Colors of My Heart

While living in Los Angeles, California, I often visited The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch during this season to see the fields of ranunculus flowers. The sight of the colorful ranunculus blooms spreading across the area, contrasted beautifully with the blue sky. During the season, freshly picked strawberries are available at the shop by the flower fields, and I had the pleasure of savoring them while admiring the picturesque landscape. In addition to the beautiful flower fields, a large outlet mall nearby offered plenty of shopping opportunities, which I often enjoyed. At that time, I was transitioning from film cameras to digital, and I took many photos with the Olympus Pen camera. Fifteen years later, I think the images captured with the Pen are  still   wonderful.     Olympus PEN E-P2 ／ M.Zuiko ED 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 ／ 1/500s ／ F11 ／ ISO200 ／ 0.0     Olympus PEN E-P2 ／ M.Zuiko ED 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 ／ 1/400s ／ F11 ／ ISO200 ／  0.0   ...

These photos were taken in April fifteen years ago with a PEN E-P2. At that time, I was thoroughly enjoying digital photography and took my camera wherever I went. These shots capture a ladybug that happened to wander by while I was photographing the poppies blooming in my garden. It was basking in the warm spring sunshine, relaxing on the petals of the poppy flowers. ​​​​​​​​The Seven-spotted Ladybug is one of the most commonly seen ladybugs in Japan. As its name suggests, it has seven black spots on its back. It measures about 5 to 8 mm in length and is characterized by its bright red or orange wing covers. This species are widely distributed around the world. This ladybug is a predatory insect that primarily feeds on aphids, which are pests that damage crops. Because of this, it plays an important role in agriculture and horticulture as a natural enemy of aphids. As a result, the Seven-spotted Ladybug is often welcomed as a beneficial insect. Its larvae, like the adults, also feed o...

Rancho Palos Verdes, located near Los Angeles, is a stunning coastal area that becomes blanketed in bright yellow mustard flowers in the spring. These vibrant yellow blossoms spread like a carpet across the rolling hills, captivating visitors with their breathtaking beauty. The contrast of the mustard flowers against the deep blue ocean and sky creates an ideal setting for photography and hiking. ​​Mustard flowers belong to the Brassicaceae family and are commonly referred to as Yellow Mustard (Brassica spp.). They are not native to California but were introduced by Spanish missionaries in the 18th century. Since then, they have naturalized and bloom extensively every spring, adding a golden hue to the landscapes of Rancho Palos Verdes. In years with heavy winter rainfall, the mustard flowers flourish even more, creating an even more spectacular display. ​​If you want to enjoy the mustard flowers in Rancho Palos Verdes, there are several popular spots to visit. The location in the phot...

Truth be told, I’m a devoted cat lover. Even now, a Persian cat graces our home with quiet companionship. But today, I’d like to share the story of a Norwegian Forest Cat who crossed the Rainbow Bridge in the summer of 2015—a soul so dear, our family will carry her memory for a lifetime. Back when we lived in Los Angeles, a stray cat named Sammy wandered into our lives and became our beloved “lodger cat(イソウロウねこ).” Around that time, Olympus had a photo-sharing site called Fotopus, where I posted countless pictures of Sammy under the title The Lodger Cat (イソウロウねこ) , using the nickname Dararin Darling(だらりんダーリン). Eventually, Sammy became a formal member of our family. When we moved back to Japan, she came with us. After our daughter was born in 2013, Sammy spent just two short years with her—but in that time, Sammy was the most wonderful playmate. They were always together, inseparable. It’s been more than ten years since Sammy passed away. For all that time, I couldn’t bring myself to loo...

Mono Lake Tufa Towers Mono Lake Tufa Towers are unique geological formations located within Mono Lake in eastern California, known for their natural beauty and remarkable rock formations. These limestone pillars, called "tufas", rise from the lake and create a stunningly impressive landscape for visitors. Mono Lake itself is an ancient saline lake at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California, with a history of approximately 760,000 years. The lake's water has an extremely high salt concentration, making it uninhabitable for freshwater fish. This unique environment supports a limited biodiversity, with specialized microorganisms and salt-tolerant plants and animals thriving in the ecosystem. Tufa Tufa refers to natural limestone pillars formed underwater through the precipitation of minerals. When calcium dissolved in the lake water mixes with freshwater springs beneath the lake, these limestone towers gradually grow over time. The fluctuating water levels cont...