tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2297716914024947242024-03-18T12:04:05.864+09:00A Nuttycellist's MonologueA semiretired pediatrician living in a countryside in Japan will describe what he thinks of his hobbies, life and the events around himself.Shin JA1NUThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01887476281297960362noreply@blogger.comBlogger1426125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229771691402494724.post-81602757450626585402024-03-11T22:37:00.001+09:002024-03-11T22:37:50.375+09:0013 years have passed<p>It's 13th anniversary today of the big earthquake in Tohoku and the conseq<span>uent nuclear power plant accident in Fukushima.</span></p><p><span><br /></span></p><p><span>In Fukushima, the damage from the earthquake is most prominent and long lasting. Of course, it is mainly due to the nuclear power plant accident. More than 23K people are still evacuated. 2343 people are enrolled in the earthquake related death statistics. Those numbers are possible lowest since more people must have been excluded in the statistics. Almost half of the people in the vicinity of the nuclear power plant are high risked for PTSD due to the experience of earthquake and nuclear power plant accident, a psychiatrist says.</span></p><p><span><br /></span></p><p>Reconstruction from the disater has been a major agenda and propaganda in the politics. But it is now being forgotten or has become a ritual they recall only on this day every year. Decommissioning of the disastered nuclear power reactors should have been progressed much more. They should have started taking out the debris penetrated through the pressure vessels a couple of years ago according the road map to decommission. They have stopped renewing/publishing the road map. The destroyed nuclear power reactors are left untouchable while producing tens of tons of polluted water everyday. </p><p><br /></p><p>The nucler power plant accidents are still going on far from the decommisioning process and making the people suffer psychologically from it. In the beginning of this post, I have called today as the anniversary. But it was wrong. The disaster is still going on. We must remember it as a disaster still going on for the people in the area. </p><p><br /></p><p>Thinking things in this way, I have spent the hours in the afternoon pulling the weeds in the garden recalling of the day of the earthquake and the following nuclear power plant accident. </p>Shin JA1NUThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01887476281297960362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229771691402494724.post-43563985297872111632024-03-04T22:20:00.005+09:002024-03-04T22:24:00.914+09:00C moll violin sonata of Bach played by Barchet and Veyron Lacroix<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A recent night cap music is c moll violin sonata of Bach played by Barchet, violin, and Veyron Lacroix, cembalo. I have owned this CD for a long time but it is only recently when I knew how enchanting this piece was. Listening to it many times recently, I found it was really poignantly beautiful. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> This rendition must be classified as romantic. Rather slow with much vibrato. Deeply emotional. The 1st movement of siciliano is particularly moving. <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zs9OU3W7MkY" width="320" youtube-src-id="zs9OU3W7MkY"></iframe></div><p><br /></p><p>How Bach has been accepted in contemporary/modern era is told to start from romaticism before WWI, then through "Neue Sachlichkeit" between two WWs, to modern authentism. This rendition was made possibly in 50s. It may reflect Barchet's characteristics in performance. Still romantic. I could not imagine the other ways than this romantic performance for this siciliano. It is a matter of acceptance of this music for me.</p><p><br /></p><p>Now, I am going to bed listening to this piece by Barchet again. </p>Shin JA1NUThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01887476281297960362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229771691402494724.post-37512369688276686752024-02-28T21:02:00.001+09:002024-02-28T21:02:31.552+09:00A dinner dish and being a testee for the cognitive function<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is the main dish for dinner today. Pork cooked with cabbage seasoned with chicken carcass and sake. Cabbage in winter tastes sweet since it has gone through the chillness. We have already run out cabbage grown in the farm. Unfortunately, this is a vegetable sold at a super market. Still very good.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrKmqz-S9x5FlDAfZOOqTBRfhoFfcduxYIHv7UXFGZ_YBIo32Tkm92uBc6h6ebz2YWkR-9EpAZCW-s6234KF_-oi5ct4BeX7x9UPBfKwMz3FMx9d5XzFVfDuOhNfX-XI2pM752aOjKmQRLGMdreSfQizAF7wOH4JEyqf9dF5R_H1rtLT62jdn4cfoaLXMU/s674/IMG_7555.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="674" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrKmqz-S9x5FlDAfZOOqTBRfhoFfcduxYIHv7UXFGZ_YBIo32Tkm92uBc6h6ebz2YWkR-9EpAZCW-s6234KF_-oi5ct4BeX7x9UPBfKwMz3FMx9d5XzFVfDuOhNfX-XI2pM752aOjKmQRLGMdreSfQizAF7wOH4JEyqf9dF5R_H1rtLT62jdn4cfoaLXMU/s320/IMG_7555.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was the day for me to take a test of cognitive function to renew the driver's license in the upcoming May. Those aged older than 74 years are, as the police determined recently, ought to do that. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Cognitive function ranges vast areas as you know. The test they have adopted among various function tests is regarding long term memory. A set of 4 pictures unrelated each other are shown to us for certain, rather short, time. We are supposed to memorize all of them. Four sets of picture panels are shown to us. In summary, we should remember 16 pictures of itmes. Yes, it is beyond short term memory handled by working memory. The police publishes 4 groups of sets, that is, 64 pictures in total, prior to the test in the internet. We, testees, should prepare memorizing all of them before taking the test. Only one set will be used for the test. I was almost exhausted to prepare for that. At age 74 years, it is really tough to remember those names of items on 64 pictures without any logic. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I don't believe it would help us to avoid traffic accidents even if it could rule out some people with dementia. The facilities responsible for this tests are organizations where retired bureaucrats are parachuted from the police office. The facilities are to educate and examine those who would have the driver's license. Since the population in our country is decreasing drastically for now, they might have less profits from their businesses. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I agree those with dementia could cause traffic accidents. Those with latent dementia or cognitive disorderes of any kind should be excluded from driver's licensees. But this long term memory test would be of little meaning in that respect. It is a matter of serious problem in life if one could go on driving a car or not, especially if the person lives in a country side like here. If this scheme is made for those parachuted bureaucrats, it should be totally dispised. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There are the same kind of corruptive system in our society, I am afraid. As already reiterated in this blog, ham radio licensing system is not an exception in our country. I am afraid this curruption should be a reason why our country won't grow in industry/economy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well, another thing I thought about from this experience is that I am getting weaker and losing capabilities I could hold in young days. It won't be too long before I should give them up from one to another soon. In elderly, I should admit we lose our capabilities quite soon. How to replace or compensate them to the other ways is a question laid before me. Still hopeful for the good things left in the rest of my life. Reality is, however, cruelly progressing. Stay prepared myself.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>Shin JA1NUThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01887476281297960362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229771691402494724.post-74922379649598492002024-02-27T11:15:00.000+09:002024-02-27T11:15:03.962+09:00Decoding Morse code still through the same process in brain as that for reading<p>An interesting research article on the brain science study of Morse code decoding. </p><p><br /></p><p>With the new method of investigation on activities and functions in areas of the brain, that is, magnetoencephalography, they have found Morse code decoding activates left inferior frontal cortex and angular gyrus. It means working memory encoding, long term memory retrieval and demanding cognitive control are involved in the process. Decoding Morse code, in a slow process of recognition, goes through the same neurological process as that for reading written text.</p><p><br /></p><p>So what? Two points could be indicated from this research.</p><p><br /></p><p>Morse code decoding, as told above, is done through the same neurological process as reading. In actual reading, we reflect what is written before the present sentence and expect what comes next, almost in unconsciousness, while reading certain sentence. We should be conscious of that process while learning decoding message with Morse code.</p><p><br /></p><p>The other point should be that Morse code, the simplest mode of communication often slower than the other modes, could contribute as a subject to study neurological process of recognition. As told before, even if this mode gets extinct even in ham radio, it may survive as a subject of epistemological process in the brain. They say magnetoelectrography is a useful technique in time lapsing research even if not giving accurate spatial informations. It may yield further findings on the neurological process of Morse code decoding as a function of cognition. </p><p><br /></p><p> <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37792277/">https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37792277/</a></p><p><br /></p><header class="heading" id="heading" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #212121; font-family: BlinkMacSystemFont, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 3.6rem;"><div class="full-view" id="full-view-heading" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><div class="article-citation" style="box-sizing: inherit; padding-bottom: 2rem;"><div class="article-source" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #5b616b; display: inline-block; line-height: 1.5;"><div class="journal-actions dropdown-block" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block; position: relative;"><button aria-controls="full-view-journal" aria-expanded="false" aria-label="Toggle dropdown menu for journal Human brain mapping" class="journal-actions-trigger trigger" data-pinger-ignore="" id="full-view-journal-trigger" ref="linksrc=journal_actions_btn" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: unset; 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box-sizing: inherit; color: #212121; font-size: 1.6rem; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;"></a></li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; padding: 1.5rem 0px 0px;"><a class="search-in-nlm-catalog-link dropdown-block-link" data-ga-action="journal_link" data-ga-category="search_catalog" data-ga-label="Hum Brain Mapp" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nlmcatalog?term=%22Hum+Brain+Mapp%22%5BTitle+Abbreviation%5D" ref="linksrc=search_in_nlm_catalog_link" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; color: #212121; font-size: 1.6rem; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;"></a></li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; padding: 1.5rem 0px 0px;"><a class="add-to-search-link dropdown-block-link" data-ga-action="add_to_search" data-ga-category="search" data-ga-label=""Hum Brain Mapp"[jour]" data-search-term=""Hum Brain Mapp"[jour]" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37792277/#" ref="linksrc=add_to_search_link" role="button" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; color: #212121; font-size: 1.6rem; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;"></a></li></ul></div></div></div><span class="period" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #0071bc;">. </span><span class="cit" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block;">2023 Dec 1;44(17):6185-6197.