Nature walk

Silverberry is one of my childhood favorites.
We used to find them around the neighborhood.
I can't find them anywhere now,
except the ones someone planted in the garden.
This is the ones my dad planted in the back yard several years ago.
If I could come home around this season,
I can enjoy them!!!
グイビはゆすらと並んで大好きなベリーだった。
昔は近所の庭や道端にあちこちあって、
学校の帰りにいただいてた。
今じゃよっぽど好きな人なら苗を買ってきて植えてるくらい。
うちではお父さんが何年が前に裏庭に植えてくれたので、
この時期に帰国できれば運よく楽しめるのだ。

Thistle
アザミ

dandelion on the side of the road
道端のタンポポ

Snake strawberry
I don't know if the snakes really eat them,
but they grow in the wet area where the snakes live.
 蛇いちご
本当に蛇が食べるのかなあ？

typical scenery with the smoke.
It is permitted to burn in this area.
田舎じゃどこでも煙が出てる。

Silver grass
ススキ

Cute pink flowers on the side of the road.
道端の小さなピンクの花

Unknown berries in the mountain.
Is this kind of cranberry?
山にはベリーがいろいろ、これ何？

I love sweet/sour wild raspberry！
甘酸っぱい野いちご、大好き！

Unknown flower on the side of the road
道端でよく見かけるのに、名前知らず。

Fig tree
イチジクの木

This is the shed of the garbage/recycling in the community.
It is taken care of by the community members.
The sorting system of garbage and recycling in Japan is strict.
The clear plastic bag is used for disposing garbage with their name on it.
If you put any items that is not permitted,
the garbage bag will be returned to you. (True!!)
You can only leave the garbage or recycling bags
in the shed on certain time and certain days when the members attend.
Other times, it is locked.
ごみとリサイクルの小屋
日本のごみとリサイクルの決まりは今とても厳しい。
ゴミ袋にまで名前をつけて出さないといけないし、
間違って変なもの入れてたら戻ってくる。
地区の人が当番制で管理するのは大変だけど、いいこと。

I have never paid attention to the manhole cover. It says Mimasaka (name of the city) sewer water 
with a cute design of plum flowers and white chrysanthemums  
(the flowers of Mimasaka), and dwarf Chinese holly 
(the tree of Mimasaka) マンホールの蓋なんて今まで気にも留めなかったけど、
みまさか(美作)、汚水、
そして町の花である白菊と梅、
町の木であるクロガネモチのデザインとともに！
いつからこんなかわいいのになってたの？

My dad and his friends used to fish in this pond on weekends.
My sister and I liked to deliver him my mom's home made boxed lunch to him.
We enjoyed hang out for a while,
 however, we have never understood the joy of sitting there
for a whole day, waiting for a fish!
Well, I kind of understand now.
お父さん達がいつも釣りをしていた池。
子供の頃、妹と私はここへお弁当を届けるのが楽しみだった。
その時は,一日中池のほとりに座って魚を待つお父さんたちの気持ちが理解できなかったけど、
今ならなんかわかる気がする。

Wow!
A huge carp appeared!
This is one of the kinds they used to catch
in this pond.
(Sorry, but it's hard to see it in this photo.
But can you see the waves?)
わ、で、でかい鯉が泳いでる！
こういうのが釣れてたんだよね。
(写真では見えなくてごめんさい。でも水の動き見えます？)