I have to report to the diary that today began very early, in fact, at 5/30. The reasons for this are that I wanted to do something interesting before the oppressive heat returned, and also wanted to get a beautiful shot showing the moon and the reflection of the moon in the water fronting my building. This is a sight of great beauty which not many people are privileged to see, so sharing it by way of several photographs seemed to be an excellent idea.
The first shot I took was of the moon, through the trees which are near the parking area and the gatehouse. There was a mist or fog blanketing the ground which made the perfect contrast to the small, overhead moon glowing through a black lace of the trees; quite a spectacular sight.
The second shot is of the moon above in the early morning sky as well as the twin reflection in the water of the slough which is now standing, rather than flowing, on monastery property. There was absolute silence with no frogs, no birds, no coyotes and not even the lone owl that is often heard during the night. With no trains passing, there was nearly absolute silence which only added to the timeless beauty of the scene.
To take the third shot, it was necessary to walk toward the gatehouse. While on the pavement just before the gatehouse, I turned and pointed my little camera upwards, toward the building where both Father Shio and I are living. It was possible to get a sweeping view of several groupings of white flowers: daisies; white hydrangea, as they twisted their way up the sloping landscape. Just as I was getting ready to take the shot, the outdoor floodlight came on, adding a little bit of mystery and interest to the photographed scene.
By this time, the mosquitoes had noticed my presence and became increasingly annoying, which was a signal to end this little adventure and return indoors to hide from both the increasing heat and the pestilence of the mosquitoes.