2013-03-31

March Blossoms


Most of these blossoms can be found at a Buddhist temple near our home.


I'm not sure what kind of blossom this is, but it might be a kind of cherry blossom.



From what I understand, there are many types of different cherry trees and even more numerous types of cherry blossoms growing throughout Japan.


Even a single blossom is quite beautiful!


I wish I had a macro lens, so instead, I have to stand back from the subject and focus in tightly with a telephoto zoom lens and a tripod to get this kind of shot.

Gumball Machine


This very small park has mostly sand and playground equipment for the kids.



But in just one corner of the park, someone has gone through a lot of trouble to create a kind of floral paradise.


Most likely, the gardening is done by local volunteers or retired pensioners.


The only time you can see city workers working in these gardens and parks is when they are trimming trees or cutting overgrown weeds using gas-powered gardening tools or equipment.


I was mostly enthralled with the frozen dew on these delicate flowers surrounded by cherry blossom petals that had fallen the night before.



As much as I like taking pictures of different flowers in all of their glorious colors, I really have a hard time remembering the names of all these different kinds of flowers!


It's a day like today that I am so thankful to be living in a neighborhood with so much color all the year round like that of gumballs in a gumball machine. 

Wood and Stone


This has got to be one of the most beautiful gates to a Japanese house in the neighborhood that I have seen thus far. Older homes might have more temple- or shrine-like gates. This homeowner had this gate added to his home only several years ago.


Don't know what kind of stone this is, but it is definitely beautiful. Sadly, most Japanese homes are too small to even have such a nice yard. Glad that some wealthy homeowners still go through the trouble and expense of sprucing up their homes in a more traditional Zen-like manner.


If I ever had the money to build my own house, I'd want to have the same color and design of this tiled roof.

Somber Rainbows



I was lucky today to have my camera with me on my way home from work this afternoon.


I am always amazed with the different kinds of plants and flowers and shrubbery that have been planted throughout the area in my neighborhood.


This time of year is especially nice since we can enjoy the cherry blossoms in their full glory!



At the macro level, fallen blossoms create canyons, peaks, and valleys of blossom petals with hues ranging from white to pink, like a candy land of sweet raspberry yogurt or cherry ice cream.


Even the pine trees with very delicately trimmed and groomed branches create a peculiar sense of beauty in somber tones.


Single Teardrop


Each petal from a cherry tree blossom is but fleeting beauty -- grandeur whilst short-lived. Delicate breath blown from on high will catapult each soft petal spiraling downward to its demise.


In their passing is a carpet of pink and white hues enveloping the cold and frigid ground, warming our hearts with the anticipation of a forethcoming spring. 


Once again, rebirth and life will soon spring forth, our hearts pounding with anticipation.






Azalea and Cherry Blossom

If I were pollinator, I would be attracted to this flower the most.

I love how these white blossoms have slight shades of pink branching out from the center.

These two shots, above and below, are basically the same. The lower shot was modified using some nice photo editing software on the iPhone.


I hate changing lenses on the camera in the middle of a shot, so I like to stand back at a distance from the shot, and take a shot with the telephoto lens to acquire the depth of field.

Black and Pink


It doesn't take long before the delicate cherry blossoms flutter to the ground


There are so many different colors of pigeons in our neighborhood. I love the year in iridescent colors on the neck of this one.


She (he) has the colors on her neck that I would like to have on my car!


The freshly laid asphalt that has and recently rained on creates a great backdrop for the fallen petals.

Reds and Yellows




Left the morning job this afternoon and came across this park near the station.



Decided to wak home instead of taking the bus. Pleasantly surprised to see so much color this morning after constant rain and winds.



As usual, I have no idea what kinds of flowers we're looking at here...



When they first planted this garden, I wonder what the workers were thinking.



Was there a design process? Was color coordination of priority? What is the priority cost of young plants? Or maybe just a combination of both?






2013-03-28

i4S vs i5


Two shots of the same scene taken with an older iPhone 4S.


The newer lense in the iPhone 5 was a drastic improvement.

Trunk Flowers


These look like peach tree or apricot tree blossoms. Not really sure. Love the star-shaped centers of these blossoms.


Typical delicate cherry tree blossoms. So beautiful and fragile.


Some blossoms just poke right out of the side of the trunk instead at the end of the branch or limb.



Of course, this time of year is still too early to come out of a winter sleep for some species of trees.


Would love to understand why bamboo can have very different tones while in the same grove at close proximity.


Reminds of me of some marbled ice cream I had when I was a kid.

2013-03-24

Night Cherry


Same shots of the cherry trees at the bus stop I was at yesterday.


iPhones are not the best devices for low-light shots.

2013-03-22

Kiss Blossoms


An old Japanese house at the bottom of a hill right next to a major thoroughfare near the Yokoyoko Highway. I like how their house is located in a prime, convenient location for either using public transportation or just driving somewhere, yet secluded by a hill in the back and traditional style wall in front.


The family that lives here takes real good care of the yards, trees, and shrubbery.


Morning dog walk while enjoying the different neighbors beautiful homes.


A great, sunny day with a rainbow of blossoms to catch your eye.


I love taking shots of bamboo regardless of the season.


Time to go home and wash my face!