The first signs of autumn at the Sagiike-pond

When people were exhausted and worried how long the unrelentless summer heat

would last, cool and crisp air arrived right on the Autumn Equinox suddenly.

We felt revived for a short while.

Now that it's October, however, we are still experiencing nearly 30 degrees C in the daytime.

These images are from the Sagi-ike Pond, Nara Park, on a cloudy weekend morning. 

At this time of year, I feel autumn in the air and in the colors of pond.

Algae have made the pond colors much greener. 

Are drones flying over in formation?

Water-striders were busy skating across the pond.
Their figures with their reflections looked like drones.  

Yellows in the pond reflection are suggestive of a little coloring leaves.

Sakura leaves have started changing colors.

Crape myrtles were still lingering.

Weathered fallen leaves and reflected trees play together to make a painting 

on the water canvas.

So peaceful and quiet in the cool morning air.

Extreme weather has become norm: the deadliest hurricanes in the US, 

the devastating floods in Europe and Asia, to name a few.

Small 23 rivers were overflooded in Noto-peninsula which has not recovered 

from the catastrophic earthquake of January.

Though helpless in the huge energy of nature, even tiny bit effort in any form 

can cause huge positive impacts on climate-change.

Each of us is a part of nature as well as a part of this historic urgent challenge.

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Strolling around my town

 Apricot Rains is over!

Blistering sunny days have come after the sweltering rainy season.

 I've stayed home mostly except for the evening walk as I feel like that I'm being choked 

in sauna in the daytime.

While I spend idly and casually, I've created a post about my town from spring to summer.

My town is a nice and quiet residential area, a bedroom town of

Kyoto, Osaka, and Nara, lying on the rolling hills overlooking four directions.

 I like walking around my town, neighboring towns, and the surrounding area.

Townspeople take care of their gardens earnestly, and the public planting space, too.

Flowers on fences or gates.

Sakura (Cherry blossoms) are beautiful in every park.

I like the stillness of the parks after children go back home.

Sakura bloomed late this year but Dogwood, Wisteria, Geraniums, Roses, Hydrangeas .... 

come to bloom earlier and earlier every year.

I'm always marveled at how many people love to grow plants with green thumbs.

In the nearest park, the Liriodendron tulipifera bloom in mid-May. 

 Few people notice the orange and green, tulip-shaped  flowers on the upper part of a quite tall tree.

Flowers under our feet, either.

In a couple of minutes from the park, I'm home!

Rainy season set in significantly late and ended almost the same as usual.

It was sweltering hot when the sun appeared.

Raindrops on the morning glory; short-lived respite.

By the way, the west side of the town is a countryside with history longer than 1300 years.

Chinese milk vetches dot the off-season paddies in April. 

Where have gone the nostalgic flower carpets? (2016)

When Emperor Shomu (the period of reign 724-749) passed by the area, Ono Fukumaro, 

who ruled the area, was using a "三 three-pitted 碓 stone mortar" to grind grains.

Emperor Shomu saw it and called the area 三碓 Mitsu-garasu.

It is thought to be the origin of the name of this area.

The stone mortar is kept at the Konsho-in Temple next to the Mitsugarasu Shrine 

which enshrines tutelary "kami" who protects the area .

I'll be on summer break in blogging as usual.

Wish you a pleasant season wherever you are.

Stay safe from any disasters.

See you in two months!

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Dangerous heat waves during the Apricot Rains

Hot, hot, too hot, and too humid!

I don't feel like having a walk under this kind of weather, which saps my energy 

and makes me feel quite spent.

I found several unpublished photos taken during my trip to Kamikochi and Hida-Takayama 
on rainy days in 2011. 

Kamikochi is the plateau at the altitude of 1500 meters surrounded by so-called North Japan Alps, 

Hida Mountain Ranges.

People can enter from mid-April to mid-November; the rest of year, Kamikochi is in winter sleep.

I hope you can feel a little cooler while reading about the recent scorching heat.

Kamikochi Official Site

 Kamikochi Walk (a post in 2011)

While unseasonal heat started as early as May this year, it was relatively cool

during the continuous wet weather of late June.

Then it has gotten scorching, boiling hot on the arrival of July despite Apricot Rains.

Intense heat of 35 degrees C or higher with high humidity, nearly 40C in some places, 

is life-threatening.

“Heat-stroke special alert” is to be issued based on WBGT, which takes several variables 

into account; temperature, humidity, wind speed, sun angle, cloud cover and so on. 

Hida-Takayama City seen from our hotel

As I look at the photos of the old township of Hida-Takayama,

I'm reminded how the streets were vacant at around 9 a.m. back then

different from the recent bustling of tourists.

凸凹堂 (above) is a shop for hand-made accessories of natural stones, especially featuring 

blue colors of the deep sea.

Teashops; above and below.

Weather seems to have been becoming extreme year by year.
When it rains, it's torrential; when the sun shines, it’s dangerously hot.

During the Apricot Rains of late June, it often rained cats and dogs.

One day I went to the nearby park when the morning downpouring was eased.

The blades of grass glow with crystal-like raindrops.

Do you find peace in the rain?

Back home, Ajisai (Hydrangea) was showing off its radiance under the leaden skies.

This spider was the last-minute entrant before I came into the house.

The current heat wave will be stopped as the Apricot Rains is returning soon.

I look forward to walking in the rain.

I pray for no disastorous heat waves and devastaing rainfall.

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