It does not mean to say good-bye but hello. So she is the youngest among the Yellow Card. Her closest sister moved into a vase throne with sweet pea maids of honor. And another princess in our garden has finished her performance, gives her kimono little by little to a friend still asleep at her feet. The latter is called 姫空木=hime-utsugi, also a princess to put on white dress early in May.
Just beautiful, isn’t she? Our garden princess has made her pink dress shining more and more day by day to reach this goal. Rain, gale or even storm cannot hurt her beauty. Speaking of which, Mei-Shun’s mother told her younger daughter the other day that Queen Peach, mother of our princess, looks deteriorating these days. So they also have life expectancy while alternation of generations has been firmly established.
東山魁夷(=Higashi-yama Kai-i) is one of favorite artists for Shin, Mei-Shun and her late father. Since his works on fusuma, paper sliding door of 唐招提寺 are exhibited at a museum in Mito, they planned to drive there today expecting less crowd. Oh? you have a TV conference from noon? Hum, it is the first of four-day off for him. He would be allowed to do as likened, yet half tomorrow followed by none on Sunday.
Here is 治部椀=jibu-wan, simmered vegetables, duck meat and 簾麩=sudare-fu, wheat gluten cake shaped like a bamboo blind dressed with thick starchy sauce served in a soup bowl. This is one of favorite dishes for Shin and Mei-Shun at a restaurant in Shinagawa, while reminds the latter of a cooking book she bought in preparation for marriage. It featured 治部煮 among ABCs of Japanese cuisine.
Mei-Shun continues piano practice, yet only 10-15 minutes a day. That means no progress in technique, even deterioration maybe. Refreshing breeze is necessary for Ms. Piano. Some of her favorite scores have many sharps and flats, while played in “Largo”. “Allegro” or “Presto agitato”, represented by the third movement of “Sonata quasi una Fantasia” by Beethoven, are never for her. Soothing music, not so complicated — oh, how about the one in animation films?
They look so cute, don’t they? When Mei-Shun saw them at a green grocery shop, she immediately fell in love. She brought this couple to home, took a photo as follows below and … put them in a basket for Madoka-chan. However, 春一番=haru-ichiban, the first southern wind blew in a speed exceeding 8m/sec. after 立春, prevented her from visiting the club. Actually, she meant to go there yet gave up on the way. Scary sight of yellow “fog” seemed to make anyone feel upset.
It is 酉= tori, rooster as mentioned before. Shin and Mei-Shun have made it a rule to visit Fukushima Airport at the beginning of the year. They are always happy to see twelve cute 干支 animals made of paulownia sawdust there, while a tabby kitty joined this year. Apples, another target were not available, so they chose kumata-pan, buns with sweetened bean paste filling. Yes, sweet … coated with white sugar, sized in your palm. It may easily make you round-shaped like our 丸酉!
For today’s lesson, Mei-Shun put on the amber 帯留=obi-dome, ornament for a string on kimono sash while a 簪=kanzashi, hair accessory beside her chignon. Both of them are gifts from her generous husband who always encourages good practice. It would be perfect with the silk kimono, yet there is a serious obstacle: she has to drive to Master Mei-Shu’s residence. That textile is so smooth that it easily come down on the floor. She cannot stand such a danger and — dirt on it.
Welcome to Japan, Angry Owls, yet could you please calm down? Your looks are at the opposite ends of your taste, so gentle. Shin has brought you home, leaving the U. S. just on the day of new president’s inauguration. We wish no facade like yours would reflect real emotion among them. By the way, it is rare to employ blue in food for us Japanese. Flowers, are you trying to decrease our appetite? You might be right, since shortbreads are high-caloric delicacy.
of 2017, thank you so much, Master Mei-Shu. It is the best way to make Mei-Shun straighten her spine — prepare kimono, put it on with お太鼓=o-taiko, sash shaped in a square on the back. Master gave her student a new 舞扇=mai-ogi, a fan used in Japanese dance as usual. Oh, how pretty this salmon-pink is! It well encourages Mei-Shun to practice hard 京鹿子娘道成寺=kyo-kanoko-musume-dojoji. It is the set piece for our Kikunoe Ryu certificates including 段=dan, 名取=natori and 師範=shihan.
meishunkikunoe 