Butterfly -- The Nagasaki-ageha AKA Great Mormon

Jewel From the Sky Spotted in Izumi Okinawa

 

 

Today we were up north in Motobu checking on the mikan (tangerines) progress.

October happens to be the month mikan gari (tangerine picking) takes place.

Farmers, let you pick your own and, you can save some coins by doing that.

We weren't picking fruit, just checking and, found out, the places are open for business. 

So, Doc and I will let the wives know, the mikans are ripe and ready.

A few bags of the green tangerines were purchased from the nice gals who chatted with us.

It Was Camera Shooting Time

 

 We went around and shot some photos of the orchards and surrounding area.

And, any unusual flowers we came across got a few snaps of the camera shutters, too.

Along came this brilliantly colored specimen of a butterfly.

So, we went after it and, it didn't exactly want to pose. It's a fast mover.

Most of the time, I keep my ISO's on the camera as low as possible 100-400, no higher.

Capturing these images, ISO 800 was required, to get sufficient shutter speed.

 These might be common butterflies, to some folks but, I've never seen one colored like this.

After looking at thumbnails on a few Asian butterfly sites, I was about to give up.

Then, I looked at a Yanbaru Field Guide and found the critter.

ISBN978-4-408-32351-0 P.132

The book is Japanese but, it gave me enough information to take my search to a conclusion.

The Latin name for this butterfly is Papilio memnon.

REFERENCES: 

Butterfly Corner

Butterflies of India

Butterflies of Singapore

Encyclopedia of Life

SAMUIBUTTERFLIES

An Afternoom on Motobu Peninsula with Three Sisters

Three Cameras Involved Too

 

 

Normally I post something here daily.

A slight overdose of fun kept me from doing that last night so, I went home and crashed.

The hills are ablaze in brilliant colors this time of year.

So, yesterday, the wife, two of her sisters and I,  went to check them out.

It's Hydrangea season, in Okinawa, right now.

Locally, these flowers are known as Ajisai.

Photo credits for some of these shots belong to the gals.

There's no telling who was doing the shooting with the Canon G12.

Give the women a camera and, head for the hills with my Pentax cameras was the plan.

Whoever shot this, should consider making a living with the camera.

The lighting, suited me best, looking back down the hill from the entrance.

Little did I know, one of the gals, was shooting me, with my own camera.

Er maybe, I'd have fixed my hair.

The highlight of any visit to the Ajisai  garden has to be this sweetheart.

Mrs Uto Yohena, the woman who planted all these flowers, is almost 100 years old.

She remembers me, every time I see her.

Each year when we meet, I like to get a photo of her smiling.

And, I'll print it so, I can deliver it to her or, her family.

This year, someone came up with an idea.

The cameraman will go nuts, if you just flip him the peace sign.

All these gals are sweethearts but, one looks rather suspicious.

Hiking back down the trails a few more photos were taken.

 It really was a beautiful day.

 After leaving Yohena's Garden in Izumi, we drove to see the trees in Bise.

The three sisters wanted to go to dinner when we got back in Kin Town.

That's when, I came up with this plan.

If they dropped me and the cameras at my office, they could go do a Lady's Night.

It worked.

Three cameras were downloaded.

And, I went home to sleep !

Hydrangea Report #2 from Izumi, Okinawa, Japan (Photos)

They Are Still Blooming

 

The hills are covered with those pink, white and blue blossoms.

And, there must be another dozen beautiful flowers I haven't identified, yet.

Good things, like this, can't last forever.

Even, the tourists know that.

If you haven't been to see the hydrangea, you'd better hurry.

A few years ago, we had a big typhoon, the day after I went to shoot photos.

As soon as the typhoon blew over, we went back to check on the flowers.

They were all gone, I guess.

That's mostly because, the typhoon hit so hard, we couldn't find the place !

Hurry and get up there before the end of the month, would be my recommendation.

And, wear something besides blue or, your friends might lose you in those hills !

