aquilegia

I have been busy pruning trees and weeding in my garden today. While I was taking a coffee break, I took a photo of aquilegia. I love its interesting shape.

Well I have to be back to my work in the garden now!

The Jane Austen book club

One of my New Year’s resolutions is to see at least a movie or two and to read a couple of novels a month. So far, however, it has been difficult to keep it up. Time is limited and ----, well there are lots of excuses I can think of. As a matter of fact, it is I who determine how to use time effectively.

I said to myself, “Don't give up. I could manage to make time any way.” Luckily I was able to go out and see the movie"The Jane Austen Book Club” today.

It was about five women and one man who attended the club to read Jane Austen’s six novels. While talking about the characters in the novels, they were accepting their lives and relations with their families and friends. It was quite interesting and worth seeing especially for women.

official website in Japanese
official website in English

Renaissance?

After the rainy and stormy days, the sky finally cleared up today.

To my delight the dogwoods in my garden are producing flowers this spring for the first time in many years. For years I have had repetition of disappointments as they have not blossomed at all. So it is a kind of dogwoods’ renaissance year. Let me celebrate it with a sparkling wine!

Azalea is also blooming now.

Bocca della Verita'

While we were in Shuzenji, we went to Niji-no-Sato (namely Rainbow Country) park. Though there are no such exciting theme park rides as in urbane amusement parks, we enjoyed the natural beauty in the well-tended landscapes. It is divided mainly into three areas: Japanese Garden, Canadian Village and English Village.

Between Canadian and English villages there are locomotive train services. All the rails and lovely locomotives (both diesel and steam) were imported from a British company, Romny.


I do not know why, but there was “Bocca della Verita’” (Mouth of Truth) in the English Village! It is a fortune-teller vending machine. Well, well, even when you are not in Rome, do as Romans do??? (lol) Insert a 100yen coin and place your left palm in the mouth for 20 seconds, and then a printed out fortune paper for you rolls out. Thank heavens! It told me my future would be a very bright one.

Shuzenji

On April 6, 7 and 8, I visited Shuzenji and Toi on Izu peninsula with my mother. Shuzenji has been a renowned spa spot since Kobo-Daishi found it in 807. We felt easy and relaxed to see cherry blossoms still blooming on the mountains in the small quiet town.

I took the photos below at Shuzenji-Temple.