Leave the world behind.

Let your worries set with the sun.

世俗的な事を取り除けて、安らかな夕焼けに

Green Tree Frog  モリアオガエル　森青蛙

Happy Summer Soltice!  夏至！

Wow! That’s a little GROSS!  ちょっと気持ち悪い！

モリアオガエルの卵です。高野山の蓮池の桜の木の枝に見つけました。

These eggs are on a Cherry tree branch.  The branch overhangs the lotus pond in the Garan Temple complex area.

When the rains fall, the eggs will fall into the pond and WALAAH tadpoles!

Nettle Leaved Hydrangea    コアジサイ　小紫陽花

This delicate Hydrangea is now blossoming for those with wide eyes to see.

この繊細な小紫陽花は、現在咲いていますよ！

It’s easy to miss, as it blooms in quiet unassuming patches here and there.

見つけにくい所にあるので。頑張って探してください。

Its colors faint as if a gentle breath whispered “violet” over them.

It is native to Japan, but is now found in the Himalayas, China and nearly all east Asia.

Hydrangea hirta　Hydrangea is Greek in origin, and comes hudro– meaning “water” and angeion meaning “a vessel” describing to the shape of the cup shaped fruit and the capsule the fruit is contained in. The hirta portion of this species name means “hairy”, and is pronounced HUR-ta.

This photo shows why the leaves could easily be mistakes for “nettle” leaves.

Making joyful the buzzing bumblebees!

Its gentle sweetness carried on the breeze.

Soft purple whispering among the greens.

Wisteria floribunda    藤       Noda fuji (野田藤)

There are a few kinds of Wisteria growing wild in Japan. Most wild Wisteria bloom from late April to the middle of May.

開花する期間はだいたい4月下旬から6月下旬までです。

These lovely Wisteria were in the western area of Koyasan.

この藤は高野山の西の方に見つけた。

香りはすごい！

100 meters away the wind has carried the lightly sweet fragrance to where I’m standing.

As I get closer its joyful presence is hinted at by the buzz of  bumblebees.

Floribunda wraps in a clockwise direction.

Brachybotrys twines in  counterclockwise direction.

I was hiking and crossing a road to the next path when I met a badger going the other way.

I gave the badger the path.

この間ハイキングに行った。山道が道路を渡すところに穴熊を会いました。彼は僕のことをジッと見ました。急にだから２meterの近さ。僕も彼のことをジッと見ました。日当たりがものすごく気持ちでした。彼が１０meterの下に昼寝をしました。

Japanese Winter Hazel  Koyamizuki 荒野みずき

This lovely yellow flower is dotting the countryside mountains.  This year it is blossoming just ahead of Mountain Cherry Blossoms. Usually it blooms in late winter or early March.  It’s quite a bit later than usual due to the late snow and cold weather.

Perhaps rather simple from afar, it reveals genuine beauty for those making the effort of a closer look.  Delicate in appearance and fragrance, hope you take a moment if you see them.

 

The scientific name is Corylopsis gotoana Makino.

Genus name comes from the Greek words korylos meaning hazel and opsis meaning like for leaf resemblance to Corylus.

Corylopsis is closely related to and in the same family as witch hazel (Hamamelis).

 

つくし　土筆　Tsukushi       Horsetail        Scouring Rush

The first kanji “土” means “earth”

The second kanji “筆” fude, means calligraphy brush.

It’s an earth brush.

Tsukushi are considered Sansai or edible wild vegetables in Japan.

つくしは山菜だから、食べると美味しいよ！

Today was my first time to see its pollen.  The green color really surprised me!

今日は初めて土筆の花粉を見ました。緑の色が面白い！

These horsetails have already shed their pollen.

It’s a cold morning in the Garan.  Icy water to purify.

今朝の壇上伽藍は寒かった。手水舎は凍った。

イノデ, 猪手　Inode, “ino” is short for “inoshishi” wild boar.

This plant is pretty strong.  It was frosty for almost a week, but no problem for this fern.

けっこう強い植物と思う。一週間だいたい毎日霜がありましたが、全然大丈夫です。

Japanese Lace Fern Japanese tassel fern,  Korean tassel fern

Polystichum polyblepharum                                                                          

New Latin, from Greek polystichon, neuter of polystichos of many rows, of many lines                                                           

”polyblepharum” means many eyelashes” 睫毛. It describes the fuzzy stems of this glossy deep green garden fern.

学名”polyblepharum” の意味は茎は眉毛と似ている

本当にそうと思うわない？？？

カケス  橿鳥、懸巣、鵥、Garrulus glandarius japonicus

This is a photo of a Eurasian jay or Kakesu.  

It has a very noise call, which warns other birds and animals.

鳴き声はけっこうるさいです。”誰がきったよ。気をつけて！”

今朝この鳥は高野山の蓮池に見ました。