</span></div> <span class="citation-doi" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #5b616b; display: inline-block; line-height: 1.5;">doi: 10.1002/hbm.26505.</span> <span class="secondary-date" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #5b616b; display: inline-block; line-height: 1.5;">Epub 2023 Oct 4.</span></div><h1 class="heading-title" style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 2.6rem; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px 0px 1.6rem; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Temporal dynamics of oscillatory activity during nonlexical language decoding: Evidence from Morse code and magnetoencephalography</h1><div class="inline-authors" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #5b616b; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.2rem;"><div class="authors" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><div class="authors-list" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline; line-height: 1.5;"><span class="authors-list-item" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block;"><a class="full-name" data-ga-action="author_link" data-ga-category="search" data-ga-label="Frederick Benjamin Junker" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Junker+FB&cauthor_id=37792277" ref="linksrc=author_name_link" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0071bc; display: inline; text-decoration-line: none;">Frederick Benjamin Junker</a><span class="affiliation-links" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 12px; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="author-sup-separator" style="box-sizing: inherit;"> </span><a class="affiliation-link" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37792277/#full-view-affiliation-1" ref="linksrc=author_aff" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; border-radius: 2px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #323a45; display: inline-block; font-size: inherit; line-height: 1; margin-right: 0px; padding: 0.1rem 0.3rem; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" title="Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany.">1</a></span><span class="comma" style="box-sizing: inherit;">, </span></span><span class="authors-list-item" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block;"><a class="full-name" data-ga-action="author_link" data-ga-category="search" data-ga-label="Tobias Schmidt-Wilcke" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Schmidt-Wilcke+T&cauthor_id=37792277" ref="linksrc=author_name_link" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0071bc; display: inline; text-decoration-line: none;">Tobias Schmidt-Wilcke</a><span class="affiliation-links" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 12px; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="author-sup-separator" style="box-sizing: inherit;"> </span><a class="affiliation-link" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37792277/#full-view-affiliation-1" ref="linksrc=author_aff" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; border-radius: 2px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #323a45; display: inline-block; font-size: inherit; line-height: 1; padding: 0.1rem 0.3rem; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" title="Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany.">1</a><span class="author-sup-separator" style="box-sizing: inherit;"> </span><a class="affiliation-link" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37792277/#full-view-affiliation-2" ref="linksrc=author_aff" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; border-radius: 2px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #323a45; display: inline-block; font-size: inherit; line-height: 1; margin-right: 0px; padding: 0.1rem 0.3rem; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" title="Neurological Center Mainkofen, Deggendorf, Germany.">2</a></span><span class="comma" style="box-sizing: inherit;">, </span></span><span class="authors-list-item" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block;"><a class="full-name" data-ga-action="author_link" data-ga-category="search" data-ga-label="Alfons Schnitzler" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Schnitzler+A&cauthor_id=37792277" ref="linksrc=author_name_link" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0071bc; display: inline; text-decoration-line: none;">Alfons Schnitzler</a><span class="affiliation-links" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 12px; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="author-sup-separator" style="box-sizing: inherit;"> </span><a class="affiliation-link" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37792277/#full-view-affiliation-1" ref="linksrc=author_aff" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; border-radius: 2px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #323a45; display: inline-block; font-size: inherit; line-height: 1; margin-right: 0px; padding: 0.1rem 0.3rem; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" title="Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany.">1</a></span><span class="comma" style="box-sizing: inherit;">, </span></span><span class="authors-list-item" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block;"><a class="full-name" data-ga-action="author_link" data-ga-category="search" data-ga-label="Joachim Lange" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Lange+J&cauthor_id=37792277" ref="linksrc=author_name_link" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0071bc; display: inline; text-decoration-line: none;">Joachim Lange</a><span class="affiliation-links" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 12px; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="author-sup-separator" style="box-sizing: inherit;"> </span><a class="affiliation-link" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37792277/#full-view-affiliation-1" ref="linksrc=author_aff" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; border-radius: 2px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #323a45; display: inline-block; font-size: inherit; line-height: 1; margin-right: 0px; padding: 0.1rem 0.3rem; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s;" title="Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany.">1</a></span></span></div></div></div><div class="short-article-details" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 0.3rem;">Affiliations <button aria-controls="expanded-authors" aria-expanded="false" class="more-details" data-alt-text="Collapse" data-fetch-url="/37792277/long-authors/" data-id-prefix="" data-pinger-ignore="" id="toggle-authors" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; appearance: none; background-color: white; border-color: initial; border-radius: 3px; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #323a45; cursor: pointer; font-family: BlinkMacSystemFont, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; 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display: inline-block; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 1rem 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="identifier pmc" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span class="id-label" style="box-sizing: inherit;">PMCID: </span><a class="id-link" data-ga-action="PMCID" data-ga-category="full_text" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc10619365/" ref="linksrc=article_id_link&article_id=PMC10619365&id_type=PMC" rel="noopener" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0071bc; font-size: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">PMC10619365</a></span></li> <li style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 1rem 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="identifier doi" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span class="id-label" style="box-sizing: inherit;">DOI: </span><a class="id-link" data-ga-action="DOI" data-ga-category="full_text" href="https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.26505" ref="linksrc=article_id_link&article_id=10.1002/hbm.26505&id_type=DOI" rel="noopener" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0071bc; font-size: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">10.1002/hbm.26505</a></span></li></ul><span class="free-label" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #c05600; display: inline-block; font-weight: 600; line-height: 1.5; margin-top: 0.3rem; padding-right: 2.4rem;">Free PMC article</span></div></header><div class="abstract" id="abstract" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #212121; font-family: BlinkMacSystemFont, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 3.6rem 0px 0px; position: relative; word-break: break-word;"><h2 class="title" style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 2rem; line-height: 2.4rem; margin-bottom: 1.2rem; margin-top: 3.6rem;">Abstract</h2><div class="abstract-content selected" id="eng-abstract" style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: left;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 1.2rem 0px;">Understanding encoded languages, such as written script or Morse code, requires nonlexical and lexical processing components that act in a parallel and interactive fashion. Decoding written script-as for example in reading-is typically very fast, making the investigation of the lexical and nonlexical components and their underlying neural mechanisms challenging. In the current study, we aimed to accomplish this problem by using Morse code as a model for language decoding. The decoding of Morse code is slower and thus allows a better and more fine-grained investigation of the lexical and nonlexical components of language decoding. In the current study, we investigated the impact of various components of nonlexical decoding of Morse code using magnetoencephalography. For this purpose, we reconstructed the time-frequency responses below 40 Hz in brain regions significantly involved in Morse code decoding and word comprehension that were identified in a previous study. Event-related reduction in beta- and alpha-band power were found in left inferior frontal cortex and angular gyrus, respectively, while event-related theta-band power increase was found at frontal midline. These induced oscillations reflect working-memory encoding, long-term memory retrieval as well as demanding cognitive control, respectively. In sum, by using Morse code and MEG, we were able to identify a cortical network underlying language decoding in a time- and frequency-resolved manner.</p></div><p style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 1.2rem 0px;"><strong class="sub-title" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Keywords: </strong>alpha oscillations; beta oscillations; cognitive control; frontal midline theta; nonlexical language decoding; phonological long-term memory; reading model; working memory.