Thankfulness

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This date is special for Shin and Mei-Shun. They’ve made it a rule to dine out dressed-up, yet share a slight cold this year. It means for her to play double roles of hostess and nurse at home — too big a responsibility. All right, she told to herself. “You were able to see a doctor, prescribed with medicine while he could not but help himself by commercially available one. Why don’t you feel happy to serve him all day long?” Yes, she does, seeing him satisfied with beef steak, chiffon cake and good sleep.

Dragonfly Kiss!

Dragonfly Kiss!

Joy of Rose

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Mei-Shun visited 旧古河庭園 with Professor S. They applied for a tour to enjoy autumnal roses there, fortunately won in the drawing. Starting from 9:00, they gave us a 5-minute lecture. It is very interesting that the flower originates in the Middle East, which seems one of the reasons for popularity of rose water around the region. Today’s Ms. Scent is 春芳=shumpo, with lovely silver-pink color and fascinating tea fragrance while Ms. Beauty White Christmas below in creamy white, round petals and fruity aroma.

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To be continued to 21st, Fri.

After 1Y + 28Wks

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Meow, is it? Mom rarely leaves me alone at home all day, while often does half a day. No problem. I take a nap in my beds, on the sofa, beside windows facing south. But yesterday, a cushion in the white bed put on roof floor followed me to the landing of the stairs. It sometimes does, hiss! I had to move to the red one in my cage. The latter is for nights, dried in sunlight by mom during daytime. Don’t change my routine. And you, mom, don’t forget to give me 15 minutes on your legs.

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Copyright © 2016 Mikan-chan All Rights Reserved.

 

2nd Harvest?

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It looks they harvest rice only once in early autumn. That plant is strong enough to grow again, while no sparrows come to sip milk from the ears. They might be empty or too small to feed little birds. If the first, tasty harvest results from agricultural efforts including pesticides and fertilizers, the second one symbolizes what it is by right, doesn’t it? Our ancestors have tampered with the nature to eat more. We currently try to eat less for good health.

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Autumn Style

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Mei-Shun went out with Shin in the morning to visit a beauty salon in Shinagawa. With advice by her designated hairdresser, she got a curling treatment. More than 20 years have passed since she had it last time — amazing progress in technology. Thank you, Mr. H. She then met Shin again at a Japanese restaurant which serve them delicacies full of autumnal scent. Her excursion was successfully closed in Asakusa to buy 草履=zouri, Japanese sandal for 汐汲 performance.

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Izayoi Moon

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2016 had 十五夜 or the best moon on September 15 while 十三夜 tonight, with thick clouds and “Clair de Lune” by Ms. Piano. It is interesting that both months start from 朔=saku, a new moon, making it easy to count her beautiful shapes. The latter is said to be clearer than the former, one of the reasons our ancestors held moon-watching party twice. Well, we could not have seen either this year. Shall we expect Saturday, a bona fide full moon?

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Ijuro VII

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Master Mei-Shu belongs to generation of heavy phonograph records. It was so hard to bring weighty items to lesson sites, she says. She currently uses cassette tapes, some of which derive from old phonographs via open reels. That is why they are full of noise and jumpiness: original source were already hurt. Mei-Shun therefore decided to purchase CDs — who offers DL for classical Japanese music including 長唄=naga-uta, 大和楽=yamato-gaku, 清元=kiyomoto and 常磐津=tokiwazu?

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Meow Fortune

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Mei-Shun drew an omikuji fortune slip all the same as the one she did at the beginning of this year — the 22nd 吉=kichi, meaning lucky with a number sounds like a cat calling you twice. Only a difference between them is property of paper. Oh, it reminds her the sight here in new year days. Several girls in white kimono and red 袴=hakama, Japanese pants served to hand us results while we normally help ourselves. They are called 巫女=miko, maiden employees at temples and shrines.

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Japanese Culture@holiday

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Before Happy Monday System was introduced, Health and Sports Day had been set on October 10th. In 1964, the Olympic Games held in Tokyo for the first time started on this date. They say one of the reasons for the choice is that it is a peculiar day of fair weather, called “singular day” by Japanese meteorologists. Well, if the next Tokyo Olympic hold an opening ceremony in August, would we have another holiday added onto current list?

Shall We?

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Mei-Shun’s goal in horse riding is dressage. A horse and his/her rider would cooperate with each other to make beautiful performance, that seems to resemble dancing. In Japanese dance, performer is fundamentally alone on the stage. On the other hand, dressage requires good communication between a horse and a human being in the field. Therefore, the more she practices with kind horseys, the more she might be interested in 連舞=tsure-mai, meaning Pas de deux or Duet.