Full Moon at Yangjaecheon

                  Today is the 15th day of the 8th month on the lunar calendar - the day Korea celebrates Chuseok - The Harvest Moon Festival. Besides filling ourselves with foods that simply ooze with deliciousness such as traditional rice cakes (Songpyeon) and playing games with our family, we also go out to see the full moon. Traditionally, the agrarian society made wishes to the moon for health and prosperity. Nowadays, though, many simply enjoy watching the moon, as I did today. 

                  There were more people out at Yangjaecheon than usual, having a fun time with their loved ones under the gorgeous luminosity.

 Just visible above the trees

Shining bright over the apartment blocks

So many people under the bridge, simply having a chat or a laugh together.

The colors of the stream this evening were so harmonious, composed and relaxing. 

A green bus makes its way under the moonlight

 

A wild raccoon, according to passersby. It's hard to imagine such a creature among the sprawling Tower Palace buildings.

Wishing you all good fortune <3

Lavender, Ivory, Cocoa and Cyan at Yangjaecheon

My third day of freedom with the colors:

                  Seeing your favorite flower unexpectedly really makes your day. Aster frikartii (Flora’s Delight) shyly hid among the bushes, but of course, there was no way I could miss the lavender-blue. This type of Michaelmas daisies isn’t just loved for its lovely shade but also for its long flowering season, spanning from mid-summer to autumn. It is also quite strong – it doesn’t need staking except in windy gardens and is also mildew-resistant. BBC Gardening tells me it looks great with Echinacea purpurea (Coneflower) and Achillea millefolium (Yarrow). What do you think?  http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plant_finder/plant_page/74.shtml 

                  The rain hasn't come for a few days, and I was happy to be able to walk along the skipping stones again under a clear sky.

                  I found out the name of this particular group of trees that I see so often: 쥐똥나무 (Ligustrum obtusifolium). I childishly chuckle at its funny Korean name; literally, it means “Rat Poo Tree”. It was named after the shape of its berries – apparently bearing a high resemblance to rat feces. However the berries may look, the flowers are minute white gems among the deep green when they bloom in June. I heard some people are actually wishing that the name be changed to “검정알나무” (Black Bead Tree”) to avoid the offensive name. These trees can be easily seen in urban environments in Korea. To my surprise, they have amazing medical powers. Applying slightly ground raw berries onto bleeding gums has therapeutic effects. Tea made from their berries has curative properties for diabetes and body aches. http://www.ohmynews.com/NWS_Web/View/at_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=A0001872855 

                                      Its berries apparently resemble rat feces, hence the Korean name "쥐똥나무"!

  

                 Now that the water on the pavement has dried, the cyclists are out to enjoy the cool air and mellow sunlight. I suddenly miss speeding away on my two wheels, getting my hair blowing about messily in my face but gleefully happy at the same time.

                  One, two, three, four… and five! I saw more sparrows than I expected in just a corner of a bushy patch. The soft shades of brown and the tiny beaks are not a common sight in cities all around the world. In the Netherlands, for example, they are already an endangered species. Researchers have not yet been able to pick out one specific explanation for its population’s decline. So far, the electromagnetic radiation from mobile phones and destruction of their habitats through the construction of manicured lawns and other gardening measures are the main reasons to blame.

                  I spotted several blue mint beetles. The shiny electric blue never fails to cheer me up. Yet, they are actually considered pests in various gardening environments; the adult and larval variants of Chrysolina coerulans eat the foliage on mint plants, becoming a widespread problem on the mainland of Europe.

            One small thing! How can we distinguish moths from butterflies quickly and easily? When they land on a surface, the former spread their wings widely while the latter fold theirs. For example, if you ever come across a White Witch moth, don’t confuse it for a butterfly! http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thysania_agrippina