四季成り果樹園芸: 朝散歩 Morning Walk

台風５号が近づいているので、今日は朝からどんより曇っていました。しかも吹く風は生暖かくて、いかにも台風がらみの風です。公園入口の林は天気のせいか人影もなし。

Typhoon No. 5 was approaching Tokyo, and the sky was overcast this morning. Also, the breeze was warm and humid, typical of typhoon related winds. When we arrived at the park, there were very few people, probably due to the weather.

林を通って上のほうの広場を目指します。

We walked through the woods, heading for the higher ground.

上の広場に着いても貸し切り状態。

At the top of the hill, the field was also deserted.

写真の奥（中央）に写っているアオギリの大木が、暗い空を背景にドラマチックです。

The tall tree at the back (or, centre) is Firmiana simplex, and it looks dramatic against the background of dark and heavy clouds.

孤高の木で、清々しいです。

This solitary tree is so attractive.

左手の林には栗の木があります。

Among the woods on the left, there is a chestnut tree.

柴栗よりも更に野良タイプの栗で実は利用できませんが、観賞価値はあります。

This tree seems even less cultivated than wild chestnut trees - most of its nutshells are empty. However, this tree is quite ornamental.

その栗の木の横には、やはり食用にはなり得ないような野良タイプの柿の木もあります。

Next to the chestnut tree is a persimmon tree. This one is also a wild type, with the fruits being hardly edible.

実を食べたことがあるという人の話では不味くはなかったそうですが、完熟状態でも豆柿のように小さいです。でも、公園に植わっている木なので、実用の果樹よりは観賞用の木が合っているとも言えます。

According to a person who has tasted it, it was not too bad, but even as a mature fruit, it is as small as a golf ball. However, in a park, it is sufficient to have ornamental fruit trees, rather than real, cultivated varieties which require a lot of looking after.

公園からの帰り、うちの近くまで来たところで、近所の紀州犬ウメちゃんに会えました。ウメちゃんはタイガより１歳下ですが、デリケートな体質で、暑い気候はとくにキツイらしいです。でも、お尻と尻尾の毛が再生してきたようで、前回会ったときよりは元気に見えます。

When we were nearly reaching home, we ran into Ume, our neighbour's Kishu Ken. She is one year younger than Taiga but has delicate constitution, and a hot climate is particularly bad for her. Still, compared with how she looked the last time we saw her, her fur seems to have grown back a little on her buttocks and tail.