</p></div><p class="copyright" id="copyright" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #212121; font-family: BlinkMacSystemFont, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Fira Sans", "Droid Sans", "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 1.4rem; line-height: 2.4rem; margin-bottom: 1.2rem; margin-top: 1.2rem;">© 2023 The Authors. Human Brain Mapping published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.</p><p><br /></p>Shin JA1NUThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01887476281297960362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229771691402494724.post-84673788021566015722024-02-21T18:38:00.002+09:002024-02-21T21:43:00.096+09:00Warm months, ume fully out and catching up with house chores.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was the warmest January on record by NOAA. <a href="https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/global-climate-202401?fbclid=IwAR15aZR_Sq6Oq-TmqeuNMg1rychpCMmt60GoMD8m-XJCa4Rp52pVyaDD7SY" target="_blank">Here.</a> On the heels of that record hottest month, it has been much warmer this month also. It was like mid spring in the last few days. We should expect the hottest summer this year. It concerns us with regard to two points. One is how to deal with the heat wave at home. With the electricity charges soaring high, we should athermalize the house, especially the windows. The windows already have double glazed glasses. But maybe, doubling the windows is necessary, even though that remodelling requires much work/cost. Global warming won't recede easily so that we should prepare for that change now.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The other point is that this heat wave may degrade the growth of summer vegetables. Some kinds should be planted earlier than usual. And some tropical or subtropical vegetables should be tried. I am afraid people are too optimistic or indifferent to the future of farming. They may think they could purchase them from other countries. But once our country is struck by famine with global warming, the others may also have the same disaster and won't export anything to us. It should be the reality of the consequence of global warming.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ume flowers are fully out now. Some are starting falling on the ground. As repeatedly written, my parents used to enjoy them from the dining kitchen behind this tree. How many years have they had the blooming of this ume tree? How about us?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2y1ca5lMVSD8AvNxY3jaVQpzNj2I0IApZGoHnlQddbb36HnQD-cthlx3rGfOlHMZKT_L9dIMKpkvvFZg08J8xyLpUmEH5z0eLHR-o95I0vF5aN5gleQkrvzZ9J9Jp0WTtZp3ezrOyXJzKzjfFfXBWNzWPcrBaABe0GiWz3p4URcE5yYgtnTCcGQPxzlhn/s712/IMG_7540.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="712" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2y1ca5lMVSD8AvNxY3jaVQpzNj2I0IApZGoHnlQddbb36HnQD-cthlx3rGfOlHMZKT_L9dIMKpkvvFZg08J8xyLpUmEH5z0eLHR-o95I0vF5aN5gleQkrvzZ9J9Jp0WTtZp3ezrOyXJzKzjfFfXBWNzWPcrBaABe0GiWz3p4URcE5yYgtnTCcGQPxzlhn/s320/IMG_7540.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNYIm2T-XlskywSKmeDdHERDWHEqB-vM_xzgXp5dz2jgo0ZsPO76HBqBGOiUqZ1b6NmWtjyEy4hMBZ0vQQTNikSyJdazlbBHoqKS7Q4b9_B0LDxy7bb0bbN_CBXvww7WvOiFasiRIPjCP3Bp6f0zuCYi2N7Iv7Evpzx0XOjwD6Mt4mfuZ-hWvpyIcdgaW/s712/IMG_7543.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="712" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNYIm2T-XlskywSKmeDdHERDWHEqB-vM_xzgXp5dz2jgo0ZsPO76HBqBGOiUqZ1b6NmWtjyEy4hMBZ0vQQTNikSyJdazlbBHoqKS7Q4b9_B0LDxy7bb0bbN_CBXvww7WvOiFasiRIPjCP3Bp6f0zuCYi2N7Iv7Evpzx0XOjwD6Mt4mfuZ-hWvpyIcdgaW/s320/IMG_7543.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Still cooking dinner dishes. Roasted pork fillet for this evening meal. Together with chinese dimpling and warm vegetables.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOJjRjnfZTyMvIRPPTmTYpfvYiWkPp9_Uc0YtFbaIdgtmyE767JHHro_d7j2DeawNmmeN86BrONcJ2zFeh6tH9hIH-jiIJcWeRuUK4VtjbTewO85IqZ7chEHV5acMSmmNdmpnnMRC13qVnKsxFio6ONCQ7ZFm1qeHPjd9wxZSSuEyYrQ9DpCEUbVoHnkmU/s712/IMG_7549.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="712" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOJjRjnfZTyMvIRPPTmTYpfvYiWkPp9_Uc0YtFbaIdgtmyE767JHHro_d7j2DeawNmmeN86BrONcJ2zFeh6tH9hIH-jiIJcWeRuUK4VtjbTewO85IqZ7chEHV5acMSmmNdmpnnMRC13qVnKsxFio6ONCQ7ZFm1qeHPjd9wxZSSuEyYrQ9DpCEUbVoHnkmU/s320/IMG_7549.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sometimes too tired to do with cooking all after a hectic day at the lawn and farm. My wife takes over that duty in such an occasion. When both of us are exhausted, we go for shopping some sushi. She is still busy with paper works for closing the medical corportion. All of the work will be finished by the end of next month. I find it interesting to cook something from time to time. In my 30s through 50s, I haven't dome much house work like cooking. I am catching up or making up for that at present.</div><p></p>Shin JA1NUThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01887476281297960362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229771691402494724.post-14760975256689265642024-02-09T22:59:00.002+09:002024-02-09T23:34:06.496+09:00Seiji Ozawa has passed away<p> A renowned dirigent, Seiji Ozawa, has died at age 88 years today. He has suffered from a cancer for years and this has been expected. But still a sad news.</p><p><br /></p><p>When I was interested in music in my teenage days, a vinyl of Symphonie Fantastique by Berlioz was the very first one I bought by myself. It was performed by Toronto Symphony Orchestra with dirigent of Ozawa.<a href="https://youtu.be/kOL7R-2fBsg?si=di8SUhM1e1UgPKNb" target="_blank"> Here. </a>With home made amplifier and speakers, I have not been bored with listening it again and again. I still remember how it started with dreaming melody. It has lead me not only to the classical music but also to adolescence. </p><p><br /></p><p>Ever since, he has always been in the scenes of classical music, even though I have not attended to any concert he conducted. When I grew up, he was already world famous conductor and there was very little chance for me to listen to him at a hall. I have seen him through CD, TV programs, internet programs or books. The book of his dialogue with Toru Takemitsu, which I mentioned before, was a remarkable work. He has been energitic and willing to teach young musicians.</p><p><br /></p><p>I could never forget his involvement with Saito Kinen Orchestra. It was organized by him and other disciples of Hideo Saito and has held a music festival in Shinshu every summer. A lot of musicians have been joining this event from all over the world. One of my friends in university orchestra days has been a practice pianist there. I would attend a concert of Saito Kinen Orchestra some day but it won't come true, at least, while Ozawa was alive and taking tact on the podium. </p><p><br /></p><p>This performance of Matthews Passion by Saito Kinen Orchestra in 1997. One of the most memorable performances by Ozawa. Serious, grave but still light stepped. </p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/auAlA0qxUI4" width="320" youtube-src-id="auAlA0qxUI4"></iframe></div><br /> <p></p>Shin JA1NUThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01887476281297960362noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229771691402494724.post-8806963942768212482024-02-08T22:20:00.001+09:002024-02-08T22:20:56.793+09:00Trying to open the shelf door <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our cat, named Hikaru, likes eating. He knows where his favorite foods are hidden. On this shelf, he knows, his favorite item is stored. He has managed opening the door. When he opened it, it could be a disaster, that is, he scattered everything on the shelf down to the floor. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have made an instant lock at the door bending a metal plate with small holes, which was planned to prevent him from freely opening the shelf door. Hikaru dared to loosen it when he knew one of his finger nails fit in a hole of the plate. In this photo, he asked for help to my wife. She has not forgotten taking a photo before freeing him. In a bit messy kitchen...my work place other than the farm.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrQGis9MRfs0vgFBzI3A0QJND3tU1ESfi2R5Vwne0yLWcUIqVKe51kAF_AsTJ_hCLXNMl-Ysw1uZJtpmfHRZp1gFQIEDkKx7oRfPe2wWWqAIwIjnDrHGwr8OLVIH2ByIEdoEQzt92k3uOTShVYrzzcxmVCA-rjAs-_qp8XtAhHZo_4LhHdha3UwScDNBMR/s320/IMG_1588.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrQGis9MRfs0vgFBzI3A0QJND3tU1ESfi2R5Vwne0yLWcUIqVKe51kAF_AsTJ_hCLXNMl-Ysw1uZJtpmfHRZp1gFQIEDkKx7oRfPe2wWWqAIwIjnDrHGwr8OLVIH2ByIEdoEQzt92k3uOTShVYrzzcxmVCA-rjAs-_qp8XtAhHZo_4LhHdha3UwScDNBMR/s1600/IMG_1588.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Shin JA1NUThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01887476281297960362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229771691402494724.post-77371941965759300172024-02-05T22:16:00.001+09:002024-02-05T22:16:56.744+09:00Another ham of good old days gone away<p>A few days ago, I received an e mail from Vic W9RGB, which told of K5FA Fred's passing. He seemed to have had dementia which caused a fatal complication. I have not heard him for over 10 years. That was the reason.</p><p><br /></p><p>I have talked Fred quite often from 2000 through 2010. Vic used to say Fred was a typical southerner with good sense of humor. In addition, he loved old fashioned CW chat. While that period, having lasted not so long, we have met on 7026KHz plus or minus. Around 12Z, that was the dawn in Mississippi and evening hours after supper here. There was a good path from here to Mid Southern US around that time. </p><p><br /></p><p>He told me he had been a bachelor and took over the family business of furniture store. He seemed to have a big property. He has planted a lot of vegetables there and also never forgot putting up old fashioned wire antennas. Once he told me he had set a couple of V beams for VK/ZL and Europe. I can't recall what radios he has used but they should not be modern sets. </p><p><br /></p><p>He seemed to have close bonding with his family members. His two brothers were also ham. And one of them was a physician. Whenever he has had reunion with them, he always pleasantly told about that to me. He had an old aunt named Nora those days. She was sent into a nursing facility when her daughter thought it was not possible for her to live alone at her home. Nora was not very happy at the facility and would like to return to her home. Fred has worked hard to make it possible for her to live by herself again. Her daughter accepted Fred's proposal that he and some helpers would visit Nora at her home at regular interval. Nora could come back to sweet home again. I still remember how excited he was at that project. Fred was happily reporting that to me as if it were his own event. </p><p><br /></p><p>Fred was not, so far as I know, an avid DXer. I have never heard any episode he stayed up for a night or two for the hectic events in ham radio. He was an old fashioned ragchewer. That was why I had enjoyed talking to him so often. There used to be a group of CW operators hanging out on that frequency around the same time. Evidently, Don WB6BEE who had waked up after a long hibernation from ham radio activities was the key person in the group. Fred must be one of the gang or even the earliest operator who has activated that loosely united group. Later, Don has moved to the East Coast. The group had expired spontaneously so far as I realized in the last couple of years before I quit radio. Or, hopefully, there could still be some hams hanging out there.