Trying to Capture the Four Chinese Gentlemen in Okinawa

Here's a Goal for the New Year

 

 

In my never ending search, to learn everything on the internet, I discovered this.

Centuries ago, the Chinese came up with something called the Four Noble Plants.

Nowadays, in the art world, they are called the Four Gentlemen.

Plum Blossoms

Orchids

Bamboo

Chrysanthemums

Well, I got three out of the four, in my photo collection, already.

The first photo is one of some plum blossoms taken a little late in the season.

So, I need to get back out and find some fresh ones and shoot a bit more artistically.

Orchids, they will have plenty of them in Motobu, next week.

February is the month of Okinawa's International Orchid Show.

Bamboo, I can find plenty of places on this island to shoot images of, any day of the week.

Chrysanthemums, are driving me crazy.

Do you know, they have about 150,000 different kinds of Mums ?

After about six hours of looking at them online, I gave up.

There must have been 75,000 images of them, I saw today and I still don't know if I ever shot one.

Maybe, I'm just not a flower type kind of guy.

But, I learned a lot about those flowers while searching. 

The circular symbol, on the tiled roof, behind those cherry blossoms, is a chrysanthemum.

The symbol of a chrysanthemum is popular in Japan.

 I may have to visit a flower shop, because I wouldn't know a mum, in the wild if I tripped over one.

Before 2014 comes to an end, I plan on shooting those Four Gentlemen the right way.

If anybody has a field of mums, growing by their house, give me a holler.

And, if it's a nice sunny day, we'll getterdun.

Just in Time for Valentine's Day: A Chocolate Tree (Photos)

A Chocolate Tree Growing in Okinawa

 

With Valentine's Day, just around the corner, what an unexpected find this was.

First, I saw these flowers, planted in the shape of a heart, going into the Orchid Show.

And, that's what reminded me, Valentine's Day must be coming soon.

Guys tend to forget stuff like that, you know.

So, I snapped a picture, to remind myself, it's like, any day, now.

Lucky, for me, guys don't have to do anything special on Valentine's Day.

Girls have to give the guys chocolate and stuff like that, for Valentine's, in Japan.  Hah !

 After shooting a few thousand orchids, I wandered into a greenhouse.

And, found this sign.  It tells me there's a chocolate tree, somewhere in there.

This is great.  I got the Latin name and found the tree, too.

Who would ever have dreamed, chocolate comes from these things, hanging on a tree ?

Now, all I have to do is tell the wife.  "Don't go buying me chocolate, anymore."

Let's just get one of those trees and plant it by the house.

See, I even shot the recipe for her so, we can make our own chocolates.

All you have to do is watch the fruits rot and, you get chocolate beans.

Sounds pretty simple, to me !

Related Posts:

Valentine's Day in Japan

These Birds on Valentine's Day Cracked Me Up

Flower Photo: An Orchid Named Melody Fair

There are still hundreds of these flowers, waiting for processing.

After returning from the Okinawa International Orchid Show, I learned something.

There were over 30,000 entries.  I must have missed more than half of them.

So, the rest of the orchid photos can wait.

We have to go back up to Motobu and shoot the rest of them.

Meanwhile, I'll post a flower, like this Melody Fair, every once in a while.

And, I'll throw a special orchid over on the website, now and again, too.

Maybe, I should ask the staff at the Tropical Dream Center for a guide so I don't get lost.

That's the best way I can think of to getter dun!