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Monday, October 23, 2017

Cosmos, autumn sky, rain, and a celebration



The day becomes more solemn and serene
         When noon is past; there is a harmony
         In autumn, and a lustre in its sky,
Which through the summer is not heard or seen,
As if it could not be, as if it had not been! “
 -Percy Bysshe Shelley-


Cool, crisp air of autumn makes up for the exhausting humidity and heat of summer.
Under the high, clear blue sky with fluffy autumn clouds, I strolled around Hannyaji Temple.
Cosmos flowers were playing around the Stone Buddhist Statues
or Thirteen-storied Stone Pagoda,
having the time of their life.




Refreshing breeze floated in the precinct caressing flower to flower.




My heart was filled with hope and love.


It rained the next day as was forecasted by the cirrocumulous mackerel sky
 in the photo below.
The rain brought record hot October like summer for more than a week.


The next to the summer-like week was sudden drop in temperatures
and consecutive dismal cold days with steadily falling rain.
Weather has gotten abnormal. 


Not defeated by the rain, my eldest granddaughter F’s “Shichi-Go-San” 
was celebrated the other day.
Dressed in formal “kimono”, she had a rite at a local shrine accompanied by the families.
 In the heavy rain, she walked holding an umbrella with one hand 
and tucking up the kimono with the other
to protect kimono from rainwater and dirt.

With F's younger sister Y
The rain was not so bad after all
as I could see 6-year-old’s (soon to be 7)  patience and grace at the shrine
and the miraculous show of light and pouring rain-water on my way back to Nara.

Now that a typhoon passed through, blue sky appeared today.

More about Hannya-ji Temple and cosmos; Pastel colored dancers in the autumn breeze (2015)

Linked to Mosaic Monday

39 comments:

  1. Thanks for these beautiful macros. The cosmos are lovely and so are the girls. Happy Mosaic Monday

    much love...

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  2. A delightful post !
    The pictures are gorgeous so is your granddaughter in kimono !
    Lovely words too!
    Have a shinny week !
    Anna

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  3. Beautiful images of your world, how wonderful to see your granddaughters in their beautiful kimonos and the cosmos flowers, so pretty.
    Thank you so much for sharing it all with us on Mosaic Monday today.

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  4. Absolutely stunning photos. I marvel at your artistry.

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  5. Beautiful children and lovely pictures. The kimono does not look to be a particularly practical garment, especially in a rainstorm. I once saw Cosmos used in an old graveyard to disguise the fact that the graves were not really very well cared for. It looked wonderful and I always meant to go back to take some photos.

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  6. The Cosmos is one of my favorite flowers. I love how they "dance" in the breeze. Beautiful grand-children in their kimonos. Happy Monday!

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  7. Absolutely gorgeous and very enchanting. I love your photography! Thank you so much for sharing.

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  8. You make your world look like a land of fantasy and joy. Again I'm struck by the idea that the Japan and indeed the world is less well off because so many do not know your photography! Love that pagoda, the delicious flowers fluttering about in the breeze along with the bees. And your granddaughter is a delight - her eyes dance with the joy of being alive, of learning and sharing in your traditions! She must fill your heart with warmth! I wish you peace and joy also!

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  9. Ah … the weather like our moods … always changing, fluctuating. I love the little umbrella, pretty and strong like your granddaughter, reminding me of the cosmos, a pretty flower with pinkish hues, seemingly frail but strongly rooted dancing in the breeze.

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  10. Hello dear Yoko!

    I am delighted with your excellent photos.
    I love cosmos, they bloom in my garden and they are beautiful too.
    Yoko, your granddaughter is a lovely girl.

    Blessed days.

    Kisses and greetings from Poland.
    Lucja

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  11. As always - lovely photographs. I love the cosmos against the blue sky. And, of course, the delightful pictures of your grandchildren.

