Sky-dyed flowers and fresh greenery

The sky-dyed Nemophila always remind me of a poem by KANEKO Misuzu.

空色の花/Sora iro no hana/ Sky-Blue Flowers 

Listen close, you little flowers,

Color of the blue, blue sky.

Around here there used to be

A pretty black-eyed girl,

Always looking at the sky

Like I was just doing now.

Dawn to dusk the blue sky

Shining in her eyes,

They turned one day to little flowers

That even now watch the sky.

If what I say is right, why,

Flowers, you must know

More about the real true sky

Than wise professors do.

I’m always looking at the sky

And thinking lots and lots

But what’s real and true I don’t know.

I bet you see it all and do.

Wise flowers don’t say a thing,

Just keep looking at the sky.

Those blue eyes, sky-dyed,

Still aren’t tired of watching

(Translated by D.P.Dutcher)

Another post about Nemophila; The blue sea of Nemophila by the Sea of Osaka (2019)

With Sakura season behind us, new spring leaves have bursted into life.

Leaving the blue sea of Nemophila, I walked through the fresh greenery 

of Nagai Botanical Garden, Osaka City.

Green leaves are sparkling on the water.

Sakura Front has already moved to the northernmost Hokkaido.

There are only remnants of late-blooming multiple-petaled Yae-zakura in Kansai region.

We are in the middle of the "Golden Week", four national holidays and weekends

 from the end of April to the beginning of May. 

Today, May 4th, is Greenery Day and tomorrow is Children's Day.

It's so refreshing and calming to be basking in the shades of green and mild sunshine.

Linked to Mosaic Monday

桜 Sakura Season, 2023

It is the season of Sakura (Cherry blossoms) blooming all around. As I often wrote, Sakura come and go all at once, enchanting us with their ethereal beauty and elegance. They are also so strong that they aren't scattered away even in a storm when they know it's not time for them to go.  Especially in the times of adversity, Sakura always look inspiring and encouraging with their endearing attitude to fulfill their ephemeral lives. 

The blooms of Sakura was much earlier due to the sudden warming up in March; it isn't affected by the severity of winter but by the time when warm east wind starts to blow. Restless as always at this time of year, I strolled around various different places with clearer, brighter vision. 

- 東大寺 Todaiji Temple complex, March 27th -

Cascading Sakura at an architecture along the path to the Shigatsu-do Hall

From the balcony of 二月堂 Nigatsu-do Hall

Peeping into the garden of the 勧学院 Kangaku-in

The heart-shaped rumps of Sika deer are the most fluffy at this time of year.

春日野園地 Kasugano Park

- 馬見丘陵公園 Umami Hills Park -

Sunlight Sakura

Right after the Equinox Day, Somei-yoshino was starting to burst into blooms, while early blooming Sunlight Sakura and yellow Japanese Cornel were in full bloom.  I notied they were all blooming at once strangely this year.

About one week later, Sakura was in full swing with Tulips.

"Hanami", or Sakura viewing picnic, is enjoyed basking in light.

- Along the 佐保川 Saho River -

March 30th

Three days later, April 2nd, paths were strewn with pale pink petals.

Sakura petals drifting in the air and on the water conjures up the various memories including of my late families to make me feel sentimental. 

Sakura season is going to be over soon here in Nara.

A summary of school spring break of my grandchildren; girl Y's 10th birthday, boy Y and M in the nearby Sakura park, F's graduation from elementary school, Okinawa ramen and Tottori sand dune.

This song is one of the most popular Sakura songs as a "graduation song". School year ends in March in Japan; graduation ceremony is held in late March when Sakura starts to bloom.

Sakura by MORIYAMA Naotaro, covered by Gille

All the posts labelled "cherry blossoms"

Linked to Mosaic Monday

The blue sea of Nemophila by the Sea of Osaka

 Nemophilla Festival was held for the first time this year at Osaka Maishima Seaside Park 

located right in front of the Osaka Bay.

In 2014, I posted about flowering lilies at this place. 

(Flowering lilies by the sea at Maishima Island)

Unfortunately the lilies got salt damage extensively caused by the typhoon 24 of the last autumn.

 Nemophilla replaced them this year.

The blue sea of Nemophila by the sea of Osaka.

 Nemophilla reminded me of “Sky-blue Flowers” by Misuzu Kaneko 

when I saw them for the first time in 2011.

