Kyoto desktop backgrounds/wallpaper: sakura (cherry blossoms)

Kyoto is thronged with tourists now, and they all eventually make their way to Maruyama Koen to photograph the drooping cherry blossoms (shidarezakura) of this cherry tree, which is the most famous in the city. So, here it is, 1024 X 768 size. Yesterday we had our son's Omiya Mairi (a sort of Japanese-style christening) at Yasaka-san, which adjoins Maruyama Park, so we certainly had a lot of well-wishers when we went to take a few photos at the sakura. I saw my wife in her kimono (sakura pink) for the first time (she hadn't worn it since graduating college), which was a delightful bonus. I feel a tremendous joy at becoming a father, becoming a family. My wife gave birth to a healthy and wonderful son, and I feel as if he in turn has given birth to us as parents.

I apologize to everyone whose email I haven't gotten to in the past week. Been very busy with these things and business and a dental emergency just for fun. Also, I am getting requests every day, sometimes 2 or 3, for help with accommodations and travel in kyoto. I try but I can't keep up. I wish I could. I have build up a lot of material and keep saying "the new site is almost ready to debut," but haven't come through. The need for the site is actually increasing, so I am going to put myself on a production schedule for this.