Sweet and fresh. We could never expect any better one. I sure wish my mother was at the table for this water melon. She loved such a fresh one so much.
For the coming 2 or 3 days, we would enjoy it.
7/29/2018
Water melon first ever this summer
I have harvested a water melon for the first ever this summer. It is told the fruit gets ripe 35 days after fertilization. I haven't recorded the date of fertilization this time. And it was a betting when I should harvest it. It sounded hollow when it is hit by finger. I believed it was the sign of maturity. It was bingo.
7/22/2018
In the midsummer
We have been in a hot spell for a couple of weeks. They say it will last for another week. As Jim N3BB has summarized in his blog, this must be due to the climate change rapidly progrtessing since the end of last century. We should hurry coping with this natural as well as artificial disaster as soon as possible. It should be remembered mitochondrial DNA study reveals our ancestors have decreased to almost 2000 in number, that is, they were almost exterminated about 70,000 years ago. It was due to another natural climate change.
At the temp of around 35 degrees C this afternoon, I have mowed lawn in the yard. Weeds were growing rapidly. I hate using herbicides. Mowing weeds is an alternative to them even though weeds always win. Anyway, I fight a battle to be destined to be defeated.
At the temp of around 35 degrees C this afternoon, I have mowed lawn in the yard. Weeds were growing rapidly. I hate using herbicides. Mowing weeds is an alternative to them even though weeds always win. Anyway, I fight a battle to be destined to be defeated.
In front of the street. I would like to make it neat and beautiful.
Mariegold is fully blooming. I have them germinated from the seeds I collected from them last fall.
They will last for several weeks and please us much. Even though not so elegant or brillirant like roses etc. I love this Mariegold much.
Repeatedly uploading photos of this tree, I took the photo of this zelkova since it has become our family tree. We have planted it decades ago in order to get shades at my parents' home. It was first only 4 or 5 meters high then. It has grown up to 15 meters. A gardener has cut the main trunk at about 10 meters of height last fall. Or it could cause damages to the house. Even though many branches were cut them, it has again grown this size now. It may go on watching what goes on at our family even after my parents were gone away.
This hot spell has slowed down growth of veggies now. However, some new plants of tomatoes have grown from cut lateral buds of old ones. Hopefully, they may give us crops until early fall.
Sometimes wondering how long I could do with the garden/farm here, I still go on working with them. Being in good health and with ability to work with them, what should I complain of? I still understand what my parents were thinking of when they both were working in the same way years ago. It is the way we pass our lives to the next generation.
7/20/2018
Good chats with old friends
Twenty meters was quiet last night. It was empty as usual. RBN told me it had been open to both NA and Eu at the same time, though. Having repeated calling CQ for 2 or 3 times, I was called by several statessides in a row. Mostly old friends.
Among them, a QSO with Frank K0EJ was most impressive to me. He told he had moved to Fla where he could put up a small tribander on the roof. With barefoot, he seems to believe he is running only a tiny station. I could feel how excited he was being able to work with a JA with his set up. He seemed to quit as soon as he had finished sending a series of messages stereotyped as a rubber stamp to me. I told him his small set up was doing fine and I could read him perfect. Then he told me he had worked me many times as KA0GGI when he was in Missouri, I was not sure of his former QTH. Yes, this call sign sounded familiar and, since my PC log won't cover QSOs that long time ago, I looked it up in my index notebook. It told me we had first met in 1990. A long time ago. We were pleased to have this reunion after that long hiatus. In the end of the QSO, his signal was with deep and fast QSB and QRM, which made it a bit tough to read him. Until the very last moment of the QSO, I could understand what he had felt with this QSO. A really rare occasion of pleasure on CW nowadays.
The other QSOs with those like K4DGJ, W2MV or W9AC etc were as impressive as this one with Frank. It is always good to know how they are doing and to renew our friendship. It was a bit funny that most of them complained of lowered activity of CW. No exception. Yes, FT8 has brought some activity of CW into it. No competetion nor dislike with/for this new mode. Those who has been interested in this new mode must have operated CW in order to get as many entities as possible. They are not those interested in conversational CW.
Last month, I knew Erik SM0AGD had gone SK. He used to be active from various rare ones between 1970s and early 2000s. It was always fun for me to chase him those days. He sometimes added a few words to stereotypic report even from those rare countries. I have met him on the air only once or twice when he operated from his aprtment in SM0 land. I still respected him for his proficiency of operation and his personality. I have met him in person at a DX convention in Tokyo around 1990. He was what I had imagine about. A real great person. Hearing this sad news of his SK, I realized again most great operators like him those days had gone SK or inactive now. Like VK9NS, ZL1AMO, DK7PE or G3SXW etc. The latter two are still alive, I know. But the good old days have gone away now.
