Sleet to Snow

Standard

Meow, 3rd of 2022 day of mine has come. I heard from mom that it is the first time after decades for her to see such weather in March. Freezing from early this morning, while seemed normal. However, temperature stayed below 5 degrees Celsius, even lower around noon when I found white petals coming down from gray sky. “Oh, Master Bando safely received her birthday flowers I sent”, she said.

Copyright © 2022 Mikan-chan All Rights Reserved.

Japanese Culture@holiday

Standard

Thanks a lot, young people to reach 20 years old within March 2023. You give us adults a holiday on Monday, making 3-day little vacation after just 2-day new year. No rain, no snow is convenient for gorgeous kimonos you put on, that makes Mei-Shun feel happy as well. She stays at home with Mikan-chan like a normal weekday — Shin works as usual. Such a situation is suitable to vacuum rooms up, while to cook beans.

Bon Appétit!

Standard

Mei-Shun takes it nice to see a new month starts from Monday. November 2021 therefore has 5 beginnings of a week, seems a bit rare for shorter months with 30 days. It might not be a reason why Kaori-san chose this timing, while she saw one of her high-school friends just in front of 寿=Kotobuki Building, Kyoto which accommodates her 4th exhibition from Saturday.

Japanese Culture@holiday

Standard

Meow, today is my 18th birthday. And Respect-for-the-Aged Day this year, as the 3rd Monday from 2003 when I was born. Well, “aged” sound a bit weird to me who never get it, while count 88 years old exchanged into a human lady. That might mean mom’s habit of saying animals including my species are wiser than hers, purr. I’ll keep taking care of you, always have, always will.

Copyright © 2021 Mikan-chan All Rights Reserved.

Doll Festival

Standard

Mei-Shun loves it, mainly for simple and lovely sweets including ひなあられ=hina-arare, 白酒=shiro-sake, etc. The former is white, pink and green-colored puffed rice coated with sugar, while the latter white sake. Oh, she found it is different from 甘酒=ama-sake; 白 is alcoholic using もち米=special rice for cake, yet 甘 alcohol-free made of normal one.

Mom-in-law’s ちらし鮨=chirashi-sushi

Pretty Purr

Standard

We have 小寒=sho-kan, the 5th of winter 二十四節気 today. They say the coldest months 寒=kan would start, while I enjoy warm hands and legs of mom on the sofa as usual. Why are you in a kind of fidget? Oh, it is birthday of her mom-in-law as well, surprising flowers are waited to arrive. How about a cake? Not reserved this year, because dad is on a diet.

Copyright © 2021 Mikan-chan All Rights Reserved.

Japanese Culture@holiday

Standard

Yesterday was 1122, called “good married couple’s day” reading these numbers in Japanese yi-yi-fu-fu. Mei-Shun contacted members of 紫苑会, group of Aster tataricus named after their high school, including Kaori-san. Her exhibition weeks held so far in Kyoto have covered this date, let Shin and Mei-Shun go on a happy one-night trip to there to see above artist and her husband Mr. M.

Her works outdoors

New Moon

Standard

Lunar August starts from today. It is also 八朔=hassaku, a timing to prepare for typhoons like 二百十日 and 二百二十日 counted from 立春=risshun, the first of 二十四節気. Well, not a storm but a tropical cyclone might come up to cover Kanto Area. Mei-Shun visited the club to dance with Princess Maria, Mr. Hallelujah Sunday and Mr. Tea Time, perspired enough to see her goal weight at night.

 

New Life

Standard

Mei-Shun’s 4 grapefruit pots finally moved onto the ground. After a butterfly safely departed from one of them, a mother laid eggs on another. However, it seemed difficult for those 3 babies to survive since their bed was already used, with only poor leaves left. Mei-Shun therefore brought them down to the garden where a kumquat tree is planted. Mom-in-law found her and kindly asked if she could be a help.