Flickr Fiend

I've become a bit of a flickr.com hound recently. I started uploading there, and now folks can check out my stuff, and I can check out their stuff - and if you are a member (FREE) and an acknowledged friend or family member of mine in flickr, you can order prints of my stuff too.

So I've foregone all other viewing & print sites (uploading all these pictures was getting to be a pain - so no more Kodak, Shutterfly, .mac) and will be uploading the creme-de-la-creme to my flickr page. Find it HERE or search aviva.bowman on flickr.com. Even if you just wanna poke around what we've been doing. Family-related stuff (birthday gatherings, holiday pictures, etc.) I will still put on Kodak Gallery for folks to get prints.

IF you order prints on flickr and find them not to be great quality, or have a bunch of trouble, I will reconsider this. So keep me posted.

I'll still post some good ones here, sometimes from the point & shoot camera or sometimes pictures I don't post on flickr because they're not exactly show-worthy. Like these for example.... here is a "tree" made out of plants. I think it was for New Year's because the origami birds symbolize health and success for the future.

I know - blurry drive-by photo taking. But I love the Grateful Dead shirts here - totally Japanified. Should really read "Jerry Garcia is Everwhere" b/c it's copyrighted 10 years after his death....

Mia waiting for our food to come in a restaurant that has a double-decker BUS. We're sitting on the first floor of the double-decker here. Pretty neat.

Another drive-by photo - but this was on the road to Nago yesterday with the point & shoot (PS). I know, I cut off part of Nemo #2 there, but hi - how cute, lovey-dovey flower-covered Nemo & Nemo-ette!


We stopped by the pineapple park because it was on the way back anyway. Outside of the market, there's a guy who makes & sells these balancing dragonflies, they're made out of wood & painted really pretty. Here is the sweet man loading up each of Mia's fingers with dragonflies. (See the BIG one on her index finger?)

After he removed a couple from the kid, Craig got in on the fun.
This is the one we bought - he insisted she test it out.
More soon!

Sakura - Japan's National Flower

The Japanese gave a gift of cherry trees to Washington DC. They bloom every spring, much to the dismay of those with allergies. Cherry blossoms are a big deal in Japan, and Okinawa being sub-tropical - gets the first bunch of blooms. Yes, it's January - but they're in bloom here now.

We headed to Mount Yaedake (aka Mount Yae) for the festival yesterday. It was either raining or drizzling the whole time. Which bummed me out because the camera cannot be out in the rain without a jacket - which we do not have for it. Alas, using an umbrella, and early on "stepping between the raindrops" we got a few shots of the festival and the blossoms.

After we parked, this is the scene we approached; this was at the "base" of the mountain. There were booths with crafts, games, food, food, games... did I mention food?!

The wet blossoms.

Huge selection of fried and grilled ANYTHING (squid on a stick to pork ribs to yakisoba and takoyaki - basically octopus fritters), including soba (mmmm....soup) which I personally lunched on.

This tree had busy bees among its flowers, this is my favorite of the day - and trust me, there weren't many pictures.

I also love this lantern shot taken at the stand where we got lunch. The lanterns were lit and so warm & inviting on a chilly wet day.

As you drive up the mountain, the trees line the narrow windy street as it switchbacks up. The cars are often single-file to avoid hitting branches - and pedestrians with umbrellas!

More through the windshield. If it wasn't raining, I can't imagine how crowded it might've been!

Mount Yaedake is apparently the island’s second highest point at 453.4 meters (1487 feet), and has more than 4,000 Taiwan cherry trees. FYI, the Yaedake area is also the orchids capital of Okinawa. These cherry trees are different from the light pink blooms you see on mainland and in DC (as you can tell from the pictures). They're a darker pink, and they last longer - about a month. Along the streets on the way to and from the area, there are sakura for sale by the branch to put in vases at your home. There are also lots of mikan (tangerines) for sale since they're in season - DELICIOUS!

On the way back toward home (after frustration really ensued from having to take pictures from inside the car....) we promised to visit again on a clearer day, and also to visit Naha in February when the blooms moved south. We also stopped by the Nago City festival, but as it was raining pretty hard and the crowds were kind of crazy, we moved on. We'd had our festival fill for the day. Here's a shot of Nago City from a bridge above it where we definitely weren't allowed to stop. Suwanee rightfully stated a new mantra of mine - "It's easier to ask forgiveness than permission."

Cookies & Photography

Goodness - the mind reels. So many fabulous things swirling in my head these days - at least it's all good!

First of all, I'm happy to report I got the project for my old job finished, that went smoothly.

I've also decided to share with you that I've been shooting with a new camera. Did anyone notice by the pictures? Craig (after admitting he never should've bought the 40D - NOT because it's a bad camera, it's a WORTHY update to the 20D & 30D for sure, and worth every penny fantabulous DSLR - I just was ready for a full-frame camera) oh so generously gave me a 5D for a belated Christmas present. He then quickly and efficiently sold the 40D and the lenses that would no longer work with the 5D on fredmiranda.com.

So... now I'm a spoiled brat who is falling even more in love with taking pictures. If that's possible. Though we have had a string of bad luck with one lens (the first one had a crack, as reported in a previous post - version #2 came and the second time I used it the aperture locked up closed! GRRR. So I'm waiting for lens #3!), I'm enjoying my 16-35 and my 85mm and 50mm primes. and of course my 70-200.

Yesterday Mia had a day off from school and we spent the afternoon with Sena (mom of 2 sweetheart who lives a block away and used to live in San Diego with her hubby) and her kids, Aidan and Alani. She's the aforementioned pastry chef (actually culinary genius in general, and one of the sweetest people you'd ever wish to meet). She had made some gingerbread hearts for the girls to decorate in anticipation of the big V-day. Aidan accompanied the artistic efforts with his rousing renditions of "The Star Wars Theme" and "Little Drummer Boy".










