Grilling the cook with
Questions about why dinner
Isn't ready yet
Questions about why dinner
Isn't ready yet
Sixty
30 May 2007
Five cycles complete
My mother now Sixty years*
Dances in red shoes
My mother now Sixty years*
Dances in red shoes
* In Japan, the sixtieth birthday is the occasion of kanreki (還暦), when five cycles of the Chinese zodiac have completed .During kanreki, the birthday person has a party and a sleeveless red jacket is given to the 60 year old. This jacket is called a chanchanko and it represents a baby's jacket and a return to the beginning of life. I wanted a clothing gift my mother would actually wear, so I gave her cute red sandals to wear instead.
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots
11:50 AM
0 comments
Fifty-Nine
29 May 2007
Cool breeze on my neck
A new short haircut for
all the long hot days
A new short haircut for
all the long hot days
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots
11:48 AM
0 comments
Fifty-Eight
28 May 2007
Bare lightbulb buzzes
And so do the mosquitoes
Clouding around it
And so do the mosquitoes
Clouding around it
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots
11:45 AM
0 comments
Fifty-Seven
27 May 2007
A little cuckoo
Calls across the rice paddy
Big green frogs reply
Calls across the rice paddy
Big green frogs reply
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots
11:42 AM
0 comments
Fifty-Six
26 May 2007
Brilliant summer sky
Clouds like silkworm cocoons
Unravelling blue
Clouds like silkworm cocoons
Unravelling blue
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots
11:32 AM
0 comments
Fifty-Five
25 May 2007
Out onto the lawn
Out, out into the sunshine
Time for drying bugs*
*mushiboshi Lit. 'drying bugs'. After the Japanese rainy season, airing of clothes, bedding, even books, is necessary to avoid mildew and, in the old days, to get rid of insects.
Out, out into the sunshine
Time for drying bugs*
*mushiboshi Lit. 'drying bugs'. After the Japanese rainy season, airing of clothes, bedding, even books, is necessary to avoid mildew and, in the old days, to get rid of insects.
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots
11:24 AM
0 comments
Fifty-Four
24 May 2007
My funny dear friend
Shows off her pink pedicure
In brand-new geta
Shows off her pink pedicure
In brand-new geta
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots
11:23 AM
0 comments
Fifty-Three
23 May 2007
O blue summer sky!
The paddies have gone green
But the mud's still brown
The paddies have gone green
But the mud's still brown
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots
11:18 AM
0 comments
Fifty-Two
22 May 2007
Festival goes late
Colors of yukata bright
Against the burnt evening
Colors of yukata bright
Against the burnt evening
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots
11:16 AM
0 comments
Fifty-One
21 May 2007
Hot hazy morning
The sun goes someplace cooler
Evening downpour comes
The sun goes someplace cooler
Evening downpour comes
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots
11:00 AM
0 comments
Fifty
20 May 2007
Travelling around
The same sun over us all
Wherever we may roam
The same sun over us all
Wherever we may roam
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots
5:56 AM
0 comments
Forty-Nine
19 May 2007
Rainy season begins
Soft rain doesn't bring me joy
Try hard as I might
Soft rain doesn't bring me joy
Try hard as I might
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots
7:28 AM
0 comments
Forty-Eight
18 May 2007
Tardy Spring cleaning
Corner dwelling dust bunnies
Get a short reprieve
Corner dwelling dust bunnies
Get a short reprieve
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots
7:26 AM
0 comments
Forty-Seven
17 May 2007
Cooking a picnic lunch
Hibachi in the park
Under new green leaves
Hibachi in the park
Under new green leaves
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots
7:25 AM
0 comments
Forty-Six
16 May 2007
An old photograph
Found as a makeshift bookmark
A new secret thing
Found as a makeshift bookmark
A new secret thing
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots
9:40 PM
0 comments
Forty-Five
15 May 2007
Big puddle of mud
A child's wild leap detonates
Dirty fireworks!
A child's wild leap detonates
Dirty fireworks!
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots
9:32 PM
0 comments
Forty-Four
14 May 2007
Waterweeds growing
In the warm spring pondwater
Koi peeking upwards
In the warm spring pondwater
Koi peeking upwards
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots
2:17 PM
0 comments
Forty-Three
13 May 2007
Lucky fisherman!
Red sea bream in your rope net
Congratulations!
Bream is "tai" in Japanese. There's a wordplay on this and "Omedetai" which is "Congratulations". The very red bream is often featured as part of celebratory feasts (for weddings, etc) because of this word play and the fact that in Asian cultures, including Japan, red is considered a lucky color.
Red sea bream in your rope net
Congratulations!
Bream is "tai" in Japanese. There's a wordplay on this and "Omedetai" which is "Congratulations". The very red bream is often featured as part of celebratory feasts (for weddings, etc) because of this word play and the fact that in Asian cultures, including Japan, red is considered a lucky color.
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots
3:15 PM
0 comments
Forty-Two
12 May 2007
Rice paddies flooded
The harvest comes September
Mosquitoes next month
The harvest comes September
Mosquitoes next month
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots
2:12 PM
0 comments
Forty-One
11 May 2007
Across the fields
Thunderstorm proclaims itself
The vetch bows down flat
Thunderstorm proclaims itself
The vetch bows down flat
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots
8:35 AM
0 comments
Forty
10 May 2007
Lazy late spring day
Beach combing during low tide
Poking about for clams
Beach combing during low tide
Poking about for clams
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots
8:28 PM
0 comments
Thirty-Nine
09 May 2007
Summer break over
The funny farewell of a friend
Laughing through the tears
The funny farewell of a friend
Laughing through the tears
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots
8:26 AM
0 comments
Thrity-Seven
07 May 2007
Sprouting in the sun
In six white pots by the door
A very small garden
In six white pots by the door
A very small garden
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots
9:17 AM
0 comments
Thirty-Six
06 May 2007
Heavy winter silks
Put to sleep in the tansu
Yukata come out
Put to sleep in the tansu
Yukata come out
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots
9:45 PM
0 comments
Thirty-Five
05 May 2007
Spring construction work
Basho's old pond, paved over
Echo of a splash
Basho's old pond, paved over
Echo of a splash
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots
5:06 AM
0 comments
Thirty-Four
04 May 2007
Spring brings Tulips out
Fat bloom on slender stem
Exclamation point
Fat bloom on slender stem
Exclamation point
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots
9:03 AM
0 comments
Thirty-Three
03 May 2007
Stirring stormy soup
Tree branches whisking low clouds
Typhoon moving in
Tree branches whisking low clouds
Typhoon moving in
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots
11:55 AM
0 comments
Thirty-Two
02 May 2007
A bustop, waiting
The Buddha has a smoke.
Everyday holy.
The Buddha has a smoke.
Everyday holy.
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots
11:49 AM
0 comments
Thirty-One
01 May 2007
Spring makes me helpless
Overcome by bright blue skies
My very own May Day
Overcome by bright blue skies
My very own May Day
posted by Also Lots of Ocelots
8:19 AM
0 comments