庭の菊が満開に近くなりました。これは玄関前の食用菊「松風」。食用菊とはいっても、せっかく咲いた花がもったいなくて毎年ほとんど利用せずに眺めて終わります。
The chrysanthemums are almost in full bloom. This bunch in the photo below is an edible variety called Matsukaze. Although an edible variety, I love them too much to actually pick and eat them. So, I end up just admiring them every year.
I also try to grow pink edible chrysanthemums, but they are too delicate and not doing well this year. As a result, when looked at from the street, only the yellow flowers are visible.
門の外に置いてあるのは2,3年前に買った厚物の菊。草丈30cmくらいの茎に１輪だけの見事な花が咲いていました。それ以降はこのように自然体。年々 株が大きくなっています。
The plant placed outside of the gate is the one I bought a few years ago, as a large, single flower variety. It had a huge flower at the top of a 30cm stem. Since then, the plant has been growing in a natural way with multiple flowers.
自然体だと花の形は崩れるけど、花数が多いほうが賑やかで好みです。
When left in a natural state, the shape of the flowers becomes disorderly, but I find them lively and happy with many flowers.
タイガが近づいてきて、こちらの様子をうかがっています。
Taiga approaching the gate to see what I was up to.
写真左手前の株は去年買った「ダリア咲き」の菊、のはずが
The nearest plant on the left of the photo is the one I bought last year, as 'dahlia' chrysanthemum. However,
今年はこの状態で、
this is how the flowers are this year, and
どう見てもダリア咲きではありません。
they do not look like dahlias at all.
その背後に置いてある懸崖鉢の株は食用菊の「阿房宮」。
The plant behind the 'dahlia' chrysanthemum is a famous edible variety that is from Aomori Prefecture.
中輪咲きで観賞用にも適していると思います（やはり勿体なくて眺めるだけ）。
The flowers are medium-sized, and they are good as ornamental variety, too.
オレンジも色づき始めています。玄関に向かって通路の右側に植わっているのは、大実柚子を中間台にしたミネオラとモロのオレンジ。まだ実の数が少ないので、個々の実のサイズは左側に植わっているモロ+ミネオラの実よりも大きくて立派です。
The oranges are getting colourful. The small tree in front of the porch, on the right, is a Yuzu tree with Moro and Mineola grafted on it. Since there are not many fruits on this tree, the sizes of the fruits are larger than those on the mature Moro tree which is located on the left.
こちらは左側のモロと、高接ぎしてあるミネオラ。色づき始めたばかりなので、区別がつきにくいですが、年を越す頃にはモロの果皮が真っ赤になるので分かります。
This is the Moro tree on the left, with Mineola branches grafted on it. As they have just started to turn orange, the difference between the two varieties is not obvious. However, from January onwards, Moro will start to turn dark red.
天気が良いので明るいうちに公園へ行きました。びっこをひくほど足が痛い日は目立たないように暗くなってから午後の散歩に出ていますが、今日は調子がよかったです。坐骨神経痛が始まってもう一月以上ストレッチ運動をしています。全身が温まっている状態なら痛みなしで歩けるけど、寒さが大敵で外に出たとたん逆戻りです。なので、開き直って今年の冬は痛みと付き合う覚悟です。初夏の暑い気候になれば、きっと治ると楽観しています。
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As it was a relatively warm day today, we went to the park while it was light. When the pain in my leg is too much and I walk with a limp, we go out after dark for our afternoon walk. Today was a good day. My sciatica started more than a month ago and I have been doing exercises. When my whole body is warm staying indoors, I can walk without pain, but the moment I go out into the cold, the pain comes back. So, I am resigned to the idea that I have to live with this for the whole of this winter. I feel optimistic that once the weather turns warm next year, I will be all right.
気づけばタイガの口の周りが随分と白くなっていました。現在12歳半です。
Taiga is getting white around her mouth - she is 12 1/2 years old now.
全体的な毛ヅヤは良いし、散歩中に知り合いのワンコに出会うと自分から遊びに誘うので、気持ちは若いようです。
Nevertheless, she has a shiny coat, and she is young in her heart and invites other dogs to play when she meets familiar faces.
