Whenever we came home, dad-in-law would request me to capture photos of his garden — partly to document the progress made, and he could also send them to his friends. This time was no different. Minutes after we arrived, he enthusiastically provided us with a grand tour of his ever-changing garden that he is incredibly proud of, and rightfully so. Both parents have shed blood, sweat, and tears to maintain this vast garden. It gave them things to do every single day and, at the same time, provided them with a great sense of accomplishment.
Since our last visit 3 years ago, the garden has been tidier and more spacious. Messy shrubs were replaced with grass. The dirty sculptures were cleaned and carefully repainted with bright colors. There used to be a wooden “prison cell” for the incarcerated monkeys to think about their wrongdoings for a few days, but it was now dismantled. Nevertheless, the wild monkey problems were still prevalent, where a troop of them would swing from the nearby jungle to steal ripped fruits. We marveled at Richard’s enormous vegetable garden project, where the rainwater collected from the roof irrigated the vegetables. Another new addition was a row of dragon fruit plants, although none bore edible fruits yet.
