There is a saying out in old California that when the Santa Ana winds blow, all bets are off.  It appears to have happened here in Tokyo.  Those unpredictable winds seem have swept their way clear across the Pacific Ocean pulsate over Tokyo.

The skies in the morning were spotless.  It was nothing but an endless skyscape of blue.  By the afternoon the winds had pushed a collection of fast moving clouds as they raced over the land.

I stepped off the bus and just stared out at the sky.  There was one tiny wisp of cloud over my neighborhood.  I knew it was only a moment.  I knew that it would vanish before I finished my walk home.

It was time to be in the moment.  The time to push the shutter, and capture that slice of moment in way that only photography can.

It was my Windy Blown Answer.

Typhoon #18 was heading our way the other day.  The meteorologists were predicting that it would only barely touch the Tokyo area, as it was way out in the Pacific Ocean.  I usually don’t put too much trust in what they say, but  the wind was blowing a bit harder than usual, but other than that there wasn’t much sign that possible stormy weather was on its way.  The clouds had woven themselves into a a patch worked sky.

I did something that I rarely do on my lunch break, I went outside.  I just felt I needed to be alone and in the fresh air.  All the air was drenched in ocean aroma, as I wandered outside and found a single tree in a park near.  I just sat.  I attempted to do nothing.  I just listened to the breeze speak through the rustle of the the trees, and watch the clouds quickly unfurling across the the blue skies.  I seemed to be the only one for 100s of meters.  I know there were other people outside enjoying this wonderfully warm autumn day, but they had completely dropped out of my sphere of acknowledgment.

The colors were ultra vivid.  The sounds crystal clear, I could even see the mushrooms as they sprouted up out of the soil.  I hadn’t sat so still for a long time.  Time folded in on itself as I observed the tree’s shadow ebb and fade with each passing cloud.  My own personal natural cinema vérité flickering there at my feet.

It was a beautiful moment that wove itself directly into my soul.  Tapping in to that higher power of the creator when you allow your heart to syncopate with the world.  Each heartbeat flashed images as the natural celluloid natural cinema vérité continued.

A wonderful collection of moments that made up a fabulous day.  I saw the heavens and the earth, and even a mushroomed Mt.  Fuji.

As the typhoon Sanba passed over Okinawa and headed over to Korea we on honshu were treated to some sporadic sun showers. I spent most of the day on the computer so as the sun was dropping from the sky I hopped on my cycle and headed out towards Kasai Rinkai Park.

The wind was blowing as I crept under the bridge and over to the park.  Today was a holiday in Japan so the park was crowded with families, friends and lovers.  The clouds were moving quickly as they brushed past the horizon.

People were sitting about on the edge of the water watching the spectacle unfold before us all. A beautiful end to a day filled with sunshine, rain, sweet breezes and clouds.

Beep Beep Beep, went the alarm this morning at 6:30 a.m. to get my wife and I up early.  Today was the day of the eclipse, and we didn’t want to miss it.  The astronomers said that the next ring of fire eclipse visible from the Kanto (Tokyo) area would not happen for another 300 years.  It was definitely one of those once in a life time chances.

We scrambled out of bed my wife grabbed the special eclipse watching shades and I grabbed my cameras.  I had made no special preparations as far as equipment.  I am of the mind that whatever I am able to capture with my lens than that is the way it is to be.

The sun was actually higher in the sky than I had imagined that it would be.  It had cleared the Nagisa New Town Danchi complex down by the river side and was being a bit shy as the sun hid behind puffs of clouds.  It was a bit frustrating not being able to see the sun clearly though the clouds.

We donned our special shades and tried to have a look.  At first we really couldn’t see anything through the shades, then suddenly we could start to see the moon passing over the sun.  It would only last a few seconds before the clouds would chase it away.

I remember back in Leewood Elementary School in Miami we once tried to observe the eclipse by using the pinhole technique.  It wasn’t that exciting but it was better than going blind by the sunlight.

Now with the new materials available we were actually able to watch it happen.  The sky grew dark.  We weren’t alone either.  Our neighbors could be seen hanging from their windows too.  We were all up early to catch this celestial spectacle.  It will be be as an afterimage in the collective mind of all those that witness this wonder.

The pictures I got weren’t the greatest.  That isn’t a problem for me, because getting to witness this event with my wife, my heart and all of our neighbors was golden.

It has been one year sine the March 11th triple disasters of earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown.  So many lives have, including my own, have forever been changed.

I could tell you those changes point by point in all of the technical details, but I won’t.  I much rather put some sound-image-power energies into the world.  For many of Japan’s inhabitants the emotions of March 11, 2011 haven’t settled.

I invite all of lucid communication to give thanks for each moment we allowed to spend in connection with the world and more importantly our loved ones.  These precious moments with loved ones should be reflected upon.

My heart goes out to my very extended Japanese community.  The land where I lay my head to rest.  The land that I walk. The inspiration for my photography.

Miami Loves Japan Too !

The skies of south Florida are amazing.  I do not have to venture far to be in complete amazement of the fluffs and puffs of those Miami skies.  In fact, I usually only have to walk outside of my home.

