Images from the mid-summer, 2019

Japan’s summer is notoriously sultry.

 The weather of this summer went to extreme in a different way from the last year's 

long life-threatening heat wave.

This summer's specialty was humidity.

Even when it was "sunny", the humidity hovered around 65-70. 
I felt like that I was choked in the sauna.

Victoria Amazonica at the Kusatsu Aquatic Botanical Garden

A feel of coolness

Butterflies flit around the flowers which adorn the Stone Buddhist statues 

at the Gangoji Temple in the late July.

Mid-august is the time to appreciate peace and the sacrifice of the past people.

Also the time to welcome our ancestors back to this world for a couple of days.

Hope we are sowing the seeds of peace so that our future generation can harvest.

The bamboo lantern ornaments at the Tokae Candle Lighting Festival.

Sunflowers and blossoms of Crape Myrtle are two of my favorite summer flowers.

They were complementing each other at the Umami Hills Park

when my husband and I stopped by after paying a visit to our ancestors' grave.

Being sun-drenched is no sweats for them,

while as for myself I was gasping for fresh air perspiring.

Y's interests towards insects have deepened. 
He observed a larva of cicada climbing a tree in the early evening to shed its nymph exoskeleton at night.
He caught another cicada the next day.

Before flying away to freedom again, the cicada climbed up Y's leg.
He let it do as it likes.

I enjoyed being entertained by my grandchildren.
Summer ends soon enough, and childhood as well.
Wish them the best and exciting childhood as long as it lasts.

Evenings and mornings have gotten cooler,
while daytime temperatures were still high hovering around 35C the past week.
I hope cool, crisp air sooner.

Linked to Mosaic Monday


PS   
My washing machine stopped working suddenly this morning 
after 12 years' working.
Luckily I finished making this post last night.
I'm in the middle of something for a new machine.
Excuse me for not visiting your blog sooner.

Waterside and reflections

I like to be at waterside, whether the sea, a lake, a pond, a stream, or a puddle.

I like to watch the ever changing water-surface

with different shades and intonations of colors caused by light and wind.

There's something beautiful and enchanting.

On a sunny day of late April, I was at one of the ponds of the Isui-en Garden.

I lost myself to the yellow Koi, or Carp, swimming with ripples in the reflection water.

Guess what are the pink flowers at the pond of Chogaku-ji Temple.

Azaleas!

During my trip to Tottori Prefecture at the end of May, I stopped at a little pond.

It was nameless but not unremembered .....

for the fascination of yellow Irises and the reflections.

Here is another untamed, nameless pond edged by White Clovers.

At the water-lilies pond of Gansen-ji Temple in mid-June.

The first image is focused on the aqua plants on the pond;

the second on the little purple flowers at the edge of the pond.

The following two photos are not at waterside or from the archive of this year.

They are from March of 2012 when my daughter had a wedding.

Thinking of reflection photos, I suddenly remembered these ones.

These are the two of the most memorable reflection photos.

The former half of the year 2019 fleeted away

and summer holiday is coming soon.

I'll have a blog break till the end of summer when my grandchildren

return to their school or kindergarten.

Wish you a terrific summer, winter, or any other season

from the center of a little world of Furin, or a Japanese wind-chime.

Linked to Mosaic Monday
Our World Tuesday

My favorite Ajisai lane and rite of passage

Late June is usually in the middle of a rainy season 
which lasts about one and a half months till mid-to-late July
but not yet in some regions including Nara this year.
The floral symbol of Japan's rainy season, Ajisai (Hydrangeas),
have looked tired in the sunshine and are withering relatively sooner.

There is a lovely Ajisai lane connecting the residential area of Mayumi and the Tomio River.

It is so narrow that only a compact car can barely pass through. 
Nice and quiet place to stroll around.

The forest of Ajisai runs along the south side of Chokyu-ji Temple.
  The temple was founded in 1276 by the Buddhihst high priest Gyoki 

 to commemorate and pray for Ono Mayumi Takeyumi 
who was killed by a stray arrow shot by his son.

From that incident, the temple was named 長弓寺 “Chokyu-ji”
meaning “長 long and 弓 arrow”.

It is close to the border of Ikoma and Nara Cities.

The spacious precinct is almost always calm.

Back to the path leaving the temple,

shall we continue to walk in the dappled shadow?

iPhone photo by my daughter

I guess the sight of a little child would be like this while walking through the path.

By the way, Koki of my brother-in-law was celebrated in the Ajisai season.

My sister and I have celebrated each other’s rite of passage including our spouses.

古希 Koki (70th birthday) is the second celebration for longevity 

following 還暦 Kanreki (60th birthday.)

The name derives from a verse by the Chinese poet 杜甫 Du Fu,

人生七十古来稀

It means that the age of 70 was a rare occurrence.

Incidentally, the average life expectancy for Japanese men was 81.09 in 2018.

Creative Italian Cuisine of the Ristorante L'Olchestrata at the Nara New Public Hall
Here

Wish you all healthy long life,

embracing Each Season of Life.

Linked to Mosaic Monday
Our World Tuesday
My Corner of the World