Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Midweek Therapy

Hey, it's half-past week, and I don't know about you but I'm pooped already.

Time for a chill out.

Here are some of Phil's koi that I was feeding for him the other day when he was working in Belgium.

He has some MASSIVE carp down at the bottom but they don't come up at this time of year. Maybe next summer we can persuade him to photograph them for us.
Honestly, they'd scare the crap out of Captain Ahab!

Last Saturday, when we were in Norwich for breakfast the Japanese Norfolk Friendship folk were putting on all sorts of displays. We were too early for the drumming but both Phil and I love bonsai so we moseyed on over to check out these three.

The first is a Chinese juniper in literati style. Very graceful and elegant.

Next up is a multi-trunk planting. Lovely.

This big old broom style specimen is a species I'm not familiar with but the guy has been training it for seventeen years and it's a beaut!

Check out that bark. Yay!
Were I three inches tall I could just sit under there and relax for hours.

But instead I've got to get some work done. Damn, damn, damn!

16 comments:

Katie said...

Wow, these look like the trees I saw in Oregon over the weekend! Er, not. Very cool trees though. And trying to say "Phil's fish" three times fast isn't as much of a tongue twister as I would have thought.

dive said...

Yes, they are rather smaller than those magnificent Oregon forests.
One day I hope to get to see those for real.

Katherine said...

The bark is awesome on that last tree! Perfect tree to paint if you can pull it off--I mean the painting, not the bark.

dive said...

Hee hee!

Vanda said...

You mean, scare the carp out of cpt. Ahab? nyuk-nyuk

My friend's brother-in-law in Orange
county has some huge koi in their back yard. I have pic of one of the kids petting one of the fish.

Alifan said...

Lovely relaxing photo's.. hope you are more relaxed now..... and feeling better....chill as they say!

from cali said...

I hope that bark is worse than it's bite! (Pathetic, I know!)

Your mum is right: chill! Paris is around the corner. You lucky, lucky man!

mark said...

Nice post Dive. I enjoyed it. I have a small pond with 3 koi. I even gave them names, Nemo, Cub, and Tiger. Is that pathetic or what?

dive said...

Hee hee, Vanda; nyuk-nyuk indeed!

Big koi are great fun, especially when they eat out of your hand.

Mum: Brr … I don't need to chill; it's almost autumnal here this morning.

Cali: I do love awful puns. Yay!
And yes, I just spent a happy hour videochatting with Katie, going through all the things we need to pack for Paris. Woohoo!

Mark: They be upset if you didn't name them. Koi are cool.

Alifan said...

Just popped in and talking about fish names.... I always think of what you used to call yours.........all of them! it is a bit parky this morning isn't it...have a good day..

Shan said...

OH to be a fly on the wall for a video chat!! Young love....(collective sigh) :D

As for koi, neat that Phil has them and even some lippy carp!

For a spell I had a recurrent dream about a fish that looked like a koi only totally round. It was a scary "dark water" dream and I was out swimming in it with this fish on a line. I think it was dead too. Ick Ick Ick.

I have no idea what my psyche was working out on that one but it didn't help the seafood phobia one bit.

dive said...

Mum: Yup. All fish are called Bob. Just ask 'em and that's what they'll tell you.

Shan: Hee hee. You just missed being a fly on the wall as Katie and I have just finished a videochat and she is now on her way to work.
In less than two weeks we'll be meeting in Gard du Nord! Woohoo!
I'll take lots of photos for you.

As for your spherical koi, that sounds icky! Enough to put anyone off sushi.

Anonymous said...

Why don't the big carp come up now? Do they hibernate this early? Around here, people have to protect their fish ponds from raccoons and egrets.

dive said...

Lupine Lady: The big carp get kind of antisocial around this time of year and start to slow down ready for hibernation. The ornamental koi on the other hand are just greedy and will come up on any old excuse.

Our egrets are too tiny and cute to take koi (we have the lovely little white ones) and we have no raccoons, but we do have to watch out for big herons, though Phil's carp would probably eat a heron were it fool enough to land in his pond.

neetzy said...

Love the koi and the bonsaii. My neighbor has a large pond. He stocked it with beautiful Koi. They grew to impressive sizes and disappeared. The snapping turtles also grew to impressive sizes. The great blue herons frequent the place. Coincidence?

dive said...

Neetzy: herons are beautiful but I'm glad I don't keep ornamental fish around here.