Hi, welcome back to Mei-Shun’s grapefruits. What kind of wings would you have? Summer still stays around here, pressed by a new-born typhoon. Sorry for missing the best timing to water your beds — she felt too exhausted under such a grilling sunlight. One of you are very clever to hide within a rolled leave, while another has already changed clothes.
Among many kinds of cicadas singing around Shin and Mei-Shun’s home, a new face made a debut this summer. They are called クマゼミ=kuma-semi, meaning bear cicada, found mainly in western part of our country. Since her late father was from Kyushu where above ones are normally heard, their songs reminds her of childhood. Do you have any reason for reaching her current residence?
She stares another breed.
10 days are said to be the hottest in our country, after the end of rainy season. It really seems to Mei-Shun — news this morning informed us that the long-stayed front (delayed 8 days from average, amazing 30 days compared to last year!) has finally left Kanto Area. Heat wave and humidity descend toward the Japanese archipelago at the same time, more and more cities hit nearly 35 degrees Celsius.
Going into her 5th month, keeps fresh
Lunar May starts from today. Chestnut trees are already in full bloom, giving sweet scent which let Mei-Shun feel coming rainy season. Rice paddy is growing enough to hide waterfowls among green stripes. Black Tea rose in our garden bloomed well this spring, with the last flower in autumnal shade. And Ms. Last One, here is a summer saddle pad for you.
You are getting bigger and bigger year by year, mother cactus. Stronger than cold winter of our country, powerful enough to hold so many babies on edge. Some of your thick fans look like Mickey Mouse with a crown between his ears. Next to you is another breed who has a lovely flower stem. Your respective way to grow is all different from each other, impressing watcher Mei-Shun.
It is you, pheasant boy. Mei-Shun walked to the nearest shrine between showers, heard him sing a love song. Looking around, and there he was — quite nearby a lane she stood. Striding elegantly through dry rice paddy, he greeted a couple of wild duck. Then continued to go ahead, stopped at grassed low bank. Full of sunlight, he flapped several times and yes, sang.
We have 雨水=usui, the 2nd of spring 二十四節気 today. It really does — raindrops started to fall before noon, much earlier than forecasted. Well, as 大寒 was with spring in the air compared to snowy 小寒 last month, blossom season might follow sooner this year. By the way, Mei-Shun wonders what would come for tonight when supermoon is expected to be seen.
Just cloudy in the morning.
We Japanese call it during dry season 良いお湿り, good humidity. To our relief, last Saturday saw a slight rain after weeks. Mei-Shun hopes that it would make air cleaner to help Shin who already has a symptom of hay disease. Drops from the sky could wash cedar pollen down on the ground. However, three clear days have passed since then. Now snows, never being heavy, are preferred.
Taken fm Las Vegas sky
Wind and Moon represent seasonal beauty in our country. Maybe because it was too torrid this summer, titled two seem trying to repair themselves in recent cool weather. For example, pheasant guys often come out of bushes to sing. Trees bloom or grow new leaves to nourish from branches to trunks. Please take care, since we have 立冬=ritto, the first of winter 二十四節気 today.
Can you find him?
It is blissful for Mei-Shun to see many “red rice” flowers along a lane to the shrine. Even in such vivid color, plants always look graceful — really enviable. Another lady in the same shade to surprise us is Momo-chan, our garden princess. She gives two flowers this autumn! It has never happened so far, while reminds the writer of a wild cherry who also bloomed twice an year at University of Tsukuba.
meishunkikunoe 