Krause Clouds & Ginkgo (12-13-2010)

Photos: Foothill Clouds
and Mountain View Ginkgos

Cloud Photographs at Foothill College
Los Altos Hills and Ginkgo Photographs
Ortega Ave & Latham St., Mountain View

Saturday, December 11, 2010
Sunday-Monday, Dec. 12-13, 2010

By Peter Y. Chou
WisdomPortal.com

Preface: Today is the 10th anniversary of Dad's passing on December 13, 2000 at the age of 98½. Dad spent two years (1972-74) translating the philosophical works of the Neo-Confucian sage Chou Tun-Yi (1017-1073), and quoted from him often: "Sincerity is the foundation of the sage." In my Eulogy at Dad's Memorial Service, I mentioned how Dad was a man of value and wonder. I'm sharing ten photos taken the last three days on sunset clouds at Foothill College, Los Altos Hills, and ginkgo trees in Mountain View that reflect the wonder of nature. Saturday, December 11, was the last day Foothill Krause Center was open until January 3. I had just completed the Notes to Poem "Sextillion Stars" and sent them to my friends Rudy and Jack. Around 4 pm, Jack showed up at Krause Center to give me a ride to Los Altos Library when Krause Center closed at 5 pm. I had not seen Jack in a month as he was taking care of his 95-year old Mom, so it was nice to see him. As we headed for Parking Lot 4, the sunset sky was gorgeous— a haze of orange clouds hovered above the foothills. There was a half-moon and light orange cloud looking like a comet. These six photos were taken from 5:10 pm to 5:12 pm. These clouds were far more beautiful than those a week earlier (Saturday, Dec. 4) when Rudy and I saw dark storm clouds over the hills. The following day (Sunday, Dec. 12, 3:27 pm), I noticed the bright yellow ginkgo tree at the corner of Ortega Avenue and Latham Street, close to where I live. So I took photos of this ginkgo from both sides. The next day (Monday, Dec. 13, 2:00 pm), I took a photo of 550 Ortega Avenue with nine ginkgo trees lined up. However seven ginkgo trees were completely barren of leaves. The one next to the corner ginkgo had 2/3 of its leaves gone. Only the corner ginkgo still appears in full bloom, although many leaves were shed in a day (see field of yellow beneath the tree). Three years earlier (Dec. 13, 2007), on the 7th anniversary of Dad's passing, I was inspired to write a poem "Meeting Goethe in Heidelberg" (Notes) featuring ginkgo leaves. The last photo on this page shows Gingko Home Furnishings with the word mispelled. The store even planted a small ginkgo tree at the corner of Showers Drive and El Camino Real. I pass this store daily to catch Bus #22 across the street to Stanford. Just realized that the Foothill sunset clouds and the Mountain View ginkgos symbolize the blessings from Heaven to Earth. So on this 10th anniversary of Dad's passing, I thank Dad for sharing value, wisdom, and wonder with me, for he remains a boundless treasure filled with loving memories always in my heart ♥

Sunset Clouds, Foothill Krause Center

Orange Clouds, Foothill Parking Lot 4

Light Orange Clouds, Los Altos Hills

Light Orange "Comet Cloud"

Half Moon at Sunset, Parking Lot 4

Foothill Clouds at Sunset, Parking Lot 4

Ginkgo Tree, Ortega Avenue
facing El Camino, Mountain View

Ginkgo Tree, 550 Ortega Avenue
Corner of Ortega & Latham Street

Nine Ginkgo Trees, Ortega Ave
with seven ginkgo trees barren

Gingko Home Furnishings,
2496 West El Camino Real

— Peter Y. Chou, WisdomPortal.com
Photographed at Foothill College, Los Altos Hill, December 11, 2010
and Mountain View, Ortega Ave & Latham Street, December 12-13, 2010
*** In fond memory of the 10th anniversary of Dad's passing ***