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Monday, September 24, 2012

Between summer and autumn at Mt. Rokko

Summer has given way to autumn at last.  The saying "Neither heat nor cold lasts beyond the equinox." is so true.  We are having nice climate weather-wise, though political and economical climate is unnerving.

This post consists of the photos taken about a week ago when summer was still lingering. While cool breeze was comfortable in the shades at Mt. Rokko, the mid-September sunlight was intense, which you’ll understand by some of photos.




I walked almost the same paths through hydrangeas with the last time Fairies in the forest of Rokko Mountains in July.  Withered hydrangeas were beautifully preserved in the cooler temperature of the mountain.  Some were shining gold in the sunshine....

 (Click on the photo to enlarge.)
mop-head hydrangeas

Some were shining silver.

lace-cap hydrangeas

 Leaving the hydrangeas forest.....



Autumn was here and there.



.

七子花, Autumn lilac, or Heptacodium miconioides

七子花, close up

When you hear the sound of water, the pond is near.



Reflections on the pond water is always fascinating, changing from moment to moment. 
That’s why I always take the course by way of this pond.




The pads of water lilies and Asaza ( Nymphoides peltata (S.G.Gmel.) Kuntze)
showed metallic glow.





ミソハギ, or Lythrum anceps, which had fringed southern part of the pond since the middle of August, were going to end.


(See how the pond is different from that of May.  Mt. Rokko with fresh verdure.)


My fatigue from the heat was washed away to see pale-blue daisies swaying in breeze.




Leaves of Iroha momiji (Japanese maple) were turning yellow
and will turn crimson in two months at Mt. Rokko.



The main destination of this walk was the Paths of Hagi, Japanese Bush Clovers.
I'll report it next time.   See you then.

-Visit Our World Tuesday to see more about our world.-

46 comments:

  1. Hello Yoko:
    As always we are captivated by your wonderful images so that we can readily imagine the beauty of the landscape which you describe here. Indeed, it is as if we are walking with you so that we too hear the sound of water as we approach the pond.

    Here the weather promises to be warm and sunny for the week ahead.

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  2. How beautiful! The reflection of the ponds are really nice, certainly. Have a wonderful autumn. It has been already cold here, Finland. :)

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  3. Very nice shots! Its already autumn.. again..but to me your pictures still look like summer :)
    Have a nice week
    Yvonne & Raphael

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  4. Hi Yoko!
    Beautiful sights of the slow transition between Summer and Autumm...
    Enjoy the mild climate my Dear!
    I can only imagine how wonderful the trees will look like in a few weeks!
    Cheers,
    Márcia

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  5. Hi, Yoko!
    Thanks a lot for sharing these wonderful impressions of your end-of-summer walk along the paths around Mt. Rokko.
    Yesterday we did a longish walk as well through our autumnal landscape, especially along the tributary valley 'Steinbachtal', you may literally translate into "stone creek valley". There I took again many photos full of atmosphere (like yours), but unfortunately I have so many other photos to rework (taken on a exhibition show last week) that I hardly will find some time to post them in good time.
    But nevertheless: I was pleased to follow your stroll though Japans nature... :-)
    Have a great week,
    Uwe.

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  6. Reflections on water are always my favorite. Whenever I see reflections on water, I wonder if there is a different world in different dimensions under the water. All of your photos are so fabulous!! And they are greatly refreshing and recharging me.

    Gradually we have more autumn and less summer in a day. I am glad!
    keiko

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  7. Hi

    Nice shots! I suppose that the pond is Haseike-pond. Right? I love to walk in this forest too. As you say, the withered hydrangea flowers look great and they are really something!

    森林植物園はいつ行ってもいいですね! やっとすずしくなってほっとしています。

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    1. そうです、長谷池ですよ。あの池大好きで、必ず池を一周してから木陰で休憩します。サファイアさんも池の写真をヘッダーに使われてましたね。

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  8. How beautiful! The reflections on the pond water are stunning, creating a lovely painting unto themselves. The flowers are all pretty and refreshing just as this change in temperature is. All your pictures are stunning and as always I have thoroughly enjoyed my walk here along with you. Now looking forward to our main destination and also to autumn for more of unseen beauty of Japan.