Look up!  See those blues fill up my heart as far as I can see.  The colors the hues, those setting sun golden moments.  I could be at the shopping mall, I look up and watch the clouds.  I can be in the middle of downtown industrial side of 305, and there is the constant reminder of the beauty that The Creator shows us.

Look up!  See!  Feel!

The morning was the coldest that it has been thus far.  And to top it off I was running behind due to the cold and the persistent rain.  I do enjoy the journey out to Chiba in the morning before I make my preparations for the shabbat, but nothing seemed to go right this morning.  I got out of bed late, and had to hurriedly eat my cereal and banana. Then, I made it outside to realize that I had forgotten my iPod on its charger in the house.  I look to my right to see the Number 24 bus, my bus, coming, so I had to kick up my heals to be able to catch the bus on time.  Usually I catch the 7:25 direct train to Tsudanuma station, but I caught the 7:27 one to Tsudanuma.  It doesn’t seem like much, right?  We are only talking about a 2 minute time difference, but it was enough for me to miss the 7:57 bus, and I had to wait 15 minutes in the cold for the next one.

I am not really complaining, because that I know in a few short hours I will be able to put aside all my worldly worries and focus on the shabbat.  When I had finished up my business in Chiba, and the sun had finally come out to greet the sabbath bride.  It was the creator smiling down, showing me the way that things are suppose to be, and where I need to focus my energies.  I need not to fret and worry over such trifle matters as missing my bus.  I need to remember to be thankful and look for that sunshine.

One positive event in the morning was that I saw Mt. Fuji with its first dusting of snow.  That is always a good sign.  It is a reminder that I am actually in Japan and not anywhere elese in the world.  The day quickly went down hill from there.  Overall it was quite a rough day.  It seemed like no matter what I do I was on the verge of just loosing my voice.  My throat ached and ached.  I wasn’t really able to get into the swing of things.

All of that changed as soon as I looked out the window at about a quarter to four.  The sky was filled with puffs of clouds with rays of gold spinning down to the horizon.  I just paused and stared for a minute.  I let the truth of this beautiful scene wash over all the troubles of the day.  They just melted away as I focused again at how beautiful, crazy, lovely this world is.

Yesterday was the first day of July, and the weather and the skies reflected it.  The skies that greeted my morning commute in Chiba, Japan, was wide blue and full of wispy clouds.  It just warmed my heart at the same time that the sun was heating up my physical body.  The sky was so blue, and seemed clean.  Even though at the same time I know that Fukushima is releasing radioactive particles into the air.  I still have hope that nature will trump this man made disaster.

Love is out there.  Love needs to spread wider and farther than all the radioactive particles that we are now experiencing here in Japan.  Love needs to be written upon our hearts as the same some wrote in upon the wall in Chiba.

More love

Let the love spread over all the masses of the Earth.

After the funky earthquake last night, where I could swear our home moved in just about all directions imaginable, I awoke to a crazy windy day.  The air was so full of just about everything you could imagine, one one level there was the tons of cedar and cypress pollen, then there was all the dust blowing around, and on top of that all was the yellow sand that is blowing over from China.  Even wearing a mask, and taking some allergy medication didn’t do much to stop all the particulate matter from playing havoc with my mouth, nose, and lungs.

As I was making my way back to the station late this afternoon, I saw the sun struggling to fight through all those layers.  The sun was ultra diffused and the skies were again tinged purple.

The forecast is calling for more wind and rain later tonight.  I do hope that the rain will at least wash away some of all this junk that is flying around.

I don’t want to sound like Job but what else is next?  I still am thankful that my family and friends are safe, and the worse we have to deal with are some inconveniences like the dust, bumpy roads and train delays.  The people of the Tohoku region have been through so much that I really shouldn’t complain, but I should be thankful.

At least the skies are beautiful!

Just back from the edge of south Florida.  The part of Florida that drifts into a Thousand Islands and then into the Florida Keys.  It was a beautiful place to sit with the family and have a refreshing dinner.

I finally made my way to the east at I was able to dangle my toes in the Atlantic Ocean.  It felt so good to be down at the beach.  The wind was ripping the safety flags, and Portuguese man o‘ wars covered the beach.  It was good to be down at the waters edge; however, the water was too cold for me, and the the Portuguese man o‘ war littered the beach like venomous land mines.  I hope that the next time, I can actually bathe in the salty waters.

Sorry it has been so long since I have given any update with me being in Miami.  My computer promptly crashed the second night I was here, and I was without my own laptop for a few days.

I got the chance on a warm February day to journey out to the Everglades with my family.  It was great to breathe in the clean air and soak up the clouds, sawgrass, and alligators.

It reminded me so much of my youth being out in the tall grass.

lovely day, lovely people, and lovely nature.

Rain was splattering away for most of the night and into the afternoon.  Luckily as I headed back to the station the sun was struggling to poke out from behind the clouds.  It didn’t show us that yellow light for very long, but I was thankful that it wasn’t raining.

We all need to search and find the key to our happiness, and be thankful once we found it.  And once we find what we are suppose to be doing, we must pursue it with our whole heart.

Amen

Thinking about the city of my birth Miami.

Blue Skies,

Blue Oceans

Blue