mystery bus tour (1)

I left my apartment 7:15 and went to
Higashimurayma Station on the Seibu Line.

I joined an overnight mystery bus tour.

It was a package tour.

There were 35 members on the bus.
The tour conductor was a young lady.

Where are we going? It's a mystery.

Our bus ran over the Tohoku Expressway.

Our first visit was あじさい坂 leading to
Oohira-yama大平山 in Tochigi prefecture.

Our bus took us to its hillside and then
we walked down あじさい坂, enjoying hydrangeas.

The hydrangeas were not in full bloom yet.

(view from the hillside)


I was sorry there was no time to go up to the top
of the hill.



あじさい坂










六角堂

summer has come

It is too hot for early summer, isn't it?

The temperature went up to 32℃ in Tokyo today.

I like summer in Tokyo better than that in Niigata.

The summer air in Niigata feels much hotter and wetter.

The discomfort index depends on the humidity, I feel.

I had a mini-concert in my Harmonica Circle.

I played a German song 別れの歌　on the harmonica.

Thank you, Grandson!

My grandson is in the third year in high school.

He is a member of the brass band club.

He plays the trumpet.

Today they gave their 'Brass Band Regular Concert.'

The hall was full of more than 1400 people.

It was a touching concert.

Everybody on the stage looked brilliant.

Everybody on the stage looked happy.

Everybody on the stage was enjoying music.

What a wonderful time I had!

Thank you so much, Grandson.

----------------------------------------

Program

Part Ⅰ Classical music

・マーチ「ライヴリーアヴェニュー」、、、、堀田庸元　作曲
・キャンディート序曲、、、、、、レナード・バーンスタイン作曲
・ヒム・オブ・ブラザーフッド、、、、E・V・フロニンゲン　作曲
・ハンガリー狂詩曲第二番、、、、、フランツ・リスト　作曲

Part Ⅱ Stage Drill 2011

・オープニング　アルヴァマー序曲
・サンダーバード
・そばかす
・タマシイレボリューション
・Percussion Soli
・情熱大陸
・気まぐれロマンチック
・星条旗よ永遠なれ
・エンディング　　Best Friend

Part Ⅲ　Pop music

・出航の時
・ダンシング・シスター
・The Lion King
・We Are the World
・Mr.インクレディブル

Encore

・？
・My Way

(lily I saw in the neighborhood)

in fruit

When koharu's parents built a new house,
my friend gave them young plants of karin and biwa.

They were only 20cm tall.

Eight years have passed and those young plants
have grown into big trees.

They are now in fruit.

I tried biwa, which was delicious!

I'd like to preserve karin in honey this autumn.

Wednesday English Class

I registered as a student at Wednesday English Class
by Kodaira International Friendship Association---
16 lessons for the first term of the year 2011.

Wednesday English Class started on April 13 and
today I had the 9th lesson.

There are 18 students ---one gentleman and 17 ladies.

Most of them are younger than I.

Our teacher is a lady from Australia.
She is a mother of two daughters.

She gives us some homework every week.

She is a very good teacher.

I have to write a recipe in English about one of my
favorite dishes.

I have to turn in my homework by the end of this month.

I enjoy both Wednesday English Class and Friday English
Circle very much.

I really like learning English.

(What flower is this? I saw it on the way to English Class.)


Thanks to attchan-san, this flower proved to be
"Honey suckle," スイカズラ or 「忍冬（ニンドウ）」.

(a bakery where I bought a loaf of delicious bread
and freshly baked rolls)