朝散歩 Morning Walk

 散歩中、近所の空き地でタイガが用を足したのでそれを拾っていました。立ち上がって振り返ったら、通りかかった仲良しのワンコたちが私のほうを見ていました。私のバッグの中身が目当てのようです。タイガは飼い主さんたちに挨拶まわり。朝から仲良しに会えて、一日の良いスタートを切りました。

As we were walking in our neighbourhood, Taiga did her business in an empty plot, and I was picking it up.  When I stood up and turned around, I found familiar faces looking in my direction.  They were after the treat in my bag, while Taiga was going around greeting the owners.  Meeting these friends was a nice start to the warm and beautiful day.

更に歩いていると、他の空き地で近所の紀州犬ウメちゃんと久しぶりに会えてラッキー。

As we walked on, we met Ume, a female Kishu who lives about 50 meters away from our house.  I was so pleased to see her since I heard a few weeks ago that she was not feeling well.

興奮して喜んでいるのは私だけで、ワンコたちは静かに挨拶。

Actually, I was the only one being excited, and Ume and Taiga greeted each other in their usual quiet way.

春の陽気を満喫しながら地元をゆっくり歩きまわりました。ここの家は紅白の梅の木が満開。

We walked on leisurely, staying in our neighbourhood, to enjoy the warm day.  Ume plum trees were in full bloom at this house.

赤花は実が生らないけど八重咲きで綺麗です。

The red flower variety does not produce fruits but having both red and white trees is meant to bring good luck.

こちらは八重咲の椿。

Camellia flowers.

大輪でバラのような花を眺めてうっとり。

Large, double petal flowers look like roses.

キーライムに蕾 Flower buds on Key Lime

 冬の間、耐寒性の低そうな鉢植えを2階部屋に無加温で避難させています。そのうち、実を利用した後の種から育てたキーライムに関しては、ネット上の情報によると実生苗が花を咲かせるまでには7-10年かかりそうな情報を見たことがあるので、もう諦めようかと思っていました。使っている10号菊鉢を他に利用したかったのです。今日の暖かい天気のうちに作業をやってしまおうと苗に近づいたら、

I have been keeping plants with less cold tolerance in a room upstairs for the winter - it is a sunny room but without any heating.  One of them is a Key lime seedling that I have been growing after consuming the fruits, imported from the US.  However, I once read that for a Key lime seedling to flower, it might take 7-10 years, and I was getting rather pessimistic.  So, I thought of getting rid of the plant and use the pot for something else.  Since it was another warm day today, I decided to do it now.

この春のような陽気でもう苗が動きだしたらしく、しかも枝先には蕾が！ 実を利用したあと、湿らせたティッシュの上で種から根っこは直ぐに出ましたが、寒さでそれ以降の変化がなかなか起こらず、双葉が種の殻から出てきたのは2021年の暮、よって実際に苗として育てたのは2022年から2024年の３年間です。しかも、去年の春から暮までは家の北側にうっちゃって、土がカラカラになってからやっと水やりしていた程度。その「適度なイジメ」が奏功したのでしょうか。

When I actually came to closely look at the plant, I could not believe my eyes - flower buds!  I sowed the seeds in late 2021 on wet tissue paper.  I saw the roots come out soon but, due to the cold weather, seed leaves did not come out of the shell until the end of 2021.  Therefore, as a plant, it has been growing for only 3 years (2022-24).  Moreover, I had almost banished the plant to the north side of my house during spring to December last year, watering it only when it was absolutely necessary.  Perhaps the plant feared for its life, thus the flowers?

苗の全体が見やすいように、部屋の壁を背景に樹形を確認。樹高は約１メートル。去年の春より枝葉が作落ちしています。

I placed the plant in front of the wall of the room to take a better look.  It is about one meter tall.  It has lost a lot of leaves and looks less vigorous than it did last spring.

今日の暖かい直射日光に当てるために、苗をベランダへ引きずり出しました。どう見ても蕾です。

I then moved the plant onto the balcony so that it could bask in the warm sunlight.  I am now determined to take much better care of this plant.

