午後散歩 Afternoon Walk

 午後の散歩にタイガは、環七交差点を渡って小竹向原駅に続く遊歩道を選びました。環七までの距離自体、城北公園へ行くより遠いですが、その先更に小竹向原駅までとなると結構な運動になります。有楽町線上、うちの近くの氷川台駅の隣が小竹向原駅です。

For the afternoon walk, Taiga chose the route to Kotake Mukaihara Station, which is beyond the Ring Road No. 7 crossing.  The distance from home to the Ring Road itself is already farther than the road to the Johoku Park and, to continue walk to Kotake Mukaihara Station is quite an exercise.  On the underground Yurakucho Line, Kotake Mukaihara Station is nex to our Hikawadai Station.

つい最近までは寒さに震えながらこの道を歩いていましたが、今は新緑の季節の始まりです。

Only until recently, we walked this pavement shivering from cold.  Now, spring buds are coming out on trees.

折り返し地点の小竹向原駅に着きました。

We have arrived at the Kotake Mukaihara Station.

道を渡って向こう側の歩道脇には、いつもこの2匹の猫たちがうずくまっています。

We crossed the road to the other side, where these two cats are always waiting.

猫のファンの方たちがいて、毎日ご飯をもらえるので丸々と太っています。耳には手術済みの印があるので、餌やりで個体数が増える心配がありません。２匹は模様は違うけど、目つきは全く同じなので兄弟かも。

They have steady fans who come to feed them every day - they do look well nourished.  They both have the sign of neutering/spaying, so feeding them will not result in an increase of numbers.  On a closer look, they have identical eyes - they may be siblings, although the colouring is different.

こちらの歩道には地下鉄駅からの出口付近にコンビニが１件あります。

On this side of the road, there is a convenient store near the exit of the underground station.

ソフトクリームをゲットしました。

Got an ice cream for a break.

待ちきれない様子のタイガ。

Taiga cannot wait.

’マイスプーン’で、いただきます。

I brought 'my spoon' from home.

休憩のあとは環七に向けてまた歩きます。天気が良いのに思ったほど人出が無い。

After the break, we started walking again towards the Ring Road.  For such a nice day and Saturday, we did not see many people taking a walk.

環七交差点に到達して今来た道を振り返ると、こう。

We reached the Ring Road and looked back the pavement behind us.

朝散歩 Morning Walk

 今日も朝から快晴。城北公園手前の元野菜畑の草地へ行きました。中に入る前にタイガを左の通路に係留して、隣の自転車置き場に立ち寄り。

Another fine day today.  Before going to the Johoku Park, we dropped by the field that used to be a vegetable farm, now open to the public.  Before going in, I left Taiga in the narrow path between the field and a bicycle park.

この桜が気になって近づいてみました。この駐輪場は写真右にある幼児専用の公園の一部です。元はキウイ畑だったので、今でもキウイ棚を残して、「食育」をテーマに同時に他の食べられる植物も育てているようです。

I wanted to take a close look at this cherry tree.  This bicycle plot is a part of the park on the right, which is dedicated to infants.  It used to be a kiwi farm.  When Nerima-ku converted the farm into a park, they retained the kiwi plants and started to grow other edible plants too, as a way of educating children on the importance of natural foods.

葉っぱは山桜のように赤いけど、花柄はソメイヨシノの大きさです。

The leaves are as red as those of wild cherry trees, but the flowers are too large - as large as those of Somei Yoshino, the variety most widely loved in Japan.

花は山桜のようにピンクが強いけど、山桜の花びらはもっと華奢だったような記憶。

The flowers are as pink as those of wild cherry trees, but the petals are too large.

草地に入るとハナダイコンが咲き進んでいて花畑状態。

We went into the field, where flowers of the dame's violet were in full bloom.

写真右側の花桃も満開。

The flowering peach tree on the right was also in full bloom.

こういうハデハデな花、好きだわあ。

This variety is for ornamental use only, but these flowers are so pretty.

この草地は練馬区の管理。練馬区の公園はワンコ禁止だそうですが、この草地は色んな面でゆる～い管理で、ワンコ禁止の看板も無いので助かっています。

This field is managed by Nerima-ku which does not allow dogs to enter its parks.  However, this field is not treated as a full park and there is no sign banning dogs.  Moreover, not many people seem to know about this place, and it is almost always deserted.

その後は都立城北公園へ向かいました。

We then went to the Johoku Park, managed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, which allows dogs to come in.

桜は昨日よりは少し咲き進んでいますが、まだまだ長持ちしそう。

More flowers have opened since yesterday, but the trees have some way to go before a 'full bloom' stage.

花見客がちらほら場所取りを始めていました。

People were starting to spread their tarps for picnic lunches.

＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝

帰宅して、我が家の「旭山」はほぼ満開状態。

Back home, my cherry tree, a dwarf variety called 'Asahiyama', is almost in full bloom.

タイガは玄関前の座布団よりも日陰の地面で満足そう。

Taiga looking comfortable lying on the cool ground and in the shade.

久しぶりの青空 First Blue Sky in Days

 昨日までの雨から一転、今朝は雲ひとつない青空でした。防寒具なしでも心地よい暖かさで、歩いているうちに眠くなるほど。城北中央公園手前の草地のソメイヨシノは川沿いのよりも若干遅れて咲くので、まだまだ6部咲き程度です。週末も今日のように最高気温が17-18℃の予報なので、ゆっくり開花が進みそう。

After the bitterly cold rain over the last several days, the sky was absolutely blue this morning.  With the warm sun and cool breeze, I got almost sleepy as we walked.  The cherry trees in this field, which is a part of the Johoku Central Park, always start blooming several days after those along the river.  As of this morning, the flowers seem to be open about 60% of the way.  The maximum temperature is expected to remain at 17-18℃, the same as today, so the flowers will open at a moderate pace.

週末にこの草地は花見客で地面が埋め尽くされるでしょう。

During the weekend, this ground will be filled with people enjoying long picnic lunches.

帰る前に一休みしてタイガのオヤツ（カワハギの皮？の細切り）。

Before heading home, we sat down for Taiga's treat (skin of dried filefish).