This Will Be a Short Dam Report

End of November

The weather is quickly changing from autumn to winter on this island, dammit.

It was the first time since March, I had to put socks on, along with the flip-flops.

When it gets below 20 degrees Celsius, that's something like the high 60's Fahrenheit.

Socks, bluejeans, flannel shirts and wool-lined jackets, ain't really my style.

But, I had to bundle-up to go work in my freezing office. I don't want to turn the heat on, yet.

All of a sudden, I stepped outside the office and the sun was shining. Whoa, baby!

A backpack got stuffed with cameras, lenses, lunch and a camping chair.

The jacket got chucked and, I hiked to see how the dam birds were doing.

The Ospreys were flying around Kin Dam, looking for fish. It must have been lunchtime.

The birds, don't exactly pose for the camera and, they move fairly quickly.

From the dam, also know an Okukubu, they search the Okukubi River, all the way to the ocean.

It might take 150 snaps of the shutter button, to catch a bird's golden eye.

If, the eye isn't lit up by the sun, just right, I usually throw the photo away.

Things got so busy, for a while, I forgot about eating the lunch I had packed away.

Who wants cheese, crackers, and canned tuna fish, anyhow?  Yuck.

Here's a photo of an Osprey, bragging about the fish it caught.

It would have been much nicer if, the bird was flying in blue skies and looked towards the sun.

Five hours out there with a heavy backpack and, I came home sweaty and sore.

End of the Dam Report

Visit Kin Dam

Flower and Bee GIF - Plus Hydrangea Report #1 for 2017

At Yohena Garden Today

Up north, went to check the hydrangea (ajisai for Japanese) blossoms.

Things were looking sort of grim. The parking area was empty; our first clue.

When we walked to the booth, where you pay to enter, it was abandoned, too.

Going up the hill, there were a few scraggly-looking flowers, partially blooming.

There's no sense, driving all that way, with cameras and lenses, to come home empty handed.

So, a decision was made, to go all the way to the top of the hill, to visit Mrs. Yohena.

If, my calculations are correct, she'll be 100 years old, this year.

Up at the little cafe, I met her son. He remembers me from years gone by.

Doc Graff and I, chatted with him and found out the real deal. Flowers are late this year.

He says, full bloom for hydrangeas will be around the middle of next month.

The gardens will be crawling with flower fanatics from June 1st until the 15th or 20th.

Bee and Yellow Flower

They seemed like worthwhile subjects so, I flipped the Pentax on to rapid fire.

The name of the blossom, escapes me at the moment but, I'll get it later.

Climbing that hill, gets old dudes tired. I went all the way up, almost.

Some gals from Hong Kong were the only other visitors and, they were taking pictures, too.

Neither Doc nor, I speak Chinese but, some of those girls spoke English.

So, you can probably guess, what I did. Got permission and, shot them, too.

It's a good idea if, you're shy (like me) to just start talking to strangers.

Lots of people get scared, when they see me coming but, I know what to do.

Especially girls, just blow them kisses, wave or say, "Merry Christmas."

That's what I do. And usually if, they don't run away, it's easy to talk to them.

Bees and flowers well, occasionally I get caught, talking to them, too.

 End of Report


Yohena Gardens May 17, 2015

2014 Iris Report from Ogimi Okinawa (Photos)

Surprise !  The Purple Flowers Are Blooming !

 

 

Today we headed up the the northern hills to check on the flowers.

It's a little early, in the year, but, things are happening fast.

Don't let that first photo fool you, even though it was made today.

The truth is, this is what the fields look like, right now.

A person would have to be crazy to go in there and try to photograph those flowers.

The fields are wet, dangerous and slippery.

So, Doc and I, just pretended to be crazy.

We went slipping and sliding through the mud and water to get a closer look.

In a few weeks, the fields should be full of those purple beauties.

And, I'm guessing, busloads of people will be going in there, too.

One of these days, after my socks dry, I'll go back and get Iris Report #2.

2014 Cherry Blossom Report #3 With Photos

It's a Good Thing We Don't Get Paid for This

 

 

People would expect us to go places, according to some sort of a plan.

Mt. Yaedake, is already almost in full bloom but, the weather took a turn on us.

Doc and I, decided to head south today, instead of north.

Once we get away from the wives, we're pretty much, our own bosses. So, that's what we do.

We went to Yaese Castle Ruins, to see how the sakura, are coming along down that way.