</p><p><br /></p><p>However, the news of Fred's passing sure convinced me of a time being over for now. It was a good old days. </p>Shin JA1NUThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01887476281297960362noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229771691402494724.post-3414834056600464312024-02-03T22:09:00.004+09:002024-02-03T22:19:57.803+09:00Working on a lot and amazing music of BachStill alive and working hard at a portion of the property. Along the entrance, there is a pretty large land here. There used to be covered with beautiful lawn years ago. Without maintaining it at regular interval, it was replaced to a kind of weed mock to lawn. It is not so neat as lawn and aggressive in addition. I have long been hoping to restore it to what it was. Without much work at farm in this coldest season, I have started that project finally. All by hand but no digging machine etc. <div><br /></div><div>Soon I realized there had been costruction waste and crushed rock buried in a part of the land. About 3 decades ago, a constructor for the road nearby wanted to use the property for parking lot while they were working on a road just west of our property. My father, who were always kind to such workers, answered yes to them. In the end, they have left "the gift" a foot or less underground in certain area near to the azalea. I haven't known of that until I realized a portion of the azalea had not grown well there. Years have passed since the constructor had gone. </div><div><br /></div><div>While cutting the ween covering the land, I came across with that waste not too deep in the ground. I decided to clean it and replace to black soil with compost. With help from the gardener I often asked to do anything like that, I have been digging out it and sieve out smaller debris.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWykVx9mlBTjGI6FYiAfRcVMCWTj_KhyphenhyphenG7h1vQrH0YFnsXDAzuNe3Xqp6t7W5u3te5zNx5Yysp6l3haKaNEy68Ht3f04rTumNVh9Jh97RcT5zUbRVmKXBod6YW9IstdoIMs22G74ls9NQT5d_fduu_562HQ6XpNus7FXzVkzPjGfZiANo74F6cmEakZGPN/s712/IMG_7525.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="712" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWykVx9mlBTjGI6FYiAfRcVMCWTj_KhyphenhyphenG7h1vQrH0YFnsXDAzuNe3Xqp6t7W5u3te5zNx5Yysp6l3haKaNEy68Ht3f04rTumNVh9Jh97RcT5zUbRVmKXBod6YW9IstdoIMs22G74ls9NQT5d_fduu_562HQ6XpNus7FXzVkzPjGfZiANo74F6cmEakZGPN/s320/IMG_7525.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgufmA13onRxkIOMbh5OnWzAeAH1EApr54xW1CAjgfVjkVAn_K0QuK44KTGkebclJyjGY4zx96s6YO6_THNZmnRmo5yzxYWatHe9IvARuc36YWbjQmWYjfbMtmKSvMqGfU3C-stlhtGh6ijfvFykyaNSUfEMLREbbtseFKLFntIqirYncyRQKaL2zlVCHAZ/s712/IMG_7533.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="712" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgufmA13onRxkIOMbh5OnWzAeAH1EApr54xW1CAjgfVjkVAn_K0QuK44KTGkebclJyjGY4zx96s6YO6_THNZmnRmo5yzxYWatHe9IvARuc36YWbjQmWYjfbMtmKSvMqGfU3C-stlhtGh6ijfvFykyaNSUfEMLREbbtseFKLFntIqirYncyRQKaL2zlVCHAZ/s320/IMG_7533.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I would plant potatoes early in March. This new farm may prolific for that and vegetables planted after that.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Common sense utters to me let it go by itself but I won't be responsible for that. Not concious of the reason why I am doing such useless thing, that is, digging out waste buried underground, I still would straighten things while I am alive. I won't forgive the malpractice of the constructor and would leave the land as it used to be to the next generation. It seems no one would take this countryside place over and it may return to woods in the future, maybe. But I still work hard for the land. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am slowly rereading the biograph of J.S.Bach. I am again amazed at the music world Bach has left to us. In Koethen, he was productive of the chamber and/or instrumental music. There seem to be a lot of works lost. But those pieces of chamber music like trio sonata, solo sonata with obligato keyboard, unaccompanied sonate/partita for violin and suites for cello as well as Brandenburg concertos etc are shining brightly among his secular music repertoire. Most of them will be transformed to sacred music in the era of Leipzig. There should be little boundary between secular and sacred music for him. He must firmely believed music worked for the glory of God, whether it is genred in secular or sacred. </div><div><br /></div>One of my favorite violin sonata with obligato by Bach. Two virtuosi.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Boii0EA6hWo" width="320" youtube-src-id="Boii0EA6hWo"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /> </div>Shin JA1NUThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01887476281297960362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229771691402494724.post-69429634670303363902024-01-19T21:01:00.003+09:002024-01-19T21:04:24.022+09:00Ume budding<p>I found ume was budding. Some were ready to come out. It is a bit earlier than usual. It's a simple fact dependent on the season. But still impressive.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK9E1mbl17qKEdYrFblhKpNCNlU0CLqVOQzNGMbzQqzQgkUnB1fqgUHhzdlaZkBHGVZSbPRt0TvLEt_9tPW1XFvDg6PrcAAXZ9u-EyhqHAV1uMLhzLV6tEmAlpjBFWOBLavuk1q8YH4lsL3A8WrkNYZADEsG7CeyNCeQqgovqiigD5goyqRv1dXCGQ4OLR/s712/IMG_7502.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="712" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK9E1mbl17qKEdYrFblhKpNCNlU0CLqVOQzNGMbzQqzQgkUnB1fqgUHhzdlaZkBHGVZSbPRt0TvLEt_9tPW1XFvDg6PrcAAXZ9u-EyhqHAV1uMLhzLV6tEmAlpjBFWOBLavuk1q8YH4lsL3A8WrkNYZADEsG7CeyNCeQqgovqiigD5goyqRv1dXCGQ4OLR/s320/IMG_7502.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In close up view. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgztrvXzax7jgzU8HQLWvrxwT67Pjj8B_OxkXbnfXbNMHsdOx5MtH8Hq_1TMQNRpxFs498wsX-XDx9HtEb7R3cd26DdgEh6K5JwK8oNWqS8V3p2IUWiGS-U8hs78vVwJbHRE8a_kN8l2MbkkeBhSXZDElj8l6-5ThNMJvIudLlLmRGM8lPPd8fOaeIAsvF7/s712/IMG_7497.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="712" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgztrvXzax7jgzU8HQLWvrxwT67Pjj8B_OxkXbnfXbNMHsdOx5MtH8Hq_1TMQNRpxFs498wsX-XDx9HtEb7R3cd26DdgEh6K5JwK8oNWqS8V3p2IUWiGS-U8hs78vVwJbHRE8a_kN8l2MbkkeBhSXZDElj8l6-5ThNMJvIudLlLmRGM8lPPd8fOaeIAsvF7/s320/IMG_7497.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I often post the same kind of photo in this season. Chuckling to myself. The difference is that I become wondering how many times I could see them blooming.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When I am gardening/farming or taking photos, this cat named Hikaru is often around my leg. He wants to go into the house with me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjONsdGmM7xnmwlsZ2ikcMJUFvS4rNi_LHCm7hL51uUUO-mqfnEnQ0KpKo5FhXMyjjaia8BqoWMnZUohl_9fhePkqr4M-qnrmzP8p-_yQPfs_nezRVBcSDHTzrhPWGm2FQLQEHxFYF2aUnAfKJXkD8RjY4_7WbLiuUCyGoxHM2C9_Bw9I27T8HIXLgad6RU/s712/IMG_7507.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="712" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjONsdGmM7xnmwlsZ2ikcMJUFvS4rNi_LHCm7hL51uUUO-mqfnEnQ0KpKo5FhXMyjjaia8BqoWMnZUohl_9fhePkqr4M-qnrmzP8p-_yQPfs_nezRVBcSDHTzrhPWGm2FQLQEHxFYF2aUnAfKJXkD8RjY4_7WbLiuUCyGoxHM2C9_Bw9I27T8HIXLgad6RU/s320/IMG_7507.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ellen W1YL used to love hearing about Hikaru while she reported me how her Oreo, a back kitty, was doing. Time still passed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In a month, the other flowers will start coming out and we will be in the flourishing spring them.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>Shin JA1NUThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01887476281297960362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229771691402494724.post-76894180018272234092024-01-17T23:22:00.004+09:002024-01-19T08:51:33.960+09:00Not being doctors any longer<p> As soon as my wife woke up and came down to the living-dining room yesterday morning, she told me she had had vertigo. Rotating sensation while lying on bed. Knowing she scarcely complained of any health issue by herself, I understood it was not only postural dizziness or a mental issue. </p><p><br /></p><p>Soon she felt nauseous. Both of us were wondering what was the cause. Most likelily, vestibular problem, benign paroxysmal postural vertigo. It may cause nausea in the worst case but not so often. It could worsen with certain posture, probably, leaning downward. She did not show that characteristic symptom for BPPV. Is it cerebellar origin or even cortical problem? The worst scenario was passing in my mind. It's been too long since I cared for such patients with vertigo. I decided to bring her to a local ENT doctor. Even though we have an ENT specialist friend, her office was an hour drive from here. Giving up visiting her office, we left for another ENT where she used to visit some years ago. </p><p><br /></p><p>While she consulted to the doctor, I went for shopping for dinner materials at a mall nearby. Reflecting that behavior, I must not be very serious about her condition then. </p><p><br /></p><p>The diagnosis was still BPPV. The doctor has done well with her. He told her she should "not take rest" but move as usual. It seemed to make the otolith settled down sooner. A good advice. And she was also told not necessary to go back to the office in a couple of weeks if the symptoms go away. That has encouraged her so much.</p><p><br /></p><p>From now on, we should not remain on the side of care giver but move to the side of patients. Not being doctors any longer. We have realized that even though it has been the reality for us for years already. My wife has not told him of her profession at the consultation. It may make their relationship a bit difficult. She did not want that. Being a good patient is not often quite easy for those with medical career in the past. Nonetheless, we should try to be. </p><p><br /></p><p>My wife is even more active at house chores for now. I would tell her to see the doctor oftener.</p>Shin JA1NUThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01887476281297960362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229771691402494724.post-27995302894455339132024-01-16T15:35:00.001+09:002024-01-16T15:35:57.644+09:00"Near white-out" and a lecture meeting <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the last weekend, when I was heading to a lecture meeting in a city of an hour or less drive, it became snowy. For a moment, it was heavily snowy with hard wind and I could barely see the road for a few meters. I thought it could have been white-out. That might be too much exaggeration, I know. But it was such a weather for me who have never experienced driving in such snowfall. Luckily, it has not lasted too long and I could reach the place of lecture meeting without trouble.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was a meeting lectured by a journalist, who has been patiently researching and interviewing about the nuclear power plant issue in our country for the past decades. She has recently published a book titled "Why Couldn't Japan Stop Nuclear Power Generation?". It has gained so good reputation in that genre that she seemed to have been invited for lecture by groups/individuals at various places all over the country. It seems it has been a bestseller book in the genre in the net market for a while. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Despite of the small size of the meeting, it was covering from various aspects of the problem, which attracted our interests much. One of the refugee families from Fukushima was impressive. Their father had to return to Fukushima for work from the evacuated place in Niigata one day and his son in low teen of age committed suicide the day after. There are, as she reported, larger number of young people killing themselves in Fukushima than the average in our country. