Izumi Tanaka

I’ve had this cactus plant for more than 20 years.  It used to be in my bedroom and grew too big.  When I moved out of my condo I replanted some branches in smaller pots.  These blossoms come out during the summer and opens ONE night.  It’s fascinating to watch those little buds come out of the nods on the branches and grow…. only to bloom for just one night. I shot this at 12:15AM with long exposure….

For some reason, old bikes make good pictures, especially if it’s placed in a less than immaculate environment.  I love stumbling upon scenes like this.

As the jacarandas are suddenly popping up everywhere, these lilly of the Niles are shooting up as well.  I have both right outside my door –  it’s my favorite season when I’m surrounded by these purple haze.

Hello, it’s almost at the end of April, and the rainy season is supposed to be over here in Southern California.  Yet I’m still using my space heater in my office and it was cold and drizzly last night.  What is up with that!?  Meanwhile, the little bit of precipitation fell in our neighborhood must be still a delight for our plants.  The trees and flowers all looked happy this morning in the sun.

This is the time those purple flowers start to bloom around here.  Just a little while ago, wisterias were going crazy in my neighborhood.  Now, we have those irises followed by agapanthus a.k.a. Lilly of the Niles in my front yard.  Then pretty soon, the jacaranda will start.  How did God make those different species to have all the same pretty purple?  I love that subtle and delicate purple.

I got freesias from Trader Joe’s today.  They are my most favorite of all flowers.  I wish I can capture the fragrance in the photograph as well, but I guess the technology has not gone that far  yet – even though I’m sure someone is already working on something crazy like that….

Succulents are water conserving, and I notice more landscape designs these days using variety of succulents.  These look like giant aloe plants, but what fascinates me the most, again, is the patterns on the leaves.  Who would come up with designs like that but God?!

I missed shooting again today.  I feel like I’m too busy with all kinds of “things” I have to do….

I need to take a break to take a deep breath….  so I can notice little image like this, pine needles on a bird bath.