About hafong

Hello! My name is (Leung) Hafong alias Lily Leung. You always say the last name first….that is the Chinese way. That is my partner lurking behind me. Since this is my blog, I won’t mention his name. But this is a rather cool picture. You see me and yet you don’t…sort of the way I feel about myself most of my life. So this blog is a self-exploration, an archeology dig of some sort. My tools…..words of a thousand or so at a sitting. I will try for that.

FERTILE GROUND

Posted on June 12, 2014 by hafong

The day is in glorious warmth and sunshine. A fresh breeze is coming in from my window. The air is alive with children’s voices and laughter from the daycare one house removed.

We are back from our morning bike ride, the three of us – the man on his recumbent trike, me on my upright trike and Sheba on foot. I have a couple of shots of us before we headed out.

It was a little harder managing my iPhone, bike and dog while in motion. It was a little tricky as you can tell by these shots. One handed Annie was not good with her aim!

We are back and I am tapping away on my keyboard in the midst of my usual clutter and mess. I have been reading Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird. I like what she says of clutter.

“But clutter and mess show us that life is being lived. Clutter is wonderfully fertile ground – you can still discover new treasures under all those piles, clean things up, edit things out, fix things, get a grip. Tidiness suggests that something is as good as it’s going to get. Tidiness makes me think of held breath, of suspended animation, while writing needs to breathe and move.”

Yesterday I had looked under some of my piles, cleaned a few things up. I found a couple of treasures. I held them in my hands and could not edit them out – yet. I filed them for the time being. It’s hard to erase myself.

I’m fixing things bit by bit. I am getting a grip. My feet are firmly on the ground, though my mind wanders from time to time. There’s always things to work on – piles to clear, words to write, stitches to ply, love to be had, God to thank…

TENDING MY GARDEN

Posted on June 10, 2014 by hafong

The rain is done, but the clouds and wind are still making their presence felt. I’m edgy with unease. Sheba is bugging the hell out of me with her demand to play. She’s a barker and quite vocal about her needs. Grrrr! Good thing someone has taken her outside.

I dispelled some of my distress this morning on my perennial beds. I dug, weeded, thinned and mulched. I still have a long way to go. But now, they at least have a definite shape and not just a jungle of greens.

The rains had made the ground soft and easier to work with. I guess God is looking after me in his infinitely wise ways. He smiled just now, beaming sunshine as I’m tapping away here.

The wind is still here. I like to think that it is God, breathing, sighing and whispering as he looks over his creation. I hope he is pleased with what I have accomplished. My raised beds are doing remarkably well for their first year. The kohlrabi and peas have grown with the rain. The onions, radishes, lettuce and kale are thriving. Then there are my tomatoes and peppers.

The main garden is coming along, too. Now we need some steady sun and serious heat for everything to come to their full potential.

RAINING IN SASKATOON

Posted on June 9, 2014 by hafong

It’s raining again. I am sitting here watching the rain and listening to its beat on the deck roof. And wherever I go, Sheba has to go, of course. She is happily listening along with me.

Two doors down, I can hear the children of the daycare blissfully playing in the rain. Their laughter and chatter fill the air. It is as it should be – spring, rain, the greening of the earth and the laughter of children.

Thunder rumbles. The children are gone. The rain stops and the sun comes out amid the clouds. How strange and wondrous nature and the weather have been. And equally, so is life. Nothing can be taken for granted.

EVERY DAY HAS ITS CLOUD

Posted on June 8, 2014 by hafong

The clouds can get to me. Their shifting shadows feel ominous, giving me a sense of impending doom. It feels as if someone is walking on my grave. I’m waiting for the shoe to drop. It never has.

I’ve learned to live with this holding my breath, waiting for the shoe to drop – waiting to wake up from my free fall through space and hitting the ground. I never have. And so, I’m braver now. I have wings and I can almost fly. No heavy landing for me, thank you very much.

Still, the clouds can make my heart skip a beat at times. But that is okay. I flutter my wings a bit to calm it and carry on. There’s early bike rides with Sheba trotting by my side. She needs someone ahead to chase after or else she digs her heels in and say, No! We ride when the sun shines or not. I feel like a postman.

The sun is shining now. It has been playing hide and seek with the clouds all day. I am playing along with both of them. Whatever works! The rain has made the ground nice and soft to dig. It is a good opportunity to clean up my much neglected and overgrown perennial beds.

I’m hoping they will look better in a month or two. Digging and clearing is good therapy. I’m cleaning my inner space along with my outer space.

FLICKERING LIGHT – Friday Fictioneers

Posted on June 6, 2014 by hafong

She lifted her gaze from the screen to the candles and sighed. She found him this time. He showed himself when it mattered. The candles flickered. She felt his pain and remorse.

“I am sorry”

The whisper traveled through the years and distance. It hung in the night air. Then it was gone. The candles went out. She was in the dark except for the glow from the computer screen.

She sat silent, motionless, stunned. Then she put her head and arms on the desk and wept. Relief and sadness swept through her. She was free at last.

NO COMMENT

Posted on June 5, 2014 by hafong

Thursday, June 5, 2014
Are there any comment sections online that you refuse to read?

I’m sitting here with my glass of wine, my inkwell is dry. My fingers silent. Nothing much to say. It’s been this kind of day. Right now I don’t feel that strongly about anything. I would have to say no to the above question.