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Journalists are not allowed taking photos inside of the shelters in natural disasters or in nulear power plant accident etc. The regional governments won't let them take photos to be published in media because it was an issue of privacy for the evacuees. But it seems like only public stance for the regional and central government in our country. We know most of the shelters are converted from gym or hall without any partition for each evacuee. Only low partial partition made of carboard. In the actual shelters for the earthquake evacuees in Noto Peninsula, they say influenca as well as COVID19 are prevailing among the elderly.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There were a lot of discussions regarding what was going on at Shika nuclear power plant only 50 miles south west of the epicenter. It has experienced massive quaking. Lots of oil from the transformer asn well as the coolant water, contaminated with radiation material, was spilled. It was not distant from the northern coast of the peninsula which was lifted feet high. It could have occured at the nuclear power plant and destroy the reactor. The problem is that the power line company and the administration office seem to have hidden something wrong. They are repeatedly correcting the news release and publish the problems step by step, which is enogh to make us believe something serious is still hidden behind.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It is depressing that those evacuees are not given proper aid quickly and are still staying in such poor shelters. I am afraid people are not treated as they should be in our country. But the fact that the journalist's book has attracted a large numbe of people's attention and there were some young attendees at such a small lecture meeting in countryside is good enough to encourage me. I have been occupied with the issue of nuclear power plants since the Fukushima disaster. I have decided again to carry it on for the solution of this serious issue. With the hope for the next generation.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On the way back home, already quite dark, the snow was almost melted. Shaded portions of roads seemed icy. I realized how long I hadn't gone out on car at night. I have come home uneventfully, thouogh.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have told about this trip to my brother and added the story written in the post quoted below, even though I was sure I had done that to him a few times regarding snowfall. As expected, he answered to me he had felt "again" blessed born at our family in this way. This is one of the ealiest memories in my life and I could not stop telling that to him whenever it snowed like in the last weekend. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://nuttycellist-unknown.blogspot.com/2014/02/a-recollection-of-snowy-day.html">https://nuttycellist-unknown.blogspot.com/2014/02/a-recollection-of-snowy-day.html</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXtoMm4TVyjFVKinVYAq33Q0Sn4795EkdwfdqYoGu1nLKa13jYD-jf-Gv__NaJIrY32bWg39TGtW1Yx7vPLR19yIGmqx2Ulkx1hHs5PGre7gWJkRe4qvoeX3KWAeyHM0XXT8qTrErbclb9zOgtxj5IOkGhDKHZwQ7TENtwg3DKVbtqY6QUEU13OZSzEWMy/s821/IMG_7491.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="821" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXtoMm4TVyjFVKinVYAq33Q0Sn4795EkdwfdqYoGu1nLKa13jYD-jf-Gv__NaJIrY32bWg39TGtW1Yx7vPLR19yIGmqx2Ulkx1hHs5PGre7gWJkRe4qvoeX3KWAeyHM0XXT8qTrErbclb9zOgtxj5IOkGhDKHZwQ7TENtwg3DKVbtqY6QUEU13OZSzEWMy/s320/IMG_7491.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>Shin JA1NUThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01887476281297960362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229771691402494724.post-25964705997222273912024-01-13T13:51:00.000+09:002024-01-13T13:51:00.743+09:00Recent life Time is flying away so fast. I am still doing fine. So is my wife. One event we had was that our daughter, working as a public nurse at a municipal office nearby, has sprained an ankle. She had to take days off for a week or two. Until her returning to work, she would stay with us. And we have to prepare more meal for her. My wife and she have been tweeting a lot like old days. <div><br /></div><div>I am still busy at house chores. Did I say that I would replace lawn like weeds at the property by the entrance road, which is about 400 sq meters or so, to "real lawn". That weeds look like lawn but too high fertility and may invade other parts of the property. Cutting the roots deep in the soil with sword tip scoop, the weeds are digged out a small hand scoop. Tiring work. Concentrating on such a simple work as well as seeing things getting tidy is a fun for me. When my father moved this place abandoned for decades from Tokyo in his retirement, he used to dig out big tree roots. Different from that work, this lawn planting job might be similar. He would have enjoyed this work as well.</div><div><br /></div><div>On Jan 27th 2018, Professor Isoyama, a famous reseracher in Bach, has wounded seriously at head when he was coming home from a chorus competetion as a judge. He has died about in a month. I have written about him and the consequence in a post then as follows;</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://nuttycellist-unknown.blogspot.com/2018/02/professor-isoyama-has-passed-away.html">https://nuttycellist-unknown.blogspot.com/2018/02/professor-isoyama-has-passed-away.html</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Remembering of him, I started Bach's biography by him. It is a pretty old book first published in 1985. He might be around 40 years of age or a bit younger. I have bought this book as a used one when I was in fifties. It is not merely a biography which depicts Bach's life in chronological way but a work which shows how Professor Isoyama has devoted himself to Bach. From his description on Bach, we could vividly picture how Bach has lived and composed his works.</div><div><br /></div><div>It was over 10 years ago when I first read it and most of the content have been away from my poor memories. Smiling bitterly to myself realizing I could enjoy such a book as this one for many times in my senior years with less long term memories, I am progressing with it slowly before going to bed. </div><div><br /></div><div>As you may know, Bach has lost his parents in his young days and has lived with his oldest brother. He should move to a church school in Lueneburg where he has trained with playing instruments and composing music. It is still a matter of debate which works are his earliest works. Professor Isoyama thought the 3 organ choral partita BWV 766 to 768 were works those days, even if they have been revised some times. It is believed to be composition in his high school age days. Professor Isoyama recommends BWV 768 as the best which reminds us of his young days. A music of sensibility characteristic for young days. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ls8JbMHGu0s" width="320" youtube-src-id="Ls8JbMHGu0s"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It is unlikely that I could travel Germany or the other parts of Europe any longer. I won't feel sorry for that at all. I am a man staying home and doing something like listening to music or cooking etc. But it sure is a regret I might lose a chance to visit the places Bach was born and has grown up. Instead, I could enjoy his music as a universal cultural product in human history. </div><br /><div><br /></div>Shin JA1NUThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01887476281297960362noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229771691402494724.post-37062390420133228492024-01-04T05:45:00.002+09:002024-01-04T05:45:58.061+09:00Noto Peninsula Earthquake 2024 afterwardBy last night, it was reported that 73 persons were killed in the earthquake in Noto Peninsula. More than 1000 houses were completely or nearly completely destroyed. Ninty percent houses were lost in a city near the epicenter. There should be much more damaged or distroyed. There seem to be a lot of people suspected to be crushed under destroyed or fallen houses/buildings. The trunk roads to the northern part of the peninsula, most damaged, are not usable due to landslides etc at several places. It seems difficult for them to go there for rescue or to bring there items necessary for life. The government has decided to increase the number of JDF deployed to 2000. I suspect it is too late and insufficient at all. <div><br /></div><div>At this moment when the disater is still going on, I won't criticize the government. But I should point out the present government of PM Kishida has reduced a great deal of the disaster prevention budget, which used to be comparable to the military budget but now go down to 1/4 of the latter. Watching crowded old fashioned wooden houses packed in a city there on photos, I could not help feeling they are vulnerable to earthquakes or subsequent fire. There have been a cluster of earthquakes in the area for the past 2 years. They should have implemented policies to prevent damages to them from earthquakes, if not perfect. It was much more desirable and impending to the area than such as military expansion.</div><div><br /></div><div>I am still much concerned about the nuclear power plants, NPP, in the vicinity of earthquake area. Shika NPP in the area turned out to have severe quake with seismic intensity of 7. There have been 3m of tsunami hitting there. The seawall is only 4m of height and was slightly damaged by tsunami, as news reported. If tsunami were overriding the seawall, there could have been another serious accident like that at Fukushima in 2011. The water of cooling tank, contaminated with radioactive materials, in that NPP has spilled out. Large amount of cooling oil for transformers have dropped on the floor as well. Even not confirmed it directly, there seemed to fire at one of the transformers, which was extinguished automatically. The cooling system for the used fuel has acted up for 40 minutes. Even in this situation, the power line company insists there have been no serious accidents at all. Who could believe that?</div><div><br /></div><div>About 200km southwest of the epicenter area, as I told in the previous post, there are 14 reators in total at a few NPPs. I was told by a reliable geologist that the area where those NPPs are located are formed by active faults. There are still a lot of faults running there. The Nuclear Regulatory Comission, NRC, is, as he said, inclined to permit re-run of NPP with lighter regulation. If there were any active faults in the vicinity of NPP, its construction or even operation was not allowed. That regulation is getting eased by NRC. Of course, it is in accordance with the government's policy for re-run.</div><div><br /></div><div>As told in the previous post, the mechanism of the clustered earthquake in Noto Peninsula may be carried on and may cause further big earthquakes. We sure are now in the era of the activated earth's crust at present. We should get prepared for that. There are a lot of things for the government to do to prevent damages or casualities. It is the main reason why a government exists.</div>Shin JA1NUThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01887476281297960362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229771691402494724.post-54597348833088400472024-01-01T21:12:00.001+09:002024-01-01T21:33:56.444+09:00The earthquake in Noto Peninsula today<p>This afternoon, on my car heading back home from shopping, the radio program was abruptly drowned out by an emergency message, which told a big earthquake hit Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, in central Japan along Japan Sea. Forecast of tsunami was also announced.