雲狗上鴨山 Dog Cloud over Aberdeen Island

六月初七早，雲狗仔出現鴨脷洲上空，想必是新建的豪宅大廈擋住了視線，南丫島菱角山的狗仔思念香港島狗父，變成雲朵特登探望。Early morning 27 July a dog cloud appeared on top of Aberdeen Island. The ongoing construction of luxurious housing already obstructed the view from Lamma Island. Must be Snoopy misses daddy Hong Hong Island so much he turned himself into a cloud to come closer.

Caterpillar Returns 蝶蛹回歸

A few days ago found a caterpillar underneath a leave, already big, changing skins. Right after the skin was shed, its head looked incredibly big. In the next couple of days, it grew much bigger, into the biggest and most handsome worm ever visited my lemon tree over the last two years. He usually moves in the early morning or night, prefers young fresh leaves, then moves back to his preferred hiding place, away from the burning sun during the day. July 24 pm noticed he ate a flower bud after finishing all the young leaves on a small branch of the lemon tree, and at night repeated the same. He must like eating flowers as well. July 25 late evening he became restless, scanning the whole tree up and down, went to the small neighbor tree and then the edge of the pot, crossed through a rope (meant to fasten the pot) to outside of the balcony, walked on the ledge. I watched helplessly and worried he might fall or go down the building, out of reach, surely would die from heat or birds. Miraculously he decided to walk up, I managed to scoop him up when he was close enough without hurting him and put him back on the lemon tree. He tried to escape again but I stopped him, took him up from the edge of the pot. When putting him back up on the tree, he lost grip, and fell to the ground, luckily not hurt. After a rough night, he finally settled down around midnight, wrapped his head left and right both ways around the tree stem many times, apparently threading silk strands, before turning into chrysalis form the next morning. In the evening, it turned 180 degree to mimic a leave and became a full chrysalis. July 31 survived Typhoon 3 storm and strong winds. Put a net around the branch as the wind remains sporadically strong the next day Aug 1. Aug 6 it became visibly darker and at night the butterfly came out, disappeared before the next morning.

Eating

Hiding

July 24 am

July 24 pm

July 26 am

July 27 am

Aug 7 am

Li-Meng Yan 閻麗夢

Saw the news title by Fox yesterday, ignored it, but today many coverages in Chinese especially from Taiwan and Falungong, with all kinds of claims. Watched the original Fox interview video, not the one short cut followed by Gordon Chang, which was awful, pure speculation. Her English was bad but appeared sincere, believe it is herself, not a body double. All she said was nothing new or original or scientific, but most Americans probably can not tell the difference, and the ones who can tell only choose narratives that fit their objectives. What she said (claimed communications with doctors in Wuhan) were mostly true as there were lots of confusion in the early weeks on what it is and what to do. Her suggestions on what to do is actually the public guidelines in most Asian countries, especially Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macao and mainland China, but simply not preached in the US. She arrived in the US on April 28, interviewed by FBI, so Pompeo, by May 3rd, must have known what she knew but did not present as "significant" and "enormous" evidence, why? In the video, she clearly sold out her advisors in Hong Kong University, her husband and to some degree her family in Qingdao, why? One article indicates her husband is Indian, if true, why would he say things she claimed and be worried about being killed? Some articles said she was sponsored by Guo Wengui and Bannon, no wonder!  In the May research article, her name appeared as the second author; given her age and tenure, it does not look likely she would get professorship, and most likely not in good terms with her advisors. HKU just sent a public statement that she was never involved in any research on human to human transmission from December to January period as she claimed. I am sure we may hear from her two advisors she called out by names, maybe even her husband or family members. I have a feeling this may be much ado about nothing. She could be a FLG member or simply naive scientist working too long in a lab?

July 12: in the wedding photo provided by herself but most faces were blurred, it appears only 3 of her young colleagues plus the groom's 4 elder relatives at the wedding, her parents or relatives were no where to be seen. One article mentioned she has been married 6 years and one of her earliest co-authored HKU article was in 2012, which means she had been in HK as a postdoc for at least 8 years, way too long. Hope her husband and colleagues speak up.
July 20: no staying power, news lasted only a few days, no more coverage on her for more than a week!
July 26: Pompeo did not mention either her name or her evidence in his so-called anti-China landmark Nixon Library speech.

Mid Sept: with 2 unknown Chinese names, she published a fake scientific article in a website paid by Miles Kwok and managed by Steve Bannon, never peer reviewed, claiming the virus was made in the labs, appeared on Fox and some obscure web news sites, but never got into any reputable news outlet, video or otherwise. Her accounts in Tweeter and Facebook were blocked from spreading falsehood. Will Kwok still pay her going forward? 

Early Oct: Yan tried to gather sympathy by claiming her mother was arrested 4 times! Not sure how that could be done, maybe called in 4 times for questioning or not but arrests 4 times in a few months? Anyway she is clearly part of Trump campaign strategy but so far little effect. Curious what happens to her after Nov. 

Nov 20 The New York Times ran a detailed story "How Steve Bannon and a Chinese Billionaire Created a Right-Wing Coronavirus Media Sensation" exposing how Li-Meng Yan became a fraud.

18 August 2021: in July already broke off with Miles Guo, calling Snake or CCP agent to each other. On 21st, she claimed he broke into her apartment. 

Who is Lawrence Sellin, who seems to know a lot inside Yan? Now we know her husband is Ranawaka Arachchige Prasad Mahendra Perera as she and Sellin claim that person is in the US to kill her. 

Tiny Pink Baby Snail 微型粉紅蝸牛仔

Noticed a pinkish twig in the pomegranate pot a day ago, but it moved today. Turned out to be a baby snail!

It has been hiding but came out again this morning (June 12) after watering.

June 12

Unfortunately it disappeared in about a week and was never seen again. In mid September, a bunch (at least 5) of even smaller snails suddenly emerged, but of darker earthen color, really hard to spot unless looking at very close and for a long time. 

Real Pomegranate Baby Plants 石榴幼苗

Planted seeds on June 19, 2 weeks later (July 3) sprouts came out. Now (July 9) about 1 week old.  6月19日播種，2週後開始破土出芽。幼苗大約1週大。

July 9 7月9日

Grew over 2m tall by March 2021. First flower bud, taken 7 March. 來年三月已長2米高，處女蓓蕾，正月廿四日拍。

10 days later, March 17. 10日後，二月初五。

March 18 二月初六

It, unfortunately, fell off a few days later, but another bud came out the same position around Good Friday and Easter. 幾天後，花不幸隕落；好彩，清明節前，又一蓓蕾在同一位置出現。

About two weeks later begins to open up on April 15. 約兩週後於三月初四，蓓蕾開始綻開。

Next day already opened up 翌日已經綻放

Third day 17 April 第三天，三月初六

Strong wind blew it off again April 19 night or early next morning. 強風再次把花吹落 三月初八夜或者翌日凌晨。