Wordless Wednesday: Xmas Social Distance Dinner

 

View from the Office: Not a Chimney in Sight

It Was One of Those Days

 

 

The weather had me tempted, to go out with the cameras but, I didn't.

Other priorities, kept me from straying more than a few minutes from the office.

Things like, getting the Santa suit ready,  article submissions and the birth of a child.

The only times, I got away from the computer monitors, I stepped out the door, for a minute.

It's good, to stand up, get out and relax the eyes, after you've been at a desk for awhile.

When I spotted the contrast between this roof and the blue skies, I had to grab a camera.

Camera: Pentax K3

Lens: Sigma 10-20 at focal length of 20MM

Exposure: f/16  1/30   ISO 100

Location: Just outside my office door in Kin Town, Okinawa, Japan 

Date and Time: DEC 22 2015 5PM

Santa gets a little busy this time of year and, I'll be out doing a gig tomorrow.

Not really sure, when, I'll be back posting photos and blogs again.

Just in case, I don't get back here in time to tell you:

HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE !

Travel Photo and Thoughts -- Where'd Summer Go ?

Time to Get the Santa Suit Ready

 

 

It seems like just a few weeks ago, people were cussing the heat around here.

Now, I'm wearing a jacket and have socks on with my flip-flops.

This photo was taken during an annual Harii or, Dragon Boat Race in the summer.

 I remember, it being a long hot day, in the sun and, I miss those days.

Camera: Pentax K5

Lens: Sigma 10-20mm at a focal length of 10mm 

Exposure: f/11   1/320   ISO 100

Location: Itoman Port, Okinawa, Japan

Date and Time:  JUN 19  2015  10:10AM 

6 Pages on the Calendar Later

 

An invitation to represent Santa at a school, that's never been graced by my presence cams in.

They want to know if, I need a Santa Claus uniform for the appearance. 

Digging through the closet, I found my boots and glasses and, will dust them off.

All year long, I've been working on the tummy so, I won't need to use a pillow.

It's been twenty years that, I've been doing the Santasan thing, now.

So, I guess you could say, I'm a seasoned Santa Claus but, I still miss summertime.


Related Posts:

How I Became Santa Forever 

A Dozen Brightly Colored GIF Animations from Itoman City

A Little Yellow Bird on Christmas Day

Mejiro: A Fast Mover

 

 

More commonly known as the Japanese White Eye, these are some skittish birds.

This one, caused me to run inside and get the 300mm lens.

To create the GIF, I shot a series of photos at f/4  1/500  ISO 400.

A tripod and Pentax K3 made the equipment a bit heavy.

Doctor's orders: I'm supposed to take it easy for the next month or, so.

Once, I got all the stuff, hauled up on the roof, it was fairly easy shooting, for me.

Hopefully, you had as much fun, as I did, on Christmas day !

Just a Photo to Express My Holiday Wish

It's Christmas Eve in Japan

 

 

 

 

 

Today, I went to the Kin Shrine, to take some photos.

A Buddhist Monk saw me, picking up trash and looking for a place to deposit it.

He caught up with me in a wooded area, dropping some paper in an old rusty trash bin.

He thanked me but, wanted to take the rubbish, somewhere else.

So, I reached down and handed it to him and, wished him a Merry Christmas.

It doesn't matter what your religion or, beliefs may be.

If people around the globe would learn to respect each other, the world could be peaceful.

Think about it. And maybe, by New Years, I'll get my wish for the holidays.

Checkout the Xmas Lighting on this House !

2 GIFs Had to Be Made

 

 

 

 

 

There was a time, I used to climb up on the roof and hang some decorations.

But, I got tired of going to all that trouble.

The last Christmas season, I did it was probably over 10 years ago.

The wife agreed, I just had to do the roof and, she'd handle the yard and front porch.

Well, she had some lights leftover and came up on the roof, to add to mine.

And, I told her, "The more crap, you put up here, the more, I'll have to take down in January."

Plus, all those lights, add expenses to the electric bill.  Humbug !

She softened me up by, saying, she would take all the lights down at the end of the season.

Well, as quick as New Years, rolled around, I yanked my lights off the top of the house.

Don't tell anybody but, I also threw them in the trashcan.

A couple of years later, the wife, asked me, when, I'm gonna cut my beard.

So, I told her, I would, as soon as, she finishes taking down her Last Century light-bulbs.

These Lights in Nago Got Me Thinking

 

 

 

People are flocking to the place to take pictures. 

After, I shot some photos, I walked over to the house, smothered in Christmas stuff.

The elderly woman, standing there, said she did all the decorating herself.

It took her a week.  And, she has a humongous electric bill from all her efforts.

While, I was standing there, talking, some real cute girls showed up.

Heck.  

There's nothing wrong with a $400 dollar electric bill, when stuff like that happens.

Maybe, I should buy some new lights.

And, see if the wife, feels like hanging them all over the place, again !

Christmas Surprises: Santa in Okinawa, Japan 2013

Santa went to Kanna in Ginoza, Okinawa, Japan today.

Over a hundred children were surprised, to see him show up.

There were a few surprises for Santa, too.

Credit for the photography and video go to the Map It Okinawa Dude.

The Christmas Dude has other stuff, keeping him occupied and is too busy, to blog.

Enjoy the YouTube Video and see how well behaved these children acted. 

It was a big surprise, to Santa Claus.

  

The biggest surprise of all was that boy, sitting with Santa, in the photo.

He either, didn't know or, wouldn't let on, to the rest of the students.

He was sitting on his Grandpa's lap !





