June(1)

👕👚

                         In the sunny weather during this rainy season, I do laundry for my 100-year-old mother-in-law, who lives with my husband and me,

 and hand it to her as usual. 

                      She says, "Thank you," and begins to dry it in a good mood in the garden in front of her room in the comfortable weather.

                        Every time, she believes she did laundry for herself. She will turn 101 this August.

  She might become the oldest healthy person in Japan.

                    Her memory is surprisingly short, but she can still read papers, has good ears and appetite, and enjoys a glass of beer every night.

She is too energetic for her age.

So, to be honest, she sometimes looks like some strange monster.

 📸2021 May 31

　　　　　　　　                               　
 

The tough memories in her life have faded away.

Now, she is an elderly woman who lives in peace and quiet. 

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 　                                                                                   　📸2021 May 31　                                                                                   　　　　

                                                                                                                                                       

     

                                                                                                                                                                                                            

                                             
               　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　  この8月に１０１歳になる義理母。なんだかますます元気になるようで.....

                 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 　   老いを見つめる日々

                                               

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　  　　　　　      　Tomoko

May(2)

🌹(❁´◡`❁)🌹

An annual rose ceremony took place in the garden of the local shrine this year too.

A big bunch of roses grown in the garden was solemnly carried to the main shrine and dedicated to praying for people to live in peace.

Because of this current situation with the coronavirus, it was held with a small number of priests and finished earlier than the average.

 

 

                                                                     the reflection on the entrance window of the restaurant  adjoining the rose garden.

                                                                                               I hope you all are doing well during this difficult time.

                                                               

                                                                                      Tomoko

May(1)

🚶🚶🚶🚶🚶

Last Sunday, I took a walk along the river, where many of the locals take a walk, and I do several times a week as well.

        There were fewer walkers than usual in this difficult time, but to my joy, I found a group of active young men fishing here.

          They seemed to be enjoying fishing at this place, which is a convenient place for them to stay away from the crowds  

and spend their free time. Catching this big size carp, they were excited.

                                                                                               📷  permission photos from them

They soon returned the carp into the river after taking photos of the fish with their phones.

                                                                                                                                       Then, this window caught my attention.

 This one covered with road dust and dry grass seemed sad.

After walking for an hour, I got to this playground near my house. As I stood by the slide, one idea came to my mind.

It is that I take a picture of my reflection on the slide. I like this strange photo as I look slim.

                                                                                                                                             Tomoko

 Thank you for visit.

April(2)

The time of wisteria blooming has come.

In the early morning of the 23rd of this month, my husband and I visited the Kasuga Taisha Shrine to pray 

for the first time in the year and  see the wisteria blooming in the garden of the Shrine.

🚓To avoid trains expected to be crowded, we drove to the Shrine, taking 30 minutes.🚦

The parking lot was almost empty, and only a few visitors were heading toward the Shrine on the long approach.

 

  

 

my husband and a chief priest at the gate of the Kasuga Shrine

　After praying and strolling the garden, we moved to the Kasuga Museum adjoining the garden of the Shrine.

 Photography was allowed only on the first floor of the museum.

  I decided to take the image on the screen beautifully changing, which shows the seasonal Kasuga forest.

Perhaps, the image of the moment I took would show the purplish color of wisteria.

                  After clicking the shutter, I put my camera away in my bag and went up to the second floor, where many artifacts are displayed.

Tomoko

   

       Thank you for visit.

April(1)

                                                                                                                                                       🌸cherry blossoms🌸

                                 There were some rainy days in the week when cherry blossoms were in full bloom. Even though the weather was changeable,

                          I went for a walk to see cherry blossoms several times. Many Japanese people feel like something happy will happen 

                          when they enjoy the beauty of cherry blossoms blooming at the right timing in spring. Cherry blossoms are beautiful 

                          when they are in full bloom and fall gracefully in a short period of time. This appearance is also beautiful.

                                                                                            

                                                                                                                                 

                                                                      I found this car covered with scattered petals while walking.

                                                                     my pink umbrella reflected on the car window 

                                                      Cherry blossom petals are falling, which is the final show of the flowers.

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                 My husband takes a walk with our loving dog(Bulldog）.She is 3 years old.    

              

                                                                        

                                                                                              

                                                                                                 Tomoko

Thank you for visit.(●'◡'●)

March(1)

🎎  sacred service  🎎

              Little Hina dolls I bought for myself 15 years ago.

In Japan, it has been believed that gods exist in nature and many things.

So people feel grateful for nature and take good care of using things.

          This concept has led to a ceremony that shrines and temples have performed, where old dolls are burned 

                as part of sacred service. When the dolls’ little owners grow up, get married, or pass away, people sometimes 

      have to decide to part with such dolls with their feelings of gratitude.

                                            Awashima shrine in Wakayama received about fifty thousand of old Hina dolls from many places in Japan, 

                                                                         and performed a ceremony to say good bye to the dolls on March 3. 

                                                               

                                                                                               The dolls are placed in plain wooden boats and floated on the sea. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         📸    by Tomoko                                                                                                                      

Now, we have a serious concern about marine pollution.

Boats are pulled up on the beach after traveling offshore for less than an hour, and then, dolls are burned.

                                                      

                                                       

                                                                                                                                     Good bye dolls.........
 

                            

                                                                                                              Tomoko

February(2)

                                                                   

                                                                                                                                  🎵.....spring..... 🎵

                                 

                                           Plum blossoms that bloom in the chilly season are the blossoms that tell the coming of spring.

                                          While uncertain days are continuing, I have almost forgotten the seasonal changes surrounding us.

                                          By getting closer to plum blossoms, I took my mask off and then took a deep breath.

                                                                                                     February 19.               taken at the  garden of nearby Art Museum 

                                                                       COVID vaccinations for healthcare professionals started last week.

                                                      I wonder the time when each of us can start making a new everyday life without shrinking 

                                                                               from the fear of the coronavirus will come soon.

 

                                                                       Tomoko

Thank you for visit.