Mukilteo: daily Photo, Portal of The Pacific NW

8.11.14

Ever wonder where storms come from?

Here's the breathe blowing everything around this windy day...^^

How many faces do you see?

The seagull plays in the wind.

High winds at my beach put on a great show..

The ferry was careful not to get hit broadside. Stopped running briefly.

This photo above is a large 40' tug getting covered with water. Surf was up. Swells 6'

A wave breaks by the dock

A pink and black sunset emerges but not until this face (below) was seen blowing the wind and water...

The gulls and sea lions played like there was no tomorrow!!

Actually we have seen many faces in this strange cloud.

3.11.14

Kiku time isn't over yet

I'm happy to report that Kings Mums have sold their operation to a couple in Tulsa.

I wish them great success as I could hardly bear this year without cultuvating Kiku.

Four years I tried my luck at this art, only to find so many questions popping up.

This year you will be able to purchase starts at their same site

Kingsmums.com

It's an amazing art form.

I think back to my sweet stay in Nagaoka and the kimono show where I was draped with shibori ribbon pattern silk for kimono in black and white.

One of the things I shouldn't have gone without was that kimono and the incredible chrysanthemum obi they chose to go with it.

Sometimes I look on eBay but it's never there.

I have several furisode a. Wedding kimonos.

Both are shibori.

Shibori is tie dye.

One has roses. One has mums. One is lavender. One is red.

But of course the black and white twisted ribbon one will always have special significance

Due to making a wonderful friend at an art gallery where I had bowls of porcelain with black and white twisted ribbons.

As it happened I went to Japan and stayed at my friends family home and found this shibori in black and white at the kimono show at their restaurant.

We both learned then that it was an ancient Japanese pattern.

Perhaps all who become friends are destined to meet?

Some meetings seem to be good for the world.

Some not so good I think.

I guess we must be careful what we nurture. And how.

Just as we must consider if we will cultivate a Kiku

Or a relationship that may not be wise.

I say, when in doubt, mums the word!

Japan is in my Heart

Nothing unusual.

I dream of Kiku, Shibori,

Noodles, Shrines, Teabowls,

Little Japanese children with rosy cheeks and almond eyes and beautiful black hair.

26.10.14

The Natobi Japanese Garden in Vancouver BC

Thank you Mr Natobi.

When you've walked in this garden, what is left to do?

Fulfillment arises.

Recently I found this small heart stone at my beach.

24.10.14 BOOOO...However, Fall is really about KIKU!

I don't mind kiku sharing the spotlight with Halloween!

This one kiku has 1,416 blooms, took a team of 14 people 18 months to grow!

Longwood Gardens 2013, Philly. I was There!

This one I grew, no small feat!

14.10.14

Kubota Garden

Beauty Berry I think went undetected near the exit.

A pathway through a garden untended...

There are a few meadows. Please, a round greenhouse for cultivating Kiku and in stages so people can learn how to do this themselves.

Maple seeds that propel around the skies.

Variegated Dogwood

Beauty Berry. Purple

13.10.14

Kubota Japanese Gardens Seattle

Kabota Gardens, Seattle

Nice winding nature place to walk. Lots of people there to enjoy it.

Met Maya and her mother and David gardener ( photographer).

It was a nice day.

The garden needs an architect, Japanese masterful gardener, maybe a dozen of them.

It really needs a lot of work.

The ponds are very stagnant.

The growth is gone wild and there's too much.

I don't know how they'll manage to

Get it looking cultivated.

But I hope they do.

I think Kiku would make a very nice contribution.

Maybe some philanthropist will do any funds to get this garden looking like a real Japanese garden.

What a treasure that would be.

A Kiku greenhouse maybe?

I'd work there.

This year coming up we'll

Have Kiku once again.

Kings mums sold their business in Oregon to Brian in Tulsa. So next year I can order Kiku starts again.

Still no greenhouse here to grow them in. They're delicate. I manage even though it's cool here for them to grow outdoors. But if I could do some work in a greenhouse I think I'd get an interesting result. The advantage here is blooms last much longer. The problem is getting enough nutrition in them and water for them to grow large and fast.

Anyway Kings will be at the same site,

Kingsmums.com.

I think that's it.

Yea!!!

America is a step closer to being saved!!

It's the beautiful, sensitive things that matter. For that's cultivated!!

Integrity is cultivated.

A few focused scenes at Kubotas Garden.

In Japan leaves appear placed artfully on the pathways. I imagine somehow if we each turned our sensibilities inward to the true nature of ourselves, leaves would somehow fall perfectly

Randomly in perfect design.

:-)