This blog post is part of the Random Sampling Singapore project. The Project aims to sample 100 places on the island of Singapore over a one year period in order to gain an unbiased and holistic view of the city state.

On a sunny January day my friend Anja, her husband Ed, her sun Dean and I were driving to Sungai Buloh Wetland reservoir for a hike. On the way we stopped at the close by coordinate #43, lying inside of a small forest surrounded by aquatics farms. The farms were closed already and the forest was fenced, so we concentrated on the location on the roadside.

That day the lush green of the leaves burnt in my eyes. Anja mentioned that in January in Germany the predominant colors in nature are different shades of grey and we both were happy to see something else than that. It was raining little golden leaves on us. Anja was sampling some of those. We were staring into the forest. We were listening and smelling too, but there were so many different noises, smells and plants- it was just impossible to pick one. So we just enjoyed it.

Later during the hike we have seen even more animals (except the crocs we were hoping to see), various plants in the mangroves and we were listening to even louder jungle noises. It was overwhelming. Who should we listen to, who to watch? Who is the wildest or most extraordinary? Where is the grass greener?

Artwork

I wanted to capture the juicy green of that day and created something for the appreciation for all living creatures. The gratefulness for the golden leaves, the lush nature and our homes, wherever those are.

A couple of days later I came across a poem of Bai Juyi, which expresses my feelings of that day very well. I integrated it on the right upper side.

鸟（七绝）

白居易 诗

谁道群生性命微
一般骨肉一般皮
劝君莫打枝头鸟
子在巢中望母归

Poetry by Bai Juyi (772-846, Tang Dynasty, China)
Translation by Luo Zhihai (1954-, China)

The Bird (Seven Jue)

Who said all living creatures’ lives were not worth mentioning
Equal flesh and blood, same skin
Advise you not to fowl the bird on the branch
Its children in the nest thirst for their mother back