</p><p><br /></p><p>There seem to be some people were buried in landslide and houses were destroyed. Some fire cases were reported. The damage will be turned out soon. So far, tsunami was not so devastating as that in Tohoku in 2011. News tells there have been no major damage to the nuclear power plants near to the epicenter.</p><p><br /></p><p>There have been clusters of earthquakes in the area for the past couple of years. Last May, a big earthquake with the size of magnitude 6.5 hit the same area. Big earthquakes are believed to occur along the Pacific Ocean coast due to plate tectonics. But there have been a lot of big earthquakes occurring along Japan Sea as well.</p><p><br /></p><p>Actually, there are a lot of nuclear power plants around there. Shiga nuclear power plant; abbreviated as NPP after this has a couple of reactors, 70km southeast of the epicenter area. Kashiwazaki Kariba NPP about 150km east of there with 7 reactors. About 200km southeast of there, there are 16 reactor at different NPP. It is called as NPP Ginza because of large number of reactors located in the vicinity in the area. All of them could be badly damaged if the earthquake was of bigger size and the fault ran that way, or tsunami was larger.</p><p><br /></p><p>We are concerned about the possibility of serious NPP accident like that in Fukushima in 2011. The Nuclear Regulatory Comission, NRC, has been testing of the safety of each NPP for resumption of operation at from one NPP to another. The government boasts the test is of the first quality and guarantees safety in operation. But in the case of Shiga NPP, ten faults had been found in the area of the power plant. NRC has examined them according to the geological data the power line company submitted and concluded those faults were not regarded as active ones. Shiga NPP is going to resume its operation in the near future. The government as well as NRC are quite irresponsible for this decision. In this earthquake, hopefully, it will be questioned again.</p><p><br /></p><p>It is ridiculous to have so many NPP in this small country with a lot of earthquakes and tsunami. Resumption of NPP operation and elongation of operation period longer than designed are only for the powerline companies and related people in politics, administration, research as well as mass media, who are gaining profit from NPP running. Even after that devastating accident in Fukushima, they won't change the policy. This rigid decision making in administration would result in further serious problem.</p><p><br /></p><p>The recent news and the SNS informations report there have been people buried or crushed under furniture or other items. I only hope the victimized people are saved as soon as possible and less houses or other infrastructures are damaged. </p>Shin JA1NUThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01887476281297960362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229771691402494724.post-90035155140788215562023-12-31T23:16:00.003+09:002023-12-31T23:16:24.630+09:00Poem by Chausson in chamber music version<p>For the last music this year, I have listened to this piece. Poem by Chausson. Hadelich, the violin solo, plays it with piano quartet. This is often performed with an orchestra. This chamber music version is provided by Chausson himself but is much less often performed. So far, I have never heard this version before. As Hadelich says, this version makes the solo stand out compared with the orchestrated one. We could hear detailed and fine move of the solo. It sounds to take us to an inner world. Real concentration. </p><p><br /></p><p>In med school days, in Tokyo early in spring, I have walked miles with a friend in the university orchestra without being conscious of that distance. Talked a lot of favorite music. Brahms, Beethoven or Bach. She has mentioned of this piece, which I had never heard of before. Later, in the CD my daughter's violin teacher gave to her when she left the class, it contained this this piece played by a genius violinist, Ginette Neveu. It was an impressive rendition to me. However, this chamber music version still sounds much more than that.</p><p><br /></p><p>Writing down of this tiny story of memory, I realize I am always going around that old days. In the last chapter of my life journey, I could as well as would be free from every relationship or any sense of value in the world. Being indulged in old memories, I feel I could accomplish that. Life is like a circle. Whenever we listen to such a moving performance as this, we return to the days when we were aware of our life. Listening to this delicately beautiful tune, unbearably beautiful, I was thinking of such a thing. </p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BgXdZhJuPIM" width="320" youtube-src-id="BgXdZhJuPIM"></iframe></div><br /><p></p><p>Well, A Happy New Year to you in an hour advance!</p>Shin JA1NUThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01887476281297960362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229771691402494724.post-78945981315902235432023-12-24T13:15:00.000+09:002023-12-24T13:15:41.478+09:00My mother's 109th heavenly birthday<p>My brother gave me an email early yesterday morning. He told me it was our mother's 109th heavenly birthday yesterday. I was aware of her birthday but never thought of the 109th.</p><p><br /></p><p>He told me he used to present her a diary for birthday every year. Her diaries he still held says how she has spent her last years over here. When it became difficult for us to care for her in Alzheimer's disease and we were taking her into a nursing facility, brother wanted to care for her by himself and his wife in Sendai city. It was in April 2006 when she departed her last trip where she spent a few years with them and later at a nursing facility there until her death in 2011.</p><p><br /></p><p>Before her move there, my brother and his wife used to visit here once a couple of weeks and cared for mother during the week end. So devoted to our parents, especially to our mother, he didn't care for that regular trip here. Our sister also came to see her at the same interval when brother and his wife won't come here. </p><p><br /></p><p>In the repley to brother, I wondered if I could do more for mother. A question often comes up in mind with bitter emotion. I know I should have done more for her and should have made efforts to have her stay at this place, where she started bringing up the family with our father decades ago. </p><p><br /></p><p>My brother replied to me her diaries had told what a joy it was for her to do with her grand children and us and to live here. I still remember, when I brought simple breakfast, sitting at the table in the dining kitchen early in the morning, she used to pray quietly alone or to practise writing down chinese characters. She might be vaguely aware of suffering from Alzheimer or at least of forgetfulness in life. She might want to preserve her ability to write them.</p><p><br /></p><p>Brother told me once she brought the steamed vegetable to him staying with her in a week end and told him to try that dish. She told him it was the breakfast I cooked for her. With shining smile on her face, as brother said. </p><p><br /></p><p>This story won't erase my bitter memory not having done what I could for her. But I was happy to know she had spent her last years in this way. It was also moving me a bit that brother had shared this memory with me possibly in order to alleviate my bitter thought about care for my mother. </p><p><br /></p><p>She used to utter, when she knew of her friend or relative passing away, she/he was now free from anxiety in the world and in eternal relief. She has lived her last years of life in that way. Suffering from Alzeimer's disease and being gradually deprived abilities of herself, she has accepted everything as it was without complaining of anything. It was a precious lesson she left to us. That is why we family members still miss her so much. </p><p><br /></p><p>It has been so cold since yesterday. Yet no snow. She might be named after snowy weather. Her name, Yukie, stood for snowed branch in Japanese. It might be snowy at this time in a year when she was born 109 years ago.</p>Shin JA1NUThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01887476281297960362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229771691402494724.post-66424412617906121242023-12-22T12:08:00.002+09:002023-12-22T12:08:54.412+09:00Potatoes with bacon<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Still often cooking dinner by myself. Home grown potatoes were fried with bacon. Seasoned with consome and a bit of salt. Simple and delicious.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhkwyaUhyRjHk2FlE0GJZYHBucZzyM8grkRqAr610QhvkH3vw63gLgy7XrRHAxjLqG604pATcS1I6q9CsSasBredX4hB4LohFLH1VTxHBUn-LGj_80sm0ya8o1Ta9K0lt9SJfKDeLGQzmv00rcVNb93SKawXPOVBkhikyHKzpiTgi5sMW5BRD-5FWLqrza/s712/IMG_7484.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="712" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhkwyaUhyRjHk2FlE0GJZYHBucZzyM8grkRqAr610QhvkH3vw63gLgy7XrRHAxjLqG604pATcS1I6q9CsSasBredX4hB4LohFLH1VTxHBUn-LGj_80sm0ya8o1Ta9K0lt9SJfKDeLGQzmv00rcVNb93SKawXPOVBkhikyHKzpiTgi5sMW5BRD-5FWLqrza/s320/IMG_7484.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was intending to consume potatoes harvested this fall. Boxes of them are in the shedding. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This year it has been too warm in the beginning of fall. Planted in September as usual, potatoes have grown slowly if not. I was worrying they could be decayed in the ground with the high grouond temperature. Most of them, however, have caught up and have cropped quite good number of fruits. Of course, it was a symptom of global warming, I am afraid. Actually, in the internet, some professional farmers especially in the western area, hotter than here, have complained of that. Generally, it is possible for farmers to do with cold weather but not easy to manage the heat wave. They say they would plant potatoes in the next fall season a couple of weeks later than this year. It is a gamble. Winter often comes in at the same time as usual even if summer lasts longer. Then potatoes would not mature enough then.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Again, I am feeling blessed with farming and with good health enough to do that. I may plant the potatoes harvested this fall in March next year. They may bear a lot of fruits. I would give them to friends and/or family members next year. It will be a kind of sharing a gift from the nature with them. </div><p></p>Shin JA1NUThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01887476281297960362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229771691402494724.post-65231958234388967192023-12-20T10:30:00.004+09:002023-12-20T15:41:08.161+09:00In the end of 2023<p>It was surprisingly cold outside when I got out for an errand. It has been frosty almost every morning here. We seem to be finally in the mid winter for now. It is the time for me to reflect what has happened to me this year and to tell what I would expect in the coming year. To every friend of mine, I have been sending a greeting mail for that purpose at this time in a year in the past. I was wondering if I should curtail it because it seemed to fall into a mannerism. But I still believe it's worth doing that at least through a post like this on this blog, testifying I am still here full of gratitude to them.