姫空木=hime-utsugi, Deutzia gracilis in our garden is currently in full blossom. Lily bells under Momo-chan or Princess Peach began to give nice scent. Mei-Shun loves white flowers, feeling happy to see them stay lively. And she must not forget to report on Mademoiselle Vert to you kind followers including Prof. S of course. She has bloomed the 23rd and 24th, leaving a few buds still small.
You are the prettiest, green shells. Mei-Shun always enjoy seeing them come out of “buds” rolled tightly together. They soon spread crossed sleeves to reach toward the sky, start yearly cycle until falling on the ground in yellow. Our backyard tree still holds little babies, already grew into school children in Osaka and going kindergarten with willow friends at 乙戸沼.
Please kindly take Mei-Shun’s appreciation for your graceful exhibition so far. Almost 2 months have passed since the eldest Princess Cymby bloomed. Now she looks a bit tired, others would follow soon. Timing has come to remove them from pot throne to a vase. Now your friend in the garden is ready to receive your baton, dance in a pink kimono, with several hasty buds on the edge of her sleeves.
We have 啓蟄=keichitsu, the 3rd of spring 二十四節気 today. Mei-Shun felt it in warm wind while walking around 乙戸沼. It never hit her ears trying to freeze them, gives a soft touch instead. Hi, waterfowls, great to see you again. Swans look to have departed toward the north already, yet you kindly waited for her. Oh, fulica atra, thanks for showing your long legs.
4 warm days, we say to mean spring coming to and fro. However, it seems to be changed into “2 sunny days, 1 rainy day” at least for this year. Cold drops have prevented Mei-Shun from finding backyard plum already bloomed in white, with pink flowers still in buds. Yes, that chimerical branch grown on a snowy tree. How are your friends on Mt. Tsukuba going right now?
You finally bloomed in full. With you 13 sisters, the only scape of this winter looks so heavy. However, Mei-Shun knows that for such one full of flowers, pot is the best place to keep fresh. Please, therefore, give us your patience a bit more. Since last night saw the second snow which covered all outdoors, you can enjoy sight of curious cat and watered friends for a while.
You really are, Princess Cymby. It was just 5 days before when you bloomed the first flower. Now Mei-Shun sees other 10 flowers in full — an amazing sight. First, second, third twins, fifth, sixth, seventh twins, ninth and tenth twins. It took so speedy that loosened buds followed elder sisters one after another in a day. All of them therefore resemble each other, thanks to such celerity.
Just several days made Shin’s gift to Mei-Shun bloom into full. It has become clear to the latter why they keep leaves-only space among roses. With size of each flower doubled, green provides a kind of relief for watchers. “It does not matter to me,” sounds Princess Cymby who finally opened one of buds. Her beauty comes not only from complete balance of color but also the long time she has taken so far.
Great to see you again, Your Highness. Your advent is to celebrate Christmas with Shin and Mei-Shun, isn’t it? Since divided your tangled roots, she thought you would take a few more years to bloom. You kindly encouraged her to recover from the disease she had approx. 4 years before. Health and prosperity is sincerely wished for yourself of course, and may our days be merry and bright.
Hello, wild ducks. Shin and Mei-Shun are so happy to see you again on 乙戸沼. They visited the park on weekend, found gingko trees serve golden lanes. And the fountains to air the pond water, while one of them distorted too much to make an upside-down parasol. Camellia-sasanqua trees already bloom in white, light and bright pinks. Oh, young trees arrived to replace older ones.
meishunkikunoe 