Thursday, May 21, 2020

English Haiku 0519


Today's Haiku in Haiku in English is that;
 
dandelion seeds
my backyard garden
rearranges itself
--
Agus Maulana Sunjaya (Banten, Indonesia)
Selected by Dhugal J. Lindsay
 
The word of rearrange is really effective, isn't it?
The other day when I was walking I was attracted weeds with nice bushy ears




They are called "Chigaya" in Japanese. I didn't know the name. In English, it is said "alang-alang". Is it right?
In the language of flowers, it signifies a god for children, or I want to be with everyone .
Alang-alang; finally acquire the word, solve one quiz

Alang-alang is a seasonal word for spring.

Today's seasonal word is  sericulture.
Well, the word sericulture itself isn't a seasonal word.


Silkworm, or mulberry leaves are seasonal word for spring.
There are two low mulberry trees in my garden.

I planted to enjoy my own mulberry tea.
Mulberry leaves; pick them up enjoy the tea


Today's drill is try to make Haiku using a figurative phrase.
Figurative phrases have two kinds; one is simile, the other is metaphor.

Do you know butterbur sprout?

What image do you have in such kind of wild  edible plants ?
bitter, just spring, TENPURA, cute, adult.
 Let's make Haiku.

astringency adult taste; butterbur sprout

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Weekend chore 0518

I organized a cupboard. These dishes are mainly used when some guests come.
Well, When will I be able to use them?
Anyway I organized, but I couldn't discard any things.


So I discarded 10 cards of my lesson materials.


I also cleaned the windows of the sunroom.

Well, of course I cooked pre-cooked dishes

 .
And I got bamboo-shoots again. So I baked bamboo-shoots bread.
そして筍のフォカッチャ。・・これで、筍は今年はおわりかな?


Tuesday, May 19, 2020

walking diary 0518


On the day, I walked 7781 steps. Probably I walked the most in recent.
In the morning it was fine, but in the afternoon it got cloudy, and I felt tired. So I took a nap in the evening, and after having dinner I went to bed earlier than usual.
Spring grass flower; dislike working, dislike being leisured


I walked 5816 steps. I found some grant Japanese irises in a field. When I went back, I organized my garden, and collect weeds and leaves in a big plastic bag.
Japanese irises how giant and tranquil; spiritual state of nothingness





I found strawberry candles. They are a kind of herb, or some people say they are just weeds.
I walked 5500 steps.
With weeds, red clovers, stand out

Monday, May 18, 2020

lunch diary 0518

It is getting hotter, though it suddenly gets cool or cold. So The follow thing often happens; I turn on an electric fan one day, and the next day I turn on the heater.


Monday; it was like a real summer day. I cooked Korean style fried rice; it means I fried rice with pickled vegetables.
I washed covers of a sofa, and put it away in the closet. Instead of it I covered the sofa with a green thin cover.
On RIKKA (the first day of summer);  change orange cover  to green





Tuesday; it was cold (or you could say cool). I turned on the heater. I felt a slight dizzy, so I took medicine. I had the leftover of Monday. Since this day Yuki's tennis club has started.
Bamboo-shoot rice;  for lunch and another lunch, with different plate




Wednesday, in the morning it started to rain suddenly, and it stopped at noon. It was really busy to open the windows, or close the windows. We don't have used  air conditioners in any room yet.
Green breeze; keep the window open,avoid corona


Thursday, I cooked fried noodle. But I was still hungry? NO, "my mouth felt lonely". So I went to a nearby Japanese sweet shop. (not a convenience store).
And We had this sweet. ANMITSU




Willing to a sweet shop, though feeling weariness, willing to a sweet shop, for MITSUMAME



Friday, I cooked bamboo-shoot rice for our lunch.
And I also baked bamboo-shoot pizza.
Probably it was the last time to eat seasonal bamboo-shoots.



















Bamboo-shoots; the day before weekend, eaten them up

Thursday, May 14, 2020

English Haiku 0511

Today's English Haiku on Haiku in English is that;
 
spider furnishes
the snow boots-
deserted city
--
Vincenzo Adamo (Trapani, Italy)
Selected by Dhugal J. Lindsay

Does it sound dark?
The word of snow boots is a seasonal word of winter, but the first phrase is "spider".
And "spider" is a seasonal word of summer.

So this place might be a winter refuge.
Now there is no one who enjoys winter sports. There are only a pair of boots living a spider.


Today's seasonal word is "wheat harvest time" in Japanese MUGI NO AKI. And when the Japanese one translated directly, it is "fall of winter". I think "fall of winter" is more interesting. 

英語俳句 0511_e0147742_12301030.jpg


Now in Utsunomiya, wheat fields are still green. "Greeny wheat field" is a seasonal word of spring. But these days we have often hot days like summer. In the late of May, the fields are going to turn golden.


Fall of wheat, leaving the heater open the window

It seems to be similar of the spider's Haiku.

Today's drill is omit a verb or subject in the Haiku.
Let's make a Haiku to describe the following scene, omitting a verb.

At the beach, someone is quietly pondering about the place of Kanazawa, chrysanthemums, and so on.
----
At the beach;  the place of Kanazawa, Chrysanthemums.
It seems to be too simple. It is all right.

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Weekend chores 0511

I did usual weekend chores.
First I cooked pre-cooked dishes, though this time they were only three kinds.


I mushed potatoes, and next day, I cooked kind of meat cake.



















I also baked lemon square cake.



I also cleaned drawers on the kitchen selves.


And I re-classified or re-organized inside of the drawers.

lunch diary 0511

During the long weekend, one thing was competently different than before.
We had meals three times together. Luckily from this weekend Yuki's tennis circle restarted, though not every day. So when he goes to play it, we usually have lunch separately. And everyone do the dishes by themselves.



