Smiling Moon, Scarecrow and Surprises in Kin Town

It Started Around 5 AM Today

Going out the door for my morning stroll I noticed the moon in clear skies.

It was interesting enough for me to set up the tripod before sunrise and my usual destination.

The image (during editing) was tilted a few degrees, to straighten the smile a bit.

A few hours later and miles from home, I noticed this scarecrow in a field.

The rascal was doing a fairly good job. There were no birds in sight.

About 8 AM I Was Hot and Thirsty

Knowing there's a shaded area and vending machines at Nature Mirai, that's where I went.

Normally, I stop at a 100 Yen drink machine closer to the residential area.

A few bottles of cold water and a can of coffee, get tossed into the backpack.

The darn machine wouldn't operate for some reason so, I traveled without water.

Water was found in another vending machine and, while drinking I noticed this.

Just to the left of a coffee vending machine is this Seventeen Ice Cream machine!

Half a bottle of water was enough for me. The dog got to drink the rest.

Green tea ice cream in a cone seemed appropriate for breakfast. It's healthy I think.

The stuff ain't cheap. It's 160 Yen for one skinny little ice cream cone. That's over a dollar!

Hey, it's miles away from civilization. A place where people camp and go kayaking.

My Japanese language skills aren't near perfect but, I figured something out.

The language on the machine (Japanese) told me this was Blueberry Cheesecake.

Who's gonna complain after I spent two or three bucks on ice cream for breakfast?

After munching the ice cream cones down, I stockpiled my backpack with bottled water.

It would be after 11 AM by the time I got home.

A bit of research led me to the website of the makers of this scrumptious ice cream.

Before everyone on the island starts asking for directions to Nature Mirai, look here.

Last Surprise

That ice cream got me thinking the 18,000 steps I took wouldn't be enough exercise for today.

So, the dog and went for another few thousand steps tonight to burn some extra calories.

Hot Enough to Go Swimming with the Bulls

Okinawa Rainy Season Ended

 

 

That means festival season and plenty of hot, humid, sunny days in the near future.

After a trip to the northern extremes of the island, Doc and, I went to visit the water buffaloes.

Just as we turned the corner, heading into Nature Mirai, we spotted this.

One barefooted dude, was leading four of the animals into the Okukubi River.

There are all sorts of things to do at this location.

In the past, I have seen people kayaking, camping, barbecuing  and, partying here.

The Mud Festival goes in this area each year and they have live bands on occasions.

It looks like, I better start carrying a bathing suit in my camera bag.

It would be fun, to go swimming with the bulls.

That would be a great thing to write about for Nature Mirai Experiences !

Water Buffalo Project -- This May Take Awhile

The Bulls Are in Training

 

 

One of these days, we will have water buffaloes pulling wagons in Kin Town.

Preparations are underway down at Nature Mirai but, things aren't ready just yet.

There are signs posted, warning you, keep back from the untrained bulls.

With a typhoon coming along, I didn't see much wildlife out and about.

So, I decided to get some water buffalo photography done.

Something in the works, for me, requires images of these bovines.

An old water bull and a younger, energetic one, are required for my project.

It was fairly easy, talking my way into the lot with the animals.

All I had to do was tell the young man tending them, I'm an old cowhand.

Inside the enclosure, I went so, I could get up close and use a wide angle lens.

These animals are going to be pulling tourists around the mangroves, someday.

Right now they aren't too crazy about cameras being pointed at them.

That's something they better get used to because, travelers like to take photos.

There were a few other water buffaloes in that pen but, I like these two the best.

They just have to get to know me a little better and, they will cooperate with the camera.

The young one couldn't reach far enough to poke me with a horn.

He turned around and, kicked some buffalo chips onto my lens.

Back where I come from, that cow would be turned into hamburger meat.

After a few more visits, things will run much more smoothly.

Once the management sees how good, I am at handling cows, the might want to hire me.

Tourists may pay big bucks to ride a water buffalo cart, with Santa at the reins !

2013 Kin Town Mud Festival (たんぼフエスヌ) Okinawa, Japan

Good Clean Fun for Golden Week

 

The Tambo Fest (たんぼフエスヌ) or, Mud Festival, is one of my favorite events of the year.

There are lots of things going on, like, live music, dancing, games of chance and food to eat.

All the stuff you'd see at any other festival on the island, they have at this one.

 

Only in Kin Town We Have Lots More

Tambo, is the Japanese word for rice field.

Some kind farmers decorate the place and, flood it for us.

Mostly kids but, anyone else, can join in and stir things up.

Play ball, ride a bike or.....

.....go diving, if you like.

The Mud Festival takes place Friday May 3, 2013 at Nature Mirai in Kin Town Okinawa.

It starts at 9AM and goes until 6PM.

It's a good idea to bring a towel and change of clothes but, you don't have to...

.....if you are one of those city people that doesn't know how to have real fun !

Related Post: Mud Festival in Okinawa

Field of Cosmos in Kin Town: Editor's Pick

This photo got an Editor's Pick in a contest for the month of February 2013.

It was taken as I was walking behind Nature Mirai, in Kin Town on the way to shoot the full moon.

 It's been so busy around here, I forgot all about photo contests, for this month.

So, I was kind of surprised when I discovered this photo went anywhere.

To make a short story long, there's something I have to tell you.

Remember that Lunacy Before the Full Moon thing I was talking about ?

Crazy Things Happen Before the Full Moon

Before I got to this field of flowers, I ran into some other photographers.

They were at another field of cosmos, taking photos of a pretty girl.

Shawn Miller, I met a few years ago and, he has been a guest photographer here a few times.

Chris Wilson, I've been following online, for quite awhile but, had never met in person.

Shawn introduced us and we shook hands.

Then Chris asks if he can take a photo of me. Being the shy person I am, I had to think quick.

So, I said "Sure, if you let that pretty girl stand next to me."

Click Click Click 

He starts shooting horizontal, vertical, left and right.

There had to be a dozen or, two shots taken of us in that field of cosmos.

It would have been nice if I had a hairbrush.  I wasn't prepared for modelling, ya know.

We have email contact now.  But, I bet there is plenty of editing to do with those photos.

That girl, Rie, he probably didn't have any trouble developing her photo.  She's a beauty.

Now, my scraggly-looking face may take some work.

When I go out to shoot the moon, I'm not the ideal photographic subject.

Chris promised me a photo from that night.

It would be a lot easier to just crop me out of the picture.  I can't complain.  

Kin Town's Cosmos got an Editor's Pick !

Checkout Chris Wilson's Travel 67 Website

Wildlife Photo: Buzzard Eagle in Flight

The Grey-faced Buzzard Eagle at Nature Mirai, Kin Village Okinawa, Japan.

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The Bird Watching Tower at Nature Mirai (Photo)

A great place along the Okukubi River in Okinawa, Japan to start the day is here.

Nature Mirai, if things ever get caught up, will be getting a Tripadvisor review from me.

Today I started off with the cameras at this spot and ended up here at sunset.

On a hot summer morning this place provides shade and a cool breeze.

Facing west makes it ideal for a camera early in the morning.

Late afternoon it isn't much good for bird watching because the sun gets in your eyes.

If they had towers on both sides of the river, I'd probably never go home.

Could the wife have had something to do with that ?

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