-S

I very much thought so.

Incidentally I notice an abandoned blog and something is amiss - a change in direction and priority, presumably.

Al-Manar said...

Cik Minoh Tonggek

Ambe stuju hok rang toko soh kaca. Tok tau lah. Abih abih tetok semma wat kayu api. Abih criter kang?

Al-Manar said...

Dear Hank,

I am pleased to hear that. You are free to use whatever needed from my blog. There is no copyright.

kaykuala said...

Dear Pakcik,
Most opportune. The prompt at Haiku Heights today is 'finger print'. I'll use the hollowed coconut image for it! Perfect! Thanks for your kind permission!

Btw, Alhamdulillah! I'm having my poetry compiled into a book. It’s all finalized now just waiting for publication and distribution. I've included my poem (and your image)on the Red okra in the book. It's on page 141. Hopefully it'll be available before my birthday on 1st August!

Hank

aliya said...

Dear pakcik,
Sorry to read about the squirrels in the garden. Must be very frustarting for you. I too, had invaders recently. Rats that bit and spoiled my electrical stuff - juicer, fans, extension wire - home phone line and my son's toes. They still enter once in a while despite attempts to rat-proof the house.

Al-Manar said...

Hank,

That sounds truly fantastic, a book of poems! Tell me when it is out on sale and where obtainable. Congratulations.

Al-Manar said...

Aliya,

I find it hard to accept the kinds of damage done by your rodent friends. It scares me to think of damage to electrical wiring which often runs above the ceiling. We have rats around our house as well, but not doing the sorts of damage you mentioned.

kaykuala said...

Dear Pakcik,
1. I've done the haiku on the tupai. Had it posted a few minutes ago! A haiku is a Japanese form comprising 3 lines of a 5-7-5 syllables count. The beauty is it need not rhyme.Check it out at: http://imagery77.blogspot.com/2013/07/ravished-coconuts.html

2. Don't worry about the book, Sir! I'll have a few copies gratis for the al_Manar library the moment I receive them, InsyAllah!

Hank

nwar said...

Oh no !!! This certainly canNOT be tolerated.... what's a family re-union at the dining table without the undeniably Nuri's own "air nyor" !? the age old Pakcik's specialty thirst quencher since time immemorial..!?. Alarm bells are ringing !!.. we need to rectify this situation before the little cucus (emas included) come around for the long Syawal break!

- sepandai pandai tupai melompat ... -

Pakcik's#2

Al-Manar said...

HANK,

I have seen it - wonderful. I could not believe that it could be done that well.

Thank you for the generous thought, my friend.

Al-Manar said...

Pakcik's #2,

Rest assured, insya Allah, we will have it all rectified - even if it means shrouding the tops with steel wire mesh, or if the worst comes to the worst, felling the trees!

ahmad humairi said...

Assalamualaikum,

....nyawa makhluk sama harganya!

Sungguh berseni ukiran sang tupai.

Gambar 'tupai' sedang memanjat kelapa itu akan menjadi lebih 'dramatik' yang penuh aksi bila di 'crop' dan tidak memaparkan bahagian kakinya!!!

Naliahmad said...

Dear Pakchik,

You are now picking fights with little creatures? Glad to know our dear Makchik is now back. Who knows what you will be up to next.

With much affection and respect,
Nali

Al-Manar said...

Cikgu Humairi,

Waalaikum Salaam to you.
Cikgu ini memang orang seni. Kerana itu lah dapat menghargai seni - seperti jawhari dan maknikam. Saya tidak terfikir pula seperti yang cikgu cadangkan!

Al-Manar said...

Dear Nali,

No I am not picking up any fight - just to mind their own business.

Selamat berpuasa. Sereonoknya berbuka bersama2 anak cucu - dalam dewan lah ia?

naliahmad said...

Dear Pakchik,

May we all have the best ramadhan ever, this year.

Our number has yet to grow to justify a dewan for family iftar. But give us ten to fifteen years. we would then have at least outgrown our dining area. Kena pacak khemah la pulak, kan Pakchik?

Wassalam to both you and Makchik.

Omong Mak Long..... said...

Assalamualaikum Pakcik,

Looking at your pictures, I understand how you feel. My problem is to keep the darn deer away from my plants. I tried almost everything to shoo them away. At last he bought me a baby gun! Yes, I shot them to scare them off! Don't worry baby gun does not kill, just giving them a little discomfort on the skin...

Al-Manar said...

OML

Waalaikum Salaam to you and family.

Baby gun? I am afraid I am totally ignorant and wonder if I can get one and use without licence.

Selamat menyambut Ramadhan

Anonymous said...

Pak cik, my examination has just ended. InshaAllah, I will be in Terengganu by this Saturday because I need to wait for the results. Wish me pass with good grades :)

AZMIERA

Omong Mak Long..... said...

Pakcik,

Baby gun is kinda toy for kids. It is a big thing for young boys especially those who live in ranches or wooded areas. Does not need a license to own and shoot. I don't know if Malaysian Government allow such toys. But it is really handy .....

Al-Manar said...

A few years ago I flew home from Europe with a toy plastic gun. At Subang airport it was confiscated!

Land below The Wind said...

As Salaam Uncle,

First and for most , like to wish Uncle & Auntie - Selamat Berpuasa:)

Uncle, those spoiled coconuts by the squirrels, you can turn it handy into bird house or as a natural flower pot/semaian. Just drill a hole here and there.

Am aware you are furious with squirrels , but I can't resist to share my crafty ideas of the so called spoiled coconuts. Furthermore , Uncle, dia tumpang minum - itu satu sedekah:)

Btw, read the "article" Uncle , e-mailed about,in Star.Mum kept a copy of it , in her collection , will get in touch with you soon.

ninotaziz said...

I love my late grandma, but she was stern and a gardener who believed in 'the cultivated and pristine' garden. I am sorry to say, she calmly drowned such pest in her garden. Gave me quite a fright.

And now I coldheartedly exterminate snails with a dash of salt.

Al-Manar said...

Azmiera,

I am sorry for my oversight to respond to your comments. Now that you have gone through another examination successfully I have eveery confidence you would go through them all.

Al-Manar said...

Land below The Wind

I a sorry for this belated response. Aunty and I do not forget you all. I often look at those few group photiographs you sent me not long ago.

I know how good you are at turning into craft those seemingly useless discarde things. We are certain your curiosity shop would be a hit in one of the mallas in KL.

We will meet again insya Allah

Al-Manar said...

Ninot,

You are as bad as Pakcik - cold-hearted. Would you allow your Aces follow that?