The sun is about to cross the celestial equator and that will mark the beginning of the new year for many people around the globe. I was surprised when discovered that in Japan spring equinox day is a national holiday and is celebrated at shrines and temples. For instance, the ceremonies at Pure Land Buddhist temples are believed to help souls enter the world of light, and at the famous Shinto shrine of Ise dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu, a festival is held to celebrate the renewal of life on earth.
Here in San Diego, spring arrived in mid February. The as yet unidentified tree outside the office presented the opportunity for this picture.
On the old blog:
Mark M. Hancock said...
It looks like a Bradford pear (Pyrus calleryana), often called the Callery pear. It's a fruitless pear tree known for its small white flowers in the spring, shade in the summer and radiant colors in the fall. 5:02 PM
mehyar said...
Thanks Mark. Your description is accurate. 11:33 AM