Supermoon!

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We have it tonight. It is clear, the best condition to have a little party at home. Yesterday enjoyed the harvest moon, so two consecutive days of beauty in the sky, round-shape sweets on the table. It comes only once this year, compared to three times last year — very rare phenomena.

Happy harvest!

Happy harvest!

Introductory Lesson

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Thanks, Maroo. He is very handsome and kind, a white pony, 20 years old, played a role of Mei-Shun’s partner yesterday. Our club let us prepare for riding; we have to brush his/her body, clean inside horseshoes, put cushions on the back, etc., before lessons. Nice idea it seems — we agree with them. Soft pats and gentle talking during preparation would help our wordless conversation.

Typhoon Etau

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It raged through Chubu area yesterday, leaving hard rainfall around here. Mei-Shun heard a Heavy Rain Emergency Warning via our municipal radio communication system for the first time in her life. “Once in half a decade”, the weather forecast says. Shin told her to keep it on and stay home all day long. Yes, we are good girls. Please take care.

Chase the Sun

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She made it. Our futon mats were hung in the balcony to dry. Only for a few hours, yet it satisfied Mei-Shun after rainy days of a week and more. In the afternoon, dark clouds came up to bring a shower for a while. The weather forecast says it will rain hard tomorrow. Well, it’s good for our plants. Oh, you prefer refreshed blanket, Mikan-chan.

ZZZZZ ...

ZZZZZ …

School Restarted

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So here is the beginning of September. Hello again, school children. How was your vacation? This summer has recorded the longest serial days of torrid weather, while it has been cloudy and cool since obon holidays. Such a big swing between too-hot and too-cool days would make us worry about the future — is it an effect of global climate change?

Izayoi Moon

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We see 十六夜, one day after the moon looks full called 十五夜, tonight. It comes up to the sky a little delayed compared to last night. In old days, they took it as moon’s hesitation and read this Chinese letters izayoi. As the moon appears later night by night, they call 17th moon 立待月, 18th 居待月 and 19th 寝待月 meaning to wait for the moon standing, sitting and lying.

Looking Better

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Our cymbidium has recovered from her sick condition of paled leaves. It was caused by too much exposure toward the severe, midsummer sunlight: she has nearly got burned. Sorry, honey. Now we are ready to transplant her into a bigger pot, yet another problem is that she is stubbornly sticks to current one.

Fine green

Fine green

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…loves blue pot.

Next-door Pink

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Our neighbor in the south and north plant various flowers in backyards. The former is the Ys who have camellia and hydrangea while below belongs to the latter, the Is. This beauty called 百日紅, meaning 100-day pink. It is lucky for our eyes to enjoy it all through the summer.

Thanks, I-san.

Thanks, I-san.

Turn to Yellow

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Yes, on our lunar calendar, autumn has already come. Tokyo had serial 8 days of over 35 degrees Celsius from July 31st to August 7th. And this green started to go yellow from August 8th, risshu (=the beginning of autumn) of this year. It is amazing to see that truly reflects seasonal change.

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Sick Lady

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Our cymbidium looks a bit tired — her leaves turn pale, with tops blacked. Current environment might be too hard; in such a torrid weather. We decided to bring her indoors after watering in the morning, keeping her wet in daytime. In the evening, she returns to outdoors to be watered enough. We hope she would recover soon.