This and that recently

In spite of the saying "Neither heat nor cold lasts beyond the equinox.",
weather has been weird and unstable with windy cold air in the strong sunlight.
 Colors of water, however, have changed for sure.

What do you see in the photo above?

Water lily pads, reflected bare cherry trees, of which blossoms will start blooming in a week,

blue skies, and soft yellow Sanshuu, or Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc.

I heard from my daughter H who had a trip to Miyama-cho, northern part of Kyoto.
Miyama-cho is famous for more than 200 traditional, thatched roof farmhouses
where people still live and work.
(My post of the year 2011 about the hamlet, here.)

H's lodging was one of the old traditional houses.

Her family experienced simple and slow life.

i-Phone photo taken by my son-in-law

H's family monopolized three rooms (totally 50-jyo, or 100 tatami-mats),
a kitchen, and a bathroom.

The old but not dirty, uncluttered house has been well cared for throughout the years.

The dinner was “hot pot dish” of vegetables picked in the neighboring fields and chickens.

Photos sent to me by my daughter

These two dolls made of Japanese papers or straws were created
by my husband's late grandmother.
They became in bad condition after about 40 years.

As they get older, they've come to radiate more and more mysterious aura.

Meticulously-made bouquet

This plant has an attractive soft shine before crumbling away soon.

One day, I tidied the storeroom.
On finding some of the paintings by my son S in his lower grades,
memories came back instantly
though I had been completely forgetting about the paintings.

At the age of 8

In a few years, S's eldest daughter will become the age 

when he painted these paintings.

From seven to nine

About three-week spring break before new academic school year 

is time to be spent with grandchildren.

It's time to be realized their personal growth.

It's an eventful period including graduation of kindergarten and a concert in March,
entrance to elementary school or kindergarten and ballet performance in April.

I am not a minimalist but in some years I’d like to pare down my possessions

until only things that are necessary for their utility or beauty alone are left.

A container made of milk carton and Japanese papers by H

After enough interaction with grandchildren 

or works of cleaning and tidying up,

there's nothing more like a relaxing coffee time with a cake.

My next post will be Sakura (cherry blossoms) in mid-April.

Keep tuned!