Shin reserved a hotel in front of 二条城 this time. It is very nice to see such a popular sightseeing point through a window, avoiding crowd. Early in the morning, they enjoyed walking around the garden after breakfast. Another pleasure to stay here is a nice French restaurant “C’EST SYMPA“. They serve really beautiful dishes and wines for amazingly reasonable price, while net shopping is available.
Though we have serial hot days since this weekend, fog is often seen in early mornings around here. Mei-Shun found a couple of wild duck swimming together on 乙戸沼 the other day. Softly coated with mist, they looked so romantic. A cormorant stood still on a fountain head. One thing she learned after driving her car for 8 years is that fog lamps work very well in this condition.
Mei-Shun loves 橘寺. Shin prefers 飛鳥寺. In detail, the former admires 六臂如意輪観音 while the latter 飛鳥大仏. Thanks to heavy rainfall on Saturday, air was washed up for clear Sunday. Starting from 石舞台, they enjoyed cycling with rental bicycles assisted by electric motors. Oh, we can see pretty 蓮華, Astragalus sinicus still left on rice paddy ready to be watered.
熱川バナナワニ園 have many greenhouses accommodating tropical fruits, flowers and the manatee boy of course. They knock Mei-Shun and Shin down with such lovely round shapes — that’s why they named him Mammal-kun. Not only for his species, mal means “round” in Japanese written 丸 or 円. Other examples include banana, coffee and papaya as well. Sorry to exclude you, star fruit, while we love your unique looks.
Mei-Shun walked to the nearest shrine as usual. She heard a pheasant guy call his partner on the way, for the first time of this year. How nice to see you again! … oh, not really because she could not catch him in sight. They are so good at hide-and-seek games, make us human beings ever losers. No problem, you kindly tell us that we are in the middle of spring with 啓蟄=keichitsu, the third of spring 二十四節気 yesterday.
I feel better today, after a bit trouble around my tail from Monday. Thanks to the calling 2. 22 meow-meow-meow maybe, while nya-nya-nya in Japanese. Purr, nice sunlight. Mom walked out to hang futon mats, left me on the blanket. No problem. I’ll make a shrimp here… purr … shudder! It has got cold suddenly. Clouds began to cover the sky. Okay, I’ll move into the bed. This is my favorite, reminds me of the one I used in babyhood … meow, mom’s back!
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Such a day is called 冬日和=fuyu-biyori, mom says. My favorite time in winter comes every morning: Aladdin wakes up to give out warm wind a minute before 5:00, while mom opens the cage door calling my name. Still dark outdoors, I check around my territory. Hi, Cymby, you look fine. But how freezing your realm is in stairs hall, hiss! Hunger suddenly caught me. Mom, breakfast please. By the way, I’ve not seen dad … is he all right? Coming back from the U.S. on Sunday? That’s terrific, purr.
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Shin and Mei-Shun visited her mother’s home, one week later than expected. Now let’s enjoy mom’s best 黒豆=kuromame, sweet-simmered black soybean and 数の子=kazunoko, hot herring roe marinade. A tree of 蝋梅=robai or Japanese allspice welcomed them in full bloom. It was her beloved father who fell in love with this winter flower soon after its market introduction. Bright yellow petals look like art works made of wax, giving the sweetest scent around — you can recognize it at a distance of 10 feet.
Mei-Shun drove mom-in-law to one of major shrines in Japan 八坂神社=yasaka-jinja whose headquarters is located in Kyoto. It is called 祇園さん as well, since the famous Gion Festival is hosted by them. Our nearest branch of 八坂神社 was late dad-in-law’s favorite. He used to buy something at a food stand along a path to the shrine to warm up our hands during midnight queuing for hours. 17 years later, we quietly spend 30 minutes in sunshine to worship.
Purr, it’s so comfortable. We have 大雪=taisetsu, the third of winter 二十四節気 today I heard. They say it snows a lot hereafter, that we felt in this chilly morning. Didn’t we, mom? I slept in her 半纏 till noon, when clouds in the sky had been blown away to give sunlight. She likes to dry bed items outside, while I love to bask in the sun on them. I am quick enough to slip onto futon mat. Let me relax and warm my coat for a moment, mom.
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meishunkikunoe 