Month: July 2015

Growing stuff on hot concrete – gardening in tropical Penang – what’s growing in July 2015

Strangely it has become rainy season again. For the last week it has rained every night and / or day. And otherwise been cloudy with some sun.  Thus it’s been cooler, too.

Gathering water for the garden has thus been easy.

plenty of rain water - the one on the right was full but I did some watering. The copper is to keep mosquitos away

plenty of rain water – the one on the right was full but I did some watering. The copper is to keep mosquitos away

And I’ve managed to capture some bird photos as a result of the new camera having a 30x zoom.

mock orange when bird comes to eat

mock orange when bird comes to eat

bird

bird

bird

bird

bird has mock orange seed

bird has mock orange seed

bird has seed

bird has seed

oreole on large tree

oriole on large tree

oreole on large tree

oriole on large tree

birds eat mango

birds eat mango

birds eat mango

birds eat mango

papayas at back are growing

papayas at back are growing

Just put in seeds on left of very nice papaya I just ate

Just put in seeds on left of very nice papaya I just ate

I had to prune many papaya branches off several papaya trees - mealy bugs

I had to prune many papaya branches off several papaya trees – mealy bugs

mealy bugs

mealy bugs

mock oranges flowering after the rain

mock oranges flowering after the rain

bee visiting

bee visiting

another mock orange

another happy mock orange

very happy

very happy Canna lilies

so nice today

so nice today

so nice today

so nice today

the only baby mock orange I succeeded in growing from seed last year

the only baby mock orange I succeeded in growing from seed last year

plumbago that the killer corner almost killed, but now recovering

plumbago that the killer corner almost killed, but now recovering

the lime tree has a lot of tiny buds and seems happy

the lime tree has a lot of tiny buds and seems happy

tomato plants have come up out of the compost and are so far doing well

tomato plants have come up out of the compost and are so far doing well

tomato plants have come up out of the compost and are so far doing well

tomato plants have come up out of the compost and are so far doing well

tomato plants have come up out of the compost and are so far doing well

tomato plants have come up out of the compost and are so far doing well

passion fruit vines are growing rapidly

passion fruit vines are growing rapidly

the lone surviving papaya in this pot after all leaves on all plants were attacked by bird or grasshopper

the lone surviving papaya in this pot after all leaves on all plants were attacked by bird or grasshopper

aloe vera

aloe vera

bougainvillea is having a rest from flowering

Bougainvillea is having a rest from flowering

doing fine - it likes water

doing fine – it likes water

keffir limes are growing well

kaffir limes are growing well

leaving this bud on plant to collect roselle seeds.

leaving this bud on plant to collect Roselle seeds.

 

Starbucks WiFi saga

Hooray.  Starbucks have improved their WiFi system.

Jpeg

login page

Up until a few months ago one simply connected to Starbucks’ WiFi, opened a web page which went automatically to their site, clicked “I agree”, and then waited 20 seconds. Then one could use the Internet.

Next they implemented a system whereby one had also to put in the code on your receipt in order to connect – and it became very slow, and iPads won’t connect.

The latest is that when you open the web page you see a “Get WiFi” button, and when you click that you get the above page.  My photo missed it, but below the Facebook etc. buttons is another which says, “I’ll do it later”. Click that and you are in.  You don’t need to give them your private info. You don’t need to put in that pesky code on the receipt.