This was the first cherry blossom I spotted.

So, I shot a quick image, just in case there weren't any more.

There isn't really any money to be made chasing sakura but, we do it anyway.

We got plenty of exercise, climbing that hill.

The place is ready for the 8th Yaese Sakura Matsuri and it's lighted at night.

The flowers just don't always cooperate with the town's schedule.

An unscientific guess, would be maybe, 10% or less, of the blossoms have opened.

If you don't like crowds of people around you, now would be the best time to go.

To catch a lot of cherry blossoms here, maybe you could wait a week or, two.

Motubu's Mt. Yaedake is the best place to view sakura blossoms at this time.

But, along with all those flowers, you will see lots of crowds, too.

A Cherry Blossom, Spider and a Contest

Not Far From Home

 

 

Within the lower city limits of Nago, Okinawa this blossom surprised me.

So, I guess we could say this is Cherry Blossom Report #2.

An abandoned road, the jungle is reclaiming, is where this was found.

Whenever you see me take off my flip-flops and wear hiking shoes, it's rough country.

This is probably not a place you would want to go flower viewing.

Sometimes, you run across spiders, that look like they could chew your head off.

Spiders don't scare or, surprise me, out there.

It's those sticky webs, that can get all over you, that get me growling.

The spiders just run away.

The Contest

 

This was saved for last just to keep some people reading.

It's not my contest but, I got invited to participate as a blogger and photographer.

Sponsored by Kerala Tourism there's a chance, I could go to India.

Maybe, I should check all my email accounts daily.

Yesterday, I discovered my two day old invitation and, went and signed-up.

This morning, I had an acceptance email and created a contest profile.

Immediately, after that, I sent a message to a good friend in India.

Then, off to shoot stuff with the cameras, all day, we went.

When I got back, I had one vote and, some news from my friend.

There's no tigers (in the wild) in the state of Kerala. They only have them in zoos. Groan.

That's not my style, shooting animals in cages.

There must be all sorts of wildlife in Kerala, I could shoot, though.

So, if you still want me to go, just VOTE. And, if I'm one of the winners, I'll make you a promise.

If a tiger escapes while I'm in the neighborhood, I'll shoot it for you !

Cherry Blossoms Opening on Mt. Yadake in Okinawa

Sakura (桜) Report #1

 

 

The Cherry Blossom Season started early, again this year.

The pink and red flowers were spotted by Doc Graff this morning.



So, you know where I went today.  Up that mountain.

It's cold and windy up there.

The little flower buds, are just starting to open.

Not being a real mathematician or anything like that, I'll take an uneducated guess.

Maybe, less than one percent of the Sakura (桜) are blooming.

Most of the cherry trees, still look like this one.

So, if you want to join the crowds of sakura chasers, start making travel plans.

By the middle of next month, Cherry Blossom Season should be going full throttle !

Sakura (桜) Report: Mt. Yaedake in Photos

Have a Look at the Cherry Blossoms

 

Up on Mt. Yaedake in Okinawa, Japan the sakura are popping-out all over the place.

We drove up to the top of the mountain and worked our way back down.

Consider this a photographic report from a guy who knows, where the flip-flops meet the road.

Everywhere I walked, was flip-flop friendly.  Socks are recommended. It's cold up there.

Traffic, on the road going up the mountain wasn't bad at all.

Sometimes, I could stand in the middle of the street and compose a photo.

There were blue skies when this shot was taken from above.

It was sunny but, a bit chilly with the mountain breeze.  

Walking down the hill I met a few other travelers with cameras.

And, rain started coming down.

Don't let that dampen your spirits.  The weather can change, every five minutes.

In some spots, the cherry blossoms are sparse.

When you go around the next bend, you might find a scene like this.

It's almost impossible to get lost because they have signs in English and Japanese.

When too many cars and motorcycles come up the mountain, I just point the camera higher.

 This weekend is probably a good time to start cherry blossom chasing.

But, I'm guessing it will be another week or, two before everything is in full bloom.

 If you plan on going up Mt. Yaedake to take photos don't forget lens tissues.

A few drops of rain on your camera lens can ruin a great picture.

Every once in awhile, I'll give some more sakura (桜) reports from other locations.

Just don't expect to see me doing cherry blossom photos in northern Japan.

Hot weather suits me better. Way down here in Okinawa, I'm freezing !

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