Oh, Tuscany

It was my years of dream to come back to Italy and tour the countryside.  Here I am, on vacation only, not on business.

Living in Williamette Valley, the wine country, I have done numerous wine tasting, but have not come close to inspect the clusters of grapes growing in the vineyard. Here in Tuscany, when the golden glow shines through our apartment window in the morning, it also glows on the vineyard. 

Good morning, Tuscany

Tuscany is the world famous wine haven particularly in Chianti region. Thousands and ten thousands acres of vineyards on the rolling hills are the 'trade mark' and the main element to create its breath-taking landscape.  

These vineyards, I believe, are mostly planted by original farmers according to pre-existing geography. Unlike in the States where everything is so regulated and checker-boarded, here shows history impact and true nature.

Dusk in Tuscany

I think the unintentional placement of the vineyards here has accidentally created dramatic and stunning scenery.  This land of vineyards is vast and magnificent. The spread is often beyond our vision of 180 degree view and beyond.  The mature growth of the vines shows sign of long history, experience and expertise.

Layers of mountains afar and behind embrace the continuous patches and patterns of the vineyards. Putting yourself in the scene, you would wonder if this is real or in the dream.

I brought my travel tripod. Unfortunately, the roads are extremely winding and narrow. And, there are no shoulders. Italian drivers do not use blinkers. If you use signals, you are telling locals that you are foreign and chances are, you will be pressed to drive faster and get out of the way.

San Gimingnano

On many occasions, when the photo opps were up, we either could not find a place to pull over or the cars kept coming no stop from both directions. If we were just a bit slower sometimes because we were reconfirming our driving directions, we would hear that screaming honks. Driving is stressful here, but for the sake of the scenery, a little bit of upset can easily be out behind.

Italian road system is governed by Roundabouts which are designed to do the same work as our Stop signs here except that we have to watch the traffic coming from all directions. It is a Yield, not a Stop. Most the drivers are pretty aggressive. It is quite tough for the visitors who are not familiar with the roads to ‘compete’. I said ‘compete’. Because if you don’t move, others will. This reminds me of my previous experience driving in Taiwan. The roads are narrow and the drivers are in multitude. If you follow the rules, you may get nowhere.

how enchanting

There are two primary types of grapes growing in Tuscany, one is Sangiovese used to make Red wine and the other is Vernache used to make white wine.

We visited Castello Verranzzano winery in Chianti and concluded that we like Chianti Classico the best. The wine list from the restaurants is usually 3-4 pages long, but we are not wine connoisseurs. All we do is to try a different one each time and they are generally pretty good. Just like olive oil and Balsamic vinaigrette, a glass of wine on dinner table is part of Italian  tradition  and   undoubtedly,  it  adds  ambiance  and

under grape vines

flavor the dish with the remaining taste on the tongue, in my opinion.

It was inside the winery and in the restaurants that I first saw grape plants are used as the roof decor for the open dining area. Aged grape vines provide nice shade and the sweet aroma from the grapes is enchanting. I wonder why Willamette wineries are not doing the same. Maybe the grapes are not aged and large enough to crawl on the roof. I looked up and saw these beautiful grapes hanging from the ceiling and bathing in the sun.

Giovani Verranzzano was an renown explorer after Christopher Columbus. An existing bridge in New York city was named after him. His castle is now a charming winery and also the living space for the winery workers. How do you like to live and work in a place like this?

Verranzzano Castle fence

The grapes are sweet. The winery is nicely architected. Vineyards are the landscape, amazing. But what excited me the most is to watch grape harvesting. I know from this point on, I will appreciate every single piece of the grapes that we have and enjoy it.

We were told that these workers are paid by pounds so they tend to work fast.  I had to run after them to take their pictures because they can finish picking an approximately 500 feet row in about ten minutes. Wages are mean, but the smiles do not leave their face.

A Smile to Remember

Farewell to Summer

 

September steps in fall, but the weather is still gorgeous. I however started to feel the chill early in the mornings. My flowers are pretty much past their prime period and the immigrated birds are ready to head south soon. I think it is about the time that I send summer off. Time to forgo flower close-ups and birds shots.  A bit of forlorn and a bit of reluctant to let go, but season changes and our life goes on.

Bright and vivid summer colors are stunning and exciting. I also think that I should not let season changes impact my good spirits and therefore I decided to shoot and show a few black and white images. Although I have not done many B&W pictures, I do have a special liking for them. Black and White images appear to be simple but their impact seems contrarily deeper.

For colored images, I found my attention is on colors. And, for black and white images, I am drawn to details and in some cases, emotion.

Crowned

This cornflower (Double Scoop Bubble Gum) is one of my favorite additions this year. The color is beautiful and the blooming time is long. The original color image is striking and I like its dainty pedals.