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  12. The dancing, light-infused cosmos make me smile. How wonderful to still enjoy flowers into October. We had another small snow over the weekend. I assume my yard will stay white now until June! K is so lovely in her traditional dress. She looks so serious and thoughtful. Her little sister is also adorable. I see she is a giggler!

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  13. Beautiful flowers, everything are superb, thanks Yoko.

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  14. Summer in Autumn is what we call an Indian Summer, perhaps you do too? It is very special bonus to be able to luxuriate in warm summer weather especially when it is unexpected.
    F and Y are lovely little girls, you must be very proud to be their Grandmother.
    Shelleys words fit your special pictures perfectly.

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  15. I LOVE that flower - Cosmos - because of all its pink shades and because it is so fine and delicate - much like these sweet pretty little girls in their gorgeous traditional outfits and their lovely hairdos. :-)

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  16. Hello Yoko, the cosmos flowers are very beautiful.... growing more unruly and carefree as they mature! The girls look lovely in their colourful attire - a special time for families too.
    I absolutely love the last image....a Yoko speciality!!

    Best wishes,
    Ruby

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  17. Your pictures are simply exquisite. It was like eating a dish of candy one piece at a time - delicious. Congratulations to your granddaughter - it seems she is already a poised young lady.

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  18. The little girls are so precious in their beautiful clothing. And I love the Cosmos flowers and photos of the sky! Enjoy your week. Be safe!

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  19. This is another wonderful post. And I'm so pleased to see the photos of F's celebration. She looks such a competent and graceful little person and these are really charming images of her. I meant to grow cosmos this year because I liked to see them in Japan so much, but I don't have enough space to grow a large area. Part of their charm is the mingling of different shades in a large area, a kind of pointilliste effect. Your posts are always refreshing to me.

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  20. Yoko,
    Prachtig blauwe luchten  met mooie bloemen, lijkt op een schilderij.
    De bloemen zijn ook zo mooi, ook de zusjes in kimono zien er lief uit
    als mooie kleine bloemetjes!!!

    lieve groet
    Christiene.

    Yoko,

    Prachtig blauwe luchten  met mooie bloemen, lijkt op een schilderij.
    De bloemen zijn ook zo mooi, ook de zusjes in kimono zien er lief uit
    als mooie kleine bloemetjes!!!

    lieve groet
    Christiene.


    Yoko

    Beautiful blue skies with beautiful flowers, resembles a painting.
    The flowers are so beautiful, too, the kimono sisters look so fond of it
    like beautiful little flowers !!!

    with kind regards
    Christiene.

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  21. Dear Yoko, thank you so much for all your comments! I know that takes a lot of time and effort and it is greatly appreciated. As you know I appreciate your blog very much also for your part of the world is new and enchanting and lovely and while I'll never be able to visit it, I can always find joy looking at your photos!

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  22. Fantastic party to celebrate the new fall. Every year we always rule the best of their colors. Yoco. The photos are wonderful !!
    How beautiful are your granddaughters. Congratulations to the oldest for celebrating her Shichi-Go-San a beautiful tradition.
    Te deseo un buen miércoles Yoko.
    Besos.

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  23. Japan is a beautiful country, beautiful nature, the sky ... Wonderful ! The same sky I can see here in my country. I know these clouds. They also bring rain to us. The show was certainly a great success. I salute your granddaughter . And this brilliant kimono !!! Cute! For the first time I see so close to the stone pagoda, among the beautiful flowers. These flowers, in my country, call the field marjoram. But I also heard the name of the cosmos. Beautiful, poetic, touching description of wonderful touches in Japan. Fragment of the line introduces the mood that I have until now. Although I watched the pictures, I read. I have it behind me, And the mood has been. Very cordial greetings.

