autumn around me

It is unusually late this autumn for the leaves
along tamagawa-josui to turn yellow or red.

It might be because it is warmer than usual
for this time of year.

I've found a crisp autumn in my neighborhood.

(tamagawa-josui, in front of my apartment)


(koharu's chrysanthemum)

koharu's birthday

Happy Birthday, koharu !
You were always smiling at us when a baby.
You were very slow to start walking.
How happy we were when we saw you stand up.

You are now seven years old.
You are such a sweet girl.
You are such a lovely girl.
I love you so much.

You are my best friend.
You make me always happy.
Thank you for being my granddaughter, koharu.

Let's have a birthday party
when your parents' annual concert is over.
Happy birthday, darling!

glorious weather!

I've just come home from my Wednesday English Class.
It's nice to meet our American teacher
and enjoy talking in English.

It is difficult to make myself understood
in English but it is so nice to be there
and try to speak in English.

Learning a foreign language is really interesting.

(on my way home, around noon today)




(roses in the rain, yesterday)

origami of dinosaurs

We had an annual ko-min kan festival at our community center.
This year I was one of the organizers of the festival.
I took an active part in the festival.
The festival lasted for two days.

On the first day I helped boys and girls do origami.
A gentleman, who is a member of Igo club, taught them
how to fold papers into dinosaurs.

Children like dinosaurs very much.
They know about dinosaurs very well.
Many boys and girls came and enjoyed origami.
They were excited.

Sorry to say, there were few children who said "Thank you"
when they left us with their dinosaurs.
I am afraid this could be applicable to any case.

Yesterday we harmonica members played the harmonica
on the stage.

The audience looked very happy to listen to us.
They sang and swayed to music.

Yes, we played very good, old songs--azami no uta, soran bushi,
and doyo medley ( 7 songs).

I enjoyed two busy days.

koharu's mikan

Today my daughter was busy with her work.

I was asked to go to school to take koharu,
my granddaughter, back home.

koharu took me to the front of the school.
There were a few trees of mikan there.

koharu said to me, "I have been watching
these trees since I first came to school.

These mikan will be served at our school lunch
when they are fully grown and ready to eat.

Oh, I can hardly wait for the day to eat these mikan!
I don't mind if they are not sweet. I like sour mikan, too."

She asked me to take a picture of her mikan.

(too many leaves! )