Kimekomi Doll Display at the Obon Festival

As we know that Carolyn Sawai is a master in making Kimekomi Dolls.   The doll group has a nice display at the Obon Festival as well.   Here are photos of these beautiful dolls.  Each takes advance skills and days and weeks to complete, they are artists creations, not just dolls.

What is Obon Festival?  You can google the term, or use this simplified version of the description:
Obon is a fusion of the ancient Japanese belief in ancestral spirits and a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of the on's ancestors.

 

Bonsai and Flower Display at the Obon Festival

Carolyn Sawai participated at an Obon Festival held at the Buddhist Church of Florin.

According to Wikipedia, Bonsai is the Japanese art of growing and shaping miniature trees in containers, developed from the traditional chinese art form of Penjing (Scenery in a pot).

There are several nice Bonsai on display at the event. 

While most of the Bonsai are made from evergreen/pine type of trees, it is also viable to use the decuduous trees such as maples.  

Japanese flower arrangement is opposite to the western style.  The Japanese style goes for simplicity with asymmetrical lines.    The color is usually subtle.

This is a beautiful arrangement but a bit more westernized with the bright red blowers and fuller green leaves.

Carol in Kauai, Hawaii

Carol and family had a short and sweet trip to Kauai, Hawaii.  They stayed at the Marriot Resort.   

Carol with a fake sea turtle.  Why a sea turle?

There are abundance of sea turles that come up every night to rest on the beach, and these are the real live sea turles!

Carol gets a photo taken with the real sea turtles, just could not get too close.

Beautiful scenery, Carol in paradise.

This resort claims to have the best swimming pools.

Another swimming pool.

The hotel balcony is a good spot to view the nice scenery.

Ocean view from the hotal balcony.

Sunset over the ocean.

There are free range roosters and hens.

Needless to say that the climate is right for flowers and plants. Enjoy the rest of the photos of the beautiful flowers and plants.

 

Camellia Says Goodbye to Her First Coat

Camellia has been in shows for a year, starting at 4 months old and ends at 16 months old.

Even at 16 months old, Camellia's coat is still in excellent shape.

Here are a few goodbye photos at the front door of mama Betty's home.

With the next show 4 weeks away, it's not too realistic to carry this long coat in this heat.

When the first cut is done, the rest is a breeze.

Still pretty face, but Camellia's coat is leaving her body.

Camellia's coat is getting off.

Beautiful body exposed, long wool falls.

Camellia's wool pile is bigger than Camellia herself.

 

Show C Best In Show Judging at Monterey

Show C Best In Show judge is Josh Humphries of Tennessee.

BOB American Fuzzy Lop on the table.

BOB English Angora.

Judge Josh's choice of Best In Show is Joe Kim's Mini Rex and Reserve In Show is Chris Zemny's Holland Lop.

This post concludes the photos and reports of the CRCS shows at Monterey.

 

Show B Best In Show Judging at Monterey

Show B judge is Scott Rodriguez of Colorado.

All the hopefuls waiting for the results. 

 

Judge Scott awards the Best In Show to Chris Zemny's Holland Lop and Reserve In Show to Joe Kim's Mini Rex.

Show A Best In Show Judging at Monterey

Show A Best In Show judge is Jeremy Collins.

French Angora BOB on the table.

BOB English Angora being considered, received an honorable mention.

Best In Show goes to Joe Kim's Mini Rex.

Reserve In Show goes to Paul Fickas's Florida White.