Today is a work day, so it will be a quick post. Even a carefree person like me (or especially so), does need some money. Comfort of the shibas must be protected, you know!
今週末は、レタスが沢山採れました。こちら！
This weekend, a lot of lettuces were harvested. Look at these!
I didn’t give them any special care, I don’t think, but so BIG! Thanks to Uncle Colin’s hard work, the veggies are growing and growing. How lucky we are!
Introducing our backyard… the ‘Forest.’ It has no name – just ‘Forest.’
ほぼ毎日、ここで柴たちと散歩をします。
晴れの日も、曇りの日も、雨の日も、風の日も、雪の日も。
どんな日の森も、私たちは好きです。
どちらかといえば、雨の日の森が一番好きかもしれません。
今日は、真夏のように暑い日でした。でも、木陰に入れば爽やかです。
We walk here almost every day. Sunny day, cloudy day, rainy day, windy day, snowy day. Any of these days, we like. If we had to choose, our (my) favourite would the a rainy day.
Today was a hot summer day. But it is always cool in the shades of the trees.
Their enthusiasm on their way out mimics that of the Siberian Huskies of a dog sledding team. Except, these are a couple of spoiled Shibas, and they don’t have the force nor willpower of sled dogs. That’s okay, though; they can believe what they wish.
Neo is waiting at home. Every once in a while, he will join the forest walk, but most days, he is happier at home. He is a true senior dog – he doesn’t see or hear much, and is off in his own world these days.
視界には、ふわふわ動く柴の尻尾がふたつ。それだけで、楽しい気分になってしまいます。
In my view, are 2 round tails bouncing down the trail. How can I help but smile…?
The Forest has changing faces, depending on: the trail, time, weather, and even our own moods. Today’s introduction is only an appetizer. It will gradually share with us all the faces, if we are patient.
帰り道だって張り切ります。家に帰れば、ご飯の時間だから！
Their enthusiasm has not waned on their way back. It will be dinner time at home!
Here they are – Billie (Be) and Molly (MoMo) the ducks. In the mornings, their heads are in the grass. Couldn’t say what they are eating, but they sure are into it.
At the orchard, lupins are growing in mass, shining in the morning sun. Only a few were planted some years ago, but before we know it, they have filled the entire ground. Lupin is a legume plant, having the ability to fix nitrogen in the soil; and so they will nurse the fruit trees.
そして下を覗くと。。。いちご！こちらも、自然に群生しています。６月がイチゴの旬。もうそろそろです。
Looking under… Strawberries! These have naturalized, too, growing in mass. June is the strawberry season. Almost there.
ぽちぽちと、こんな色のルピナスも。
Every once in a while, lupin comes in a colour like this.
こちらは、似てるけど違います。セージの花。ハチドリが立ち寄ることも。
And this, looks similar, but not the same. It is the flower of sage. Hummingbirds stop here sometimes.
柳越しの朝日は、今日も爽やかです。
The morning sun shining through the willow… refreshing, always.
Shelby, at age 7-and-a-half, learned to hunt bunnies. Until now, she would only chase and yap at them, but she finally figured out how to catch them. She really didn’t need to learn that….
Every spring, baby bunnies materialize from out of nowhere. Shelby obsessively stalks them, and then a high-speed chase begins. Before she knows it, she ends up on the other side of the fence – who knows how she can fit through holes where holes don’t even exist! There was one day, at 7:30 am, she was standing outside the gate, as a visitor wanting to come inside.
For her own safety, we have come to this. It is a life jacket that Aja was using. It makes her wide enough, and she has not ended up on the other side since putting this on! Hopefully, this slows her down enough, too, and give the baby bunnies a fighting chance….
こちらはキツくん、１４歳。“僕は、おうちで寝ます。勝手にうさぎでも追いかけてください。”
Here is Kitsu, at 14 years of age. “I’m going to sleep inside. Chase bunnies on your own.”
そしてニオくん、１７歳半。“僕は、知りません。ご飯の時間に起こしてください。”
And Neo, at 17-and-a-half years. “I just don’t know. Wake me up at dinner time.”
For the last few years, I have been ‘apprenticing’ under a farmer in the neighbourhood (by that I mean, inviting myself to follow him around the garden, as he worked). This January, he passed away from a sudden heart attack. Somehow, I have been given the opportunity to take care of his garden, as a ‘market garden.’ The produce from the garden will be sold at the farm store, right on the farm.
’コリンおじちゃんの畑’を柴の森の支部にします。
‘Uncle Colin’s Garden’ has become part of Shiba Forest.
In many places around the garden, I continue to discover remnants of his meticulous handy-work, and hand-made tools that are surprisingly functional. Such a hard worker he was… and still unwilling to retire (maybe), I can’t help but sense that he might be willing my veggies to grow!
Wether he is smiling at me, or shaking his head at my work (or non-work), I will leave that to your imagination.
そんな中、レタス栽培に目をつけました。
In the mean time, I took an interest to growing lettuces….
The lettuces ready for harvest this week, are these 6 varieties. They are so beautiful to look at, and are all unique, in the speed they grow, the climate they like, and of course, the taste…. The world of lettuces is so deep!
もうこちらは、おやすみなさいです。また明日！
It is already time to say good night. Be back tomorrow!
Once again, a morning brings a sense of passing time and transience of nature. Today’s sun, felt through the windows, seems to have a renewed force, that was not there yesterday. Is the summer here?
