Plant Photos: Powderpuff Tree (Barringtonia racemosa)

These Flowers Could Be in the Doozies Files

 

Always on the lookout for something new and unusual, I spotted them on Zamami-jima.

Another thing I always do, is look for karaoke bars when I'm on another island.

It was late at night and there were spotlights turned on the tree.

Sitting down on the ground with the tripod I was trying to get the blasted camera to focus.

There was way too much beer in me already.

Along came a pretty blond girl and pack of guys who had way too much something, too.

And, they were looking for a karaoke bar.

So, off we went.

There's only one karaoke joint, that I know of, on that island.

We found it and sang songs plus, had a few more beers.

After everybody drank themselves under the table, they went home.

So, I stayed a little bit longer.

It was way past midnight when I got back to this flowering tree.

Just when I figured out how to get my camera focusing, the lights went out.

So, I asked the guy who flipped the switch if he'd turn them back on, for just a second.

 The rumor, I had heard was, these things only bloom at night.

Click, click, click and I was out of there.

ISBN4-900668-63-X is a Japanese book, I used to ID the plant.

That's where I got the name Barringtonia racemosa.

None of the sources I found online mention the flowers being night bloomers.

So, maybe, I'll have to re-visit that island and see if they bloom in daylight.

It could be a myth or, they have some sort of hybrid growing over there.

It would really be nice if I could capture these flowers in daylight for you.

Then, I could pack the camera away and go karaoke without it !

More about:  Barringtonia racemosa

July 2013 Full Moon Will Appear Tomorrow Night

Get Your Cameras or Telescopes Ready

 

Tonight around 7PM I was taking practice shots with the tripod and the Pentax.

If the weather doesn't change much, the full moon should be easy pickings tomorrow.

With a clear sky and just a slight breeze this photo was taken at my front door steps.

Some sweetheart of an elderly gal came along and asked what I was doing.

So, I enlarged a shot on the LCD screen and showed her the moon.

She got all excited and said, "See the rabbit ?"

Well, just out of respect I said, "Of course."

Then she started asking me stuff like, how much money I make with the camera.

And, she wanted to know if I was married or, single.

So, I told her, I'd keep her in mind if I ever need another wife, just to be polite.

I gave her a little hug and she went cackling on down the street.

Then, I got all my stuff back in the office and pulled down the shutter.

Here's the Goodies on Tomorrow's Full Moon

 

 

 

The Old Farmer's Almanac calls it a Full Buck or, Thunder Moon

NBC News says it will be a stunner

About the Rabbit on the Moon

For those who fancy that astrology stuff, I give this video from Astrologer Coach:

Check with your local weather station for moonrise.

It should appear the same time as the sun sets because that's what the full moon likes to do.

Having Sort of a Butsumetsu (仏滅) Day Today, Groan

One of Those Days in Japan

 

Today, it would have been better if I had just never got off the futon.  Ouch.

A Butsumetsu (仏滅) is the term used for a bad luck day.

You'll have to excuse the mess my desk is in.  Piles of inspiration keep getting piled on it.

Luckily, I cropped the rest of the office out of this photo.

Nobody really needs to see half of the junk scattered around the place.

When I came in this morning, I found this escaped science project, I had been working on.

The little critter, (I'm not sure what it is) is back in confinement, now.

We'll just have to wait and see if the cocoon hatches.

It hasn't moved in hours.

It could be dead. Or, I could have re-captured an empty cocoon.

And, whatever it is, may be crawling around in here, somewhere.

At any rate, I got tired of watching, nothing happen.

So, I decided to update my National Geographic Your Shot profile.

Totally unaware, that I was having a Butsumetsu day, I got online and started doing stuff.

Over at National Geographic, you can do all kinds of neat things to your profile.

Like, I took this picture of my camera waiting for a boat to appear on the scene.

They let you make any background you want, to spiff-up your profile photo.

So, that's what I did.

And, you can hook up links to your Facebook, Twitter and Google accounts.

So, I did that, too.

If you go over there to see me, just be careful about pushing social media buttons.

Some of them say stuff like 404.  That's an error.

Or, Sorry, this page isn't available.

Groan.

Now, I like to look at the bright side of things, most times.

The day is almost over and I have never had two days like this, in a row.

So, everything should be alright tomorrow.

That Butsumetsu stuff is really from Buddhist beliefs and I'm not a Buddhist.

Just, Butsumetsu things happen to me every now and then.


 Learn more about those days you shouldn't get out of bed at the links below.


Japanese Calendar Wiki 

Good & Bad Days in the Japanese Calendar

Flower Photos: Flamboyant Tree at Kin Town Office

What Do You See at Your City Office ?

 

It may not be in full bloom but, I had just had to shoot this beauty today.

See, I've been known to get lazy, at times, and this was easy pickings, for me.

That's partly because the Kin Town Office is just down the street.

Flamboyant (Delonix regia) are also known as Royal poinciana.

Locally, they'd be called ( ホウオウボク) something like, Ho Wo Bouqet !

 People driving by the city office see something like this.

But, I like to look at things differently.

The place can get busy and, I didn't want any people in my photos.

So, I run around and shoot from angles where I won't need model releases signed.

Remember, I said it was supposed to be an easy day ?

A book I found at the library made things a whole lot easier.

The Guide Book of Landscaping Plants in Okinawa was what I used.

It's Japanese (ISBN4-900668-63-x) if you're looking for one.

Now, I'm not very literate but, ホウオウボク gave me all I needed to know.

Once I got online, with that, links started jumping off the monitor at me.

If you want to learn more about Flamboyant Trees, checkout:

ARKive

DNA of Singapore

National Tropical Botanical Garden 

or,

Good old Wikipedia

With all that information at your fingertips, you should be able to grow your own Flamboyant Tree !

Travel Photo: Could Use Some Help--Need ID on Gal

Getting Up There in Age

 

Not that I'm getting old or, anything like that.

Sometimes, I just forget little things.

Like, I promised this gal, I'd send her a photo if she consented to me taking her picture.

Now, I made a nice print and can't remember her name or, address.

They have some government people who watch Facebook all the time.  Don't they ? 

I reckon, they might know who she is.

Or, do you think they are too busy watching ships go through the Panama Canal ?

Anyway, I'll post this over on Facebook and see what my friends can do.

Give me a holler, anytime, if you can ID her.  OK ?