Summer's End?

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Thought I'd write a post on the very long hot summer we've enjoyed(?) this year. Usually, the summer here is hot and humid but I've never experienced one as long as this one. Over the last couple of days we've actually had temperatures of 27~28C. I should point out here I'm not complaining about the heat, but showing relief that the temperature has dropped from the 30+ degrees it's been since mid July! We're still having tropical nights (temp doesn't drop below 25C) and we're due a very powerful typhoon tonight that's going to drag higher temperatures back from the tropics tomorrow :(

You'll probably hear me complaining about the cold come January, but for the moment, I'd give anything for a bit of cool! However, the weather has been spectacular in other ways. The skies have been remarkably clear at times with wonderful cloud formations, and because of the heat the local greenery and wildlife has demonstrated a fecundity that's given us some great photo ops :)

Old Japan

Today we went out for a ride on our bicycles. Went a lot further than we'd planned and ended up at the Saitama Farming Museum. Very relaxing though small place. Basically, a few old farm buildings salvaged from around Saitama and lovingly refurbished and laid out according to the plan of an old farming hamlet of a couple of hundred years ago. There are fish ponds, mini rice paddies and various farming implements of the long blunt stick type. The weather was beautiful, and the overall atmosphere about as idyllic as a Hayao Miyazaki animated movie. Beautiful day, but didn't actually get a lot of photography done. Will definitely be going back again though :)

Chaos Squared

Chaos theory about to take wing.... ; )

More on the subject of butterflies as after a couple of warm days the weather has yet again taken a turn for the worse. Some suggest this is the work of La Nina. This time very strong winds and torrential rain so was drenched within ten steps going to work : (

Anyway, nature thought for the day. If the flapping of a butterfly wing can change the course of a hurricane, then imagine the consequences of four........