Our "Nana" Has Transformed!

One afternoon a few months ago I was looking after Zaqwan (he was just over a year and a half then). We were passing by the kitchen area when suddenly he cried: "Nana, nana..."

"Uh oh"...I said to myself, this may spell trouble. You see, Zaqwan's mom is known to us as Nana. 

Zaqwan must have suddenly missed his mother and wanted me to send him to her!

"Mummy's at work" I said trying to pacify him. "We'll see her in the evening, ok".

"Nana, nana..." Zaqwan persisted

 I was trying hard to avoid having to send him to his mom. It wouldn't have worked anyway. First I didn't have his car seat with me. Secondly I didn't think Nana fancied (to put it mildly) the idea of a baby and a white-haired oldy suddenly appearing at her office! No can do.




"Nana, nana" Zaqwan went on,


this time his finger pointed to a bunch of bananas hanging on the wall.

"Oh, I see..."  "Phew...!"


This post is about our banana tree. (I would of course need a permission, probably in writing, before I even think about writing something on Nana, the mother ;)

You may recall this photo of the banana tree we have at The Farm. Looks healthy, right.

This is the rastali variety. The mother (or rather baby) tree was given to us by Aunt Sophie some three to four months ago. She gave us a seedling of less than a foot tall. She must be proud to learn how her little baby has grown into a fine young lady.

Aunt Sophie lives in an apartment a few storeys above ground level. But her love for gardening didn't stop her from looking after some banana trees at ground level. Until one day the management told her that the bananas had to go. Residents had been complaining.

Aunt Sophie came to us and ask if we were willing to adopt one of the bananas. We were glad to. So we transported the seedling to The Farm with Aunt Sophie tagging along. She even chose the spot where she (the banana) should be planted.

The tree had shown good progress in the first few months. Until recently, that is. I noticed her new frond had shrunk to a third its usual length - just over a foot, from the usual 6-8 feet (I'm old school, still stuck with the Imperial - that would be about 2 to two and a half metres).

New frond in the middle

The young lady had stopped growing! Vegetatively, that is. She is now transforming herself, getting ready for motherhood.

The next day I noticed her jantung or 'the heart' protruding from where new fronds would normally emerge. I watched with complete awe another wonder of nature. "Here is another fruit of my labour" I thought, quite pleased with myself. My tender loving care had not gone unrewarded after all.

She continued with her transformation, the heart becoming longer and had bent down slightly due to its weight.

The 'Heart' squeezing itself out pushing
aside the new frond

Then,..... KKKK...RRRRR...EEEE..OOOOKKK, tub..tub..tub.. it burst open

I can't wait to tell Aunt Sophie the good news.


To be continued....