</p><p><br /></p><p>There have been the wars occuring as well as continuing in Ukraine and in Israerl/Gaza. They are heart breaking tragedies to me as to most of you. A lot of people are victimized and we are left unable to do anything for them. It is as if the idea for pacifism were ridiculed. I still believe the steady stream of pacifism established in 19th century as the Peace Society, has been inherited by the Treaty of Renunciation of the War, the League of Nations followed by the United Nations. In constitutions of several countries including Japan at present, resorting to military forces is determinately excluded. Of course, there could be dictators or populists who would start wars to another country. I believe, however, the steps toward pacifism won't be stopped as a whole. I would do whatever I could for the people in war and against the social system which prones expansion of armaments.</p><p><br /></p><p>In the warmer seasons throughout this year, I have spent a lot of time in the garden and the small farm. We are celebrated with much harvest of vegetables this year again. It turned out a bit difficult for me to get enough crops for ourselves. Despite successful harvest of pumpkins, some of them became less tasty or even started being decayed in a couple of months. Some vegetables got matured at the same time. I should devise or look for the way how to preserve them as fresh as possible for some time. I should not have been too reluctant to send the crops to friends or family members. Natural farming with use of compost but not fertilizers was often successful but not so in some cases. More experiences are needed. Anyway, as always told, I could not be happier to work in the small lot of farm at home. I would carry it on so far as my health permits.</p><p><br /></p><p>It was a really big event for us that my wife had closed her office and put an end to her career. It was much easier for us to start own business by ourselves than to close them down because we were so young and hopeful for the future in the beginning. Taking advantage of this move, we started to sort out things unnecessary at home and discard them. There have been so many papers, books, mattresses, tablewares and so forth asleep deep in the sheds outdoor or the storage room indoor. They all are the remnants of our life for the past decades. This is a kind of the activities for the end of our lives as well. The closing of my wife's work will officially have been finished by next March. What a big and time consuming task!</p><p><br /></p><p>I have been asked when I would come back on the radio by a few friends. Unfortunately, my answer has been "Not yet". The longer it passed since I quit it, the less passinate I feel for that hobby. I have lost a couple of old friends in the US whom I had known through this hobby. As already written in this blog, one was Bill Ewing, K1YT, who died of interstitial pneumonia in the spring. I have visited him in Stow in early 90s. We have corresponded each other at least once a few months and have discussed about a lot of things even without meeting on the air. One of the most intelligent and friendly friends of mine. The other person is Bob Warmke, W6CYX, who has fought against a cancer and has deceased this fall. We have had more QSOs on our beloving mode more than 1200 times since '60s. A lot of discussions on politics, economics and other topics. He was a tough disputant. I have always enjoyed his coherent views even if I have not agreed with all of them. I have had chances to visit him for 3 times, most recently, together with my wife in 2012. A kind and warm hearted person. Even though it is inevitable for us to lose such close friends, it might be another reason why I have not felt so fascinated with this hobby any longer. The tower and the antenna are as they used to be in the yard, even though the antenna needs a bit of repair. There are the radio and keyer in front of me. I may start with them with smaller power sometime in the future when I would come back. </p><p><br /></p><p>As for music, I have totally become a listner. My poor cello has been lying on the floor in the case. I used to be kinda obsessive-compulsive to practise it. As I wrote in the past, I got an arm issue on both sides with too strenuous exercise and gave it up. It was good for me to leave practising it too much. Now I could enjoy listening to music, preferably keyboard ones. I might have written the same thing but still admire the last 3 sonatas for piano by Beethoven. What emotional and almost religious world! Faure's chamber music is also a cure for me. I have loved them ever since I first listened to in my school days. Faure used to tell the role of music is to uplift our mind, which I could not agree more. Brahms, Bach and sometimes(!) Mahler etc are composers who I love. When I listen to some cellist playing the unaccompanied suite by Bach, I feel inclined to start practising them again. Maybe, some time, asking my arms if they could.</p><p><br /></p><p>This is one of my favorite performances of g minor piano quartet by Faure, which I recently found in Youtube. As I wrote before, I have played the 1st and the 3rd movement with good company in my school days. A sweet memory. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uRq6XHpYpmA" width="320" youtube-src-id="uRq6XHpYpmA"></iframe></div><p><br /></p><p>What an endless talking on myself! I should stop it. I always thank to everyone visiting this blog. So far, I might go it on. Leave a comment if you want. Don't forget putting your name or ID with which I could recognize you. Thanks in advance. I wish you all the Best Holiday Season and good health in the upcoming New Year. </p><p><br /></p><p>PS; Rereading this post myself, I found so many misspellings and typos. I have corrected them now. I forgot to mention I had lived longer than the healthy life span for men in our country, that is, 73 years of age. I must confess I am feeling aches or forgetfulness etc associated with aging for the past year. It is not unavoidable as you know. Accepting it as it is, I would try to keep myself as active and young as possible. We should never be captured by the thought of aging but should live it as it is. When seeing it as an objective subject, it may mean we overcome aging in heart. </p>Shin JA1NUThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01887476281297960362noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229771691402494724.post-4238341266559441272023-12-10T14:14:00.003+09:002023-12-10T14:14:44.987+09:00Hadelich playing Bach <p>Bach's Sonatas and Partitas for violin solo have been my favorite since my school days. Often I listened to them for a long time not being tired of that. That solo violin could express the universe as well as the deepest aspect of our mind. It was stunning to me. I believe it was Henryk Szeryng who played the source for me those days. A real virtuoso. Later, I was fascinated by Hilary Hahn, who sounded a great Bach player as well. She used to write in her site that she always started with one of those Bach's works in her daily practise session. </p><p><br /></p><p>This violinist, Augustan Hadelich, playing Bach could not help becharming me. What warm hearted and profound Bach we could hear from his performance. Hadelich himself tells in the caption that Bach is special to him. </p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Augustin.Hadelich.Fans/videos/351782830630560" target="_blank">Here.</a></p><p> <span face="Arial, "Hiragino Sans", "Hiragino Kaku Gothic ProN", YuGothic, Meiryo, "Yu Gothic", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;">https://www.facebook.com/Augustin.Hadelich.Fans/videos/351782830630560</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span face="Arial, "Hiragino Sans", "Hiragino Kaku Gothic ProN", YuGothic, Meiryo, "Yu Gothic", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit;">If you could not listen to this video, visit his site. You may find a few other pieces from Bach's Sonatas and Partitas.</span></p><p><span face="Arial, "Hiragino Sans", "Hiragino Kaku Gothic ProN", YuGothic, Meiryo, "Yu Gothic", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face="Arial, "Hiragino Sans", "Hiragino Kaku Gothic ProN", YuGothic, Meiryo, "Yu Gothic", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://augustinhadelich.com/en/videos" target="_blank">Here.</a></span></p><p>https://augustinhadelich.com/en/videos</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The caption of his discography for Bach's Sonatas and Partitas say as follows;</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Recording Bach’s complete Six Sonatas and Partitas has long been a dream of mine,” says Augustin Hadelich “They are formidable tests of technical ability and stamina, but also of musical imagination and expressive range – they never cease to provide challenges, hope, and joy.” For his interpretation, sensitive to historical practice, Hadelich chose to use a baroque bow. “It was a revelation,” he says. “It felt liberating … Passages of three- and four-note chords felt more fluid … The dance movements danced more and the slow movements sang more.”</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The video first quoted in this post seems to show he was using a modern bow. It is still intriguing how he constructed the world of Bach's polyphony using a baroque bow.</span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Shin JA1NUThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01887476281297960362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229771691402494724.post-67361636441361677172023-12-04T20:46:00.001+09:002023-12-04T20:46:50.280+09:00"How Not to Study a Disease The Story of Alzheimer's" by Karl Herrup<p>Recently, I have finished reading a book titled "How Not to Study a Disease The Story of Alzheimer's" by Karl Herrup, the professor in Neurobiology at Pittsburgh University. A traslated version into Japanese. Since the end of last century, he seems to have been involved in research of Alzheimer's disease;abbreviated as AD. A well known neurologist has introduced this book as a work overturning our common sense in AD. AD is not only an interesting subject in medical science but also a topic for myself in the age group favorably affected by AD. At age 85 years, one out of 3 persons could be affected by this malicious illness.</p><p>He emphasizes two point. First, the research has been occupied by a dogma of beta amyloid cascade. Historically, this disease was found as a type of early onset dementia pathologically featured with plaque in brain. The plaque was revealed later to be beta amyloid with neurofibrillary tangle. This pathological findings have been regarded as the basic pathogenesis of this disease. That has often excluded the other hypotheses of etiology. Beta amyloid accumulation in brain is found some 30% of intellectually normal elderly whilt 15% of AD won't show its accumulation compared with the age matched control. Both in human and animal models, antibody against beta amyloid could successfully get rid of beta amyloid. In human study, the symptoms have not been improved with that treatment whild it has caused fatal complications. </p><p><br /></p><p>There have been the non beta amyloid hypotheses investigated which could co exist the beta amyloid cascade hypothesis. Such as brain chronic inflammation, cholesterol metabolism abnormality related with APOE protein, abnormal myelin sheath, lysosomal dysfunction, mithochodrial dysfunction resulting oxygenation damage and so forth. The mainstream in research has firmly based on the beta amyloid cascade theory and has not valued the other hypotheses even though the latter should have been seriously considered.