Treasuring every QSO last night, I was thinking of this declining of CW or even of ham radio. The great days have been going away.
Among them, a QSO with Frank K0EJ was most impressive to me. He told he had moved to Fla where he could put up a small tribander on the roof. With barefoot, he seems to believe he is running only a tiny station. I could feel how excited he was being able to work with a JA with his set up. He seemed to quit as soon as he had finished sending a series of messages stereotyped as a rubber stamp to me. I told him his small set up was doing fine and I could read him perfect. Then he told me he had worked me many times as KA0GGI when he was in Missouri, I was not sure of his former QTH. Yes, this call sign sounded familiar and, since my PC log won't cover QSOs that long time ago, I looked it up in my index notebook. It told me we had first met in 1990. A long time ago. We were pleased to have this reunion after that long hiatus. In the end of the QSO, his signal was with deep and fast QSB and QRM, which made it a bit tough to read him. Until the very last moment of the QSO, I could understand what he had felt with this QSO. A really rare occasion of pleasure on CW nowadays.
The other QSOs with those like K4DGJ, W2MV or W9AC etc were as impressive as this one with Frank. It is always good to know how they are doing and to renew our friendship. It was a bit funny that most of them complained of lowered activity of CW. No exception. Yes, FT8 has brought some activity of CW into it. No competetion nor dislike with/for this new mode. Those who has been interested in this new mode must have operated CW in order to get as many entities as possible. They are not those interested in conversational CW.
Last month, I knew Erik SM0AGD had gone SK. He used to be active from various rare ones between 1970s and early 2000s. It was always fun for me to chase him those days. He sometimes added a few words to stereotypic report even from those rare countries. I have met him on the air only once or twice when he operated from his aprtment in SM0 land. I still respected him for his proficiency of operation and his personality. I have met him in person at a DX convention in Tokyo around 1990. He was what I had imagine about. A real great person. Hearing this sad news of his SK, I realized again most great operators like him those days had gone SK or inactive now. Like VK9NS, ZL1AMO, DK7PE or G3SXW etc. The latter two are still alive, I know. But the good old days have gone away now.
Treasuring every QSO last night, I was thinking of this declining of CW or even of ham radio. The great days have been going away.
7/10/2018
How they are governing our country
This is a photo of the congressmen/women of the ruling party, LDPJ, surrounding our prime minister. They are enjoying Sake and foods together.
When do you think they have held this party?
It was in the evening of July 5th. It was the time when the torrents were starting causing terrible flooding/landsliding in the Western Japan. A few hours earlier, the meteorological agency has warned devastating disaster due to the torrential rain. It has victimized more than 100 people and 60 missing so far.
And it was the day before they would execute 7 convicts of death row. They have been sentenced to death years ago for their terrorism belonging to a cult. The terrorism issue has not yet elucidated clearly. Our prime minister and the minister of justice sitting right to him, a lady, had known of the execution the day after.
This shows how they are governing our country.
They are not concerned of the people or of the serious decision of execution. All they are concerned of is how to keep seats in the Congress and to maintain their power there.
Father's 14th anniversary
It was the 14th anniversary of father yesterday. Looking up the posts on his anniversary in this blog, I found a few of this topic. What shall I add to them as a token of this day? Detailed memories on him seem to be fading away little by little. It is what time works on us, that is, an inevitable phenomenon for everyone.
Something good and warm about him still remains in my memory, while shortcomings in his personality is going out of my view as time passes by, though. I have reached his age when he spent his last chapter in his life living with us here. I feel I could understand what he thought, wanted, worried and thrived for in his life those days. I could have done much more for him at that time. But it is relieving me a bit to remember he could spend peaceful days with us at this place. It was his dream to work with me at my private practice since he had worked at various medical facilities throughout his life. It came true even though he worked only part time there. I still feel there was something I could do for him, though.
Among the last several generations in our country, it is only us who have never experienced any war. We have lived in the peace and prosperity even during the cold war. That fragile peace under cold war has gone away. We won't experience the same total war like in WWII as my father's generation did. But, candidly, we might have some serious difficulty in the coming years, that is, in the last part of my life. Now decreasing birthrate and aging population are in progress at enormous speed in our country. Both would reduce national power and wealth in the coming years. The monetary easing, quantitative and qualitative, must leave much more debt to our country. Social security may be reduced in the near future. Or even default of our government finance may happen as well.
The other worry is that our country could be involved in military conflict occuring far away from our country. Affirmation of collective self defence, which had been denied by the governments before Abe administration since WWII based on our constitution, was approved by the present government a few years ago. It would lead us to military conflicts abroad or to terrorist attacks in our country.
The other worry is that our country could be involved in military conflict occuring far away from our country. Affirmation of collective self defence, which had been denied by the governments before Abe administration since WWII based on our constitution, was approved by the present government a few years ago. It would lead us to military conflicts abroad or to terrorist attacks in our country.
