Corn hair

I've been growing sweetcorn again this year.  In my eagerness to see if the corn was ready, I opened up an ear. Inside were many strands of golden hair, each strand came from its own kernal.  Apparently, this hair is called 'silk' and the pollen from the tassels (at the top of the husk) falls onto the 'silk' which in turn pollinates it and forms corn kernels.  Fascinating.

BBC Philharmonic at Mediacity

BBC Philharmonic warming up

Mediacity, Salford

I was lucky enough to get a ticket to watch/listen to the BBC Philharmonic record in their new home at Mediacity yesterday.  I've seen smaller numbers of the Phil perform out 'in the community' in Salford which was great.  Now I had a chance to see all (or nearly all, there were 94!) of them in their purpose built studio.  It was interesting to glimpse into their world.  What a brilliant job they have!  As 2pm drew near, the studio began to fill up with the orchestra.  Members warmed up or chatted to friends - they could have been in any office in England!  At 2pm professionalism and the love of music enshued.  They performed pieces by 3 different composers Ravel, Gershwin and Montsalvatge.  My favourite parts were when the kettledrums bounced into play alongwith the brass section.  Fantastic. (And free!)

Helena Seget

Helena Seget - 'Rebellious Shelves'

Helena Seget - 'Irena (the left handed) chair'

I came across the work of Helena Seget whilst roaming the internet.  I was intrigued by her use of porcelain as furniture.  Interesting, innovative and beautiful.

The Smallest Gallery in the World - part 4

Mobiles from Kurashiki, Japan.  Very intricate, simple and effective.  Shown here balancing figures on balls within blue spider net ball and flying figures on an umbrella.  They look fragile but are amazingly quite strong - I still have one that my Japanese penpal sent me over 20 years ago!

Home

 

Gogoku Shrine, Fukuoka

Handpainted lanterns

The above images show the lantern festival at Gogoku Shrine in Fukuoka.  6,000 lanterns are displayed at the shrine during O-bon.  O-bon is an event that commemorates one's ancestors, the spirits are welcomed back to the family home.  Lanterns are displayed to help the spirits to return.

Traditional salt making factory, Itoshima

Filtering sea water

Traditional salt making process using bamboo to filter the sea water.

Kaiseki - Japanese haute cuisine

Forest vegetables

 Beautifully diplayed Japanese food.  Ceramics play an important part in the presentation of food.

Imari

Kiln in shop

Imari porcelain.  A picturesque pottery village in the mountains of Saga prefecture.


We are now home and fully rested after our fantastic adventure in Japan.  Every day was different and our senses bombarded.  It is interesting to see how the Japanese do things and to be immersed in their mono-culture but also to come back home and see our lives afresh.

We would like to thank our friends and their families for making us feel so welcome and for showing us around their home city.  Hopefully it won't be another 10 years before we return again. Domo arigato gozaimashita!

Hiroshima - city of peace

A　Bomb Dome

Peace Monument

Epicentre of the atomic bomb

Peace Lanterns

Peace Cranes

Our visit to Hiroshima coincided with the 66th anniversary of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.  It was a very moving time to visit the city.  Many people had gathered in the peace park to pay their respects and join in the peaceful protests of hope of a nuclear free world.  At 8.15 am on 6th August 2011 the peace bell rang out to signify the time the bomb dropped 66 years ago.  The noisy park was struck silent as people bowed their heads in respect.  Later the Mayor of Hiroshima spoke his message for peace and white doves were released.  Later that evening thousands of peace lanterns with handwritten messages of peace were released to float hopefully down the river past the A Bomb Dome.  As we walked through the peace park people were quietly queuing at one of the monuments to pay their respects, a Buddhist ceremony was taking place, survivors families holding a candlelit vigil.  It was very powerful and something that will remain with us for the rest of our days.

What is striking about Hiroshima is the peace message that is so strongly campaigned for.  The Mayor will send a letter to every country that  carries out an atomic test.  Asking for reconsideration and an end to such destructive activities.  Local high school children canvas for signatures to stop nuclear tests and nuclear power.  Hiroshima has a hope that by 2020 all nuclear weapons will be disarmed.  The mayor is asking for mayors of peace from around the world to help make this possible.  I hope they will succeed.

Beautiful Kyoto - part 1



  We had four fantastic days in Kyoto.  The city is so well preserved yet functioning on a modern level.  I could take countless photographs of the beautiful houses of Gion and the many many temples of the city. 

Headquarters of Ikenobo

 We stumbled upon the heaquarters of Ikenobo - a style of Ikebana (Japanese flower arranging).  I was expecting a shop but the whole building was the offices for this type of Ikebana.  The ground floor had a lovely atrium with birch trees and coloured birds of many varieties.  Usually I don`t like to see caged birds but they had such space and sympathetic surroundings it seemed like a great home for them. There was also a carp pond and in the courtyard was a shrine, Rokkakudo, which was where Ikebana began!

Rokkakudo Temple

Gion

Me and Matt, Gion



A geisha

 We had some fun in Gion.  We had to pose for a group of Japanese amateur photographers as they shot us looking curiously into some of the old homes.  This area is where the geishas work and it is unusual to see them out in the day.  However, we must have hit upon the right time and saw about 8 in total!  They looked immaculate in full kimono and make-up on such a hot and humid day.
 

Kodai-ji dry garden

 A Zen garden - gravel raked perfectly to provoke meditation and contemplation.