    Here in Mumbai, rains are on the decline and the days are hot. We will be moving into the winter season in a month or so from now. Wish you a wonderful week ahead, Yoko!

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  9. some gorgeous shots, once again. the green lilypads and the branch with the sparkling bokeh are just awesome shots!

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  10. やっと涼しくなってきましたね。六甲山では一足早く秋の風が吹いていたのではないでしょうか。
    阪神電車に乗ってると連なって見える六甲山は歩くのに素晴らしい所のようですね。どれも眩しいくらい美しい写真です。特に好きなのは最後から三番目の写真です。雰囲気がそっと伝わって来るようです。Enjoy your fall.
    Tomoko

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  11. Lovely photos, stardust! The pond is like a rippling mirror reflecting its environment and creating paintings in the water. It is, indeed, always changing and transitioning with the seasons. There was in instant coolness of weather in my world, too, and now I look forward to all the coming colors of autumn. :)

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  12. Piękne zdjęcia, a szczególne te gdzie jest woda. Reszta pokazuję niestety jesień, a jej nie lubię za bardzo. Pozdrawiam.
    Beautiful photos, and particularly those where there is water. The rest of the show, unfortunately, fall, and I do not like it too much. Yours.

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  13. 秋ですね。山にはひと足早くきらきらする秋の澄んだ空気が満ちているようです。stardustさんのこの近辺への愛情も感じられますね。わたしも何度か六甲へは散策に行っていますが、詳しくはありません。高山植物園で珍しい植物を観ましたが、こういった何気ない山辺の植物、わたしは好きです。

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    1. 高山植物園には珍しい植物が多いですね。クリンソウの群生はあちらでした。森林植物園は樹木の植物園、森林の一部がそのまま植物園になっているので、とても自然です。再山公園、修法ヶ原(池)などからのハイキングコースとつながっています。

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  14. Such calm and relaxing ways to ease the mind. Love all the little details you have in your pictures. The sun on the water is wonderfully captured.

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  15. Your end of summer, beginning of fall is so peaceful with both blossoms and seed heads to enjoy. The watery shots are enticing. Looks like you visited on a perfect blue-sky day. Enjoy your cooler weather!

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  16. Beautiful work ...
    Have a great evening! :)

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  17. 水面は、景色に何倍もの深さと広がりと美しさを与えてくれますね。六甲もほんとに素敵な所だと言うのがよくわかります。七子花というのがあるんですね。多分見過ごしているのでしょう。愛らしい花ですね。気をつけて探してみることにします。そろそろウォーキングにいいシーズンになってきました。ルンルン。

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  18. It's a beautiful walk. I wish I could take it too. Your photos are the next best thing!

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  19. the first photo is like a painting. sunlight on water is beautiful. i love your photos and captions...it felt like i was there walking along with you.

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  20. Your walks and photos are works of art that take me to an enchanted world. Thank you.

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  21. Yoko,your photos of reflections are absolutely delightful,as always. It seems that autumn is a pleasant time for you as the temperature drops.
    I love image fourteen,really beautiful!
    Thanks for sharing your walk and lovely photos.

    Ruby

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  22. Love waterfalls, lily pads and reflections ~ awesome daisies ~ Lovely photography ~ (A Creative Harbor)

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  23. This is such an interesting combination of summer and autumn! It's been an unusually hot September in Tokyo, so I was very grateful when autumn arrived last weekend with soft showers and cool evenings.

    Paths of hagi?! Here's a special request from another hagi fan: please publish those photos soon! ^^

    PS: I think a (very friendly) dragon lives in that pond ...

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  24. Hello Yoko.
    Beautiful photographs of late summer, water reflections are wonderful.
    In Autumn is a beautiful season for its diversity of colors, in my case something sad that almost all my orchids begin to sleep.

