台風の合間に In between typhoons

 台風30号が過ぎ去って今度は31号が接近しつつあるそうですが、昨夜から今朝にかけての強風で軒下のキンカンライムの鉢植えが転倒していました。

As soon as typhoon No.30 was gone, another one, No.31, is approaching the southern tip of Japan.  We had strong winds during last night and this morning.  When I came out of the house, I saw the limequat plant having fallen from its usual spot.

今年は成り年なのでもっと気を配るべきでした。

This is the bumper year, so I should have been more careful.

黄色く色づき始めたものは大丈夫でしたが、

This fruit starting to turn yellow was safe, but

鉢を戻してみると全部で７個の実がもげていました。

I found 7 fruits on the ground when I lifted the plant.

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今朝の風は冷たくて手が悴むほどでした。なので防寒具を着て、手には軍手で公園へ向かいました。川沿いの歩道を歩いていると、先日開花していたクコの株が

This morning's wind was very cold and my hands were freezing.  I went out with a rain jacket on, and gloves for my hands.  As we walked along the pathway, we came to the spot where we had seen a goji berry bush several days ago - this is how it was then.

今朝はこんな↓状態になっていました。植樹帯は年に数回の草刈りなどが行われますが、雑草の状態をみると前回と今回では何ら変わりありません。もしかしたらアベリアなどの花木を剪定した際、この株が何なのか知らない作業員がこうしたのでしょう。

This is how it was this morning.  The local government send out workers to tidy tree planting areas several times a year.  However, the weeds look untouched since last time we saw the goji berry plant.  They probably came to trim the flowering bushes and some ignorant person thought this was an unwanted plant.  In that case, what a sloppy job - it looks as if they vandalised it.

毎年こうなので実が生っているところを見たことないですが、株自体は根元が結構大きくなっています。それほどタフな植物です。

They always do this to this bush, so I have never seen red goji berries growing on the tree.  At least, the base of the bush is getting pretty large, which proves what a tough plant it is.

最初の草地に到着。風が強くて本当に寒いです。

We arrived at the first field near the Johoku Central Park.  The wind was still strong and cold in the woods.

川を渡って城北中央公園の上のほうを目指します。数日前に久しぶりにここを通ったとき、対岸の元草地を見てびっくり。異様に大きな構築物があります。

We crossed the river and entered Johoku Central Park and walked towards the higher ground.  When I passed here several days ago for the first time in months, I was surprised to see the strange-looking huge structures on the other side of the river.

洪水対策として地下に調整池を作っているところです。第１期は写真の右側にL字型に伸びていて、７-８年かけて終了。現在第２期が進行中で、やはり７-８年かかるので完成した頃にはタイガはもういないはずです。ここはタイガが子犬のときから数年間、朝・夕に遊びにきていた草地で、ワンコ友達がたくさんできました。その意味では大変ラッキーな犬生を過ごしました。

They are building an underground reservoir to cope with potential floods.  The First Phase was completed a few years ago after 7-8 years of work.  They moved the site to the current place for the Second Phase which will also take 7-8 years.  By the time they complete the whole project, Taiga will be long gone.  When this place was a vast field, Taiga played with her friends every morning and evening.  She virtually grew up in this field forming friendships with many pooches.  She was very lucky to have had that experience.

これが草地だったころの眺めを見下ろしたところ。

The field looked like this, viewed from where we are standing now.

これはタイガの仲良しが草地に到着したのを見つけて出迎えに行くところ。

Every morning, Taiga used to wait for her friends to turn up - she has just spotted some.

これはバーニーズのジャム君とのショット。ジャム君はタイガよりも半年後の生まれでしたが、大型犬なのでもう虹の橋を渡ってしまいました。でもタイガとたくさん遊んでくれた思い出があります。道でジャム君ママに遭遇しようものなら狂喜して喜びます。

This is with her Bernese friend, Jam, who was 6 months younger than Taiga.  As a large breed, he is no longer of this world, but the memories of playing together remain.  Even now, when Taiga runs into Jam's mom on the street, Taiga goes nuts with joy.

現実に戻って、公園上のほうを目指します。

Back to reality, we continue our walk towards the top of the hill.

道の左の土手を見上げると、強風にあおられて大枝が揺れています。風が冷たい。

Looking up the left side of the path, large branches were swaying dramatically in the cold wind.

古代家のある林を通り抜けて、

We walked through the woods and

広場でゆっくり休んでから帰宅しました。

having reached the field at the top of the hill, we relaxed before going home.