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  24. I am falling in love with Japan dear Stardust!

    your capturing is magical!

    i was not aware that you too are having crazy weather , it sounds as weather of whole world has gotten mad.
    we are also experiencing slow winters with up and down temps.

    thank you for sharing the pics of your precious grand daughters,they are ADORABLE.
    I smiled over the careful and graceful walk in the rain of young lady:)

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  25. OH, I do not know what to say! The cosmos are so delicate and the foliage is so lacy. And your little granddaughters are truly beautiful. I think my 6 year old twins would like to play with your little girls. I don't think the different languages would be a problem at all. Your lovely photographs make me want to visit Japan.
    We have had a warm October but today it is raining and cold and I have put the heat on to warm my house for the first time since the spring.

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  26. I am glad you made it safely through the storm. Your granddaughters are so lovely! How proud you must be of them. Beautiful flowers and after-the-rain picture. Thank you!!!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Sallie. The last image is not after the rain sky but the patterns on the window-screen of our car which I captured. It was made by light and raindrops.

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  27. おはようございます。仏の石像とコスモスの写真が特に素敵です。私の孫は漸く一歳になりました。日本人のブロガーが少なくなりましたね。

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  28. Congratulations, Yoko! It was a special day and your granddaughter looked very solemn and very beautiful. Little Y must be jealous, wishing she could be dressed up like that. And I wish I could see her walking in the rain with an umbrella, such a pity there’s no picture!
    The post renders the state of the heart filled with hope and love. Thank you!
    Irina

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  29. Oh, I forgot! Special thanks for Shelley as an epifraph. Great poetry!

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  30. Those sisters are adorable - and so graceful! And who could help but be happy when looking at all those gorgeous cosmos flowers!

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  31. You always do such a good job with your camera, Yoko! I love your wonderful Cosmos pictures! I should take care that Cosmos also grow in my garden next year. Some years ago I had them in my garden and they got sooo big that I decided to go out with them for some time.
    Your granddaughters look very cute in their kimonos!
    Sigrid

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  32. such lovely glimpses and photographs
    a joy to see
    each one
    as is your granddaughter
    and the mix of lights and rain
    Thank you ~

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  33. I love the way you took those photos with pretty fresh flowers that made them picture perfect. You captured them in fabulous angles that made the temples look so majestic with prominence.

    Your grand daughters looked lovely in the neat kimonos. Everyone loves Japan, the culture, the food and people too!

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  34. long time no see.

    I have visited the castle many times. It is a very majestic castle.
    Kyoto 's fall echoes in my heart.

    Shichigosan girl, her smile will make us happy.
    Kimono looks good on her. Very cute.

    I sincerely pray for great happiness.

    Best regards.


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  35. 季節外れになったコメントになりましたが、お孫さんおめでとうございます。雨の中大変だったと思いますが
    良い七五三のお祝いが出来ましたね。紅葉が進む中、なんだかコスモスが懐かしく感じられます。
    では又!

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  36. Always it is pleasing to see a spring in full autumn, more if the images are like these. Here we miss the rain in these moments and its image in Nara turns out to be pleasing and refreshing. Your granddaughter can put care in that one that like that deserves it when the occasion appears. She grows, matures and demonstrates a precious serenity in company of his sister (?) in these fabulous images.

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  37. Olá querida Yoko!
    Depois de um bom tempo em pausa, para viver mais o mundo real, eu volto e venho fazer uma visita, já com saudades das tuas magníficas e delicadas fotos, sem ter nada igual. São únicas. Poderia reconhecê-las em qualquer espaço e tempo.
    Espero que tudo esteja bem com você e família. Uma felicidade ver a alegria da sua neta em uma celebração com significado tão bonito e importante. Ela estava muito bonita e graciosa.
    No Brasil estamos no outono, no entanto, ainda as temperaturas estão aquecidas, melhorando no início da noite. O outono é uma estação que me faz muito feliz, tanto pela beleza das cores, como pela desaceleração e silêncio na natureza, consequentemente nas pessoas. As tardes são espetaculares, calmas, o céu um show de cores quentes, as tortas de maçãs perfumam e aquecem as casas, quando servidas com chás igualmente perfumados. Acho uma estação poética.

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