The day has been gloomy, cool and rainy. Not the kind that brings a smile to my face and a spring to my step. Not all days are equal. That is the truth and I have to accept it. Into life, some rain has to fall. But I do have my protective purple umbrella and my Wonder Woman suit. Zap! Kapow! KaBoom! I’m warding off bad energy.

Wish that my Wonder Woman act could come alive and save the world. But meanwhile out there….bad things are still happening. A 24 year old man in Moncton, New Brunswick has killed 3 RCMP officers and wounded 2 more. He is still out at large.

I am feeling all that and perhaps more – a sense of helplessness and perhaps hopelessness. How does things like this happen? And I have no answer or comment.

OF PROMPTS, COMMENTS & OTHER THINGS

Posted on June 4, 2014 by hafong

Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Have you ever deleted a comment? What would make you delete a comment?

I have not ever deleted a comment from my blog. No wait, I have – spams, comments that have nothing to do with my posts. That answers the second question, doesn’t it? I would delete spams and hateful, rude, attacking, etc. comments.

And why not? There’s no discussion in those kinds of comments. They do not gender connection or helping each other out. They do not build positive outcome. There! Now let’s get on with the rest of the day.

We had a beautiful bike ride with Sheba in tow this morning. The streets were peaceful and quiet. The sky was overcast but the sun came out as we were riding out. There’s something about the early mornings that calm your soul.

I have finished planting the last of my tomatoes and onions. I am feeling happy with my gardening efforts. The tomatoes are looking great. The Sunberry is blooming. Will I be baking Sunberry pies this year? The onions, radishes, lettuce, kale and kohlrabi are all showing up. How splendid they look!

I got caught in the afternoon rain. Once I was wet, there was no need to hurry any more. I was past the point of “keeping dry”. The only dry part was my head, thanks to my hat. I hung it on my new shoe rack on the deck, along with my pants. No, I did not have my umbrella with me.

But all is well. The rain is gone and the sun is shining brightly on this mixed bag of a Wednesday.

WHO OWNS WHAT?

Posted on June 3, 2014 by hafong

Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Who owns the comment section: the blog writer or the blog readers?

It’s Tuesday. It’s sunny and warm. I am tired and cranky. Sheba is underfoot. Do I have anything to say about the above prompt?

In the real world, we ~~own~~ are responsible for whatever we do or say. But what about in Blogsville or FaceBook or other social media? That’s a little tougher.

I don’t have any rules about commenting. I rely on WordPress to do its thing about filtering spams, etc. I’m not quite up on the ins and outs of all this stuff even though I’ve been blogging for over a year.

So far, I haven’t attracted a lot of traffic, followers or comments. But I am happy with what I have. I appreciate my readers, their likes and comments. So far I haven’t angered or offended anyone. But then what I blog about doesn’t generate those kinds of responses.

However, I have been in an email group where people do get their emotions aroused over politics, religion and sometimes nothing. The exchange could get personal and nasty, even though there was a rule about the delete button. In the end I and many others had to leave the group.

In light of the experience, I say whoever has control of the delete button ( the writer) owns the comment section. I appreciate comments that help me to become a better writer. I appreciate respectful differences of opinion. But I do not want to be viciously and personally attacked. If I can wiggle my nose and push the delete button and pooof, I would do it! Wouldn’t you?

JUNE GLOW

Posted on June 1, 2014 by hafong

A new day of a new month – June. The morning was overcast and cool. It was not inviting. I did not bounce out of bed with glee. I lingered in the warmth of my bed, hesitating like a shy bride, putting off the inevitable.

The inevitable came, of course. I had to face the music. I thought it best that I be a sport and do it with gusto. Life deserved to be treated with respect. I grabbed Sheba and headed out for an early morning trot.

My attitude changed once we hit the great outdoors. The fresh air stirred my senses. The streets were fragrant with trees in bloom.

The playground was alive with children running under the water spraying dragon. The parents watched on the side benches.

Then there was the school yard full of golden dandelions. How beautiful they looked. I no longer thought of them as weeds. They were a hundred million miracles that I had blogged about. I am sure not everyone will agree with that!

I am so happy that I was able to get up, dress up and show up for June. I’m all aglow along with the cherry bush in its first blush of blossoms. And Sheba approves.

COME SATURDAY

Posted on May 31, 2014 by hafong

Today is one of those perfect, perfect Saturdays. I hear the Sandpipers song, Come Saturday Morning in my head.

“Come Saturday morning
I’m going away with my friend
We’ll Saturday-spend to the end of the day
Just I and my friend
We’ll travel for miles in our Saturday smiles
And then we’ll move on
But we’ll remember long after Saturday’s gone”

The song brings a picture of a happy sunny spring morning. And I am feeling mellow and happy. There is a spring to my step as Sheba and I started out on our walk.

The sun was shining, the air fresh and warm. The birds were singing their own melodies. In the park the children had ball practice. Sheba and I watched awhile and then we went on our way home.

The day has flown by. My peas and beans are finally coming up as well as the carrots. The potatoes are pushing their way out of the soil. As much as I love the birds in the yard, I do not want to share my garden goods with them yet.

I heard that shiny objects deter them. I hung a couple of shiny red bags along the fence where the peas are and strung some ribbons on the obelisk for the scarlet runners.

It looks a bit like a party, doesn’t it? I hope the birds don’t think and come!

onethousandandtwo

Looking at Infinity

Author Archives: hafong