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.

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.

クリスマスローズなど Christmas rose etc

 夜のうちに雨が降ったようですが、今日一日は湿度が高く暖かい日でした。午後３時頃に散歩に出かけ、近所の幹線道路の工事現場横を通りました。ついでに気温のチェック。

Winter in Tokyo is the dry season, but it seems to have rained during the night.  Thanks to the rain, we had a warm day all day, with some humidity which is good for my throat.  We went out for a walk at 3 p.m. and passed by the road construction site near our home.  Looking at the scale on the wire fence, 

暖かいと思ったら気温16℃、湿度は45%ありました。

the temperature was as high as 16℃, while the humidity level was 45%.

もう少し丘の上に登り、池袋方面を見渡すと遠くにサンシャイン60ビルが見えました。わざわざ小竹向原駅まで行かなくても、地元の桜台からでも見えたのでした。しかも、気づいたのは、前回 小竹向原駅から見た高層ビル群はサンシャインとは離れたところにあるということでした。

Nearby, from a slightly higher point of the hill, I could see the Sunshine 60 Building in Ikebukuro.  When I looked in the same direction the other day from Kotake Mukaihara Station, I was mistaken about what I saw.  I now realise that the cluster of tall buildings are located away from Sunshine 60.

サンシャインの右側に数件建っているのが前回みた高層ビル群と思われます。

The buildings visible on the right of Sunshine are what I saw the other day, whereas Sunshine 60 stands alone.

更にズームで確認。桜台からは、サンシャインビルの正面ではなく、幅の狭い側面が見える方角になるようです。要町に住んでいたときは正面か裏を見ていたような記憶です。

On a closer look, the building stands with its side towards us, not the broader front or back of the building.  When I lived in Kanamecho, which was only one stop away from Ikebukuro, I was looking at the broader side of the building from my flat.  The reason why I am drawn to this building is that I always worked in the financial district (Marunouchi) when I was young and lived along the underground Yurakuho Line which takes you straight to Marunouchi.  (Even now, I live near a station of the Yurakucho Line.)  Since I spent most of my time working, the only fun I had at weekends was to do shopping in Ikebukuro, one of the largest shopping centres.

帰りに寄った園芸店で見つけたクリスマスローズの幼苗。安かったので、つい。

I looked into a flower shop on our way home and found a tiny Christmas rose plant.  It was cheap and inviting.

実生苗だと思うので、将来本当にこのような花が咲くか保証はありませんが、気長に育ててみます。

I think it is a seedling which means that there is no guarantee that the plant will produce flowers looking just like the one in the picture.  However, uncertainty is part of the fun when it comes to gardening.

植え付けました。このサイズからスタートだと開花までに４，５年かかるかも。

Starting from this size, the plant may take 4,5 years to flower.

これ↓はこぼれ種から開花まで育った八重咲きゴールド苗。発芽しているのに気づいてから7年くらいかかって咲きました。

This is a home-grown seedling from one of the gold Christmas roses with double flowers that I had briefly (they all died within a few months of purchase).  After I noticed the tiny plant growing in the ground, it took about 7 years before flowering.

去年の秋に場所替えして根っこを痛めたのか、今年は花が上がってきていません。

I relocated the plant in autumn last year, which might have upset the roots - I cannot find any flower stems now.

こちらは去年の春にネットショップで買った八重咲きゴールド苗。プロが作った苗とは言っても交配苗なので、「実生」であることに違いはありません。

I bought this one on the internet in spring last year - a double, gold Christmas rose plant.  Although this was grown by a professional, it is still a seedling by cross breeding.

去年の１月末には既にお店で開花していた苗ですが、今年は花芽が出ないようです。そのかわり、株が１年で３倍くらいに育ったので嬉しい。

This plant had flowers in January last year, but I do not see any this year.  However, the plant has tripled in size after I bought it, so it is good news.

去年の夏にキンカンライムの枝を地植えのリスボンに高接ぎしました。時期外れの花が咲いて、そのまま８個の実が生りました。

I grafted a scion from the potted limequat onto the Lisbon Lemon growing in the ground, in summer last year.  Soon, the scion started growing new branches, which was followed by flowers, and 8 young fruits.

ただし、秋に育ったので実のサイズは普通のキンカン程度に小粒です。鉢植えキンカンライムの親苗の実との比較。キンカンライムは苗が充実してくると、実も大きなものが生ります。種が入るのが難点ですが香酸類として利用できる期間が長いので、あると便利な柑橘類です。

However, the fruits came late, growing in autumn, so they are as small as normal kumquat.  When the potted limequat tree became mature, it started to grow larger fruits.  The only snag is that the fruit has seeds.  Nevertheless, this is a very useful citrus plant to have, since I can use the fruits for many months.