Sometimes it is truly the simplest of things that change your mood.  On this particular day, the heat and humidity was high.  And generally my overall mood was one of frustration.  I come home, and check my Facebook and see my mate in Miami had posted up a Sekajipo and the Jungle track Hardtimes.  It just put things back into perspective.  Things are never as tough for me as they are for so many people out there.  I am thankful for the food I have, the family and friends that surround me.

It is time like this that I just want to dive into the colors that surround me.  I, through my lens, just want to swim with the colors.  Let them fill my fill up my vision until there is nothing I can see but colors.

purple

violet

aubergine

This thought crossed my mind today as I was taking some pictures of a tree with funky fresh red blossoms.  I was thinking to myself, I have never seen this flower before.  But, what I started to realize that it wasn’t that I hadn’t seen the flowers before, it is more that I never really took the time to explore, and see the flowers with all my senses.

This is the challenge for artists, and for me especially as a visual artist we are constantly learning to see again.  I just took nature for granted.  It wasn’t that I didn’t appreciate nature, far from it, I love nature.  I love being out in nature.  It is more that I never took the opportunities that presented before me with my camera until I came to face the awesome power of the earth that contrasts with it’s diverse beauty.

I now see nature in my daily commute like I never have before.  The colors, the shapes, the varieties, the phases from bud to bloom, to shedding of the petals.  And now I am beginning to witness the flowers that are becoming the fruits of summer and fall.

I will continue to challenge myself through my art.  I must grow as an artist or what is the point.  I can never be truly satisfied.

Strive for that beauty out there in the world.  Let it envelope us in those kodachrome colors.

John Walford has blessed me with some beautiful words as inspired by one of my images of flowers.  He has got a beautiful gift for the words that he selects in harmony with the image.  I cannot thank him enough for the kind words, and the time he takes out of his life to livicate these words for me.

Check out his works on his website Only Connect for more interesting postings.

“No Fresher Possible”

So lusiously, luminously fresh,
So well placed within the frame,
Such sensitive seeing – no less –
Ensures Jacob Schere his fame!
— JW, June 26, 2011
Also blogged @ nowonlyconnect.blogspot.com/ , as post for June 26, 2011.

I have been wanting to snap some images of the ripening Loquats for a few weeks now, but I haven’t been happy with any of the images until today.  I actually love this fruit as they are a really early bloomer, and the fruits ripen on the trees usually in June.

It has such a unique flavor that is slightly citrus with a fleshy peach fragrance.  I remember having a tree of them when I was growing up in Miami.  It always was such a pleasure to reach up into a tree, pluck a fruit, and just munch on it.

The hardy Loquat trees seem to grow everywhere, and propagate from seed quite easily.  This explains how they can just pop up in the middle of a field, or by the side of sidewalk just from a tossed black seed.

One other thing I always get confused between Loquats and Kumquats.  I know them in Japanese and I keep them straight; however, I always have to look them up to see which is which.

If you see a plump one on a tree, pluck and have a taste, but watch out for those huge pits.

There are a bunch of weeds growing not to far from where I live.  They are seriously tall.  Some of them must tower over my own six foot frame.  They have these large thick leaves that remind me of tobacco plants.  The flowers are just beginning to open up on these thick lanky stalks.  They also seem to have been dusted in crystalized sugar.  They just sparkled in the sun.

Weeds are beautiful too.  They might aggravate my allergies, but they still are quite beautiful to look at as they grow higher and higher in the summer sun.

The wind was howling when this one was snapped.  It did come out a bit on the blurred side, but I’m surprised that it wasn’t completely blurred.  There is a beauty in it’s soft edges, and how the blue melts into the greens.

The first fruits are bright and red.  Plump with the summer rains and the early sunshine.  They are waiting to be plucked and honored as the firsts of the season.

Somehow I missed the 6.7 earthquake at 6:50 this morning.  I was up and about getting ready for my day, but I didn’t feel it.  I think because I was in motion I wasn’t tuned into the shaking.  I’m not sure if it is a good thing or not.  I seem to feel every little shake when I’m laying on my bed or sitting in a chair.

The earth is still restless, and hasn’t wanted to calm down, yet. There is the back of everyone’s mind, especially mine, the big 8.0 aftershock that is very likely to come.  Until that big aftershock hits, and the ongoing nuclear disaster is one reason why we are still living through the crisis, we haven’t been able to look back on it as a past event, because we are still in the midst of the it all.

We are all a bit on edge, even though we might seem calm, we all know that there is the chance that everything could change in a flash.  We need to put those things that are truly important.  We need to spend time with our families.  We need to respect the awesome beauty and power of nature.  We need to be thankful for each and everyday that we are given.

The hydrangeas are in full bloom.  All the various varieties have been soaking up the rainy seasons waterings.  Picking up the full spectrum hues depending on what nutrients that the roots find in the soil.  They might not seem as dramatic this year in Tokyo, and I would guess that we haven’t had the continuing downpours that we usually get in June.

