first impressions

a few first images from my new camera

 Merlin

not Merlin but the same size

here is today's cherry blossom moment  . . .

Sakura Iro by Angela Aki

katta 買った！！！

tickets purchased on EVA and ANA, now what day to leave?  it always feels good to actually be holding airline tickets (even though i will be flying "standbye") for an upcoming trip. i am still thinking of a Japan Rail Pass but i have another week or so to think about it.　　

my last Gaufre, my first hishi yokan (from Hinamatsuri Day).

sunlight splashing, water dancing

somewhere on Sepulveda Blvd, eye just don't get it

somewhere in Culver City, a place to write

somewhere by the beach, dude where's my board?

no, it's not a "cherry blossom" video but i do have a few more to add before my "cherry blossom" trip.  this is Emi Tawata singing "Naturally".  i first heard it last year and loved the feel of the song and her voice.  i heard the song again this morning while listening to another FM802 radio show cassette tape.  i think the video for the song captures a flowing, easy-going spirit...like an endless summer day... from the 70's.

前川庄二ーさん Happy Birthday 誕生日おめでとう！

happy birthday greetings today (yesterday there) to Maekawa Otosan.  81!  see you soon. 　さいているさくらときのめえ、わたしがきます。

this little video is not the best quality but i hope you can feel some of the beauty of the cherry blossoms. some Minoo senior citizens were there that day for ohanami. i took this video on my first digital camera (the Polaroid one) last year in Minoo.  i found it today looking for some photos of Maekawa Otosan. i added some music to it.  i have been putting together a "mixed tape" (cd) of springs songs.  this song is called Spring the Summer Long by Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham...a little bit of Scotland in Japan.  and you wonder what i do all day :  )  i did go to the gym, grocery store and bank too. it rained a little and there were some beautiful puffy white clouds along with the ominous dark rain clouds.  

Cherry Blossom Memories             April 2008

looks like rain.  and a nice day.

my bus driver today had a sense of humor.

Hinamatsuri Day Walk

seems like only a year ago . . .

this kind blogger who lives in Kyoto took the time to explain the meaning Hinamatsuri Day. more about my walk later.  time for tonkatsu obento which i bought at Mitsuwa Market.  and the i will try my "hishi yokan" for dessert.  i also bought a special Hinamatsuri tin of my favorite Fugetsudo Gaufre from Kobe.  i will save that for a late night snack.

Fugetsudo Gaufre Hello Kitty 

today's walk was about 7 miles.  first i stopped by Best Buy to check on their digital SLR cameras.  and then a few miles later i was at the Torrance farmer's market. there was some steel drummer's drums set up near the food court area but no steel drum drummer.  i had a fish taco for lunch.  not bad, not great. from there i walked to Old Torrance and then finally arrived at Mitsuwa Market.  i checked on my EVA flight to KIX and on the cost of a Japan Rail Pass.  unfortunately the yen rate is about 95 yen to the dollar.  not good but しがたがない。 i found the Hinamatsuri display and took a few photos before buying some groceries in the market.  i checked at the video/dvd store for Okuribito but it will not be arriving for about 2 weeks.  hopefully i can see it in Osaka.  here are some photos from my walk.  the sun was shining but it was a little cool in the shade.

are you ok?

i think you can tell where i went today by these photos . . .

it's not Fukuroda . . . by chance, by coincidence i saw a little travel story last night before my sunday night Japanese drama about Fukuroda Waterfalls.  actually i did not know where they were but i found them today doing a little searching on the internet.  another interesting coincidence is  that they are near a town called Daigo.  and Daigo is?  the falls are in Ibaraki prefecture.  and that is where i worked in the . . . tofu-ya.  i wish i would have known about this beautiful place back then.  maybe if i ever make it back to Saitama to see Sakuma-san, i can visit these falls.  until then i am looking forward to my walk along the Minoo takimichi later this month.

these little waterfalls are near my doctor's office. i went to have my blood taken for my upcoming physical.  apparently i do not do well after not eating for 12 hours and then giving blood.  i am much better now, thanks for asking.  i walked home from the doctor's office thru the waterfall trail where i stopped to have an energy bar and watch the ducks but before home i stopped to get a hair cut. . . very very short again.  it had been 6 months since my last haircut.  now finally at 1pm, it is time for lunch.

and a quick "thanks" to Mike for helping me with my April schedule.  officially i am now off until my my 3-day trip on April 16th.  today i will call EVA Airlines to check on "availability" of seats for their non-stop flight from LAX-KIX around the middle of March.

_________________________________________________

a few more images from yesterday's long walk.  as you can see the sky was very colorful as well as entertaining with it's cloud formations.  as i was nearing home i could see snow on the mountains.

this was my first time to see such a kite.

one, two or three poppies?  i really do like taking photos of shadows (かげ).  it is interesting (to me) to take photos of things that . . . are not really there . . .  a permanent image of something impermanent.

looking up (of course) and west.

looking up (of course) and east.

looking up and north.

happymarchhappysundayhappyeveydayhappymemories

yesterday's cherry blossom photo was from my first visit to Nara a few years ago. (pre-digital camera).  today's cherry blossom photos are from last April.  the first one is at Banpaku Kinen Koen (Expo Park)(and very easy to recognize because of . . . ).  i took this photo after the wonderful Expo Jazz Festival.  the sun was setting on a beautiful day of music and ohanami.

the second photo is of one cherry blossom which i watched float down (perhaps from heaven) to land safely in the arms of a pine tree.

and in case you didn't make it to the beach this week.  or in case you aren't going there today for a nice walk, a picnic, to see (take photos of) the beautiful green in the waves, put your toes in the water, look for seashells, fall asleep on the warm sand, bird/seagull watch, perhaps surf if you have a wetsuit, fly a kite, work on your tan . . .

that "green" as seen from the Hermosa Beach pier.

yesterday at/on/in Redondo Beach

________________________________________________

another nice long walk including a few "firsts"  and a picnic on the beach.  here are some images from my first day of March adventure.