Exhibition Of Minerals

The central museum of our prefecture holds the exhibition of many useful minerals and rare ones during the summer holiday of schools.

This is "pyrite" combined with iron (Fe) and sulfur (S). As people in old days saw its yellowish color and often thought this mineral was gold, pyrite was called "fool's gold". Pyrite has a cubic crystal system. I am always surprised at its artificial looking big cube.

Here you are. The is "natural gold nugget".

All gold medals at Tokyo Olympics were made from gold used in industrial components such as circuit boards and connecters. Is it possible for humans to discover or make a new element that is more beautiful than gold which was called "sweat of the sun" in the Inca Empire?

In this exhibition, I realized many ores contain sulfur. Have you ever seen this ore?  Cinnabar (mercury sulfide) is combined with mercury (Hg) and sulfur (S). Chinese alchemy used this to make a medicine of perpetual youth. It is horrible to take a medicine of mercury. 

In

In many countries, this reddish ore has been used to make a vivid vermilion pigment.

 

A Path In The Cedar Forest

In the end of July, I went to the natural park. The summer of 2021 is terribly hotter than 2020. We have suffered continuous heat attacks 33 - 34℃ since the rainy season ended on 16 July.  I woke up earlier and arrived at the park on 8 am.

I chose this path for the first time. The air was still cool and I didn't meet anyone during my walk on it.

 

The contrast beauty of cedar's reddish barks and green leaves attracted me very much in silence. The air in the conifer forest is simply marvelous.

A Bud Of Lotus

July is the season of lotus blooming. The original of this lotus called "Oga Hasu" was a seed excavated at a 2,000-year-old archaeological site. Professor Oga succeeded in its germination. Plants have an amazing ability to survive.

 

Summer Solstice

One month passed after mandarin oranges bloomed. It's the summer solstice today.

"O blithe New-comer! I have heard,

I hear thee and rejoice."

-To the cuckoo by William Wordsworth-

Cuckoos come to Japan in early spring while they come to Britain in spring.

I am looking forward to hearing their songs every summer.

Half a year has passed. We have noticed the normal days are special.

Thank you for coming to read my posts.

I wish you good health and safety.

 

Raise High The Arched Beams, Carpenters.

This is the entrance gate of Daichuji Buddhist temple located in mountains.

Passing through the gate, I got a view of the main hall in silence. Ａ guide book says lots of young Buddhist priests studied Zen 100 years ago. This temple was founded in 1466. The present buildings were newly constructed in 1902.

I looked up the roof and found two beams carved excellently.

You can see a carp in waves.

The priests had meals in this building at the time.

Garden with Sand Stream

                               

This large garden has no pond or stream. Visitors enjoy the garden beyond the green lawn and the water in a square shallow pool reflecting trees and the sky. This architecture seems unique. 

The sand is reddish. Gardeners pattern streams and eddies forms by them. Some stones are set vertically. They might represent a mountain.

There is a stone path in the sand stream on which no one walk. I just imagined walking on for meditation. Where does this path lead to?

Beside the garden, this small building is preserved. The explanation says this is a farmer's barn in old days.

Let's start growing!

 

Moss phlox in my garden covers a little bit larger area this year than last year.

Blue hyacinths are tough.

 

This tulip didn't have a flower bud last year, just grew one big leaf. It is 50cm high and opens a big flower this spring.

We had a warm week in the early April. Asparagus began to grow.

I boiled them with salt and enjoyed the sweet taste of spring. What is your favorite cooking of asparagus?

Cherry Blossom Under the Blue Sky

 

Around 7th in April, cherries were in full bloom this spring.

Each petal enjoys the sunshine in the silence.

The path under the trees are covered with white petals. It looks like a snowfall.

Cloudy days often meet the blooming season of cherry. The weather condition is not steady in the early April.

I saw the blue sky over the blossoms this day.

This kind is older than Someiyoshino, which is most popular in the world now. The branches grow downward like a willow.

We are still amid COVID-19, visitors were not many. People used to visit this park and enjoy karaoke, eat fried noodles and snacks or drink beer sold in stands set in the park. No event was held 2020 and 2021.

Young mothers took their children here this day. I was able to catch children's voices clearer than ever in this season.  

 

Same Splendid Views Again

 

One year has passed and we are enjoying cherry blossoms again.

This is the most popular and gorgeous kind "Somei Yoshino" that you can see many places in Japan.

Winds over the river are cooler than in town. Blossoms will be in full a few days later.

This shrine named Hoshinomiya Jinja is surrounded with tall cedar trees. This cherry is in full bloom.

I found this cherry in my new walking course. The cherry in woods gives me the feeling of a deeper calm.

It rained a bit next day. I love wet blossoms as well as those shining under the blue sky.