８月３０日
八百屋さんの店先に無花果が並び始めた。
良く熟した食べごろの物があったので、早速、未だ青く小さいけれどたわわに実っているレモンを添えてプロシュート・フイッグで頂いた。
ブルーチーズを合わせて食べるのも良いのだが、今日はシンプルに。
Figs have started to line up on the greengrocer's storefront.There were some perfectly ripe ones, so I promptly enjoyed them with prosciutto-wrapped lemon slices, which were still green and small but full of fruit.While pairing them with blue cheese is also delightful, today I opted for simplicity.
８月２５日
友あり遠方より来る。また楽しからずや。
早速酒盛り。奮発してヒュー・メドック（１９７９年）のビンテージ物を開けた。デキャンタしたが香りも良し口当たりも良し。
ワイン談議で盛り上がった所でミスターマスダがスパゲッティー・ボンゴレを作った勿論よく冷えたシャブリを添えて。
I have a friend who is coming from afar.
Without delay, we had a drinking party. I opened a bottle of vintage 1979 Haut-Médoc.
After decanting, it had a good aroma and a smooth taste.
While we were engrossed in a conversation about wine, Mr. Masuda cooked Spaghetti alle Vongole. Of course with well-chilled Chablis."
８月１８日
長年の友人が千葉より暑中見舞いの挨拶に出てきてくれた。
丁度良い機会なので皆で横浜中華街に飲茶を食べに出かけて行った。
暑くて界隈の散策も出来ないのでレストランで時間を掛けて食事・会話を楽しみました。
A long-time friend came all the way from Chiba to offer us summer greetings. Taking this opportunity, we all went to Yokohama Chinatown to enjoy dim sum together. Since the weather was so hot and it wasn't conducive to exploring the surroundings, we spent a leisurely time at the restaurant, savoring a meal and engaging in conversation.
８月１６日
シドニーからアンドレとグレッグ夫妻がやって来た。
仕事を兼ねての欧州への三カ月に亙る旅の最初に、我々に会う為にだけ
東京へ立ち寄ってくれた。ここ十数年、毎年日本には来ていたが、今回は
コロナ禍の為、四年振りの再会である。
我々がシドニー駐在を始めた時からのアンドレの御家族との親戚の様なお付き合は五十三年余りとなる。
我々の長男と孫娘も一緒で、六本木「田舎家」で至福の時を過ごした。
Andree and Greg, a couple from Sydney, arrived. As part of their journey to Europe, they made a stop in Tokyo solely to meet with us. They have been coming to Japan every year for the past decade, but due to the circumstances of the pandemic, this reunion marks the first time in four years. Since we started our assignment in Sydney,our relationship with Andree's family spans over fifty-three years． Our eldest son and granddaughter were also with us, and we enjoyed precious moments together at the "Inaka-ya" in Roppongi.
８月１４日
高砂百合があちらこちらで咲き始めた。
勝手口・物干し竿の下・裏庭等々、群れではなく、何故か一本、二本と
咲いている。
朝顔の花との写真のこの色合いは涼しい。
The Takasago lilies have started to bloom here and there.
They are not clustered, but for some reason, one or two are blooming
under the kitchen entrance, by the laundry pole, and in the backyard, and so on.
The color combination in the photo with the morning glory flowers feels refreshing.
８月８日
猛暑日が続いているが、今日は立秋。
朝顔は秋の季語だというので、
朝の食卓に、庭から朝顔を飾ってみた。
Despite the continued intense heatwave, today is the first day of autumn in the traditional Japanese calendar.
As the morning glory is considered a seasonal word for autumn,
I decided to decorate our breakfast table with morning glory picked from the garden.
８月４日
厳しい暑さ続きの今日この頃、裏庭は丈高く伸びた茗荷で埋め尽くされている。
毎年、かなりの茗荷が採れるのだ、今年も、六、七十は採れそうだ。
今日は、天麩羅で頂いた。市販のものと違って野性味のある強さが
大層、美味である。
These days, the scorching heat continues, and the backyard is filled with sprawling myoga plants. Every year, we can harvest quite a lot of myoga, and it seems we'll be able to get sixty or seventy this year as well. Today, we enjoyed them as tempura. Unlike store-bought ones, it had a wild and robust flavor, making it exceptionally delicious.