My father used to be concerned about the problem of war responsibility for WWII. His concern might be due to his compulsory service in WWII for 6 years in his twenties, when he has experienced all absurdity and violence in the army. I have written about it in the other posts. He would have protested against the present government for their belligerence from authoritareanism. I would do the same way as he might do in this situation.
Lately, not too often, my father shows up in my dream. He used to have stern look in it but nowadays looks gentle and warm to me. It might reflect my self justification, maybe. I still believe he would say to me "Don't worry, we could do only little, just love family members and stay faithful to the people around you." I won't be too anxious about the present situation. As my father used to live in his last years of life, I would live in faith and good will to the others.
Oh, I have talked too much of myself. I still spent today thinking of my father who used to quietly do with the garden almost everyday. My heart is full of gratitude to him for his help, support and faith in me. I won't forget him. I would spend the last chapter of my life as he did.
Have I uploaded this photo before? It was taken at the small sanathorium for tuberculosis back around 1950. My sister with them.
Twenty four years ago, their anniversary of golden wedding at a restaurant in a city nearby. All 5 members of the family. My sister used to work as a nurse while brother is still working as a psychiatrist. It might be one of the best time for my parents in their lives.
Lately, not too often, my father shows up in my dream. He used to have stern look in it but nowadays looks gentle and warm to me. It might reflect my self justification, maybe. I still believe he would say to me "Don't worry, we could do only little, just love family members and stay faithful to the people around you." I won't be too anxious about the present situation. As my father used to live in his last years of life, I would live in faith and good will to the others.
Oh, I have talked too much of myself. I still spent today thinking of my father who used to quietly do with the garden almost everyday. My heart is full of gratitude to him for his help, support and faith in me. I won't forget him. I would spend the last chapter of my life as he did.
Have I uploaded this photo before? It was taken at the small sanathorium for tuberculosis back around 1950. My sister with them.
Twenty four years ago, their anniversary of golden wedding at a restaurant in a city nearby. All 5 members of the family. My sister used to work as a nurse while brother is still working as a psychiatrist. It might be one of the best time for my parents in their lives.
7/03/2018
Seeing old Drew VK3XU
I have mentioned about Drew VK3XU especially in relation with Tim VK3IM for a few times. http://nuttycellist-unknown.blogspot.com/search?q=vk3xu I have talked to him once a few months in the past. His slow and steady CW sure reminds me of good old days. One of the operators who still have the charcter of those old operators.
I was called by him on 20m early this evening. It was a real pleasure to see him after having called CQ in vain for some time. It was in May when I met him last time and was told that he had had an accident causing fractures on both legs. He answered to my inquiry about it that he had recovered well now and could walk as before. He also told me his doctors had been quite good to him. It was a public hospital he had been treated for the fractures which required no cost for the treatment. I was really surprised that such a system of socialism was working in Australia even though, as he said, it was proposed to be privatized there.
Tim seems to be doing well. Drew told me he had met him from time to time even though not regularly. Tim has also given him land line calls. Tim has been a good friend of ours for last decades. Due to his health issues, he has not been quite active on the radio for some time. It was a good news he had been coming back on the radio now. I told Drew to pass my best wishes to this monk in Mt. Eliza, that is, Tim. Drew has enjoyed this naming to Tim.
Drew told me he would be 70 years of age this year. Yes, all of us are adding years to our age. I still have his image of his forties or fifties. All of us are still getting older. May we have healthy and fruitful aged years.
I have enjoyed seeing this old friend of mine. Sadly enough, such a QSO is becoming quite rare at present. I will keep my ears open to the down under from time to time.
I was called by him on 20m early this evening. It was a real pleasure to see him after having called CQ in vain for some time. It was in May when I met him last time and was told that he had had an accident causing fractures on both legs. He answered to my inquiry about it that he had recovered well now and could walk as before. He also told me his doctors had been quite good to him. It was a public hospital he had been treated for the fractures which required no cost for the treatment. I was really surprised that such a system of socialism was working in Australia even though, as he said, it was proposed to be privatized there.
Tim seems to be doing well. Drew told me he had met him from time to time even though not regularly. Tim has also given him land line calls. Tim has been a good friend of ours for last decades. Due to his health issues, he has not been quite active on the radio for some time. It was a good news he had been coming back on the radio now. I told Drew to pass my best wishes to this monk in Mt. Eliza, that is, Tim. Drew has enjoyed this naming to Tim.
Drew told me he would be 70 years of age this year. Yes, all of us are adding years to our age. I still have his image of his forties or fifties. All of us are still getting older. May we have healthy and fruitful aged years.
I have enjoyed seeing this old friend of mine. Sadly enough, such a QSO is becoming quite rare at present. I will keep my ears open to the down under from time to time.
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