In the early evening, Craig and Tony (Sena's hubby) joined us for a meal prepared by Sena. (I hosted last time and made fish tacos - very authentic, honestly only missing Rubio's salsa - alas, they do not ship.) Sena made an amazing spinach salad, followed by a fabulous Thai soup (I cannot remember the name of it, nor would I spell it right - but it had coconut milk, lemongrass, veggies, rice, and just the right amount of spice. Delectable. Lastly she made an amazing beef stir fry (and showed me some wok tricks so that I don't end up boiling meat and veggies in the future - SO helpful), which was served with rice & lettuce wraps. Wow, heavenly meal! And a great time was had by all - kids included.

Today I went on base to a craft fair of sorts. I knew that Annya_Okinawa and Suwanee Lennon would be there showing and selling their photos. It's like our own local photographic celebrities were here to TALK to and everything! Well, I'm thrilled to say Craig & Mia & I headed over there around 11:30 and bought a few prints and chatted it up with them. Not only were they so sweet, modest, inviting, and did I mention sweet & modest... they asked if I wanted to come shoot with them sometime! Are. You. Kidding. Sadly for moi, Suwanee is leaving in a few months to go to Spokane (her hubby's next duty station) - though she should be excited, it's 4 hours from Seattle and in general a great area to live. Lucky for moi, Annya will be here for 2 more years, and though she lives across the island, she and I would both drive to find the photography & have some fun. DARE I DREAM - they also travel to take photos, and Craig said he'd make it happen if I wanted to island hop for the love of the photo hunt! Can you just imagine - "here are pictures from my long weekend in Thailand... or Cambodia... or...." oh my gosh so many wonderful thoughts flooding my head!

So that was my happy fabulous day. DO check out Annya & Suwanee's talents if you're interested, they're amazing. Happy happy joy joy!

Tomorrow we're waking up a bit early to check out the cherry blossoms. PLEASE say a "no rain" prayer!

Rest In Peace, KC

I wasn't really going to share this until I got an email from my dear friend Ayelet with her sympathies because my mom had emailed her. Thank you, sweetheart. I know many of you who read my blog were familiar with/fond of/allergic to KC, and I felt I could share this and it would make a little peace in my heart.

My cat, KC, came to me when I moved into a Germantown, MD apartment all by myself in 1994. As it was my first time living alone, I craved some low-maintenance company. I went to a vet office one Saturday after reading in the paper that they'd be having an adoption event. KC was one of four siblings, about 4 months old. I didn't know she'd be my loyal companion for almost 14 years, but I did know that the moment I held her and she purred like a freight train and stared into my eyes, she'd be an adoring friend.

She licked my face lovingly (ouch) and purred so loud and so constantly that you'd hear her enter a room. She would purr AS she meowed so it'd make the funniest vibrating meow sound you'd ever heard. If you had a rubber band or a pencil, you had a friend. Tuna? Fuhgettaboutit.

When she was 4, she made the move with me to San Diego. I met Craig and when I'd clean up her vomit after she'd eaten ribbon (read "crack") that I left lying on the floor, he'd say, "When are we getting rid of the cat?" to which I'd always quickly retort, "When are we getting rid of you?" KC came first, he knew that. Through her allergy/health problems, he understood that I was her mommy.

And when we got orders to Okinawa, and subsequently found out that we wouldn't have her inoculations and paperwork up to date in time to take her with us, we had to leave her behind. She was almost 14 years old, and honestly a trip to Japan wasn't something I thought she'd do so easily. We certainly had no clue how pet-friendly this place would be.

My friend Anastasia connected me with a woman named Chris who lived only a few blocks away from us in Scripps Ranch. That amazing animal-loving woman took KC in with the promise of love, cuddles, treats and helping me to get her to Okinawa too, if that's what we decided we could do. Bless her heart. She'd also been through cancer with a cat in the past, right around holiday time - so when this happened with KC back in November, it was even more difficult for her.

I started getting emails about her vet visits, and feeling more and more sick in the pit of my stomach because that was MY baby to care for, MY kitty to hold and console - and this amazing woman did this for me, at what was apparently the end of her life. KC had an amazing last few months. She was treated like royalty by Chris, and I love her for that. She was loved and treated at least as well as I would've treated her. She developed a mass in her lungs, and then had some sort of seizure that was the beginning of the end. She wasn't purring, she wasn't eating - and it was really time to let her go.

I completely trust that Chris did the right thing in every way. I was in tears when I read the news, and Craig was there to console me. Mia doesn't know quite yet - when KC got sick I sat with her and shared that she was sick and older and would probably not be around for much longer, so I think she'll know it was coming when we tell her.

So cheers to you, KC - you were a real friend - I can't imagine how many tears your black fur had to absorb between three deployments and a few bad apple boyfriends before I moved out west and found the man of my dreams. I know you're up there rolling in some catnip and eating tuna while someone rubs you down real good. Purrrrrrrrrrrr.....

KC Fried - April 1, 1994- December 11, 2007

Driving To a New Beach

Here's the beach we saw and quickly parked next to:







These guys must've been from mainland where it's snowing now - they were swimming (but they really looked and sounded like they were cold!)

I Know...

....I suck. I've disappeared for too long. I still love my blog. I've been taking pictures, working on the Bop Hope Primary School yearbook pictures (I'm in charge of photographing 200 kindergarten kids AND arranging the pages!), went to a birthday party, tried new restaurants, and also picked up a job with the old credit union; so things are as busy as ever. I have a ton of pictures to share, and of course stories.

Soon, blog readers - hopefully later today!

Roller Slide!

At the bottom, it goes crazy fast!