When there is no color distinction between the upper scoop section and the lower long pedals, I begin to see a bride's bouquet, or an award ribbon. Instead of glamour, I see elegance.

White Corals

If not for the simple tonality, these Lantana would not look like the white corals adorned with diamonds. They are originally yellow and creme two-tone flowers which look like buttered popcorns. I am not using the best resolution pictures for  web posting; otherwise, you would enjoy the crystal clear 'diamonds' even better. Between popcorn and diamond, what is your pick?

the Tradition

As I just mentioned in my last blog, Chinese tea set designs look more subtle and understated. With the colors removed, I think the image fits even better to portrait that old traditional and solemn look.

It reminds me of a traditional living room with a pair of honored and wealthy parents as well as their sons and their wives. The seatings are in a U shape. Parents sit in front followed by two rows of next generation who all carefully follow their tradition: tea to be served to the older first and parents have absolute power over the children.

There are authority, ranking, respect, and rituals involved in the scene. You surely would not hear any loud laughter or see kids running around. It is a very disciplined and controlled environment.  Wanting to know why Asians tend to be more well-mannered and quieter? There is a long and hard tradition going around for thousand years.

cottonwood seed pod

Claradendrum is a fast growing flowering tree. We were given a starter by a precious friend. Just about 6 months period, it has grown to 7-8 feet high. Not only that, this tree has been putting out lots of babies. Flowers are small but a whole cluster of them. Multitude of anything cause distraction. I originally aimed for this single flower, but the tiny cottonwood seed pod suddenly flew into the scene and became my subject. If not for the black and white, it would be buried in the colors. 

Bathed in Sun and Drew

I cannot identify this flower any more after it has been growing in my yard for 16 years. Just like Claradendrum, its roots grow aggressively and expand speedily. The deep peach color is quite dramatic in fall, but I seem to enjoy it even more when they are secretly hidden under the maple tree and quietly sucking in the morning drew. 

I have taken quite a few shots of Great Gray Herons, but they have always been too far away from me and too sensitive to my existence. But not this morning at Delta Pond, he was waiting to fetch his prey in the pond. Very slowly and cautiously I walked towards him, but he did not make any move.  To play safe, I started to shoot from distance and moved in closer till it was about 30 feet away. There was no more foot room and this is the best I could do.  To my surprise, I did capture his eyes, clear and vivid. And, I see he has no fear. 

If it is a color image, the gray heron will blend in with the murky pond water and 'disappeared' in the scene.  Besides, the black and white presentation makes the image resembling an impeccable pencil drawing. It conveys ancient and more a traditional Chinese heron painting that I used to see. This image concludes a great summer for me and I am looking forward to the next one and the next.

Time for Tea, Tea for Two

Coffee is my regular drink in the morning. Tea is what I have throughout the rest of the day if I am craving more caffeine. Coffee aroma is mostly bold, rich and ‘invasive’ that I found irresistible. Tea is, to the contrary, is calm and tranquil. Its fragrance is acquired through the making and serving. The refreshing effect is slowly carried on and lasts long.

Understated Aroma

Tea drinking originated in China more than 4000 years ago, and it was introduced to England 300 years ago. India was once a British colony and that's when the Indians were first exposed to the tea and learned how to grow it.

Tea grows better in the warm climate such as southern China, India and Ceylon. Chinese drink brewed tea straight, but British tend to drink tea with milk and sugar. I believe most of the Americans drink Chinese tea with lemon and honey. It is just like drinking coffee with crème and sugar. Creme and sugar are intended to make coffee taste better, but they dilute original flavor.

Tea for two

Besides, good tea usually comes in a can with dehydrated tea leaves. When the tea is brewed, large leaves remain in the tea kettle. Tea from teabags are often made from ground loose tea leaves. They are as good as the whole leaves, but the flavor is not quite the same and quality may not be as supreme. Nowadays, tea providers add dehydrated fruits and flower pieces to the tea for added flavor and enhanced visual, in my opinion, it is more a marketing strategy. But if you are after ambiance, drinking fruit tea from a personal glass teapot is actually quite enjoyable.

Thinking of tea, I think about friendship.  It is purely personal. I am more a coffee drinker than tea, but I am often given tea as gifts, particularly from my Taiwanese friends. Chinese tea is available at Asian stores here, but it is mostly not fresh and the quality is no way close to what I had in Taiwan. Believe or not, in the last three decades, I have never bought any Chinese tea at the stores here, and I have never run out of the tea supply either.  I like almost all the tea cans and I kept most of them for other use.

Having two cups of tea made for pictures, I missed my old friends and good old days... Chinese has an old saying 'Gentlemen's friendship is as light as water.' 君子之交淡如水. That means, a friendship between men of virtue is light but effective. True relationship is established on mutual respect and understanding. There is no jealousy involved;  It is not forceful and the relationship is not imposed upon each other. All is natural, all is simultaneous. That's why it is as light as water.

