朝散歩 Morning Walk

 柿の木広場へ向かう途中の公園の西洋トチノキ。初夏には白花の房で覆われます。

One of the European horse chestnut trees in the park near the Persimmon Park.  This tree gets covered with beautiful white flowers in early summer.

涼しい木陰で一休みしました。

Another hot morning, so Taiga took refuge in the shade.

足元には落ちた西洋トチノキの実がゴロゴロ。殻から実が飛び出していて、普通の栗にそっくりですが、毒があるとイギリスでは言われています。日本のトチモチはトチの実の毒性を取り除いて利用しているのでしょう。

Lots of horse chestnuts on the ground.  The chestnuts out of the shells look similar to sweet chestnuts but I was told in England that they were toxic.  However, Japanese horse chestnuts are used to make 'mochi' sweets, by removing the toxicity beforehand.

柿木広場の甘百目。ここは元は近くの土地持ち農家の庭だったらしく、こんな古い品種の大木があります。

The solitary persimmon tree in the Persimmon Park.  This park used to be a part of a large garden belonging to an old farming family, and this persimmon variety is old and not so popular any more.

毎年鈴なりで、隔年性を感じさせません。実が赤く過熟になる頃、この辺で野生化したワカケホンセイインコの群れが食べにきます。

Persimmon trees tend to alternate in terms of bumper years and poor harvest years, but this tree is a constant producer.  When the fruits become overripe on the tree, a flock of Indian Ringnecks come and feast on them.

不完全甘柿なので、今の人たちにはあまり興味を持たれないようで、たぶん野鳥専用です。

This variety is partially astringent so humans are not interested in the fruits but good enough for wild birds.

タイガは木陰で草風呂。
Taiga enjoying the shade and the grass to roll on.

額に枯草がついている。

A dry stalk on her forehead.

立ち上がるとシッポが垂れるほど疲れているようなので、ゆっくり帰りました。

When she got up, her tail was down indicating that she was already tired.  So, we headed home leisurely.

朝散歩 Morning Walk

 今朝は毛呂山公園へ。相変わらず蒸し暑くて、歩いているうちに汗で皮膚がチクチクしてきます。夏は一日最低2度はシャワーに入るので、皮膚がかすり傷で覆われていて汗が染みると痛いのだと思います。とにかく、最低限の身体的動きと精神的抑揚なしで発汗を抑えながらの散歩。

Another hot and humid morning, and we went to Moroyama Park this morning.  As I walked, sweat was stinging my skin.  It is probably because I take at least 2 showers a day during summer and my skin is covered with tiny scratches.  Under the circumstance, all I can do is to minimise my movements as I walk and try to remain calm emotionally, thereby limiting the amount of perspiration.

上の広場は草ぼうぼう。

When we reached the top of the hill, we found the grass was uncut and long.

中型犬の脚でも動きにくいほど草が深いので、タイガはキツネのように飛び跳ねながら走っていました。

Even for a medium-sized dog like Taiga, it was difficult to move about among the tall grass.  So, she kept jumping like a fox.  At least, she was in high spirits.

朝散歩 Morning Walk

 今朝は城北公園へ。いつもの広場とは違う入口からで、木陰のある並木道。

We went to the Johoku Central Park this morning, entering the park from another direction where there was an avenue of trees with shades.

９月中旬に入っても高温・高湿度なので、空にはまだまだ入道雲っぽいのが出ます。

Already mid-September, but still hot and humid.  Reflecting this, the clouds in the sky are those typical of mid-summer.

写真だけ見ていると涼しそうですが、人間にとって現実は汗、汗。体の動きも精神的な抑揚も最小限に抑えて、汗をかかないようにしての散歩。

Looking at the photos, it may seem cool and comfortable, but the reality for me is that I am sweating constantly.  The only thing I can do is to stay calm emotionally and make as little movement as possible.

日向ではタイガの毛が日光を反射してキラキラ。

Taiga's fur sparkling in the sun.

こうやって好き放題されても、最も汗をかかない努力で冷静に。

Even when she does what a dog wants to do on a cool grass only a few days after her shampoo, I try to remain calm so as not to perspire more than I can help.

水飲み場がある日陰で一休み。

We had a rest in the shade where there was tap water for Taiga.

-

帰り道、初対面の子に会いました。シーズー、９歳のモモちゃん。

A new face we met after leaving the park.  A 9-year old Shi Tzu girl, named Momo.

他所の人は好きだけどワンコは苦手だそうで、タイガとは距離を保ったままでした。

She likes people but not other dogs, so she kept a distance from Taiga.

朝散歩 Morning Walk

 今朝は隣の6丁目を散策しました。坂を下りる手前にある公園では、ザクロの木に実がたわわ。この公園の周りには３，４匹の猫が住んでいるので、タイガの気に入りの通り道です。

Taiga chose to walk the neighbourhood this morning, so we headed towards the district next to ours.  When we came to a small park just before going down the hill, I noticed a pomegranate tree.

