朝散歩など Morning Walk etc

 今日も朝から暑くて極力 汗が吹き出さないよう、そぅっと歩きました。今朝タイガが向かったのは茂呂山公園。数週間ぶりですが、猛暑で落葉樹の葉っぱが減ったような印象。

As usual, it was debilitatingly hot starting from early morning today.  So, I walked suppressing my muscle movements as much as possible in order to avoid sweating.  Taiga wanted to walk through the Moroyama Park this morning.  It has been several weeks since we were here last, and the deciduous trees seem to have lost some leaves in the recent heat wave.

坂の上の広場に到着。写真で見る限りは清々しそうですが、

In the photo, it may look breezy and fresh, but

実は、最高に蒸し暑いです。

the reality was far from it - unbelievably hot and humid.

タイガも暑さから息が短く荒い。

Taiga's breath was short from the heat.

せめて草の上でスリゴロして気分転換を。

At least, she enjoyed rolling on the grass to take her mind from the heat.

ノムラモミジの林を歩くと、

When we walked through the corner with Nomura maple trees,

赤いモミジの発芽苗がありました。

I found a red maple tree from this spring's germination.

城北中央公園に1本だけあるノムラモミジの周りでは発芽苗を見たことがないけど、ここでは発芽するようです。

In the Johoku Central Park, there is just one Nomura maple tree.  I have looked for seedlings for years but never found one.  Here, you can find seedlings sometimes.

そういえば、うちの発芽苗。去年の秋に沢山の種を蒔いたけど、赤いモミジの発芽は３個だけでした。うち１個は、数日前、近所にめでたくもらわれて行きました。その家では、門の外に置いてあった大盃の盆栽が猛暑で枯れてしまったので、やり直しにちょうど良いと喜ばれました。

That reminded me about the seedlings at home.  I sowed several seeds last autumn, but only 3 red-leaf maples germinated.  Of these 3, one was given away to my neighbour recently.  The neighbour always had a bonsai of a red maple tree, a cultivar called 'O-sakazuki', since I moved here 29 years ago.  The bonsai was placed by the side of the entrance, but it died in the current heat wave.  They were delighted to get the Nomura maple tree seedling, so they could restart.

雑草にまみれて葉っぱが汚くなってしまいましたが、落葉樹なので来年には問題なしでしょう。それより適当な鉢を探すことが急務です。先日、練馬の渋谷園芸へ行ったときに探しましたが、モダンな鉢ばかりで、渋いものはありませんでした。近所のJAでも同じです。もう、こうなったら粘土で自作、と思っています。

The seedlings had been buried among the weeds until recently, and some of the leaves are looking damaged by insects.  However, as deciduous trees, they will be fine next year.  What is needed urgently is to get a suitable pot to house these.  I have looked into several shops but found none.  I am now thinking of getting a block of clay that is often used to make pots for small plants.  The clay is a hobby item, but it serves the purpose.

ジャバラに絡ませてある２本のバラのハンザのうち、この１本だけが今年の春に開花しました。今年は花の数が多かったので、試しにローズヒップを生らせようと、花びらだけを摘み取りました。

Of the 3 Hansa roses I grow, this bush had a lot of flowers this spring.  I left the flowers untouched so that the bush could grow rose hips - I had never tried it before.

結果、たったの４個だけですが、実が着いています。大きくて鮮やかなオレンジ色なので、通りがかる小学生たちが不思議そうに見て行きます。最終的に真っ赤になったら、リースに挿すと効果的かもしれませんが、私はリースには無関心なので齧ってみます。昔見たブログ記事によると、ハンザの生のローズヒップを齧ってみたら、リンゴに似た風味の果肉だったそうです。

After all that, I am left with only 4 rose hips.  They are large and bright orange.  They seem to attract attention, and I have seen little school children staring at them wondering what they were.  When they mature and become red, adding them to a wreath may be quite effective.  However, I am not into wreaths.  Rather, I am curious to see how it tastes.  Many years ago, I saw a blog article in which the person had taken a bite at a fresh Hansa rose hip.  She said it tasted like an apple.  

ローゼルなど Roselle etc

早朝散歩で公園手前の屋敷林の一角に祀られている地蔵さんの前を通ったら、菊の花が添えられていて、まるでもう秋のようでした。 

On our way to the Johoku Park, we passed by the jizo-san statues.  Someone had put offerings of chrysanthemum flowers - it looked like autumn already.

なぜか、地蔵さんの足元には十円硬貨が置かれています。

I do not know why, but there were coins placed at the feet of each statue.

もう一体の地蔵さんの足元にも。神社ではないのでお賽銭箱はありません。

At a Shinto shrine or a Buddhist temple, you might see a money offering box, but I have never seen jizo-san getting such offerings.  I personally think that jizo-san statues are detached from worldly things like money or running costs of shrines/temples.  Instead, they should belong to the world of wabi-sabi.

公園の草地に着くと、タイガは桜の木陰で動かなくなりました。

When we arrived at the park, Taiga became immobile under a large cherry tree.

冷たい草の上で草風呂です。

The cool grass was inviting her for good rolling.

この心地よい木陰から出て、家までの道は日向を歩く覚悟が必要です。

From this comfortable shade, we had to leave and walk the scorching road home.

＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝

スーパーの帰りに寄った近所のJAで、ローゼルの苗を見かけました。花のあとのガクを利用してジャムを作ってみたくて、一度は育てたいと思っていた植物です。値段を見ると、この立派な苗で何と350円、買わずにはいられませんでした。

On my way home from the supermarket, I dropped into the nearby JA to see if they had anything interesting, when I saw this roselle plant.  I have always wanted to try growing this plant, since I had read so much about delicious roselle tea and jam.  When I saw the price, it was only 350 yen (a little above US$2), so I got one.

こんなに大きな苗です。

The plant was already so tall.

根鉢もしっかりできています。

The roots are looking eager to spread.

ブラックベリーのナバホを撤去したあと、左のエビネが日向になり過ぎて心配だったのですが、ローゼルが地植えでガンガン育てばちょうど良い日陰ができます。写真右のかろうじて葉っぱが数枚ついているのは、ナバホの跡地に植えたローガンベリーのワイマテ。去年からの茎が両脇に１本ずつあったのを除去して、来年用の茎１本だけにしました。最近の高温・乾燥のなかでもまだ枯れていないので、何とか生き延びているようです。

After I removed Navaho blackberry, the Ebine orchid (shown on the left) was getting too exposed to the sun.  If I plant the roselle in front of it, the orchid should get some relief from the sun.  The cane on the right is the replacement, Waimate loganberry, which I planted the other day.  Shortly after, I removed the canes from last year, which were on either side of this remaining cane.  So far, it is managing to stay alive in this heatwave and extreme dryness.

植え付けました。

Planting is done.

地植えパワーで沢山の枝を出して開花してほしいです。ネット上の情報によると、鉢植え管理で屋内越冬が可能だそうですが、この苗は一年草扱いにして、ほんの少しの種を生らせようと思います。ガクがどんな食味なのか楽しみです。

It should grow much more vigorously in the ground than in a pot, with tons of branches.  According to articles on the internet, it is possible for roselle plants to overwinter in a warm room, but I am going to treat this as an annual plant.  I will however try to get some seeds for next year.  I am looking forward to tasting roselle jam later in autumn.