I posted this post, Sky-blue Flowers - World of Misuzu Kaneko

Sky-Blue Flowers

(Misuzu Kaneko/translated by D.P.Dutcher)

Listen close, you little flowers,

Color of the blue, blue sky.

Around here there used to be

A pretty black-eyed girl,

Always looking at the sky

Like I was just doing now.

Dawn to dusk the blue sky

Shining in her eyes,

They turned one day to little flowers

That even now watch the sky.

If what I say is right, why,

Flowers, you must know

More about the real true sky

Than wise professors do.

I’m always looking at the sky

And thinking lots and lots

But what’s real and true I don’t know.

I bet you see it all and do.

Wise flowers don’t say a thing,

Just keep looking at the sky.

Those blue eyes, sky-dyed,

Still aren’t tired of watching.

(Original Japanese  空色の花　here)

The wise sky-dyed flowers don't standout when with other flowers,
letting others draw attention.
still keeping their uniqueness and originality.

A Mascot Character, Nemo-mew

Millions of Nemophila bloom from late-April to mid-May

as far as the eye can see.

The blue colors of the sky, the sea, and Nemophilla,

each blueness enhances the hues of one another.

Amagasaki, Nishinomiya, and Kobe Cities are spreading beyond the sea, 

surrounding the Osaka Bay.

Maishima, one of the three man-mad islands in the Sea of Osaka, 

is a possible site for the proposed casino development.

As it is called Sports Island, there are stadiums for baseball and football,
 tennis courts, playing grounds, sites for auto camping and barbecuing, etc. 

I’m not sure if such a place like casino is necessary to boost the place.

Linked to Mosaic Monday

"Ma Solitude"

Ma Solitude/My Loneliness/私の孤独

by Georges Moustak

English translation: here

Music video Georges Moustaki, Ma Solitude (1970)

Pour avoir si souvent dormi

 Avec ma solitude

 Je m'en suis faite presque une amie

 Une douce habitude

Elle ne me quitte pas d'un pas

 Fidèle comme une ombre

 Elle m'a suivi çà et là

 Aux quatres coins du monde

Non, je ne suis jamais seul

 Avec ma solitude

私は孤独としばしば一緒に寝たから
孤独はまるで私の女友達のようで
甘美な習慣になってしまった

孤独は影のように忠実に私から一歩も離れず
世界の隅々まであちこちへと付きまとって来た

いや、私は孤独と一緒だから
決して独りぼっちではない

Quand elle est au creux de mon lit

 Elle prend toute la place

 Et nous passons de longues nuits

 Tous les deux face à face

Je ne sais vraiment pas jusqu'où

 Ira cette complice

 Faudra-t-il que j'y prenne goût

 Ou, que je réagisse ?

Non, je ne suis jamais seul

Avec ma solitude

孤独が私のベッドにうずくまれば
孤独は場所を独り占めにし
向き合って長い夜を共に過ごす

この共犯者がどこまで行こうとしているのか
私にはまるで分からない
好きになるべきなのだろうか
それとも逆らうべきなのだろうか

いや、私は孤独と一緒だから
決して独りぼっちではない

Par elle, j'ai autant appris

 Que j'ai versé de larmes

 Si parfois je la répudie

 Jamais elle ne désarme

Et, si je préférais l'amour

 D'une autre courtisane

 Elle sera à mon dernier jour

 Ma dernière compagne

Non, je ne suis jamais seul

 Avec ma solitude

涙することがあったりしても
私は孤独からたくさんの事を学んだ
時々私は孤独と決別しようとするけれど
孤独は抵抗し降参しようとしない

そしてもし私が別の戯れの恋をしたとしても
孤独は私の死の間際まで最後の伴侶となるだろう

いや、私は孤独と一緒だから
決して独りぼっちではない

(宇藤カザン訳　)

 Non, je ne suis jamais seul

Avec ma solitude

Georges Moustaki (May 3, 1934 – May 23, 2013) is the Egyptian-born French singer-songwriter of Greek origin. He is famed for his repertoire of simple romantic ballads. “Ma Solitude” was often played on radio call-in-music program when I was a college student. I liked to listen to his calming voice, beautiful melody, and euphony of the French language, which always sounds like music, without knowing its meaning because I didn't understand French. Recently I learned its philosophical touch.

While I sometimes consciously choose to be alone to enjoy my solitude, 

I’m aware of my loneliness as one existence.

Linked to Weekend Reflections