2012-01-02

Happy new year!

Here's a turtle guarding a flower arrangement.

No, I kid — it's part of the arrangement. I guess. This is from Ikebana koryu hyakubin 生花古流百瓶 ("One hundred vases of Koryū[-school] ikebana"), by Shōtōsai Richō 松藤斎理長. The featured flower is the narcissus, which features in many a celebratory new-year bouquet because it happens to flower in December. 80% of success in life is just showing up, even in the plant kingdom.

Sorry things dropped off silently at the end of the year there — bit of a family emergency. With luck I will be back to the Monday-Thursday schedule this year.

Popularity factor: 10

§

Carl:

今年にも竜がごとく！

§

Leonardo Boiko:

去年は卯のごとく？ http://www.netyokocho.jp/shop/futatunotebukuro/photo/radA470F.jpg

hope everything’s good with family.

§

languagehat:

I share the new year's wishes and the hope that all is well again with family.

§

Rurousha:

Happy dragon year! I hope your family is OK, and I look forward to your posts for 2012!

§

Azuma:

Best New Year's wishes to you and to your family -- and don't worry about any hiatus: you've earned your readers' loyalty, so take care.

§

Morgan:

Best wishes for the New Year to you and yours.

§

Sgt Tanuki:

I trust you'll take it in the correct spirit when I note that this illustration reminds me of Yertle the Turtle... Actually, in all seriousness, do you suppose this has anything to do with the Cosmic Turtle myth?

Happy New Year, and I hope all is well with you and yours.

§

Matt:

I have no idea how this ikebana school got its turtles wedged into its flower arrangements, or why... I mean, do we even see turtles this time of year? The ones in the park near where I live are all hibernating as far as I can tell.

And yes, thanks (everybody), the emergency was resolved without any permanent ill-effects. Just took longer than expected for my schedule to clear up once the worst was over!

§

Leonardo Boiko:

You know, I think that’s what I need to get to write more for my Nikki: regularity. Feels like a good goal for 2012. I guess I’ll try to update once every Sunday or something.

§

HBD1bg4TWs:

Delessard Flore - Hello Al!Just some words to say you that I'm really imprsseed by your pictures!Congratulations! You make a great job!If I get married, I will call you !! Kiss!Flore

Aime la vérité, mais pardonne à l'erreur

Nom
LU d'R
Mail d'E
Mot

All fields optional. E-mail address will never be displayed, resold, etc. -- it's just a quick way to give me your e-mail address along with your comment, if you should feel the need. URL will be published, though, so don't enter it if it's a secret. You can use <a href>, but most other tags will be filtered out. (I'll fix it in post-production for you if it seems necessary.)