Showing posts with label macro. Show all posts
Showing posts with label macro. Show all posts

15.4.11

Shades of Orange


Here are some of the items with shades of orange in the garden.


Top view of Moon Cactus.
With barely any care for the last 6 months, this yellow-orange moon cactus still look gorgeous, doesn't it?


Marigold
They are grown in between cabbage plants.
I don't know exactly what the marigold did, but I certainly managed to harvest all my cabbages this time and in good shape too.


Geiger Flower Tree
A row of these trees are grown by the developer in front of my house.
They look good from this direction.
Lots of fallen dried leaves and fruits on the opposite direction.


Canna
These are thriving despite daily rain last month and rainless days this month.


Titty Fruit (Solanum mammosum)
These are not edible but I think they look cute.


Fungi
See the peace symbol?
We use our fingers, the bug uses its antennae.


Orange beetle.
What could it be up to?


Skipper - not a true butterfly nor a moth.
More of this in another post.


Fish
It's purpose is to ensure no mosquito larvae in my lotus pot.
Sometimes I scoop up some of the water and fish waste to add to the compost pile.


My favourite orange items would have to be these 3 dragonflies.
I have yet to see them catch their prey.
So far, I've only seen a spider eating a caterpillar and a praying mantis eating a fly.

Visit May Dreams Garden to see what is blooming throughout the world.

Blogging from Bolivia       Copy_of_001   Camera Critters

This photo below is still waiting for more captions.
Selected ones will be posted next Wednesday.
Click on the photo to share your thoughts.


Have a wonderful weekend!

4.4.11

Fukushima 50


"Fukushima 50" actually consists of 300 technicians, soldiers and firefighters. They work in shifts of 50 persons. They continue to work at the Fukushima power plant in Japan although their lives are at stake due to the high levels of radiation exposure.

I wish them to be free from sufferings.
May they be well and happy.


Below is an extract of a touching letter that has been published in New America Media.


New America Media, First Person, Ha Minh ThanhPosted: Mar 19, 2011


Editor’s note: This letter, written by a Vietnamese immigrant working in Fukishima as a policeman to a friend in Vietnam, has been circulating on Facebook among the Vietnamese diaspora. It is an extraordinary testimony to the strength and dignity of the Japanese spirit, and an interesting slice of life near the epicenter of Japan’s current crisis, the Fukushima nuclear power plant. It was translated by NAM editor, Andrew Lam, author of East Eats West: Writing in Two Hemispheres.



Brother,

How are you and your family? These last few days, everything was in chaos. When I close my eyes, I see dead bodies. When I open my eyes, I also see dead bodies.

Each one of us must work 20 hours a day, yet I wish there were 48 hours in the day, so that we could continue helping and rescuing folks.

We are without water and electricity, and food rations are near zero. We barely manage to move refugees before there are new orders to move them elsewhere.

I am currently in Fukushima , about 25 kilometers away from the nuclear power plant. I have so much to tell you that if I could write it all down, it would surely turn into a novel about human relationships and behaviors during times of crisis.

People here remain calm - their sense of dignity and proper behavior are very good - so things aren't as bad as they could be. But given another week, I can't guarantee that things won't get to a point where we can no longer provide proper protection and order.

They are humans after all, and when hunger and thirst override dignity, well, they will do whatever they have to do. The government is trying to provide supplies by air, bringing in food and medicine, but it's like dropping a little salt into the ocean.

Brother, there was a really moving incident. It involves a little Japanese boy who taught an adult like me a lesson on how to behave like a human being.

Last night, I was sent to a little grammar school to help a charity organization distribute food to the refugees. It was a long line that snaked this way and that and I saw a little boy around 9 years old. He was wearing a T-shirt and a pair of shorts.

It was getting very cold and the boy was at the very end of the line. I was worried that by the time his turn came there wouldn't be any food left. So I spoke to him. He said he was at school when the earthquake happened. His father worked nearby and was driving to the school. The boy was on the third floor balcony when he saw the tsunami sweep his father's car away.

I asked him about his mother. He said his house is right by the beach and that his mother and little sister probably didn't make it. He turned his head and wiped his tears when I asked about his relatives.

The boy was shivering so I took off my police jacket and put it on him. That's when my bag of food ration fell out. I picked it up and gave it to him. "When it comes to your turn, they might run out of food. So here's my portion. I already ate. Why don't you eat it?"

The boy took my food and bowed. I thought he would eat it right away, but he didn't. He took the bag of food, went up to where the line ended and put it where all the food was waiting to be distributed.

I was shocked. I asked him why he didn't eat it and instead added it to the food pile. He answered: "Because I see a lot more people hungrier than I am. If I put it there, then they will distribute the food equally."

When I heard that I turned away so that people wouldn't see me cry.

A society that can produce a 9-year-old who understands the concept of sacrifice for the greater good must be a great society, a great people.

Well, a few lines to send you and your family my warm wishes. The hours of my shift have begun again.

Ha Minh Thanh




May All Be Free From Sufferings,
May All Be Well and Happy...


18.1.11

Picture This Photo Contest - January 2011

Do you know that Gardening Gone Wild has organized a Picture This Photo Contest for January 2011?
This contest is designed for point and shoot camera loving people like many of us.
The theme is Macro in Mason Jar.


Below are the items and tools I selected from my garden for the macro shots.
They include flowers, bird's nest fern, pebbles, rocks, glass jar, clay balls and greens.


I came up with many variations since it was a fun experiment.


Below are some sunflower variations.


I could have come up with bug variations as well but decided that play time was over for the day.
After all that I went through, I selected my first photo to participate in the contest.
It is the simplest and easiest one.
I must say that I am very impressed with David Perry's photo of onions in a jar. 
He used only onions inside and outside the jar and the effect is just awesome.

Do leave me a note if you wish to participate so that I can come by to admire your photos.

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