Rural scenery in late autumn

sunset on November 23

It's cold a little in the morning and at night these days but very comfortable during the day.

We call the weather `ko-ha-ru-bi-yo-ri' ; weather like spring.

We call it 'Indian summer' in  English.

The days are becoming shorter and shorter day by day and becomes dark around five o'clock. 

I saw few persimmons on the tree, so birds can't eat them now.

The scenery around here are becoming the one of early winter.

a crow and a persimmon

rice plant after harvest

Walking along the hill’s path

It was a very beautiful day today, so I went for a walk in the afternoon with my friend.

We walked along the hill's path for about an hour.

We saw many wild boar's footprint there.

There seems to be many wild boars in the hill. 

I hear they come to the vegetable fields from the hill to eat various vegetables.

Farmers are annoyed by the appearance of the wild boar. 

Happily enough we didn't encounter them at that time.

Anyway, I could enjoy the walking very much ! 

 

 

pictures http://picasaweb.google.com/yayoiaa/iEsxk# 

slideshow http://picasaweb.google.com/yayoiaa/iEsxk#slideshow/5541983836762901042 

Red leaves

We Japanese love cherry blossoms in spring and red leaves in autumn.

Now we see red or yellow leaves around us.

And the color of mountains are turning from green to brown day by day.

We feel the coming of early winter from the scenery around us.

This is a slide show of red leaves.

Drive to the sea

I drove to Setonaikai with my sister- in-law yesterday afternoon.

We went there to see Common Glasswort ; Coral grass growing at the seashore.

The plant grow only in Hokkaido, Okayama prefecture and Kagawa prefecture and is registered as threatened species and on the specified red list.

It becomes red in fall and very nice to see. 

Regret to say, it began to wither and was brown.

We should have gone there earlier.

But we could enjoy scenery of the sea shining beautifully.

 

 

At a zen temple

Please click A or B !

We held the 13th Buddhist service of my mother at a zen temple the day before yesterday.
It had been raining early in the morning, but luckily it stopped by the time we had the ceremony.

The priest recited a sutra　for about forty minutes.

Next we went to the grave and we served flower, rice , incense sticks and water during the priest recited a sutra.

After that we enjoyed lunch with the priest.
It was a good ceremony, so my mother must be glad.

The garden and the building of the temple repaired recently are very nice.

Congratulations !

Bobby's calligraphy

  Bobby is an Australian whom my friend is helping as a member of the international volunteers.  

He came to Japan about two years ago and began to practice calligraphy about a year ago as one of his hobbies.

His teacher is  a very fine calligrapher and the teacher's master is a very famous calligrapher ' Seikaku Takagi' who won 'the Cultural award '　in 2006.

Thanks to his teacher's  guide and his effort, he is making good progress.

By the way, the 25th national cultural festival is being held in Okayama prefecture now and there are various events in many parts of this prefecture.

Bobby's work was selected as one of the fine works and is being exhibited at the Okayama Tenjinyama Plaza now.

He is the only foreigner whose work was selected as fine art.

After appreciating many works by many people, we enjoyed lunch together and had a very good time.

members of a marching band enjoying calligraphy