公園に着くと、古代家のある林へ上がって行きました。この公園で私が最も気に入っている場所です。
We walked through the wooded area where there was a reconstructed ancient dwelling. This area is my best favourite place in this park.
When the leaves turn red and yellow, the weather is usually dry and warm, and it is most relaxing to walk through these woods. The reconstructed dwelling stands on top of a hill and I always wonder how people managed to live in ancient times. The Shakujii River runs at the food of the hill. It is now a 10-meter deep concrete structure, but before it came into the current state several decades ago, it used to be a shallow natural river and flooded every time it rained. So, in ancient times, inhabitants must have chosen to live on top of the hill in order to avoid floods.
グラウンドの周りはジョギングコースになっています。ワンコは入れないので、以前はタイガをベンチに括り付けて一人で走っていました。今はタイガの夕方散歩の前に、近所をちょろっと走ってくるだけ。
林の横にあるグラウンドでは小学生とコーチらしき人が走っている。
Next to the woodland, there is a sports ground where elementary school children were running with their coach.
Surrounding the sports ground, there is a jogging course. Dogs are not allowed, so I used to run alone, having tied Taiga to a bench. Now, I no longer have that much energy, and I have a short run in my neighbourhood before the evening walk with Taiga.
グランド横のイチョウ並木。まだまだ黄葉には早いです。
グランド横のイチョウ並木。まだまだ黄葉には早いです。
The ginkgo trees are still green. I love them when they are bright yellow.
初めて会う子。ゴールデンレトリーバーのレオ君で、もうすぐ５歳だそうです。こんなに大きくても他所のワンコが怖いそうで、うまくタイガを避け続けていました。
We met a new face: a Golden Retriever named Leo, who will be turning 5 soon. He is such a big boy but he is afraid of other dogs. So, he maneuvered to avoid facing Taiga.
横目でタイガの位置確認。
He checks where Taiga is by giving a side eye.
でも、タイガが飼い主さんに挨拶をし始めると、後ろへ回ってちゃっかり臭い嗅ぎ。
However, he caught the moment when Taiga greeted his mom and took a sniff.
林の横の広場ではボーダーコリーのシェリー君が朝の訓練をしていました。飼い主さんがフリスビーを投げてくれるのを今か今かと待って、集中力がすごいです。
In the field nearby, Shelly, a male Border Collie, was doing his usual morning training. He intently watches his dad who was about to throw the frisbee.
フリスビーが投げられる寸前、飼い主さんの後ろを回ります。
Just when his dad started to move, Shelly goes around dad's back.
一旦 着地して頭の上を行くフリスビーを目で追いかけながら、
最初にジャンプしたときはフリスビーの位置が高すぎたので届きませんでしたが、
When he made his first jump, the frisbee was too high for him to reach.
After landing on his feet, he kept his eyes on the frisbee which was flying over his head,
遂にキャッチしました。その間、１秒くらいの出来事。何という運動能力。
and caught it successfully. The whole thing took place in a matter of a second.
よくできました！
Well done, Shelly!
なぜか、私たちの方を見ながら戻って来る。
For some reason, he comes back looking at us,
まるでタイガに「すごいだろう」と言わんばかり。そして私には「ちゃんと撮った？」
as if to say to Taiga "Can you match this?", and to me "Did you get that on camera?".