    Cheers,
    Antonio

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  25. Beautiful!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  26. Hello Yoko, thank you for all those beautiful pictures. They are really wonderful. The reflection in the water is fabulous.

    The hydrangeas are so pretty when dried. I've got some outside my door and I've plucked a few flower-heads for a little temporary decoration in the house.
    Have a nice day
    Grethe ´)

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  27. Hello Yoko, I also love reflections. Your first photograph reminded me of an impressionist painting. I also love the ones of the lily pond. It is always beautiful to take a virtual walk with you.
    Susan

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  28. Such lovely photos.The first picture of the arching tree branch and reflections of a large tree is indeed very surreal looking. The other pictures of the lily pads admist reflections are very good shots too. You have a very good eye for aesthetics.

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  29. こんばんは。 六甲の記事が多いと思ったら、神戸出身でいらしたのですね。今日初めて気が付きました。
     池に映る木々やスイレンやアサザが綺麗ですね。

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  30. Mesmerizing! You are specially good at taking pictures of water. I know a great place where you could make incredible shots – Valaam, an island in Ladoga. Your artistic eye, Yoko, would love the lakes-mirrors there.

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  31. You have shown us some lovely pictures of the beauty of Mt. Rokko..... I'd love to walk those paths with you. It's getting a little colder here in Canada too.... as soon as the equinox passes, the temperatures drop. But I am happy as I have just bought a new warm jacket!!!!!

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  32. Hello Yoko!
    Autumn is beautiful, it sparkles with warm colors. What's hard is darkness coming earlier and earlier each day.
    But when and if snow falls in the winter it becomes brighter.
    Wish you a nice week.
    Thanks for all the great photos you're viewing.

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  33. Beautiful scenes. I especially love the stream and the pond scenes. Thanks for sharing this early fall beauty with us.

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  34. EL COMIENZO DEL OTOÑO,ES ALGO MARAVILLOSO,LOS OCRES QUE ALFOMBRAN EL PAISAJE,Y EL ROJIZO QUE VISTE LA COPA DE LOS ARBOLES,ESE SOL TIBIO,QUE ACARICIA EN LA TARDE,ES ALGO VERDADERAMENTE MARAVILLOSO
    UN BESO Y UN ABRAZO

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  35. Aquí en España, ya ha comenzado a llover y el frío ha entrado sin avisar. La verdad es que hace mucha falta el agua porque lleva casi todo el año de sequía.
    Es de ensueño, el Monte Rokko, gracias Yoko

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  36. Very nice photos in your blog as usual. Thank you! We are not between summer and autumn any more because the autumn is here with all the beautiful colors. I have been working in libraries almost every day for a month and have very few photos. May be some more this week end:-)

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  37. Great sightings! You have framed them so well.

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  38. It would be a dream come true if I could accompany you on one of your walks. Such beauty!

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  39. .•°♫♪♪

    Como são lindas essas fotos, como é linda a natureza!!!!
    Bom fim de semana!
    Beijinhos.
    Brasil
    彡♪♫°¸.•♫°`

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  40. As always your photos are absolutely stunning and I really enjoyed seeing them.

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  41. stardustさん、こんにちわ。


     清涼感のあるところですね。
     やっと秋、もう秋。

     萩の葉にひら ~ 残る暑哉 でしょうか。


    変化の激しい時候ご自愛下さいませ。




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  42. I love all the water and how the vegetation works with the water to bring such wonderful images filled with the glory of life! In September, we begin to feel cooler air in the evening and mornings. The next 7-8 months should be quite delightful weather-wise, in this part of Florida.

    You may recall my mentioning my Japanese neighbor. Turns out she is a floral designer and has various certifications. But she hasn't done much until just recently and she asked me to take photos of her newest creations which are gorgeous. She plans to offer some of the work at our annual Fall Festival.

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  43. Absolutely stunning! How refreshed your spirit must feel after a magical walk like this..
    Blessings,
    - Irina

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