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天気が良いのでガイガが家の中に入らずにグズグズしています。

Due to the fine weather, Taiga did not want to go inside when we arrived home.

通路の右手に珍しいものを発見。

I noticed something new on the righthand side.

ジミだけど見たことない花です。

An unassuming flower that I have never seen before.

夏の間ほかの植物の後ろになって私はすっかり忘れていたのですが、今年の１月に買った小さなタラゴンの苗が育っていました。冬の前に乾燥させて、お茶用に保存しようと思います。

It was tarragon that I bought in January this year as a tiny plant.  It had been quietly growing behind other plants through the summer months.  I now remember learning about the benefits of tarragon tea, so I will be drying the leaves for later use.

タイガが目くばせで「道に出せ」の圧をかけてくるので、

Taiga has expressive eyes when she wants something.  Now she is demanding to come out to the road.

家の前でほんの少しの間、追いかけっこをしました。

We had a game of chasing each other in front of the house, just for a short while.

今朝の最低気温は12℃、明日の予報は11℃となっているので、パッションフルーツの鉢植えは今日中に２階部屋へ移動させます。南向きガラス戸のそばにおけば越冬は楽勝です。

This morning's lowest temperature was 12℃, while the same for tomorrow morning is forecast to be 11℃.  So, I will be taking this passion fruit plant upstairs later today.  It will comfortably spend the coming winter sitting close to the south-facing glass doors.

キンカンライムなど Limequat etc

 水遣り以外、軒下でほとんど放置状態だったキンカンライムの苗を引っ張り出してびっくり。枝が左右に伸び放題で、こんなに樹形が乱れていました。

This is Limequat growing in a pot.  Apart from watering, I have been neglecting it by placing it under the balcony.  When I pulled it out into the open, I was shocked to see how the branches had grown - they looked out of control.

世話しなくても良く実がなる品種で、しかも粒揃いです。

This plant produces lots of fruits even with little care by me.  Also, the fruits' sizes are quite uniform.

１個だけ、色づき始めたものがあります。

One of the fruits seems to be maturing.

もう使えそう。料理やお茶など、ほんの少しだけ香酸類が欲しいとき、使い切りサイズなので便利です。

It looks ready to be used.  When I need only drops of citrus juice in cooking or for tea, I find this very handy by using the whole fruit.

今年は早めにユリ球根の植え替え作業をしました。うちには紅筋山百合がありますが、その中で２つのタイプに分かれています。

こちらは去年の夏に練馬の渋谷園芸本店で買ったほうで、比較的安価でした。去年の冬の植え替え時に肥料をたっぷりやっておいたので、今年の開花は去年買った時の花よりも大輪。

This year, I am repotting the lily bulbs earlier than usual, while it is warm and pleasant to work outside.  I grow Red Yamayuri and they are grouped into two types as below.

These are the ones I bought in summer last year, from a shop in Nerima, and they were inexpensive.  The flowers were small then, but after giving the bulbs plenty of fertiliser when I repotted them last winter, this year's flowers were much larger.

これ↓が今日 掘り起こしたときの球根で、それぞれの上根に１個ずつ子球ができていました。

When I dug them out today, I found each original bulb had a baby bulb among the upper roots.

こちらはヤフオクで買った球根からの花。球根は高かったけど、本格的な紅筋山百合です。

These are the flowers from one of the bulbs I bought on an auction site.  The bulbs were expensive, but the flowers are authentic Red Yamayuri, and different from Dizzy Oriental Lily.

今年花をつけたのは右の大きいほうの球根だけでしたが、今日の状態を見ると左の小さいほうも来年は咲きそうです。右の球根は買ったときよりかなり大きくなっていて、上根も沢山出ていました。

This year, only the bulb on the right produced flowers.  However, looking at the smaller one, I think it has grown mature enough for flowering next year - it has grown much larger than when I bought it, as well as having lots of upper roots.

この２個の球根には上根に子球ができていませんでしたが、まるで球根が分裂しそうな箇所はありました。ユリ栽培に慣れた人なら、うまく子球として取り外すことができるでしょうが、私は自信ないので、そのまま植えておきました。

Although these bulbs had no baby ones among the upper roots, each of them has a potential baby that seems ready to be detached.  A person with enough experience might be able to separate the baby and make it an independent one, but I am too scared to do it.  So, I simply repotted them as they were.

