umijin's photostream  

Another rainy day sent me out with my camera and flash with an umbrella. Fortunately, clear plastic umbrellas are very common here. These are flowers of a common shrub called Red Veined Enkianthus. They also come in coral pink color. 　

Today was was on the bittersweet side. The professor that has sponsored my lab research at Tokyo Metropolitan University is retiring. We had a farewell party for him on campus. I'm very happy he can retire and spend time with his family. Unfortunately, it means my own research efforts here may come to a halt, as I have no other way to do lab work. Regardless, three cheers for Dr. Tadashi Aotsuka (dude with flowers) on a career well done.

Taken from the same spot as the day before, but at 5 in the morning, when the sun rose. I was happy to see a bit of red tinge to Fuji, despite freezing my butt off to take these shots.

We made a last minute decision to go to Lake Yamanaka on Thursday afternoon, with the mom-in-law, in the shadow of Fuji. We got to our hotel just in time for me to dash out and catch the sunset, on a relatively clear evening.

My son, out for a stroller spin in yesterday's cool, pollen laden air. :-O