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Monday, September 25, 2017

The changing seasons

Soap bubbles in light and shadow.  Thank you, little ones, for assisting me to photograph.


The ephemeral iridescence of soap bubbles capture the essence of childlike wonder.

In changing seasons, summer things don’t pop out like bubbles
but gradually disappear from sight and memory.
Till mid-September, some summer flowers and insects were hanging in there.





Longhorn Beetle
As autumn draws in, there are some changes under way in the natural world
like falling temperatures, berries, seeds, yellowish grasses, autumn flowers, etc.

Red Berries of Cornus officinalis, or Japanese cornel

Hagi, or Japanese Bush Clover

Having good appetite would be one of the signs of autumn, too.
Would you like to have Chinese course dishes?


Or, how about French cuisine at a little homey restaurant?

Duckling aiguillette on potatoes, Spanish mackerel and vegetables,
petite pieces of sweets, chestnut icecream on chestnut pancake, etc.





In the cool and crisp air, cosmoses have come to bloom one after another.

Hannya-ji Temple

The fresh air is for sports.
F enjoyed her first Field Day (Undo-kai in Japanese) at the elementary school.
Pupils are divided to two teams, Red and White, 
to compete in relays, ball-toss game, the mock cavalry battle, to name a few.
They also perform dances or coordinated group gymnastics.


Daytime is getting shorter.
The golden sphere sinks into the burnt-orange clouds over the Ikoma mountains.
The contrast of light and darkness is moving,
which somehow reminded me of Halloween about one month later.

Wish you peace and happiness!


31 comments:

  1. Hi, Yoko!
    You sound poetic. Autumn makes us feel melancholic, philosophical. Its miracle strikes me more now when I have reached its the autumn of my life.
    It is wonderful to recognize places I've been to in a different season.
    I enjoyed this walk with you in changing season. The little ones are adorable! Pity, it cannot be seen in detail, the fragments are yoo tiny.
    With a warm smile,
    Irina
    If you wish to visit my blog, would you read some written after vacation? The latest one won't make sense to you, I'm afraid. These, for instance? Thank you))
    http://irina-alicelovers.blogspot.ru/2017/08/blog-post_18.html
    http://irina-alicelovers.blogspot.ru/2017/08/blog-post_21.html

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  2. Beautiful Autumn and your photos are fabulous to show the mood & pretty colors. Everyone seems to love Autumn with its cooling temperatures and Falls foliage. I didn't realize there are flowers that bloom in Autumn. Thank you for sharing everything. I learnt a lot.

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  3. お孫さんの赤組、初運動会。なんと大きくなるのが早いのでしょう。お孫さんの誕生を喜ばれてたのがつい先日の様に思い出します。季節の移り変わりを表現されて楽しいポストです。改めてもう秋だったのだ~~と思いました。
    沈む夕日にまた明日元気に会いましょう!と挨拶しましたヨ。See you !

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  4. Your photos are so beautiful !!!
    It's a delight visiting your blog !
    Have a lovely week under the colors of Fall !
    Anna

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  5. Dear Yoko, it is so good to see another of your beautiful posts. So much to love - the soap bubbles, the flora, the berries, the statue ... well, everything. But what is that scary looking spider? I can't recall ever seeing such a critter before!

    Hope that all is well with you and your family. I think you enjoy sharing in the experiences of the young ones. Which means you are a great mother and grandmother!

    Best wishes and may you have a wonderful week ahead!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Lowell for the comment. The insect is Cerambycidae, or Longhorn Beetle. The whole body is scary looking but his face looks nice and friendly. He was still while I was photographing.

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  6. Hello Dear Yoko!

    As always brilliant pictures!
    It is a great pleasure and joy to visit your beautiful blog.
    I have a great desire for delicious chenese food.

    Blessed days.
    Hugs and Greetings from Poland.
    Lucja

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  7. Summer has definitely faded here in Normandy and Autumn fruits and colours are getting stronger every day. Thank you for sharing all of your interesting mosaics. especially the mouthwatering food, with the MM crowd this week.

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  8. Such a lovely post, dear Yoko, and your photos are absolutely stunning! :)

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  9. As usual, the most beautiful photographs! And school is again under way, so children will be busy for the next few months. Please tell me, is that a real insect, or is it an ornament? To me it looks as if it is made out of metal, beautifully done if so ! But I think it must be real, as usually you photograph the natural world so well. The bush clover looks as if it is forms masses of flowers and must be quite a feature of the landscape. Here, we have quite a few late roses out. Please enjoy your week, Yoko!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for the comment, Jenny. The insect is real, Cerambycidae, or Longhorn Beetles, or Kami-kiri-mushi in Japanese. As its English name shows, the long horn is characteristics. I saw him on the edge of the wooddeck in my garden.