木の樹勢がよく、いかにも健康そう。

The tree looks robust and beautiful.

これだけ充実した木なので、実のサイズもかなり大きいです（大人の握りこぶしくらい）。春には派手でない普通の花が咲いていたので、昔からある食用になる品種だと思います。

Since this is a mature tree, its fruits are quite large - easily the side of a grownup's fist.  I remember the flowers in the spring looked very ordinary, which indicates that this is an old-established common variety that produces edible fruits.

谷を下りて向こうの坂を上りたかったのですが、途中でタイガがストップをかけました。暑いので帰りたそう。

By the time we started going up the other side of the valley, Taiga got hot and bothered and signalled to cut the walk short.  

しょうがないので谷底の道を陰づたいに歩いて、農地の横までくると丘の上にそびえ立つケヤキの大木が見えてきました。

So, we walked along the bottom of the valley and came to a small farm plot that still survives today.  I love looking up at this Japanese zelkova tree standing atop a hill.

この木は葉っぱのある季節には、いつ見ても清々しい気持ちになります。

The sight of this ancient tree surviving in Tokyo gives me courage.

手前の畑にはイチジク栽培の一角があります。

There is a small corner in the farmland where they grow fig trees.

今朝のように気温の高いときに横を通ると、葉っぱの良い臭いが漂ってきます。果実と葉っぱの切り込みから判断して、桝井ドーフィンっぽいです。うちの買ったばかりのルージュ・ド・ボルドーは、来年の今頃には実を着けているはずなので大変楽しみです。

When the weather is hot like this morning, you can smell the fig leaves when you pass by them.  Judging by the size and shape of the fruits as well as the leaves, I think this is the commonest variety in Japan, whose fruits are sold in supermarkets.

朝散歩 Morning Walk

 今日も蒸し暑い朝です。古代家の林の近くにはタイガのオヤツスポットがあるので、そこで一休み。

Another sultry morning as we walked in the park.  We stopped at a place near the wooded area with a reconstructed ancient dwelling, where Taiga has designated as her treat spot.

月曜の朝のせいか、人影がほとんどなくて貸し切り状態の草地。

It being a Monday morning, we hardly saw other people.

自家製のチキンジャーキーですが、タイガは飽きもせず毎日喜んで食べています。

Taiga never seems tired of the chicken jerky that I make for her.

帰り道も日陰伝いにゆっくり歩きました。タイガは今年の5月で11歳になったので、元気なうちになるべく多くの写真をとっておこうと思いはじめたところです。

We went home picking our way through shades.  Since Taiga is already 11 years old, I have decided to take as many photos of her as possible, even when there is nothing newsworthy.

朝散歩 Morning walk

 ９月になっても日差しが強烈で、少しでも寝坊して散歩に出かけると暑くて干物になりそうです。城北中央公園に着くと、とにかく日陰づたいに散歩を済ませたい。

Even though we are in the month of September, it is still hot and humid.  Getting up late and going to the park means facing the most unpleasant weather.  So, I try to move from one shade to another.

上のほうの「窪地」と呼ばれている広場に上りました。

We headed for the upper part of the park.

空を見上げたとたん足が止まって、

However, the moment I saw the blue sky, we stopped and

ベンチでオヤツタイムにして帰りました。

left for home after a quick rest for Taiga's treat.

暑くてタイガもヘロヘロなのか、おとなしく帰宅します。

Taiga, with all that fur, must find it equally unbearable walking outside and she offered no resistance to come home.

＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝

７月中旬に地植えのリスボンレモンに高接ぎしたキンカンライムが活着したようで、最近の台風がらみの雨で急に枝が伸びていました。

I grafted a small scion of the limequat onto the Lisbon lemon growing in the ground, in mid-July.  It seems to have set and new shoots have come out, thanks to the rains related to the recent typhoons.

８月末に開花していたのか、今では幼果までついています。私は接ぎ木が下手なので、どんな季節であろうと、活着するときはするし、しないときは全滅なので、季節に関係なく思い立ったら実行しています。

Also, it seems that the new growth even had flowers, probably during late August, and I can see young fruits starting to grow.  I am no good at grafting and, regardless of the season, if it works it works, and if it doesn't all the grafts fail.  So, I have stopped minding the season when it comes to grafting.

こちらは鉢植えで管理している親木のキンカンライム。毎年けっこう実をつけますが、種ゴロゴロなので使い勝手がよくないです。その点、うちのスダチは種無しなので気に入っています。

This is the limequat that I have had for several years growing in a pot.  It is a reliable producer but the only snag is that the fruits have seeds, unlike my seedless sudachi.

台風の雨で雑草がボウボウだったのを、今日の可燃ゴミの日に向けて昨日のうちに草むしりしました。玄関前の黄花食用菊の株をまとめてスッキリ。

Weeds were rampant after the warm rains in recent weeks.  Yesterday, I cleared all the weeds for the moment, in time for rubbish collection today.  The chrysanthemum plant in front of my porch is growing well and I am looking forward to the beautiful flowers next month.