Kurohime-kogen and Togakushi-kogen (1)

Yesterday I joined a one-day bus trip again---alone as usual.
It was not long before I adapted myself to the group.
Everyone was very friendly to me.

I love Shinshu District so much.
I visited Shinshu three times during this summer.
Yesterday I visited Kurohime-kogen and Togakushi-kogen.

Kurohime-kogen is famous for its Cosmos Garden
with 1000000 cosmoses.

Togakushi-kogen is famous for its Togakushi-soba,
buckwheat noodles.

It was raining hard when I left my apartment in Tokyo.
But the sky cleared up by the time when we arrived
at Kurohime-kogen.

I enjoyed fresh air and lovely cosmoses of Kurohime-kogen.
I saw flowers of soba for the first time in my life in Togakushi.





(on the way to Togakushi from Kurohime-kogen)

brass band concert

Last evening I went to a concert given by a high school
brass band. It was a wonderful concert.

The concert was full of energy, which gave me strength.

The concert was full of youth, which made me fresh.

The concert was full of politeness, which, I had thought,
most high school boys and girls did not mind at all.

They played more than 10 pieces of music.
I especially enjoyed Glenn Miller Medley, ifu-dou-dou
by Edward Elger, Mambo No.5, Charlie Chaplin Medley
and John Williams Medley.

After the concert, Ms. Y and I had dinner at a Japanese
restaurant. I had a nice day.
</

the rain has stopped

On Thursday I have a harmonica class at a community center.
There are 16 members in my harmonica class.

I think I am not getting better at the harmonica.
But our instructor told me that he would present
a certificate of medium grade to me.

He is one of the best harmonica players in Japan
--he is called 'the king of enka' in the Japanese
harmonica world.　　

To tell the truth, I don't want any certificate at all.

(oshiroi-bana---near my apartment, today)

autumn flavor

It rained all day in Tokyo.
It was a cold rain.

I felt cold when I went for a walk
wearing a short-sleeved shirt.
I should have worn a long-sleeved shirt.

Will it get cold day by day?
Will we have nice autumn days?

Clovers in my daughter's garden looked fine
in the autumn rain.

patchwork quilt

One of my good old friends in Niigata sent me
a beautiful patchwork quilt for my PC cover.

She asked her friend, who was good at doing patchwork,
to make one for me. I was greatly touched by her kindness.

We exchange New Year's cards every year
but we have not seen each other for a long time
--more than 25 years.

We've just enjoyed chatting on the phone.
Thank you very much, Friend!

This patchwork quilt will be one of my greatest treasures.