A squirrel is eating my persimmon 「リスが私の柿を食べている」

After a week of wind, rain and cold weather here in rainy Portland, I finally went outside and look over at my yard to see its condition after all that inclement weather. I was especially looking forward to seeing how my persimmons were doing as it was close to harvest. I worried about the effect of recent weather on my favorite fruit. And to my dismay, most of my persimmons were gone! Looking closer at the tree, I saw movement in the leaves, and found a squirrel eating my large persimmon. So I caught this unexpected culprit in act. It was unexpected because we never had problem with squirrel eating our family persimmon. Crows yes, but whoever heard of squirrel eating persimmons. Now I'm caught in a dilema as I enjoy the presence of squirrels in my yard, but at the same time I look forward to eating persimmons. It would be great if there's enough to share, but unfortunately we haven't had a big harvest the last few years.

Here are photos of squirrel I took last week. I'm sure my Japanese friends and former students would be especially surprise to see this. Good thing is its a good research material for my "Tree of Life" sculpture pieces- always think positively I guess.



一週間ほど雨、風、冷たい日が続いた後、様子を見に家の庭に出た。ちょうど柿が熟れている時期にきているので、特に柿の木の状態が気になった。でも見たらほとんど柿が無くなっているのにびっくり。風などで、落ちた様子もなかった。木の枝と葉っぱに動きがあり、良く見るとなんとリスが柿を食べていた！今まで無いことでまた聞いた事もないことだったのでショック。リスが家の庭に来るのはにぎやかで自然と一緒に共同で生活しているようで好きだったが、私たちの好物の柿を食べるとはこまったことだ。リスがいただける分まで柿ができていればいいけれど、最近柿の収穫はよくなく、今年は私の食べる分はないようだ。リスを追い出すしかないのかな？

何事も前向きに見るのが私のモートで、まこんどのできごとは私の「生命の木」彫刻作品のいいヒントになるかとニガ笑い。

Cherry blossoms of Pentagonal Fortress in Hakodate「 函館五稜郭の桜」

Photos of cherry blossoms and pentagon fortress of Hakodate
(photos by Shingo Yonezawa) 　
　函館五稜郭の桜

Mr. Yonezawa who took a photo of Takizakura cherry blossom that I have posted earlier sent me photos of cherry blossom that he took when he visited the city of Hakodate a year ago. These cherry blossoms are planted around a historical site, Gojyokaku (pentagonal) fortress. This is five sided fortress that is famous in Japan as the site of last stand by Bakufu government samurais in a civil war that ended the 300 year Tokugawa government and of samurai era of Japanese history.

The star shaped fortress is built in western style that was designed for more modern warfare of guns and cannons. I have visited this site around fifteen years ago when I visited the city for the convention of college art teachers association of Japan. It was fall then so equally famous red pine trees of this fortress was more noticeable. Red pines seem to symbolize all the lives shed in this fortress. And cherry blossoms that blossom in May seem to symbolize rebirth. The beauty of cherry blossoms and idyllic scenery seem to bring forth feeling of peace and sooth those souls
that fought bravery in years past.



前のポストにのせた三春滝桜の写真を送ってくれた米澤氏が函館の五稜郭の桜の写真を送ってくれた。これは一年前の旅行の時に撮ったものらしい。私も15年ほど前、学会で函館の教育大学を訪れたとき、この五稜郭を見学したがこの時は秋で、赤松のほうが目立った。米澤氏の写真を見ると桜でかこまれた五稜郭の春の景色の美しさを感じる。　五月に咲く桜が五稜郭の各地に咲き、明治維新の戦いでなくなった多くの魂を慰め、平和を感じさせるすばらしい景色のようだ。