Monday; no meat! Sometimes it is good, isn't it?
Japanese parsley; put them into a bottle,  picking some everyday






















Tuesday, I grilled salmon. I use a Teflon-coated pan, but it is easy to burn.
It seems to be about time to buy a new one.
Carp-streamers, trying  to discard some old photos, only looking at them




Wednesday, it was raining, and cold. The library didn't open yet. We went to a used book store to get some books to read.
Spring rain; thinking of tomorrow weeding, might be fun



Thursday. This night we had a plan to grilled steak. So I steamed fish simply.
After Rikka, quality wine in the fridge, celebrate nothing




Friday; this serving didn't look good. While we were walking together, we happened to see his former colleague. I also knew him. He is the same age as Yuki, but he chose extension of retirement. He seemed to enjoy his "holidays", and we were in usual days.  I felt a little bit strange emotion, though Yuki seemed not to care about it.
Spring breeze; working former colleague, stand aside from

Monday, May 11, 2020

Walking diary 0511

A long weekend was finished. Usual days have started. In this city the state of emergency got relaxed. So from today, we can borrow books at the library. During the long weekend, I did walking exercise.




















On the day, it was really hot like summer. (Additionally, the next day it was cold for me , so I turned on the heater.)
It seemed to be difficult to walk 5000 steps at once. I walked twice in the early morning and in the late evening. And I walked totally 6300 steps.

Wheat of fall; in the balmy morning and evening, walking twice

Wheat of fall is a seasonal word of spring in Haiku world.  The harvest season of rice is fall, "wheat of fall" is used as a counterpart of the rice harvest.




















Actually, this city is one of province cities. So I'm happy to find nature easily.
These are bamboo-shoots. They are grown too much to eat. And this spring I got lots of pre-cooked bamboo-shoots from our neighbor.
I walked 6800 steps.
Bamboo-shoots; which is more high-maintenance  you or me?


 


















It was a really windy day. I walked 6200 steps.
On Japanese? lunar  calendar, "summer" we call it "rikka" has started.
It is time to reconsider what indoor sports I can do -- at home.
After Rikka, what we need to change, only reconsidering
 

Thursday, May 07, 2020

English haiku 0505

From the site of Haiku in English  I chose this Haiku.
early thaw 
 I suddenly hum
our favourite song
--
Cezar-Florin Ciobika (Botosani, Romania)
Selected by Dhugal J. Lindsay


early thaw, means probably melting snow.
 
Today's seasonal word is KOINOBORI, it is carp-shaped streamers
 
What is Koinonori

Carp-shaped streamers; with my granddaughter, Look up at the sky
 
Well, today's drill is,
one sentence with about 12 syllables  and a seasonal word about foods or sweets.
And  the first phrase is ==== friend,


Dear friend, make my daily life easy; Bamboo-shoots
 
Usually, bamboo shoots has some troubles to have been eaten.
So I'm really happy to get fresh bamboo-shoots which are already pre-cooked.
 
 

Wednesday, May 06, 2020

weekend chores 0503


My weekend chores are the same.
I did pre-cooked dishes.
                   I also discard 10 things after organizing a shelf.
And cleaned another shelf.





 


Tuesday, May 05, 2020

stay home 4

I enjoy staying home while doing like that ---
I wrote a post card with my Haiku and sent it to my friend.
 
 
I bought Japanese sweets, and brewed Japanese tea carefully, and "we" (Yuki and I) enjoyed them with a little bit luxurious atmosphere. 




We trim the trees in my garden sometimes.
And I put some small bags of the trimmed bay leaves. Of course they are free.
 


















Then two bags have gone! I'm very happy.
 

Monday, May 04, 2020

Walking diary 0504

Do you do walking exercise?
I managed to continue walking exercise last week. This weekend it was very hot like summer, so I doubt if I can continue walking exercise.

Now it is planting season. Before rice fields are filled up by water, they are need to be plowed.
Plowing rice fields; do walking for the sake of it, I'm happy now
5796steps.



I mistake the road so I walked 7533 steps.
After a long interval, I walked more than 7000 steps, which made me very tired.
So I spend very lazy afternoon.
Bluish barley fields; mistake the road, coincidently 10000 steps.
I know the number is exaggerated.
 
 


One of good things living in a province city, we are easy to see flower fields  without going to a tourist spots. 5817 steps.

The field of Chinese milk vetch; strolling in the rice fields, happen to find it
 

Sunday, May 03, 2020

lunch diary 0503

How are you doing?  How's you situation?  Here in Utsunomiya  we follow mild home quarantine. So tow of us are having a quiet long weekend. It means we spend usual retirement days.




Monday; I felt my gum swollen, So you might be surprised I went to see my familiar dentist.
He said that my gum swelled because of coronaviruses stress. So I had my teeth and gum cleaned.
During the morning it was sunny, but we had spring storm in the afternoon.
Spring storm; may I go to see a dentist?  my teeth starts tingling,
Does it sound Haiku????



Tuesday, I cooked fried noodle with sunny-side up eggs.
A sparrow baby; sunny-side up eggs and fried noodle; cook  with one pan
"A sparrow baby" is a seasonal word for spring.



Wednesday, I got bamboo-shoot from our neighbor. They were already pre-cooked. So it was really easy for me to cook.
For a while I cooked something with the bamboo-shoot.
Bamboo-shoot, precooked them by the neighbor, much more happy




Thursday, I cooked bamboo-shoot fried rice tasted Chinese soup.
Bamboo-shoot; various tastes bring us, not only soy-sauce one



Friday; I simmered bamboo-shoot. And I also made bamboo-shoot quiche.
 
Bamboo-shoot; having lasted relationship; with our neighbor