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Monday, January 11, 2021

Shimmering colors in the icy air

I welcome the clean, crisp and austere air of January.
It doesn't mean no richness.
The bracing air and the big difference from the sparkles of December
make me into the mood for starting afresh in the New Year.


It was an icy cold and mostly overcast morning at the Umami Hills Park.
Seen from the distance, the surface of a pond apparently looked murky.
When the lens of my camera was zoomed up, I saw shimmering leaves
on the drab water with dark reflections of the trees.
(The photos both above and below.)


In the wider view, scenery was quiet in colors.




I focused on brighter colors.




Here is the subtle beauty of muted colors, the weathered flowers and leaves of "shimotsuke-so", 
or Filipendula multijuga, which is a species of plant in the family Rosaceae that is native to Japan.


Roses seem to last to mid-January at this park.






I think the image below shows well the air of January.
The colored leaves survived from the last autumn were shimmering in the icy, 
translucent air.

I'm sad to see the worsening COVID crisis in most countries including mine.
I wonder if my country's lenient State of Emergency without legal authority will be effective
when there are many people behaving as they like despite the situation.
But the shimmering leaves in the darker scene look like a Hope whispering I'm here.


Today is Coming of Age Day, one of the most important rites of passage.
Congratulations for coming of age!

Linked to Mosaic Monday

21 comments:

  1. Yoko - yes, clean and crisp January is like the fresh page of a journal - we can write on it what we want! That also means HOPE to me. Things in the past/current day may be dark and unchangeable, but we can have a part in what happens TODAY and TOMORROW. Thanks for sharing your photography talent with us - it gives us inspiration and hope for the future. So glad you are part of Mosaic Monday.

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  2. Hello,

    Lovely images, the leaves and reflections look so pretty. Gorgeous roses. I love seeing the ducks. I have high hopes the vaccine for Covid takes care of this crisis. Take care, enjoy your day! Have a happy new week!

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  3. Dear Yoko, happy to hear from you in January.
    Starting afresh is the right mood. I wish I knew how to generate it. The pictures are just wonderful, so soothing. Roses in mid-January might look astonishing if we hadn’t seen them in Tokyo on our winter visit. Would you know which pick did I like best?  The one with ducks! These quacking birds produce a hypnotic impression on me. Would you like to know what I wrote in my blog yesterday?:)   
    Dear Yoko, keep safe and well. We are unable to change people’s behaviour/ so let us concentrate on positive thinking and taking care of ourselves and our family. 
    With warmest wishes,
    I. & B.

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  4. Icy air here too !
    Gorgeous pictures and mosaic ! The reflections are lovely, quiet and icy...
    Have a cozy week !
    Anna

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  5. Dear Yoko - I really love the translucence of the leaves that you have shown on your last photo along with your beautiful words, which echo thoughts that many of us must share "hope whispering I'm here".

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  6. It's nice to look at such a colorful autumn and with roses. We also have many people doing what they want and the virus is rampant. GREETINGS.

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  7. Such lovely images. They remind me of our autumn. All the colors are gone now.
    It is fun to see winter in different parts of the world.

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  8. Dear Yoko!
    I am delighted with Your photos and beautiful plants. The roses are lovely!
    January in many European countries is very frosty and snowy.
    I am also freezing - 10 ° C, I am worried about the plants because there is not enough snow.

    Hugs and greetings.

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  9. Me encantaron las fotos con esos reflejos y las flores de colores brillantes. Muy lindo el collage.
    Tambíen tenemos mucho frío Yoko y nos llegó la nieve. El problema del Covid esperemos que la vacuna lo elimine amiga. Por aquí se agravó de nuevo. Te deseo una buena samana. Cuídate.
    Un abrazo.

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  10. Such beautiful images, and it's nice to see roses in January! Lovely reflections in the water!

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  11. I love the beautiful colored leaves. I shared similar pics with the water lilies in these colors. Love your photos and mosaics! Take care and stay healthy!

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  12. "...like a Hope whispering I'm here." I love that sentiment. I like your photos of the shimmering leaves on the water. They're like paintings. Good cheer to you.

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  13. カラフルな花々の世界。コロナの脅威で忘れてましたが、思えばつい先日の事だったのですよね。
    そろそろ限界です。
    ズームをアップすると又違った世界が表れて楽しいです。洋子さんきれいに撮れてます。
    私はズームを使うとすぐにぶれてしまうのです。元気で又ね。

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  14. ·.
    Thank you very much for your visit to my blogs.
    Beautiful collection of photos of flowers, each one more beautiful.

    greetings from Spain

    LaMiradaAusente · & · CristalRasgado

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  15. The colours in your photographs are lovely. Here in Canada, in January, there are not many colours outside, just white, grey, brown....
    Yes, the Covid is spreading in so many countries, including here in Canada. We have all been advised to stay at home, but of course, there are people who will not, and who do not consider the virus is dangerous, in spite of the fact that the hospitals are filling up. I hope that you and your family will stay safe and stay healthy.

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  16. The last picture has a temperature … I can feel a chill in the brilliant colors along with the translucency. Coming of Age Day sounds like fun, although much of it will be virtual due to Covid I suppose. All our celebrations are so different now yet some people continue to break the rules, which is why the virus will continue to thrive until the vaccine is in most everyone’s arm.

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  17. São Sebastião, livrai_me desta peste que se abateu sobre a humanidade. Livrai_me e livrai minha filha, minha família e toda a terra. Amém!

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  18. my wonderful dear friend Yoko i am speechless to witness the aspects of simple nature !!!!!!!!!!

    these images are astonishingly STUNNING and beyond just BEAUTIFUL
    specially the last image and first two seems worth have place in art gallery ,i bet they will be picked by fond eyes within seconds !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    thank you for enlightening my evening with such fine photos ,you are gifted indeed !

    i am sorry to hear for covid issues you are concerned about ,here in my land things have opened completely ,i am thankful for school opening particularly ,we are not watching news so can't say much about current situation though didn't noticed such problem in our area
    heartfelt prayers are for you and family and all who live around you my friend!

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  19. Fantastic winter photos, Yoko. I am amazed the roses continue to flourish in January. I hope your Grands who participated had a wonderful celebration. Here in the mountains of Colorado, streams and ponds are locked under ice and snow. The most vivid color in our landscape is the blue sky. I enjoyed seeing the reds and golds in your landscapes. Stay well!

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