These are just a few from around my neighborhood.  One bunch were just peeking over a 2 meter wall.  And the other ones were across the street in a neighborhood’s garden.

We don’t really get fog here in Tokyo, but the last couple of days here my head has been in a complete fog.  I caught a blasted cold that knocked me out of commission for the past 4 or 5 days.  But, I think, I can see the fog clearing ahead, and things will get more or less back to normal.

It’s gonna be a hot on this week.

Still feeling a bit out of sorts, the last week or so.  I can’t really shake it. I can put if off for a bit but then it comes back into my stream of thought when I really don’t want to be thinking about it.

I am in a state of thankfulness, despite the obstacles placed in my mind.  I am thankful for my camera to help me explore and express myself.  I would be utterly lost without my trusty companions.   They venture where ever I go.  They allow me to reach deep into my soul and express them in the world that manifests around my flesh.

More sunshine.  I am craving it.  The cool weather feels amazing on my skin, but the sun will come.  It will heat my aches, and brighten my field of vision.

This just in.  Some sunshine came to some friends with the birth of Coco Maxine Meister, born June 15th at 3:10pm.  I livicate this blog to her, and her family.

last night was a sleepless one.  I am not sure wether it is my sensitive stomach, and / or all the other thoughts that flood my mind when I try to lay my head.  I try to push that all out of my thought stream so that I can catch some much needed rest.

I was greeted with a misty rain that reminded me more of San Francisco more than Tokyo bay.  The cool mist refreshed my face in the presence of bad news stacked on top of bad news.  The mist refreshed me, and anointed me in the spirit.

By the time I traveled back home the sun had peeked out from behind the clouds.  It didn’t hang around for very long.  It quickly dived back behind the clouds, but the mist did not return.

I came across a small singular fruit.  To my novice eye it looks a lot like a raspberry, but I am not really sure.  It is another sign that the seasons are changing.  I was given some fresh picked kumquats which always begin to ripen at the beginning of the rainy season.  Those fresh flowers of spring are now bearing fruit.  Or at least the petals have fallen away to reveal little immature fruits.

Misty

Fruit

Sunshine

Thankful

I have been a bit out of sorts over the last couple of days.  My stomach feels like the stress of the last couple of months has taken its toll, and just not feeling to with it.  I pretty much spent the weekend indoors, and just trying to recoup my strength.  I feel a bit better this Monday, but this haze continues.

I will try to get a good nights rest, and continue my recuperation of my mind, body, and soul.  May you all seek the rest needed to keep the mind sharp, and the soul satisfied.

peace

I am fortunate to know Fernando Prats of Y SIN EMBARGO magazine for a few years now.  He was one of the first curators I had met by way of online networking that liked my photography and my work debuted in Y SIN EMBARGO magazine 4 years ago in March 2007.  My work has appeared in several issues, and I support the world wide movement that Y Sin Embargo has created for the world.

Please take some time to check out the curated work, and see some of the great work, by my friends from all over the world.

Ver la muestra en pantalla completa / Watch it, please: YSExhibition slideshow

[Featuring]

fernandoprats “Leonie Polah” “Oriol Espinal” “dou_ble_you” Azurebumble Kozology “Françoise Lucas” “Wilma Eras” “Manuel Diumenjó” “jef safi” “Alicia Pallas” Brancolina “Zep Wernbacher” “Simon Fröehlich” “Augusto Rosa” “Bill Horne” “Thomas Hagström” “Jacob Schere” “Lawrence Roberts” “Natalia Osiatynska” “Lisa Kehoe” “Susan Wolff” htakat “Sabine Portela” “Gabriel Magri” “Olivier Gilet” Ezook “Alain Vaisierre” “Rosa Delia Guerrero” Mensaka “Julian Gomez” “Jose Javier” “Lucky Clov” “Ron Herrema” “Mara Carrion” “R Galan” Yanomano “Nacho Piedrola” “Barbara Stumm” “Jurek Durczak” “dba lehane” “Patricia Gil” “Doris Stritcher” “Yves Moreaux” “Inga Melnikova” “Teng Tan” “Alba Escayo” “Louise Mann” “Francisco Neto” “Thomas Zicola” “Victor Obrist” JPCandelier “Nigel Christian” lonah “Mark Valentine” “Enric Leor” “Sam Javanrouh” Boris. battles and “Mucha Paciencia”.

http://ysinembargo.com/uebi/2011/06/10/yse-mag-at-contrasted-gallery-a-hard-selection-of-some-ysefots/

A hard selection of some YSEfots published at Y SIN EMBARGO magazine in a unique event. Curated by fernandoprats for the benefit of ****contrasted gallery

After a long exhausting day, I was glad to get out into the fresh air on my way home.  I came across this little front side garden with these amazing red bloomers, that were perfectly countered by the faux stained glass.  All and all it was a good day in the neighborhood.  I feel lucky not to be going through the heat that the east coast of America is feeling now.

Everyday is a day to give thanks.