Two for Tea

My memory tunnel goes back to my school days when the music recorder in our house was playing Doris Day’s ‘Tea for Two’. 

“tea for two and two for tea, just me for you and you for me. Nobody near us to see us or hear us, no friends or relations on weekend vacations…”

This song has been played in many movies and has always stuck in my mind. I actually used it for my ring tone for a few years till my phone was sunk in tub water. How I learned my lesson in the hard way: Be smart. Don't bring the smartphone into the restroom.

What a joy to enjoy a cup of authentic tea with an old friend in this environment? Tea is freshly brewed. Morning sun has just lightly touched the ground. It glowed on the tea kettle and illuminated the background. I found the scrips on Kim Klassen's texture inspiring:

I lost my faith and you gave it back

You were my strength while I was weak

I am everything I am because you loved me

You touched my hand I could touch the sky

You gave me wings and made me fly 

Beauty is made for Tea

This is exactly what I am thinking about my friends and many precious moments that I had enjoyed a nice cup of tea with them.

I don't usually collect 'trophies' while traveling, but this mug is too beautiful to resist. The price tag $15 for a mug is silly, but if you know coffee costs $5 minimum in Norway. This $15 isn't too much overall.  But I brought it home and I put it up for display. Now I got it out for a picture and I will start to put it into use, enjoy my morning coffee or afternoon tea. I need to increase its value by using it.

The other mug was bought for the man in my house. I thought he would not like the mug with flowers. So I got this one with Leaves and Grapes. Now I can say, they represent Tea and Wine. Oh, my goodness, it sounds like something I really need, a good afternoon nap.

One thing I noticed, the design and color of European ceramics are intense, vivid and outspoken vs those from the Chinese version are peaceful, subtle and understated. Interesting, isn't it?

Afternoon doze-off

Bug me, Please

 

Wonder how “Don’t bug me” phrase was started at the first place. On quite a few occasions I really felt the threat of the bugs, but occasionally, like this last week, I hope they come to bug me, to be my photo subject.

The most deadly bug attack I had was at Steens Mountain swamp in Central Oregon. It was our first visit and we were not fully prepared to bug proof. . Small price to pay to enjoy the stunning colors of the swamp, I think. I remember that we had to dash out of the place and run into a general store to get a $7 can of bug repellent.  I still quivered and felt itching all over whenever I thought about it.

I like to shoot birds and natural habitats such as wildlife refugees are full of bugs. From distance they look like tornadoes. When I had to pass by them, I usually held my breath and walked as fast as I can. It’s like walking past a bug blind. But for the love of shooting birds, I have no problem to bear the nuisance.

In this nice summer days, we like to enjoy our meals on the porch. Just recently got a smoker, smoking meats become our weekend routine. Bees (I mean, yellow jackets, not honey bees) do not go to the trap any more, they hang out our patio table and sniffed our smoked meat without fail. We have a Zapper (like a tennis racket with metal screen, battery-powered) which works really well, but I don’t enjoy roasting bees while we are having our dinner.

Why God created so many bugs? To fill in the void space as the universe is so big and plenty of room left? Of course not. I think they are created as the food for many creatures, at least I know my birds live on the seeds and bugs. I have seen hummingbirds attacked bugs in the air. On this note, I accept their existence as long as they don’t attack me except that I tend to be the victim of mosquitoes, I think they like Chinese food.

I am not that patient hunter. But when the opportunity comes, I don’t let it go easily either. A pair of butterflies have been come back and forth to my yard as freely as they wish. They remind me of a fictional Chinese love story. ‘Romeo’ was sick and died. ‘Juliet’ came to moan and die from overwhelming grief... There were two white butterflies flew out of the tombs just before The End shows on the movie screen… 

They are not fancy butterflies, but it is interesting to look at it close and examine its delicate parts. Butterfly's antenna is used to detect which plants are producing nectar and males are using them to sense pheromones from female. At the base of the antennas there is an organ called Johnston Organ which controls the orientation of the Butterfly.

The most interesting part to me is the proboscis which is like a long nose. Imagine how elephants fetch their food. This proboscis is the channel for the nectar to pass through from the flower to the mouth of the Butterfly. 

I happened to capture the image on the right when this moth is ready to take in the nectar that it just harvested. The coil and the big eye of the little creature caught my eyes.

People (including me) often think Butterfly is more attractive than Moth. Most of the moths look plain, I agree. They are usually blended in and appeared lost in the background. But God played a little favor and designed the nice robe for them.  Did English kings' apparel designers were inspired by a little moth to design the robes for the kings? They certainly look the same to me.

Never too late to learn particularly I have not spent much time on biology as a student. Brisk as butterfly and quiet as moth, I say, bug me, I would love to take their pictures.

Exactly what is the difference between a butterfly and a moth. The chart below offered by Encyclopedia Britannia is a good illustration.