Hydrangea Report #1 from Izumi, Okinawa, Japan (Images)

A Sneak Peek at the Flowers Today

 

Heading towards the Motobu Peninsula today things weren't looking so good.

Clouds and rain were in the forecast.

Since I promised a hydrangea report, I figured I'd shoot a few wide angle shots and be done.

Then, recommend, everybody wait a week or two before visiting.

Take a look at these photos and, you can decide, if the place is ready.

Three weeks ago there were just a few plants starting to bloom on this road.

Now, the hills are turning blue.

And, flower lovers from everywhere are starting to show-up.

A person would have to be crazy to leave this garden without any photos.

Looking back, downhill, I noticed some blue skies appearing.

They have an unbelievable assortment of colors in the hydrangea family.

Over 75 flower photos came out of my cameras today.

It wasn't all just pretty flowers up in those hills.

I had the honor of standing near the lady who owns all that land.

Those young girls kept me from getting too close.

It was a lucky day, for me.  But, the luck ran out on the way home.

As the weatherman predicted, the skies busted open and, it rained.

The hydrangea are blooming like crazy.  I think any time you get a chance, you should go !

These flowers, called Ajisai ( アジサイ) in Japan, blossom for about a month.

There are probably enough photos in my files, I don't need to do a Hydrangea Report #2.

However, I promised the Yohena family I'd be back, real soon.

Standby for more.

NOTE TO LOCAL RESIDENTS:  

A Google Map Courtesy of Map It Okinawa

2013 Hydrangea Festival INFO

Ten Good Reasons to Visit Izumi in Okinawa Japan (Photos)

Millions of Hydrangea Flowers

 

It just dawned on me today.  It's time to head up to the Village of Izumi.

Any time now, the hills turn a brilliant color of blue or maybe, it's purple; depending on your eyesight.

May is the month of the Ajisai (アジサイ) Matsuri (Festival) and you won't want to miss it.

This festival is brought to you buy a sweetheart named Uto Yohena.

The hills surrounding her home were tangerine groves.

Over thirty years ago, when she was in her late sixties, she fell in love with Hydrangea.

So, she started planting them everywhere, along with begonias and other flowers, too.

Every year when I visit, I get lost but, snag some awesome colored photos.

It's great exercise, climbing those hills.

Truthfully, I wouldn't know the difference between a hydrangea and a magnolia.

But, it feels great breathing mountain air and shooting a camera.

When people start gathering around and messing with my composition, I just say,

"Look at all those Ajisai, over there."

And it works.  They leave my scene.

That leads me to believe those blue or, purple flowers could be the hydrangea plants.

And, the people, who get the heck away from me, must think I know what I'm talking about.

Ten of these photos are the best ten reasons to visit the Ajisai Matsuri, to me.

But, I end up taking hundreds, anyway.

This year, I'll bring a framed print to present Yohena-san.

She's really the magic behind all the flowers up in those hills so, I kinda like her !

It is rainy season, in Okinawa, right now.  I'll make a trip to Izena, shortly.

Standby for Hydrangea Report #1, any-day now !

 

Treasure in a Flower Garden: A Photo Essay

There is a village on the Motobu Peninsula of Okinawa, Japan called Izumi.

Today Doc Graff and I went to check out the Hydrangea flowers.

 

Anytime the sun shines during rainy season is a good time to head to the hills.

 

There are thousands of these Hydrangea in bloom and they come in dozens of colors.

 

If you like hiking up mountain trails on a sunny day,

 

or taking photos of brilliantly colored flowers,

 

this is one place you'll want to see.

 

The best part of the day wasn't taking pictures of flowers, though.

Up in the house with the red-tiled roof is Uto Yohena, the woman who planted all those flowers.

More than thirty years, my senior and as lively as can be....

...she insisted on walking a bit down the hill, to pose with me !

MORE ABOUT THE TREASURE OF IZUMI'S HYDRANGEA GARDEN 


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