10/21/2023

Fall Against the wars

As always excusing myself not renewing this blog, I have been kept so busy at the garden/farm. Fall is being deepened for now.

Persimmon is fully ripened. Sadly, we won't eat the fruits so much that birds may share this harvest soon. We enjoy it as a material for fresh salad.


Strange enough, mariegold which had not flowered much in the summer started blooming. It might have been too hot for them to come out this summer. I hear they are suffering from drought, poor crop and wild fire in South America at present, which are quite unusual there at this time in a year. I am afraid every event is due to global warming. Almost falling down on the ground, these mariegold plants seem to flower possibly in order to leave descendants with their seeds. I am relieved to have them seed in time. But it is still worrisome they could die without seeding if we have worse heat wave in the future. It may apply to farming. I often hear the farmers in the southern area could barely grow ordinary summer vegetables this year.  


Anyhow, the harsh summer has almost gone away now. Weeds are growing much slower and insects eating vegetables are not active any longer. Before we get frost maybe in mid December, I will run around busily the farm planting new vegetables and harvesting such as sweet potatoes and potatoes.
 

I am still saddened to hear what is going on in Ukraine and the Middle East. So far as I know, the efforts to ban and criminalize any war in the world after the Napoleonic Wars in the 19th century, which caused casuality of more than a couple of millions. There were Peace Associations being established in various countries. To deny any war, Treaty for the renunciation of war was concluded after the WWI. However, League of Nations has not succeeded in preventing the following unprecedented massacre in WWII. Wondering if those efforts have been meaningless in the modern history. I don't believe in that nihilistic view against its effect.


I have long been believing in the opinion against collective defence which always incite crises around the world. But judgement for the cause of war by International Court of Justice and intermediation for peace by the UN or related institutions should replace the military power balance with collective defence. The present wars in the two areas may refute such an idea, some people may insist. Even with UN mediating peace process, if it involves in any military action, there is still the problem of war as a system left unsolved.


I still believe in pacifism against any war with the international institution. The total war involving nuclear weapon may lead us the ruin of humankind. The ideological trend against war may work in the future. 


Anyway, I wish cease of fire will come in the two areas as soon as possible.

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2 comments:

  1. AnonymousOctober 21, 2023 at 10:22 PM

    Hello Dr Shin,

    Thank you for your beautiful post. Last year I planted a nice persimmon tree. I don’t know much about them, but the variety name is ‘Matsumoto’. It seemed lucky to me because the violin teacher Shinichi Suzuki had a school there. We had a strange sudden freeze last winter with lots of wind. It’s called an arctic blast. It is also a result of destabilizing the weather. Fortunately this little tree has done well and grew a lot this year. It is too young to bear fruit yet.

    We also have a native American type of persimmon tree. The fruit is astringent until after the cold weather. It’s an interesting tree with bark that looks like alligator skin. The birds get all the fruits in my yard because the trees are so tall.

    Like you, I hope for peace and I regret that the international community didn’t do more to help prevent this tragedy.

    I hope you and your wife enjoy the pretty fall weather and the fruits of the season.

    Susan in Alabama, KD4VXO

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  2. Shin JA1NUTOctober 22, 2023 at 4:11 AM

    Hi Susan,

    I have looked up that kind of persimmon "Matsumoto". It seems to be a variant of "Fuyu", most popular one in Japan. "Matumoto" is the name of the owner of the orchard where it was first found. So, disappointingly, it is not related with Matsumoto city where Shinichi Suzuki used to live and to work for violin in his method.

    I am glad that little tree you had planted there survived the aberrant cold weather. We have three persimmon trees, two possibly sweet ones and
    astiringent one. They are pretty old and big and still bear a lot of fruits every fall. May yours give fruits to you soon. Astringent fruits should be peeled and sunbathed for several days. Then they would become very soft and sweet. It is named hoshigaki, dried persimmon, like a confection. You may find how to make it in the internet.

    By the way, Matumoto city is located in Nagano Prefecture and pretty near to our summer camp site. You may know of Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival held in Matumoto City. Surprising you have learned the instrument in Suzuki method which was born in Matsumoto.

    Shin

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