Milky Way on Earth

July 7th is Tanabata or Star Festival,  based on  the Chinese legend which is the sad story about two star-crossed lovers. Only once a year on July 7th, the two lovers  are allowed to meet,  crossing the Milky Way  if the weather is fine.

On the night of July 7th, Milky Way appeared in Nakanoshima, Osaka. About fifty thousand blue LED bulbs were thrown into the river and filled it with ephemeral subtle twinkling.

This event was held also to pray for the recovery of Tohoku Area hit by hideous earthquake on March 11th.

Some of my former high-school classmates and I had a reunion to enjoy this Milky Way together.  Unfortunately for the two lovers,  the night was rainy.   But the blue Milky Way gave us even more fantastic coolness because of rain. We were so enchanted that we forgot to make a wish. But we noticed that we have not seen the real Milky Way for a long time. Our cities are too bright to allow us to see the stars. We wondered when was the last time we had seen Milky Way in the sky.  It was so long ago that we could not remember. Oh, no! How about you?

After 9 o'clock, they started to collect LED bulbs.
Too soon!

Before the event, we had dinner together.
Chatting, chatting, chatting! This is a typical Japanese cuisine;
raw fish, Tempura, cooked vegetables, sesame Tofu, noodle, rice and more.

Lotus flowers and water lilies are blooming. Perhaps now is the best time
 to enjoy their beauty. A breeze over a pond gently makes ripples.

Five swallow chicks left the nest one day before Star Festival, on July 6th.

Near the nest, their Mom is feeding them.

My camera has been my best friend, but she has not been well. So now she is in a camera hospital.　The last two photos were taken by her, but the photos of Milky Way were taken with another camera which I 'm not yet  used to. I don't know when she will be back.  Meanwhile, I may use old photos or just slow down and take fewer photos, because I may not be able to take satisfactory photos or not such good ones with another camera. I miss my old camera・・・・・

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