Wild flowers seem to like autumn, not only spring. They make hordes next to walking courses of Mei-Shun around 乙戸沼 Pond while along rice paddies, making her eyes deeply pleased. Her mother taught her little daughter that blue ones below are called 露草=tsuyu-kusa. Or dayflower in English, their one-day life rings a bell for morning dew, it is said. Other names include 青花=ao-bana and 月草=tsuki-kusa, meaning blue flower and moon plant respectively.
Today’s highest temperature in Ibaraki was just a bit lower than 33 degrees Celsius. Yes, September is such a month these days. Most of Mei-Shun’s generation, sometimes called 昭和人=Showa-jin, people born in our previous era, remember clearer boundaries between four seasons 2 decades before. Maybe affected by global warming, recent summers appear to reside with us until winters approach just nearby. So does next-door 百日紅=saru-suberi, serving Mei-Shun a gift in eyes.
We had 二百十日=nihyaku-toka, 210th day after 立春 on the last day of August this year. It is said to represent a time when rice harvest and typhoon landfalls often come together, a warning to farmers. And this flower called 彼岸花, higanbana in Japanese or Lycoris radiata carries three names in English including hurricane lily, red spider lily and cluster-amaryllis. Mei-Shun cannot help hoping such beauty in nature be ever resonant with peaceful repose of our lives.
And Solar September starts from today. It is a nice coincidence for the first days of modern and older calendars to meet on the same date, isn’t it? That also means we have a new moon tonight, the best timing to make your wish to a god. Mei-Shun’s is good health of course, not only for herself but for her family and friends. Health in body leads to one in mind, collaborate to create beauty and happiness. She wishes she could wish for everybody including those she does not know.
It is so big that Mei-Shun was nearly shocked at first. Shin, take her most profound gratitude please. They say your face oil serves for better luster on this gemstone. She therefore takes everyday care of it, anticipating an excellent debut on kimono — it is a 帯留, obi-dome accessory for obi sash. 久慈, kuji in Iwate Prefecture has one of the oldest amber-embracing strata in the world, Santonian, Late Cretaceous. How romantic it is to see Mother Earth memory of more than 85 million years ago!
Shin and Mei-Shun visited 水郷 Park. They found that it is one of “Poké-Sta.” since there were many people walking around with their smart phones in hand. The former looked happy to play on his own while the latter was more interested in flowers around them. She had believed that they slept at night, yet some of these lotuses bloomed in lovely pink. Or mischievous monsters might ask them to provide good hiding places.
Typhoon VII, or Chanthu roared over Kanto area around midnight. One thing for Mei-Shun is that she tends to catch a slight cold by failure in air conditioning while typhoons go by. They bring heavy rain and sultriness which force her to be shut up indoors all day long. She knows artificially cooled bedroom is the worst for health, yet it is the best after bath. Ms. Full Moon, great to see you. Please tell her what to do when she misses you in thick clouds.
Our nearest shrine, where Mei-Shun drops in during her walking workout, grows them along the entrance path. Their beautiful profiles seem like welcoming visitors, while leading souls of beloved ones to their homes on obon vacation. It starts from tomorrow on Saturday, looking convenient for most of salaried workers. We had the newest holiday Mountain Day last Thursday, so if a leave is allowed including today, they would have 6-day off.
We have 立秋=risshu, the 13th of 二十四節気 yesterday. It means autumn has come, while nobody could recognize it in the middle of summer. Still, we find it in these ripe golden ears of rice, bowing themselves into the same direction. 案山子, kakashi started their bulwark against flocks of little birds with big appetite.
昇仙峡, Shosenkyo is one of the most beautiful places Mei-Shun recommend you to visit. White, uniquely shaped rocks give wonderful contrast with clean, emerald water especially in winter followed by simmering hoto. It is a miso stew with various vegetables including pumpkin, Japanese white radish, carrot, leak, etc. while meat and hoto noodle. We found it nice in summer as well with egg plant, cucumber, tomato and okra today.
meishunkikunoe 