Today is 小満=shoman, the second one of 二十四節気 of summer. The latter Chinese letter means “full” while the former “small”. What would be full slightly? Green, leaves and wheat field do in your sight. Tonight finds a beautiful 十四夜 moon, just before the full one tomorrow.
nature
Hi, mom
StandardMei-Shun visited her parents’ home. Her mother is an earnest birds and plants watcher. When you can not recognize a seedling of a tree, she would take a second to answer the name of it. So as to birds. Another mom in photo below would do the same, yet our capacity is too small to understand her words.
Swallow Mom
StandardWelcome back to us! Yes, this is your favorite place to nest — a restroom of a supermarket. We all know it, looked forward to seeing you again. Oh, your round, black eyes of obsidian beads. Sorry to interrupt you, Mei-Shun would stop taking a photo. Please feel safe to continue your sitting on eggs.
Awful Storm
StandardMei-Shun had to cancel today’s lesson for horseback riding — shower, flurry and sunlight come one after another, confusing her so much that she finally stopped making decision. Storm always means a stay-at-home. Even airplanes avoided landing at Haneda Airport this morning, still less do a poor driver.
Dandelion Fluff
StandardOne of green necklace pods has been found growing it. So cute is this puffball on a long and slender stalk, isn’t it? Each seeds will fly away with one strong message to prosper anywhere. Oh, it reminds Mei-Shun of Dr. A, not a message recorded but saying “Yes” on a phone call at Sunday night.
National Bird
StandardWhen Shin walks to the station, his wife joins these days. He heads to the west, she does to the north. Mei-Shun is lucky to see two male pheasants on the way to the nearest shrine. They look struggling for territory beside rice paddies soon watered to accommodate frogs, egrets and herons.
Gorgeous Sakura
StandardThey have 3 breeds of 八重桜 at 乙戸沼 Park. One looks like holding a lot of 桜餅=sakura-mochi, a seasonal Japanese sweet with leaf-flower combination of brown-violet pink. Another has less browned-normal pink while the last one green-delicate shade of light pink as follows.
Welcome Aboard
StandardOur horseback riding club has many cherry trees. Three of them work as roofs for our cars. Mei-Shun was lucky enough parking in the best space last time. After lessons, she found many little passengers on her car.
Sakura Festival
StandardIt is called 乙戸沼=Otonuma Park, accommodating a quite large pond. Running/walking courses surround the pond hemmed by many cherry trees. You can see various waterfowls while pigeons play in a canal with this tiny cascade. Sporadic fountain-like spray is not to catch your eyes but to uptake oxygen into water.
Your Highness
StandardPlease find Momo-chan, our garden princess. How shiny she is! It seems to Mei-Shun that this 80% blossom is the best. On the other hand, 染井吉野 in the park where she walks in the morning blooms still in 30%. There are 八重桜=yae-sakura trees as well, whose gorgeous flower we could see a month later. Such diversity of spring pink makes our mind really full of joy.
meishunkikunoe 