Fall in Fukuoka

[KyushuCalanthe]

Fall has come to southern Japan finally, though the leaves are not fully ripe yet. My back as some of you know is not well right now, so I've been restricted to short walks around the neighborhood. These pics are a taste of what's out there right now.

A little lavender aster is flowering like mad along the roadsides and on the berms of rice patties. I don't know why, but little weeds like this one have a special beauty about them for me.

All the late season butterflies are going like crazy right now to use the remaining warm days since the cold rains of November and frosty nights of December are coming fast on our heels. Personally, I love goldenrod.

The persimmons, known as kaki in Japanese, are bearing their fruit now and simultaneously losing their leaves.

The very last of the rice was harvested a couple weeks back. Nowadays most is mechanically harvested and dried in warehouses, but a few folks still harvest by hand and dry it the old fashion way.

Moso bamboo is an important part of traditional Japanese culture even though it was another import from China centuries ago. The palm in the photo, Trachycarpus fortunei, too is another Chinese import, though its journey here is lost in time.

Honestly, I'm not much for this time of year. I find the decreasing light levels and shortened days a drag mentally and physically. At least the visual interest of fall compensates for some of my melancholic feelings.

 

[Shiva]

A little snow would be beautiful in the last two pictures. Do you get any snow in winter where you live ?

 

[SlipperFan]

Honestly, I'm not much for this time of year. I find the decreasing light levels and shortened days a drag mentally and physically. At least the visual interest of fall compensates for some of my melancholic feelings.

Kindred spirits. Many people here love Fall with it's crisp air and beautiful color. To me, it means Winter is just around the corner, and it's a long dark wait until Spring. The good thing about Winter is that the sun starts it's journey back, and days lengthen again. We are still on daylight savings time -- I personally wish we'd never go off it -- I light more light in the evening. Pretty soon, it will be dark in the morning and the evening. Sigh.

 

[etex]

Lovely photos!! Thanks for sharing your view!Those bamboos are huge.
Hope your back gets better soon!

 

[Hera]

I think it would be cool to see a real bamboo forest. Thanks for the pictures. Fall is my favorite time of year, too bad about the cold that follows. If winter were about half the length I could endure better.

 

[smartie2000]

I don't like the decrease in light levels either!

 

[nikv]

Gorgeous photos! Thanks for sharing them with us!

 

[paphjoint]

Nice shots !!

 

[cnycharles]

very interesting pictures, Tom

I was told by my doctor last year that I needed to take vitamin d to keep things more 'positive' with my body in winter since I don't get much light now, and a friend I have to keep reminding that they purchase/use some since their doctor said the same thing. It can definitely help, from mood to immune system to I think other mineral absorption. so, something to think about. if our employer wasn't shutting down in winter i'd still be getting enough light even though through snow-covered plastic (more than I'm getting now typing lol ) maybe they should buy us all those u.v. sunlamps as compensation!

 

[JeanLux]

very cool pics Tom (esp. like that butterfly photo)!!!! I, too, appreciate the fall colors, but by far prefer the spring sprouting!!! Jean

 

[Lanmark]

The goldenrod is gorgeous! All of these photos sing that sad majestic song of Autumn.