久しぶりのシャンプー First shampoo in weeks

 今朝の散歩から帰って、リビングを片付けたあとタイガを呼び入れようと玄関ドアを開けたら、座布団の上ではなくヒガンバナの葉っぱの上でくつろいでいました。この場所のほうが玄関前の座布団からよりも道行く人たちが良く見えるからのようです。門の向こうだけでなく、左下のお隣の垣根の上からも道が良く見えます。それで最近、ヒガンバナの葉っぱがぺたんこになっていた理由がわかりました。

After getting home from our morning walk and tidying up the living room, I opened the front door to call Taiga inside.  Instead of sitting on the usual cushion in front of the door, she was crouched over the leaves of spider lily.  It seems that she gets a better view of the passersby from this position.  She can look over our gate, as well as over the hedge of my neighbour's garden on the left.  Now I know why the spider lily leaves became flat on the ground recently - it was not because of the gales we have been having.

どういう衛生感覚してるの？

Ever thought of hygiene?

かなり汚れているから、今日こそシャンプーしようね。最後に洗ったのは去年の12月30日（！）でした。寒すぎるのと、洗った後のドライヤーがけが延々と時間かかるので、つい億劫になっていました。でも、今日はとても暖かい日なので、ドライヤーがけは屋内ではなく玄関の外でも平気。来週の寒波の再来の前にちょうど良いタイミングです。

It seems she is ready for a good shampoo.  The last time I washed her, it was December 30th (!) - such a long time ago.  It has been too cold, and it takes hours trying to dry her fur after shampoo.  However, today was a very warm day - warm enough to dry her outside the porch.  Also, they are forecasting a return of the cold spell next week.  If I missed today, it would be another week of oily fur on Taiga.

＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝

午後3時頃にシャンプー実行。ドライヤーに時間がかかって、家を出たのは４時過ぎでした。公園に着くと黒柴男子のソラちゃんとばったり。

I started washing her at 3 p.m.  After drying her, we left the house after 4 p.m., to go to the park.  On our arrival at the park, we met Sora, a male Black Shiba Inu.

ソラちゃんの関心は私の手提げの中身だけ。簡単にオヤツタイム。

His sole interest is what is in my bag.  So, we had a quick treat time.

さらに歩いていると、向こうからカンタがやって来ました。

We walked further and saw Kanta heading our way.

カンタはタイガより４歳くらい年下ですが、すっかりオヤジになって、挨拶の瞬間はタイガに対して偉そう。タイガのシッポが右側に倒れているのでしょうがないです。

Kanta is about 4 years younger than Taiga, but he behaves like an older man with an attitude when he meets Taiga.  Taiga is always so happy to see him, with her tail wagging to the right.

カンタがドッグランへ向かうので、ランまで一緒に歩きました。

As Kanta was going to the dog park, we walked together to see him off there.

カンタは中虎ですが、夕日の中ではこんなに赤っぽく見えるときもあります。

Kanta is a brown brindle but, in the evening light, he sometimes looks like a red brindle.

公園で At the Park

 東京は連日の青空。寒波の影響で気温は多少低下したけれど、日差しがあるのと風がないので散歩は楽です。

The Japanese islands are going through 'the severest cold spell in years', as they say.  However, thanks to the mountain range that blocks the arctic winds coming over to the Kanto region, Tokyo continues to enjoy blue sky every day.  So long as the sun is out with no winds, walking outside can be warm and pleasant.

ドッグラン手前の草地で白柴の「おもち」ちゃんに会えました。

We met Omochi, a White Shiba Inu, in a field near the dog park.

おもちちゃんは現在６歳。11歳のタイガとの年齢差に関係なく、二人はとても仲良しです。

Omochi is currently 6 years old.  In spite of the age difference with Taiga, who is 11 years old, they enjoy each other's company.

タイガはおもちちゃんと会うと、まるで幼馴染のように活発に遊びます。

Taiga becomes very active whenever she meets Omochi, as if she were her puppyhood friend.

おもちちゃんのこの体勢、脚の状態がカワイイ。

Omochi's legs are so cute in this posture.

おもちちゃんが跳ねる姿はまるで白狐。

When Omochi jumps about, she looks like a white fox.

散々走り回ったあとは冷たい地面に伏せてクールダウン。

After the exertion, they enjoyed the coolness of the ground.

そこへ黒柴のソラ君がやってきました。

There came Sora, a male Black Shiba Inu.

ソラ君はタイガより少し若いですが、一緒に遊ぶのを見たことありません。

Sora is younger than Taiga, but I have never seen him play with her.

ソラ君の狙いは私が持っている手作りチキンジャーキー。

His sole interest is in the home-made chicken jerky in my bag.

タイガが遊びに誘ってもスルー。

He ignores Taiga's invitation to play.

じーっと私のほうばかり見て圧をかけてくるので、オヤツでお開きにしました。

As he kept staring at me trying to put pressure on me, I pulled out the treat before going home.