peony, likened to a beautiful woman

The photo has been originally uploaded by Yuichi Mmma's photostream in flickr.

In Japan, the word of peony is to be used as a description of gorgeous and beautiful woman like that ”she sits and stands a peony and walks a lily”.

On the other hand, the floral design of the peony is told to have been popular among yakuzas, which means Japanese gangsters, as a motif of their tattoos.
Because, peony is likened to the king of flower.

drops on petals

drops on petals, originally uploaded by photoholic image.

A tulip coming into bloom closed its petals tightly to endure cold rain of spring.
The photo was taken @ yard yesterday.

Thank you for viewing in lightbox and I hope you have a wonderful Easter holiday and a week ahead!

SAKURA in my neighbourhood, for your happy Saturday!

SAKURA in my neighbourhood, for your happy Saturday!, originally uploaded by photoholic image.

This weekend is the best time for SAKURA viewing. The HANAMI season of this year has come nearly 10 days earlier than usual.
hope you enjoy HANAMI on lightbox, and then press the KEY of "F11" for full-screen.

Sign of spring

Sign of spring, originally uploaded by photoholic image.

This is called Setsubun-sou in Japanes that is one of species of Ranunculaceae family and an endemic species of Japan.
It is very small flower, the diameter of flower is about 2.0cm from 1.5cm and the height of this plant is 10cm, more or less. You can compare the flower with a honeybee as shown in the image below.
This plant grows in colonies and blooms around middle of February as a sign of early spring.　However, flowering was delayed almost half a month than usual because of the severe cold of this winter.

Narcissus in midwinter

This type of species of Narcissus blooms in the midwinter. We feel spring is coming before long when we look such narsissus in bloom even in the cold air of midwinter. It was balmy out yesterday, so I went out with my camera for a driving. I found that narcissuses were in full bloom beautifuly just in front of an old buddhism temple located on the skirts of a mountain.

taken by Canon EOS40D with EF-S17-85mm F4-5.6 IS USM, 1/30 f20 -0.7 of Exposure Bias, Aperture Priority AE

この種類の水仙は寒中に咲きます。大寒の冷たい空気の中にもかかわらず、この花を見ると春遠からじを感じます。　昨日は天気が穏やかで、カメラを持ってドライブに出かけました。 山の裾野にある, とある古いお寺の前に美しく咲く水仙を見つけました。