I finally finished the roll of half frame pictures from my Olympus Pen camera.  This time the Pen came with me to the beach is Okitsu, Chiba Japan.  The lovely little pics to warm up my love of analog.  All things considered this little camera, is a great companion.  We both had a great time at the beach.

Step

Trod into that shade.  The shade that has the power to soothe a hot soul.

The shade that causes I to pause, and inhale deeply.

Shade

Glorious Shade

Nothing but wind and rain today.

I guess it all depends on your point of view.  The sun is baking the small boat rental, and fishing boats that line part of the river on the Kasai, or Urayasu side of the Kyoedogawa River.  It is a little piece of the local culture that I love to investigate.  Old signs that are faded to perfection.  The algae green water that flows out to Tokyo Bay, along with that ocean smell that wafts over the neighborhood.

I won’t be seeing much of Ichikawa for most of the summer.  As I only got 4 hours sleep the night before stacked on top of mid 90 degrees weather, It was a miracle that I made it back to the station without passing out.

So, here they are the windows of Ichikawa.

Look, See, Open and let in the cool (cooler at least) night air.

I am honored to have had one of my images critiqued by the art historian John Walford.  He wrote an interesting critique of my image “Five Windows, Two Pipes, and a Vent”.  I will repost the the text and the image below.  Be sure to go and take a wander though his writing and his flick image stream.

We wanted to go to one of my favorite Nepali spots in Chiba on Sunday, little did we know that there was a summer festival happening in the city of Ichikawa.  So, we were pleasantly surprised to be able to walk around the food stalls after we filled up on curries and momos.

I really dig the way the food booths just glow at night.  They take on this surreal ethereal quality.  The banners are aglow with colors that only appear in the twilight hours.

I look forward to hitting up and exploring more festivals as the summer heats up.

Thinking about the city of my birth Miami.

Blue Skies,

Blue Oceans

Blue

I must give the biggest respect shout out to Brancolina.  She has put together a curation of some of my geometrical images and titled them Urban Haiku.  If you haven’t already go out and check out her blog at Brancolina. You can also peep out Brancolina’s Flickr Stream.

All always inspiring images on Antwerp to be found on her site.  And the musing of a creative mind.

These are the other images taken on my bicycle ride through Kasai on Friday afternoon.  Lots of windows, shadows and angles.  All intensifying under the heat of the sun.  Keep hydrated, seek the shade and enjoy.

I came across this abandoned fisherman’s house today not far from Kasai station.  It is a bit unusual because I had seen it before, but it wan’t till today that I realized that it was a fisherman’s house.  Fishing used to be a way of life in Kasai, but for the most part it has been abandoned, along with this house.

There also was a gorgeous graffiti piece done on the pad locked door.  That is really what caught my lens.  Here was this house of wood, with nets hanging on the wall, and there was this gorgeous painting on the door.

Tokyo, and even my own neighborhood of Kasai never ceases to amaze me.  I have cycled though so many f these streets, and I still manage to see things that I have never seen before.

Get out and explore your own neighborhoods.  Look for the things that you have never seen before.  Find those little gems that speak to your heart.

Ok, so I am not really melting, but it certainly feel that way.  You know its hot when you can feel the heat though the soles of your shoes.  That is the kind of heat we had today, and If it is a sign of what is to come, I know we are in for a hot Tokyo summer.

At least in the late afternoon, on my walk home, the sun was beginning to come down, and the mercury dropped a little.  The shadows were sharp and crispy like saltines.  The edges so defined between the shade and the lit part of some images.  I prefer the shade, at least to cool my weary head.

Lost keys, a found slapped images of Edison, I think.  If so, why would someone paste a tiny picture of Edison to a light pole?  That is beyond me.

Blazing sun baked this key till it turned red hot.  If the owner doesn’t find it quick it going to melt and become one with the bridge where I found it.  Some neighborhood weeds baking in the late afternoon sun.

Ever skyward

never really lost as long as you know who you are.

The temp was climbing as the sweat dripped slowly down my brow.  Still I had to stop and click of some.

Click Click

wipe wipe

drink drink

repeat as needed.

Sun was high and no clouds to filter out those UV rays.  Summer is here and there is no doubt that it is going to be a hot one.  I am still looking forward to those long walks around town, camera in hand.

soon come