Jimmy at Jim´s House

Jimmy at Jim´s HOUSE & Gardens for the second time and loving it. 
Indoors there is a wonderful mix of East meets West in the new way of using the Thai houses that the architect Jim Thompson came up with. 

Outdoors is the most amazing garden. I have been here before and when I got back to Bangkok this time I knew I had to visit James Harrison Wilson Thompson´s gardens again ( Yep, that is his whole name) The garden starts with these zig zag brick´s that lead you into a tropic greenery. 

The thai teak houses are elevated a full story above ground to prevent flooding in the rainy season. 
The red color of the houses also works as a preservative. 


The clay pots with fishes and water plants are so beautiful and soothing and they stand along the brick walkway. Naturally there is a pond with fishes and turtles as well. 

The american born in Greenville, Delaware in 1906 must have loved Siam which Thailand was called then. 
The house and the art collection soon became such a point of interest that he decided to open his home to the public with proceeds donated to Thai charities and to projects directed at the preservation of Thailand´s cultural heritage.  

His devoted knowledge of the craft of the hand weaving of silk with the gift of designing and coloring and the fact that he never remarried combined with the fact that he introduced silk to American Vogue as well as making the connection with the productions of the King and I, conclude that Jim was a friend of Dorothy´s. Do you agree ?

Jim Thompson disappeared in 1967 without a clue the same year as I make an entrance into this world. His disappearance as well as his life over all was foretold by astrologers whom even decided on what day to start the building of his house. I give thanks to Jim and his love of Thailand and his premature way of mixing East with West. 
THANK YOU JIM you are my style ICON.

Jimmy

 

Bangkok Muse

 

 

If you are looking for a boutique luxury hotel in Bangkok you should check out

Hotel Muse . Spent a lovely time at their rooftop recently and have very pleasant memories. 

Meeting the children

Soomkai lamp

It all started with the chicken coop I saw on the street in Thailand 2010. I was visiting my friends Ann&Per Magnus Persson.

My idea was very simple, make lampshades from the same technique as they hand make the Soomkai (chicken coop in Thai)  but in another form. 

Ann found the right producer and took care of shipping after we had a perfect start of a partnership with Watt&veke who have been our guide in this our first design&production project from scratch together. Per Magnus and I shot and I took care of the look of the pictures of the first Soomkai. 

I wanted our Soomkai to give back to Thailand so we decided to give from the profit to the HIV Orhpanage Dramaraksa Children Home run by Alongkot Dikkapanyo, head monk of Wa Phra Baht Nam Phu Buddhist temple. 

So finally we did arrive to meet with the monk and donate what the Soomkai lamp had given. It is such an amazing feeling to have and idea two years ago and now see that all the help from everyone of this design project along with all of the buyers of the Soomkai now come together to help. 
I love it.  

 

The Temple seen from afar.

 
We  went to meet the children at the Orhanage and brought, mandarins and popcorn.  

The donation we give with help of the profit from the Soomkai will be used for everything from the daily medication to toys, books and paper to help in the childrens schooling. 

Mandarins&popcorn for everyone

Posing for Per Magnus

Hula hoop competition with choreography. WOW!

Alongkot Dikkapanyo, head monk. 

The monk is called Papa by many

Signing in at the Temple

Meeting with the monk

A very happy man (me!)with a certificate of the donation

  A very important fact to know is : 

Per Magnus, Ann and I did not get paid or use the profit from the Soomkai for our travels or anything but donating to the cause described above. We have paid for all our costs by our selves. Not only has 10% from the profit of the sales from Watt&veke contributed,  but also from the production part as well as from my side. We all have donated 10 % of our profit.


 All pictures shot by Per Magnus Persson www.permagnuspersson.com

The art of giving

The art of giving


These words are from Barbara O´Brian.
Read more at  www.about.com

Giving is essential to Buddhism. Giving includes charity, or giving material help to people in want. It also includes giving spiritual guidance to those who seek it and loving kindness to all who need it. 

However, one's motivation for giving to others is at least as important as what is given.What is right or wrong motivation? 


The Anguttara Nikaya, a collection of texts in the Vinaya-pitaka section of the Pali Canon, lists a number of motivations for practicing charity. 

These include being shamed or intimidated into giving; giving to receive a favor; giving to feel good about yourself. 
These are impure motivations.

 
The Buddha taught that when we give to others, we give without expectation of reward. We give without attaching to either the gift or the recipient. We practice giving to release greed and self-clinging. 




All of the Buddha´s and masters I have photographed around the Temple close to Lopburi on sunday the second of December.

The Buddhist temple

We had breakfast at 06 in Bangkok and Ann drove me and Per Magnus to Lopburi, where we are meeting Alongkot Dikkapanyo, head monk of Wat Phra Baht Nam Phu Buddhist temple the founder of the Orhanage for HIV positive children that we will to give the profit from the Soomkai lamp to.

This is my first take on what happened today. The first fast one, to give you all an idea what happened today.  
Tomorrow I can give you Photographer Per Magnus take on it picturewise and more from me on what happened in words. 
 

  
We met with the monk with a group indoors with other waiting people who also wanted to donate to his charities and when we were done everyone wanted to take pictures. Per Magnus also took some pictures of it all and I shot one of his back...

We walked up this staircase and found a temple with a view. 

 

    

This is the Buddha statue at the top of the first stairs

A new staircase...

That led up to this amazing, very big white Buddha statue on top. 

I will continue the story tomorrow and tell you about when we got to meet the children at the orhanage. 

I am so thankful of everyone helping by buying a Soomkai lamp to their home and in this way contributing to making it possible to help the Orhanage outside Lopburi, Thailand.  

The first candle

The first sunday of advent is always special to me. The lighting of the first candle is a tradition that really lights up the dark December. 

This year I am in Thailand so I have declared this my traditional Jimmy Schönning HEM X mas special. Hyacinths with their lovely smell, moss and frosted apples. Oranges with cloves and the scent of pine. Happy first advent everyone.

Jag önskar er alla en 
fridfull första advent. 

With this I bid you all a very good weekend. 
  


/ Jimmy

 

Treastle table, bench and Soomkai lamp
www.jimmyschonning.com