When the weather starts to get colder about in October or some years about the end of September, I bring some of my plants inside the house. I put these geranium plants by the windowsill in our bedroom. Plant needs sunlight, carbon dioxide and water to produce glucose (sugar) and give out oxygen. The process is called photosynthesis; the following is the overall equation for the photosynthesis that occurs in plants:
Six molecules of carbon dioxide plus six molecules of water and light (sunlight) produced one molecule of glucose (sugar) and gave out six molecules of oxygen. So when John goes to take a nap in the afternoon he receives oxygen from the geranium plants and other kinds of plants next to our bed. And when John exhales carbon dioxide from his breathing the plants next to him take the carbon dioxide in to produce the photosynthesis process. We need plants not only as a food source but also to give us life by giving us oxygen to breathe. Without oxygen we will vanish (we will die). When forests are cut down we destroy ourselves, especially when we cut down rain forests that have a large capacity to take in carbon dioxide that we produce from factories and other sources and in return the plants and trees gave us oxygen to breathe.
Beside how useful plants are to us, I love to see the colors that plants produce when the flowers bloom in different shade of color. I am so happy when I open my eyes the first time in the morning and see the beautiful pink geranium flowers standing tall, contrasting with the beautiful light and dark green leaves as the morning rays of sunlight shine through the window.
I get out of bed and look outside of the window to our small garden, the cold and the brown trees tell me to wait for a month or so when spring arrives and I will have my beautiful garden outside again. But during the winter and for now I will have my little gardens inside my house but I prefer to call it my little forest that I create as I do love and enjoy my plants each day of my life in my little place, trying my best to create artwork and survive as life goes on.
As I walk out of my bedroom to the small living room on the left side I have another little forest that consists of Jasmine trees, hibiscus, avocado trees and others in front of my Vincent van Gogh “Broken Frames” artwork. John purchased the African figurines and Dolphin figurines, display on top of the book case. A few weeks ago the Jasmine tree produced some of beautiful fragrant flowers.
We do not have any window in this room. So John put a florescence light on the ceiling for me. Just one indoor light is enough to keep my plants alive until spring then I will take them out to the backyard. In the beginning of January I had a beautiful red hibiscus flower.
When I walked to my right to have my breakfast in the morning I will see my climbing plant on top of our refrigerator. John put a florescence light there for me also and on the wall, next to the plant, is John’s painting, produced in 1975.
John’s old computer room that I took over, as John is a gentleman who let me have his comfortable space. We use this room as our showroom for our artwork also. If one looks beyond my ceramic sculptures you will see my two year old avocado trees and two Thai citrus trees, the leaves of which, I use for my Thai curry dish.
I do love thee, my plants, without thee I would not have peace, just as if you had withered away.
Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, 3.14.2011
7 Responses to My Little Forests
- Chelsea Manifold says: March 22, 2011 at 10:09 am
Oh Ing how wonderful it is to see your indoor forest! I know when ever I visit I love to wonder through the rooms of your home and admire the green and living plants that you share your home with. There is something so peaceful and relaxing about plants, watching them grow and bloom.
And as you said in your wonderful story of the little people and the plant, the many disasters that have effected peoples accursed the world can weigh heavily on the mind and spirit. It is in times like these when more then ever we need to take comfort from each other and the bounty and beauty of the natural world around us.
Thank you for your simple and touching story, although we are all shaken and frightened by events in the world we can stand together as fellow humans and living creatures and draw strength.
-Chelsea
- ing says: March 31, 2011 at 3:39 pm
Hi Chelsea,
You are my worst critic. You always give me sweet candy. I am so spoiled. I am floating in the air right now.
Above is not Ing’s writing, it is only the shadow of Ing’s writing. I am glad that you like the story in, “My Little Forest”. I agree with your comments. After reading your comments it makes me feel good and you encourage me to do more work. Good friends are hard too come by. But if I see one, it is just the gift that I am always longing for.
Thank you very much, takes care of yourself and Paul. Ing 3.31.11
- Laurie Sue Walker says: March 23, 2011 at 12:32 pm
all things are parts of one whole.
Thanks for making our world more beautiful and peaceful because of your efforts, Ing-On
- ing says: March 24, 2011 at 1:36 pm
Hi Laurie Sue Walker,
Thank you so much for your comments. It is as if I drank a glass of fresh cool water on a hot summer day. I agree with yours statement, “all things are parts of one whole”, and if you don’t mind, I would like to elaborate as the way I look at it:
Because we are all individual parts of one whole if any single part of us gets hurt or troubled then the remaining parts will be affected as well. Just as when we drop a stone into a pond, we will see the wave spread into a larger and larger area creating a ripple effect. My concern is for the youngsters of today. We adults are examples to our youngsters. If we are only obedient consumers without understanding the value and the effect derived from the goods that we consume then our children are going to do the same and the deterioration will continue with the next generation after we are all gone. For example plastic tooth brushes that we use, plastic bags and plastic goods of all sorts end up in an area of the sea which is as large as the state ofTexas according to the literature research. Sea creatures and birds eat these plastic materials and some baby birds die from digesting plastic objects. We can foresee a lot more problems that will occur from this type of incident let alone the oil spills in the sea. We have to learn quickly to pay more attention to things that will affect us all. We have to show and teach our youngsters that what we see on the surface may not be as it appears. We have to teach our youngsters to analyze and use their brains. But not brainwash them, just as groups brainwashed youngsters to become the terrorists who destroyed the World Trade Center and other places.
Sorry for being so down spirited. I hope I didn’t give you much of a headache. Just look at life as we live in a beautiful room or house where we have to maintain it in order to keep it the same or improve it to make it better. So let us help produce a better generation and treat any child in the world as if that child is our own.
Thanks,
Ing
- Chelsea Manifold says: March 28, 2011 at 9:23 am
I love the new poem,
Its lovely to combined the words with the pictures, I think this new turn in your artwork lends itself well to dealing with the stress and emotions that have risen over the past month with the continued struggles overseas.
I know you get grate peace from your growing plants, and seeing your sweet garden makes me think of you and John, if we can find peace in our everyday life we can stand strong agents the uncertainty of the world around us.
Thanks so much for sharing Ing,
- ing says: March 31, 2011 at 3:43 pm
Hi Chelsea,
Thank you for your encouraging and sweet comments. When I sit down having a meal with John, after I finished cooking which takes a couple hours, more or less, then I hear John say “Umm! It tests good!” I felt pretty good. All the time I spent preparing and cooking seems to be worthwhile. And I enjoy the meal with him. On the other hand if he says, “The food is terrible!” Then I will cuff his head and said “Bloody hell, cook for yourself.” I just kidding, John is too polite to say that usually if he didn’t care for the food he just eats less. I will not mind that much because I can have the food for myself as I generally cook something that I like to eat. Do you think that is the smart thing to do? If he likes the food I will be glad but if he doesn’t like the food then I can enjoy it all by myself. Then I will never be disappointed either way. Anyhow I’ve talked too much. I appreciate your kind thought and I am proud of you. You are a good example of a better younger generation. Just as I commented in my replying to Laurie Sue Walker about older people nowadays should be concerned with showing a good example for the younger people. But I don’t think I need to show you anything because you are a very clever person who knows how to conduct yourself in a civilize way. What I treasure the most is your quality of kindness and willingness to help others as much as you can. I thank you for that, John and I are glad to know you and Paul including your mother, sister and brother-in-law.
Take care, Ing 3.30.11
- Benjamin Kant says: April 7, 2011 at 5:41 pm
I love your flowers (slides), but most of all I like the “little people”. Please continue with this and your other projects; and I hope more people see it. Thank you.