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  10. Sometimes life, itself, seems as fragile and beautiful as those bubbles … and every moment afloat a gift. Other than missing the longer daytime hours, my favorite time of year is autumn with its cooler weather and colors. But the seasons seem to circle faster each year and now suddenly Halloween decorations are for sale everywhere in my part of the world!

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  11. Thanks so much for your nice comments, Yoko! I appreciate that your take the time to look over my blog and comment on the photos! I've thought about you numerous times when hear the news about the mad man who heads up NK. But I too fear for the safety of everyone as we have a mad man in the White House. He's a sick, mean, nasty two-year old. I would never, ever, have thought the USA would elect such a scumbag. And with Republicans controlling the Congress it will be difficult to get rid of him. Plus, I'm not sure Pence would be much better. Aaargh!

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  12. The French Cuisine looks amazing and oh my is the Longhorn Beetle real, or a sculpture...it is so big!

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  13. You So beautifully describe intangible changes in nature. Elusive, but perceptible. By reading your story, I can even feel the warmth of the sunshine, the wind. The colors of autumn shine with beautiful shades. Beautiful photos. In my country there is just the autumn gold. We have beautiful weather, warm weather. Leaves are still green. But ripe grapes, plums. So, like the other hemisphere.
    When reading your account, by looking at the photos, I will say honestly that Japan is getting closer to me. You live in a beautiful country. Although in history, the country would be hard experienced, the love of successive generations built a beautiful, happy country.
    Chinese dishes I have never eaten. They look quite exotic to me.
    Send you my warm greetings.
    I am looking forward to next post.

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  14. Days are tangibly shorter here also. The light is different and lovely.
    All you photos are a joy to see, but the bubbles won my heart.
    Lovely day to you!

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  15. Yoko,
    Beautiful post. I love the bubbles and seeing little F and her classmates. The longhorn beetle is well named. The food made me hungry!

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  16. I just love that soap bubble photo! (Sam likes blowing them too...) Glad to hear your temps have fallen a bit. I like seeing what's blooming end of summer, beginning of fall. We had snow over the weekend and several nights of hard frost. Goodbye to my blooms and to bright aspens!

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  17. Hello Yoko, the bubble photo is magical and so very lovely. I'm grown up and I still enjoy blowing bubbles outside. Fall is coming slowly here - we're having a lot of sunshine and warm temperatures just now. Your little F is sweet as can be.

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  18. Love your shots! The bubbles and that insect are superb.

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  19. 秋の日は釣瓶落とし、沈む夕日は止められない。もうすぐ十月ですね。シャボン玉の写真、とても素敵です。

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  20. You captured soap bubbles brilliantly my dear friend!!!

    i always adore your capturing, so captivating!

    magical photos and loved the portion of little angles so much!

    Lots of love and best wishes!

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  21. Met veel plezier je mooi blog gekeken en gelezen.
    zo uitnodigend de bloemen en de bomen
    en ook het eten ziet er lekker uit, ik denk dat u goed kan koken.
    De kinderen in beweging is heel goed, de zeepbellen zijn prachtig!
    Zeepbellen blazen een plezier voor kinderen.

    Yoko wens je een mooie herfst!!
    groetjes Christiene.

    Have fun and read your beautiful blog.
    so inviting the flowers and the trees
    and the food looks good too, I think you can cook well.
    The kids in motion are very good, the soap bubbles are beautiful!
    Soap bubbles blow fun for children.

    Yoko wish you a beautiful autumn !!
    greetings christine

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  22. It is the whole pleasure to begin to float in this post which bubble and to be left to go on flowers, beetle, physical and artistic activities of the smallest to land in the contemplation of a spectacular late afternoon. After similar adventure I sign to both menus in the alternate days. It turns out to me difficult to resign any of the delights that here you us present.
    Peace and well-being also for you, Yoko, and a good autumn beginning, in which the changes are guaranteed.

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  23. Beautiful post. I loved the sea of bubbles, and Longhorn Beetle, they are all precious Yoko.

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  24. Some stunning photographs. I love the bubbles and so many flowers. The beetle is quite amazing with its very long antennae. I always enjoy seeing the activities of your grandchildren at school. Peace to you, too.

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  25. I enjoyed your post Yoko - AND you made me hungry! :-)

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  26. I enjoyed this post about your beautiful everyday life! It is the small things that bring me great happiness. Watching your daughter at play, the beautiful soap bubbles (a wonderful photograph) and the lovely flowers and 'bugs'.... thank you for sharing.

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  27. Olá Yoko!
    Encantada com a primeira imagem. E as crianças? Que alegria. E os sabores? Apetitosos, saudáveis e tenho certeza, aromáticos, saborosos. Gostei de todos.
    Os besouros parecem usar sapatinhos feitos especialmente para eles. São insetos lindos e robustos.

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  28. Oh wow, great capture of that longhorn beetle!

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