たばこの気持ち

In Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture, I went grape and fig picking thanks to the kindness of a senior from my hometown.

先日、私たちのランチは坂東太郎「かつ太郎」のエビフライ&ヒレカツ弁当でした。お腹いっぱいになりました。

お汁は、東京塙会会長の奥様手作り、具だくさんでとても美味しかったです。ごちそうさまでした

The otherday, our lunch was a fried shrimp and pork fillet cutlet bento from Bando Taro's "Katsutaro". I was full.

The soup was homemade by the wife of the chairman of the Tokyo Hanawa Association, and was very delicious with lots of ingredients. Thank you for the meal.

北條さんのスズメバチ退治

接写したスズメバチ

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木の実の話の続きです

「ヨッツズミより、ハチマキブドウの方がうまい😋と思うけど」と私が言ったら、兄は「ハチマキブドウは、ブルーベリー🫐の一種なので、果実酒には向かない」と断言しました

ハチマキブドウとは、福島県東白川郡塙町の呼び方で、一般的には「ナツハデ」と言います

私はそのまま食べるなら、ヨツズミよりもナツハデが好きでした

そんなことを思い出しながら、横浜の自宅近くを歩いていたら、ナツハデの植栽が偶然、目にとまりました

実がなっていたら食べようと思って、枝の先を見たら、この暑さのせいか実が萎びていました。たしかにブルーベリーに似た、ナツハデの実を何十年ぶりかに、私は食べてみたいと思ったのです

Continuing the story about nuts

When I said, "I think Hachimaki grapes taste better than Yotsuzumi😋," my brother declared, "Hachimaki grapes are a type of blueberry🫐, so they are not suitable for fruit wine."

Hachimaki grapes are the name of Hanawa Town, Higashishirakawa District, Fukushima Prefecture, and are commonly called "Natsuhade."

If I were to eat them raw, I would prefer Natsuhade to Yotsuzumi.

Remembering this, I was walking near my house in Yokohama when I happened to notice a Natsuhade plantation.

I thought I would eat the fruit if it was ripe, but when I looked at the tip of the branch, the fruit was wilted, probably because of the heat. It was indeed similar to blueberries, and I wanted to try eating the fruit of Natsuhade for the first time in decades.

寝酒は赤い果実酒

兄の手づくり

福島県東白川郡塙町では「ヨッツズミ」と呼んでいる赤い小さな木の実

子どもの頃、口に含むと酸味が広がり、分かっていながら顔をしかめたものだ

一般的には「ヨツズミ」や「ガマズミ」と呼ばれていると知った

この果実酒は炭酸で割るとうまい、と兄に勧められたので、カレー🍛をつまみに飲んでみた

A nightcap of red fruit liquor.

Handmade by my brother.

In Hanawa-cho, Higashi-Shirakawa-gun, Fukushima Prefecture, these small red berries are called "Yotsuzumi".

When I put them in my mouth as a child, the sour taste spread and I would frown even though I knew it was sour.

I learned that they are commonly called "Yotsuzumi" or "Gamashumi".

My brother recommended that this fruit liquor be mixed with soda, so I tried it with some curry🍛 as a snack.

福島県東白川郡塙町で、私は久しぶりに「ヤセウマ」を見ました

私の地元では、「ヤセンマ」と呼んでいました

ヤセンマに、薪、農産物などを紐でくくりつけ、背中に担ぐのですね

In Hanawa-machi, Higashi-Shirakawa-gun, Fukushima Prefecture, I saw a "Yaseuma" for the first time in a long time. In my hometown, they are called "Yasema." People tie firewood, agricultural products, etc. to the Yasenma with ropes and carry it on their backs.