大きい球根のすぐ横に支柱を立てて越冬です。来年の春、だいたいどのあたりから芽が出るか、予想がつきやすくなります。

I placed a prop next to each of the large bulb, ready for winter.  This way, I would know where to look for the new buds in spring next year.

売れ残り苗を買ってきたパッションフルーツは、８月下旬のこの状態から

The leftover passion fruit plant that I bought in late August has grown from this state

いまは２個の実をつけています。

to this currently, with two fruits growing on it. 

最初に着果した下のほうの実と

Of the 3 flowers that appeared, the lower fruit is from the 2nd flower.

次に結実した上のほうの実は、だんだんと同じサイズに近づいてきています。明日の朝の最低気温は15℃の予想で、来週の後半には15℃を下回るようなので、そろそろ２階の南向き部屋に取り込む時期になりました。

The upper fruit is from the 3rd flower, and its size is getting close to the lower fruit.  Now, the expected lowest temperature for tomorrow morning is 15℃, and the lowest temp is forecast to fall below 15℃ in late next week.  I will be taking this pot to a south-facing room upstairs soon.

同時に買ったビラフランカレモンも順調に育っていて、大きいほうの実が若干黄色くなってきました。

The leftover Villa Franca lemon that I bought at the same time has also been doing well.  The larger fruit has grown a lot, and it is starting to turn yellow.

秋の気配 Signs of autumn

 毎年ヒガンバナより一足先に開花する、洋物リコリスが咲いています。花柄が大きく、花びらは分厚くてしっかりしているのに加え、濃い黄色の蛍光色で目立ちます。

This lycoris aurea starts flowering ahead of spider lilies.  Its flowers are larger than those of the spider lily and the petals are strong.  Most of all, I love the bright golden colour which I find to be stunningly beautiful.

リコリスの手前には桃花ヒガンバナも上がってきました。こちらは本物のヒガンバナで、デリケートなピンクの花色です。

In front of the lycoris aurea, flower stems of the pink spider lilies are starting to come out of the ground.  In contrast to the red spider lily (lycoris radiata), this variety's colour is delicate pink.

赤花ヒガンバナも咲き始めています。

The lycoris radiata are starting to flower.

2024年に購入した日本ナツメが色づき始めています。うちでは数種類のナツメを育てていますが、去年 挿し木が成功した日本ナツメ以外はトゲ無しなので管理が楽です。よって、この↓苗もトゲ無し。この苗のヒコバエから育てた２株は写真上のほうのバルコニーに置いてありますが、まだ青々しています。

Fruits of the Japanese jujube tree that I bought in 2024 are turning yellow.  I grow several varieties of jujube and, with the exception of the Japanese jujube tree developed from a cutting last year, all of them are thornless, which makes it easier to look after them.  I have trees developed from the suckers of this tree, and they are peeping out of the trellis in the top part of this photo.  Their fruits are still green.

これくらい色づけば十分甘くてジューシーです。

The fruit is already very sweet and juicy with this much of brown on the skin.

果肉の色を示した写真を載せたくて、なるべく歯形を残さないよう努力しました。この↓ような果肉が白のタイプが私の好みです。

It is rude/bad mannered in Japan to show the bite mark, but I wanted to show the colour of the flesh.  So, I tried to avoid the teeth mark as much as possible.  I like jujubes with milky white flesh like this.

８月24日に購入した売れ残りパッションフルーツとビラフランカレモン苗は、この植え付け時の状態から順調に育っています。

The leftover passion fruit and Villafranca lemon that I bought on 24th August this year have grown significantly from this↓.

パッションフルーツのツルの長さは、元の状態と比べて３倍ちかくに伸びています。

The passion fruit's vine is 3 times that of the original height.

しかも節々に蕾も出ています。冬は室内越冬になるので、できるだけ成長を抑えたいところ。

Moreover, each node has a flower bud.  I will be keeping this plant indoors during the winter, so I hope the plant does not grow too much henceforth.

レモン苗は葉っぱが増えてきました。

The lemon tree is becoming leafy.

また、最初から着いていた２個の実のうち小さいほうの実が２倍くらいに肥大しています。

Of the two fruits that were already there when I bought the plant, the smaller fruit has grown visibly.

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午後になっても雨が降らなかったので、散歩がてらにタイガのオヤツを買いに出かけました。

Today, it did not rain even in the afternoon, so we went out for a walk and to buy Taiga's treats.