Flowers in My Mother's Home

Vistors can enjoy seeing flowers and insects in my mam's garden all the year round. 

There are lots of different plants and vegetables. 

Every time I am back to my hometown, taking pictures becomes my main pleasure.

The last time when I was staying, that was not an exception.

Not only my family members but flowers and insects there, all welcomed me for seven days during my visit.  

We Celebrate My Mother's 89th Birthday

My younger brother and I went back to my hometown to celebrate my mam's 89th birthday.
My daughters and my wife had sent potted flowers for presents before I arrived at home.
I took the picture of my mam holding the presents.

I found a pair of toys made of rice stalks displayed at Japanese style living room. One of them was a crane and the other was a tortoise. Cranes and tortoises are respected to as having a long life in Japan. Those two characters were best fit for her birthday.

Cluster Amaryllis Are Fully in Bloom

Just several minutes walking from my mother's house in my hometown Matsue city took me to rice fields or buckwheat  fields.

Farmers there had finished cropping rice from the fields but buckwheat flowers were still in full bloom.

Near those fields, red colored cluster amaryllis were beautifully blossoming.

I Go Back to My Hometown Shimane

I went back to my hometown Shimane prefecture by air during Japanese autumn Silver Week last month.

Silver Week, called in Japan, is a string of consecutive holidays in September.

Tokyo Haneda Airport

It includes Respect for the Aged Day, third Monday of September and Autumnal Equinox Day, astronomically determined, but usually September 23.

This year's Silver Week had five day holidays from Sept. 19 to Sept.23.

View of Mt. Fuji

View from a Bridge Is Changed One Day After the Storm

I took the following pictures from a bridge located between my office and my home one day after the big rainfall. The surface of the park near the river had been brought off to downriver.

The amount of water in the river could be two to three times larger than usual, I guess.

A Big Storm of Rainfall Hits in Eastern Japan

We were suffered from a big storm last week for the first time in the last several decades.

Three people have been reported dead and fifteen people are still missing.

I go to my office by bike every day. It was raining like cats and dogs in the morning on the day.

I took several pictures when I crossed a big bridge which divided my town and my office.
The day was perfectly unfit for photo taking.

I Go to Irie Cafe

My wife and I went to a cafe called "Irie Cafe" the other day.

We ate Japanese food for lunch there. 

Among them, cut raw fish and avocado on a bowl of rice with a dried seaweed topping was nice.

"Irie" was unfamiliar word to me. So, after coming back home, I checked it on the web dictionary.

It says,

"Irie" is used and is synonymous with hello, all right, good, fine, I’m alright etc. However, on deeper examination the findings indicate that it’s origins are far more spiritual.

Irie is a Jamaican noun meaning good, excellent, great and good quality. Thus a number of companies and traders in Jamaica use Irie in their names.

The name of the cafe is also nice, isn't it?

Cafe and Restaurant OASIS at Utsunomiya Tobu Hotel Grande

We went to a nearby hotel called Tobu Grande the other day.

There are three restaurants in the hotel. We chose OASIS for lunch.

They served delicious vegetable curry, salad and sweets.

Every time, eating at a hotel makes me feel like traveling abroad.

I Go to a Chinese Restaurant, 'Renge Saro'

My wife and  I went to a Chinese restaurant called 'Renge Saro' the other day.

Since we did not go to a Chinese cafe for long time, we could enjoy both their meal and its atmosphere a lot.

By the way, my injured left knee becomes better day by day.

To tell the truth, a healthy body is far far better than nice meals, I think.

Don't you think so?

Emi and Rina Come Back Home

My company offered every employee one week summer holiday last week.
The holiday is called Obon Holiday.

Obon is a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one's ancestors.
The spirits of ancestors are supposed to revisit the household during this Obon season.
My two daughters, not spirits of ancestors though, came back home last week separately on different days.

My wife and I went to a sushi restaurant to have dinner with each daughter on different day.

Oops, It's Too Early for Going To Sunflower Fields

 A week ago, we went to sunflower fields to take some pictures.

Buuuuut, it's too early to see beautiful flowers there.

Please take a look at photos I took several years ago at the same place.

On our way back home, we dropped by Japanese noodle shop for lunch.

Miya Matsuri Summer Festival

Miya Matsuri summer festival was held today and yesterday in Utsunomiya city. 

Many women wore beautiful Yukata and little kids wore cute Happi in this occasion.

Aside from summer festival, I hurt my left knee while playing tennis about three months ago.

Since then, I've been absent from practicing tennis and canceled all tennis tournaments.

I sometimes have a hard time even when I just walk at natural speed.

It's must be the first time for me to stop playing tennis for such a long time.

I booked a thorough medical checkup at a big hospital scheduled a week later.