おじいちゃんとおばあちゃんの遺影ですが、いずれも手描きです

おばあちゃんの遺影が大きいのは、94歳まで長生きしたからです。亡くなるかなり以前に、絵師が来宅して、おばあちゃんを前にデッサンしていった景色を、私はかすかに覚えています

私に、おじいちゃんの記憶はございません

私が生まれる2年前に、72歳で他界しました。婿養子の身でありながら、大酒飲みで豪快な人だったと聞いています

These are the memorial portraits of my grandparents, both hand-drawn. My grandparents' portraits are large because they lived to be 94 years old. 

I vaguely remember an artist coming to our house long before she passed away and sketching my grandparents in front of her. 

I have no memories of my grandfather. He passed away at the age of 72, two years before I was born. 

I've heard that he was a heavy drinker and a very lively person, even though he was an adopted son-in-law.

従姉妹宅で薄味の煮物

シャキシャキの歯ごたえ、切り干し大根

しいたけ

福島県東白川郡塙町で自作されたジャガイモ🥔

にんじん🥕

Lightly seasoned stew at my cousin's house

Crunchy dried daikon radish strips

Shiitake mushrooms

Homemade potatoes🥔

Carrots🥕 from Hanawa-cho, Higashi-Shirakawa-gun, Fukushima Prefecture

福島県東白川郡塙町のみよし食堂はお休みでした

それでも従兄弟ご夫妻とお会いし、あいさつと立ち話ができ、とても嬉しかったです

みよし食堂のラーメンは食べられなかったですが、福島県東白川郡塙町の蕎麦耕房の蕎麦粉を、オーナーの光明ちゃんから譲ってもらい、本日のランチとして、私が打ってみました

お蕎麦と団子の中間みたいな形状でしたが、息子曰く「うまいよ！蕎麦粉がいいと、こんな美味いんだ😋」と、ツユをぶっかけて、たくさん食べてくれました

ありがとう光明ちゃん😊

今夜（2024.8.18）の横浜は、遠くの空に満月🌕なんか、とても、さほど長くはない人生だけど、いいことばっかりの予感がするのです

それは、たとえ大きな勘違いであっても、いいことなのだろうと思います

Miyoshi Shokudo in Hanawa-cho, Higashi-Shirakawa-gun, Fukushima Prefecture was closed.

Still, I was very happy to meet my cousin and his  wife, and to be able to greet and chat with them.

I couldn't eat the ramen at Khomei Khobo, but the owner, Khomei-chan, gave me some buckwheat flour from Soba Kobo in Hanawa-cho, Higashi-Shirakawa-gun, Fukushima Prefecture, and I tried making it for today's lunch.

It was a shape that was somewhere between soba noodles and dumplings, but my son said, "It's delicious! If the buckwheat flour is good, it's so delicious 😋" and poured the sauce over it and ate a lot.

Thank you, Khomeii-chan 😊.

Tonight in Yokohama, there is a full moon in the distant sky 🌕. I have a feeling that my life is not very long, but I have a feeling that only good things will happen.

I think that even if it's a big mistake, it's a good thing.

8月15日は終戦記念日でしたが、翌日の16日は、私にとっての平和的な終戦記念日のようなものでした

まさに、一大長編小説を一気読みしたようでした

その一日で、私は自分の「死に支度」の地ならしが出来たような気がしています

兄貴たちとは、悲喜こもごもいろいろありましたが、本当に童心に返って、笑顔のままにお話ししてきました

しかし、安心するな、心配するなのことわざにもあるように、慎重に淡々と、笑顔を忘れずにお付き合いを深めていこうと思っています

私は過去にこだわらず、いいことだけを思い出し、短いこれからの余生を味わっていこうと思います

August 15th was the anniversary of the end of the war, but the following day, the 16th, was like a peaceful anniversary of the end of the war for me.

It was like I read a long novel in one go.

In that one day, I felt like I had made the groundwork for my own "preparation for death."

Although I had many happy and sad experiences with my brothers, I truly returned to my childhood and spoke with a smile.

However, as the saying goes, "Don't be complacent, don't worry," I intend to deepen my relationship with them carefully and calmly, without forgetting to smile.

I will not dwell on the past, but will remember only the good things and enjoy the rest of my short life.