Friday Photo: Soon the Cherry Blossoms Will Appear

It Could Happen Any Day Now

 

 

 

This was the scene back in 2009 in the northern hills of Okinawa.

We usually advertise Cherry Blossom Season, starting in January.

But, last year, the flowers began opening in late December.

So, I'll be keeping the cameras on standby, from now on, just in case.

Every few days, we'll have to travel up north and see how they are doing.

Who the heck needs snow ?

It would brighten up my spirits if we just had a Pink Christmas !



Selected Scenes from Christmas Live Festival in Kin Town

Here's How to Throw a Holiday Party

 

Pitch some tents downtown

Line up some terrific bands

Invite everybody

Serve refreshments

There was a United States Marine Corps Band playing holiday tunes.

Santa and his helpers passing out goodies and hugs.

When I got cold, I hung around the fire, where it was warmer.

Local talent played my favorite music -- Okinawan Mineo.

This gal knows my name but, I keep forgetting hers. Maybe, I should read the model release.

Anyway, those Orion Beer lanterns distracted me.

This guy, Junbo, from the popular band, Zukan got the crowd all stirred-up.

So, when I finished shooting him, I packed the camera away and found me a beer.

The Kin Town Christmas Live Festival is going tonight, too.

To be continued.....



Weird News: Ahem, Ahum the Dude Slipped and Fell

Tis the season to be jolly, ya know.  My morning routine usually consists of wading through piles of emails deleting half of them before reading the stuff I think is important.  Then, I try to pick something interesting out of what's left to open first.  There's no sense starting off your day reading the boring material.  I save that for around lunchtime.  It helps prepare me for my midday power nap.
  
                              Well, my cousin Paul emailed me this weird news that just cracked me up.

              The old geezer is sort of a redneck, ahem, ahum, like me and he knew I'd enjoy this immensely.

It's about a dude out shopping for a computer in Augusta, Georgia, USA.

Only he wasn't planning on paying so, slipped a laptop under his jacket.  Confronted by an employee, the dude knocks him down, pulls a knife and heads for the door.

Four United States Marines were just outside doing what they always do around Christmas time.  They were  collecting Toys for Tots.

They stopped the dude.

He stabbed one of them.

That's about the time he slipped and fell off the city sidewalk

Poor feller got two broken arms, a broken ankle, broken leg, some missing teeth, multiple contusions and lacerations, broken nose and jaw and maybe, some cracked ribs.

"City sidewalks, busy sidewalks

Dressed in holiday style

In the air there's a feeling of Christmas

Children laughing, people passing

Meeting smile after smile"

Now, I got that crazy SILVER BELLS TUNE stuck in my head.

Thanks, Paul and the US Marines for bringing me some early Christmas smiles.

NOTE:  This may be a true story.  Check out THE POLICE NEWS

BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU GO SHOPPIN IN THEM BIG TOWNS

YOU COULD SLIP AND FALL OFF THOSE CITY SIDEWALKS !

Poinsettia Plants (Euphorbia pulcherrima) Can Become Humongous

Today I was out on Tsuken Island off the east coast of Okinawa, Japan.

For a couple of years I've been meaning to shoot one of these Poinsettia Plants.

Not the little potted things you see on sale at Christmas time around the globe,  I'm talking about the ones that get over 6 feet tall (180cm plus).  This isn't the largest one I've ever seen but,  it came in handy.  That's me in the photo and I'm shooting a sacred site.  I'm just a tad under 6 feet tall (179cm) when I ain't wearing my flipflops.  I didn't have to worry about bumpimg into those flowers because the plant is humongous.  They have even taller poinsettia plants on these islands.

One of these days I'll find a bigger one for you to see.  That guy I've been calling RyukyuRu took this shot.  It was the only way I could get him to stay still for a few seconds.  I handed him my other camera, the CANON G12 and told him I need a picture of me next to a poinsettia for my blog.

He runs this blog called MAP IT OKINAWA that has us running all over this island and any other island that belongs to Okinawa and probably won't quit until he maps the whole Ryukyu Island Chain.

Now, I ain't complainin or nuthin like that.  Just, everytime we come across a humongous poinsettia plant I'll be asking him to stop and shoot a photo.  Just so my tired old bones can get a break !

LEARN MORE ABOUT POINSETTIA PLANTS

Santa's Cell Phone Top Five Photos

Here are the Top Five Photos downloaded from Santa's cell phone. Internet service has been on and off the past few days so, this will be brief. You'll have to use your imagination on the lines between each photo because I might not put anything in there.

These photos were all taken with my cell phone but, not neccessarily by anyone who knew how to use it and a few of them  may have been under the influence of something.

Due to unforseen circumstances the children's party I normally do my Santa gig at was cancelled.
So, this was my first real live performance this year.

The next scheduled event for Santa is January 2, 2011. It will be a New Years/Christmas Party all rolled into one. There will be a frazillion kids of all ages there so, I probably won't bring a camera.

Did you catch any pictures of Santa with your cell phone this Christmas?

LINK TO THIS POST: How I Became Santa Forever

One of These is Not Like the Rest (Photo)

It all depends on how you look at it, I guess. Either, none of these is like the other or, one of these is not like the rest.

It's a busy time of the year and Santa has lots of important stuff to do.

So, grab the kids, stick them in front of your computer. Make sure they don't have any hot chocolate or sticky candy canes, just a pen and paper. Put the keyboard and mouse out of reach.

Then, after you fasten their seat belts, have them write a 500 word essay about what they see in this photo.

Santa has important stuff to do.  MERRY CHRISTMAS !

Related Link HOW I BECAME SANTA

See the Photo of the Day HERE