beautiful Tuesday

I've just been to the post office near my apartment.
It's so nice to walk in this good weather.
I suddenly remembered a song "beautiful Sunday."
I used to sing the song whenever I felt lonely.

In those days I was very ill in bed almost all Sundays.
I feel very sorry for my only daughter even now.
I could not take her anywhere for pleasure.

She was left alone every day. But she never complained
to me about it. She was always very kind to me.
My little girl always encouraged me saying,
"Oh, mother, you'll soon be all right."
I used to be such a weak mother in mind and body.

And many years have passed since then.
Now that I have nothing to worry about and
now that I have done everything I should do in my life,
I am getting stronger each day.

I am happy and grateful to everybody for everything.

(in the neighborhood of my apartment, this morning)

social gathering

Today I attended a new year's social gathering
at my community center. It was a luncheon gathering.
Sekihan, red and white manju, buta-jiru soup and drinks
were served.

Some performances were given on a makeshift stage.
I enjoyed Japanese dance, magic tricks, shigin
(recitation of a Chinese poem), etc.

There were about 50 persons present.
Most of them were older than I.
I was glad they were still hale and hearty at the age of
over eighty.

They reminded me of an American poem YOUTH written
by Samuel Ullman. The poem starts with the line:

Youth is not a time of life--
it is a state of mind:







(on my way back I saw daffodils)

today's sky

It is very cold early in the morning
but the sun appears from behind the clouds.
This is the winter in Tokyo.

People in Tokyo can pass the winter without a snow
shovel. At this time of the year I always remember
the days in Niigata when I had a heavy snow
and cried wondering if I could survive a winter.

In the year of 1974 the winter brought heavy snowfalls
even in Niigata City. There was much snow left on each
side of the street in the middle of March.

Oh, how many winters have I survived?
Today is his birthday.

Shelley says, "If winter comes, can spring be far behind?"
I like this saying very much.

( at 3:00p.m. on the way to supermarket )

nature in Shimane

(from my bus window )

in Shimane

Adachi Museum of Art was a great museum
with beautiful Japanese gardens and famous
contemporary Japanese paintings.

I ate an-mitsu at a window seat of a restaurant
in the museum, enjoying the graceful view of the garden.
I enjoyed peace of mind.


Izumo Taisha was somewhat different from what
I had expected. Do you know how to pray there?
I didn't know about it at all.

I had to bow twice, clap my hands four times,
have my prayer and make the last bow.
(2 rei-4 haku-1 rei )


I enjoyed the water city of Matsue by boat,
thoug it was raining.