</p><p><br /></p><p>The other point the author emphasized is the problem of the research fund. It is handled by National Institute of Aging, NIA, which is rather new division of medical science institute in the US and the top of NIA used to try to get more funds advertizing AD was a disease of the people. It was successful and enabled NIA collect much more funds in behalf of AD research. But their advertisement was based on the beta amyloid cascade hypothesis and the definition of the disease was too broad and ambiguous. It has caused, as the authoer says, further confusion. </p><p><br /></p><p>The author's view is that the etiology of AD is closely related with aging process itself. Hyperalimentation with too much glucose intake causes oxygenation in mithochondria through TCA cycle. That oxygenation is closely related with aging. As we get older, there is more unrepairable DNA accumulated, which, in brain, activates microglia in brain and results in chronic inflammation. It is another phenomenon of aging maybe related with AD. </p><p><br /></p><p>The author's hypothesis of AD's etiology is dysfunction of the combination composed of neuron, astrocyte, oligodendrocyte, microglia and vessel. This 5 cellular and vascular structure work in combination. When each of them deteriorates, it could cause the dysfunction of the network system. Honestly, this hypothesis was a bit difficult for me to understand. It seemed still premature as a definite etiological hypothesis of AD. Even to me, the etiology research seemed not making much progress since finding of beta amyloid as well as genes responsible for familiar AD. The author's view against binding only to the dogma of beta amyloid seems to be on the right point. I surely hope they would carry on investigation without prejudice or biases. Since AD seems closely related with aging, it may not be easy to understand the whole phenomenon but, as the authoer emphasizes, the other treatments other than beta amyloid related ones could and should be tried even without understanding it. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p>Shin JA1NUThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01887476281297960362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229771691402494724.post-39688314673115397132023-12-04T19:31:00.000+09:002023-12-04T19:31:09.061+09:00Frosty garden farm<p>Early this morning, I went out to pick up lettuce in the small garden farm for fresh salad. Stepping on the frosty ground toward there, I had an unpleasant expectation. So it was what I expected. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB_0MJKEhptrp4pXV3BFDNkO0VYFvKKBoMywj7amNdN-b39dhd0lsLfi0E26s7uHFcBx0VHtWNmQPbV86ghrykjJUQ4N0kiTkjvYoANWwBrpSP1YyOzZFqq709qOAkzRE1rpVIDM68B-jBpe_Kg-3a3j0IMwjT918gCaIthh5oW8OF7uIJYOvX_d-50hok/s712/IMG_7477.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="712" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB_0MJKEhptrp4pXV3BFDNkO0VYFvKKBoMywj7amNdN-b39dhd0lsLfi0E26s7uHFcBx0VHtWNmQPbV86ghrykjJUQ4N0kiTkjvYoANWwBrpSP1YyOzZFqq709qOAkzRE1rpVIDM68B-jBpe_Kg-3a3j0IMwjT918gCaIthh5oW8OF7uIJYOvX_d-50hok/s320/IMG_7477.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Poor lettuce was almost frozen. Especially the outer leaves were covered with frost without exception. I did not know it had been so frosty around that time in a day. I have given it up. Later, in the day time when sun was warmly shining, these lettuce has revived and was served for a material of salad for dinner.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I knew lettuce was pretty strong against this cold weather. There could be other kinds of vegetables which are prone to be damaged. I would cover them with dome of non woven fabric. </div><div><br /></div>I have almost finished planting several dozens of onion seedlings in another farms. Some of them are too small. I have used vinyl mulch for them. Grass mulching was also applied to some of them. So far, they are surviving this cold weather. <div><br /><p>No wonder it could be this cold because the winter solstice is ready to come in 3 weeks. Everything including human beings should hibernate for 2 or 3 months.</p><p><br /></p><p>It is the time for me to devote myself to reading and listening to music. For the past several years, I have been sending a greeting mail to friends in this season of a year. Wondering if I should carry it on or not. Downsizing my own life. </p></div>Shin JA1NUThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01887476281297960362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229771691402494724.post-25069758840479144282023-11-28T18:40:00.001+09:002023-11-28T21:10:43.612+09:00Jacqueline du Pres and Elgar's cello concerto<p>Jacqueline du Pres is one of the most renowned cellists. She is often remembered together with Elgar's cello concerto.</p><p><br /></p><p>Here is her performance of that piece with Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by her husband at that time, Daniel Barenboim, recorded in 1970. </p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://andantemoderato.com/elgar-cello-concerto-du-pre-barenboim/?fbclid=IwAR36Kskj1dCDaAtqQ651otiSa96wptGZ41Q_gYeUWLW8GwDQHwKMqvbcaAo">https://andantemoderato.com/elgar-cello-concerto-du-pre-barenboim/?fbclid=IwAR36Kskj1dCDaAtqQ651otiSa96wptGZ41Q_gYeUWLW8GwDQHwKMqvbcaAo</a></p><p><br /></p><p>As introduced in the article, this concerto is tinted with deep melancholy probably due to the tragic war just before it was composed. Du Pres was in the height of happiness since she had married with Barenboim a few years prior to this performance. She sometimes smiled gently at him on the podium while playing this piece. That sure makes us feel heartbroken considering of her tragic future in a year. She has developed symptoms of multiple sclerosis then, which ultimately urged her to retire in 4 years from this rendition and killed her at age of 42.</p><p><br /></p><p>Her performance is quite emotional. Listen to the beginning phrase in Adagio with deep portamento on C string. This emotion in her performance goes throughout this piece. I was overwhelmed her expression when I listened to this performance in my med school days. How could such a girl play cello in that way! It was in mid '70s and when she has started struggling with multiple sclerosis. I did not know of her struggle those days at all. In 1987, I still remember hearing of the news on her death in mass media. It took me, however, years to understand what life she had spent. She is an unforgettable cellist for me.</p><p><br /></p><p>This concerto is melancholic in dual meaning to me and to most her fans.</p>Shin JA1NUThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01887476281297960362noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229771691402494724.post-42379506034528737032023-11-27T15:05:00.001+09:002023-11-27T16:44:43.947+09:00A big tree would go away today<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As previously shown, there has been a Japanese Judas tree on the western side of the garden next to a neighbor. It has not been planted by us but has grown spontaneously since we built this house. So it is over 40 years old. It has grown a lot of branches with plenty leaves. It looked magnificient in summer like this photo taken several years ago. The leaves turned golden yellow in fall.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-do5Zdrhe2G6IEhI0O1YPoXZip7BxyaleX-cwdGqn_iOC8YHDVpfDQ_Urm8n_5Ko9_vo5S_BTMzU3MVCLpmXS4KgoNk785X9O6Lsv3PxI2UXd3CvG-ZbPVgDsCU8bP97IOyYCpxj6-INUbv7gPg8_NR5olsKcVsCJ-7XrFJgZHuV6c9Uu4AuJuuGGCydM/s423/001.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="282" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-do5Zdrhe2G6IEhI0O1YPoXZip7BxyaleX-cwdGqn_iOC8YHDVpfDQ_Urm8n_5Ko9_vo5S_BTMzU3MVCLpmXS4KgoNk785X9O6Lsv3PxI2UXd3CvG-ZbPVgDsCU8bP97IOyYCpxj6-INUbv7gPg8_NR5olsKcVsCJ-7XrFJgZHuV6c9Uu4AuJuuGGCydM/s320/001.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We were afraid it could fall on the ground with high wind and could damage the neighbor's home. We asked a gardener to cut the main branches and reduce its size. In a few years, it has recovered its beautiful outlook. I was worrying of an accident with the tree again. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have asked the same gardener to cut it at the base. He asked me if the leaves were all fallen? I wondered if they would have been obstacles to cut it. He answered no but we should enjoy its last appearance with beautiful leaves. I noticed I have not been careful about it and, by this time, all leaves were fallen. I was moved with his love for the tree. Leaves turning yellow is a gift to us in his view. This is the photo of the tree taken this morning.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXr1GxuzOuctNTSoxnNtQvBCw5gTtvLTrcFMlAdHRsZXK5cFty9PaBe9rfumM6w3dZvtJrkJ7brXVLMv9mLrgqUHdf7BEACGho68nYER1nyizW4OVcHcbgOFhANFbDs21yck79iW2gVerEHLVq52fFWavT02F6Sus9gO-KA0bCJj1M9kNGRz_5x16VQ0te/s712/IMG_7470.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="712" data-original-width="475" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXr1GxuzOuctNTSoxnNtQvBCw5gTtvLTrcFMlAdHRsZXK5cFty9PaBe9rfumM6w3dZvtJrkJ7brXVLMv9mLrgqUHdf7BEACGho68nYER1nyizW4OVcHcbgOFhANFbDs21yck79iW2gVerEHLVq52fFWavT02F6Sus9gO-KA0bCJj1M9kNGRz_5x16VQ0te/s320/IMG_7470.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In close up view, the skin of the tree is desquamated. At first, I thought it had been a sign of aging but the gardener told me it was a sign of metabolism for growth. Honestly, I felt a bit guilty at my decision to cut it even it was still actively growing. It should have grown at the center of the garden and could have grown up 20 or 30meters! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXfaY-gptpvvUrmMNc6uKn-whUBVGaOjVu_xdvp7VgncFzvJwEKJ8pRqXlTVpoNKLtwlvgiMNvhV0ZMTtGm47Y3BN5yDAC0Ar1F_Paxn0b-jvy7tIkWooO95q15OW_dTTklSvr2hnTvkWVN4NjsPL3_iEFYNr9nsaIVInOSebkehmlg-BZHoWxOndmOrr/s712/IMG_7471.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="712" data-original-width="475" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXfaY-gptpvvUrmMNc6uKn-whUBVGaOjVu_xdvp7VgncFzvJwEKJ8pRqXlTVpoNKLtwlvgiMNvhV0ZMTtGm47Y3BN5yDAC0Ar1F_Paxn0b-jvy7tIkWooO95q15OW_dTTklSvr2hnTvkWVN4NjsPL3_iEFYNr9nsaIVInOSebkehmlg-BZHoWxOndmOrr/s320/IMG_7471.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Miscellaneous photos.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A persimmon tree at the south eastern corner of the garden. Full of the fruits. Is it because our cat is making regular patrol everyday that crows won't come to enjoy them yet?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBnu75inTeoCwkL-4rZ2lMe9_ALkm_UPN4XyGI9gcI6G_1E2vT_Dzkks4tG7fxuEqjqHB5rqPsaL6XVdcNCJvawmNdWaeEjtILMKF_af0s80mYQSpYxr9TQsnTGC1au-KH0gZDOmJin89E3dudLpy6dT62M8WPlq4Lw-QkkyqQx3m4UE-OE5LilrL5vxi/s712/IMG_7472.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="712" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBnu75inTeoCwkL-4rZ2lMe9_ALkm_UPN4XyGI9gcI6G_1E2vT_Dzkks4tG7fxuEqjqHB5rqPsaL6XVdcNCJvawmNdWaeEjtILMKF_af0s80mYQSpYxr9TQsnTGC1au-KH0gZDOmJin89E3dudLpy6dT62M8WPlq4Lw-QkkyqQx3m4UE-OE5LilrL5vxi/s320/IMG_7472.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A magnolia tree looks colorful. It has undergone lopping off big big branches earlier this spring. It could have been much gorgeous with colorful leaves. Next spring it may grow much bigger and bear a lot of white flowers. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicDViSwdQITiDlYUVe0E332l-ArSbSTjcq2hUVKEZRIns17tdG8bIXrjQonwoOd-FmnGIoLv7f9dR_uYdLYsQZsA9D2rr25M7bGwk34dd35qZR_hHLT9w2rERQsQ-7kq3PzbsiX24KSschxmZHfb1HKxUpKEiIY7xtlja03u7mo8p9c35pA_Yme1-PeScN/s712/IMG_7473.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="712" data-original-width="475" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicDViSwdQITiDlYUVe0E332l-ArSbSTjcq2hUVKEZRIns17tdG8bIXrjQonwoOd-FmnGIoLv7f9dR_uYdLYsQZsA9D2rr25M7bGwk34dd35qZR_hHLT9w2rERQsQ-7kq3PzbsiX24KSschxmZHfb1HKxUpKEiIY7xtlja03u7mo8p9c35pA_Yme1-PeScN/s320/IMG_7473.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Azarea at the entrance. Beautifully reddened. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq5_9rSEyxJGLraC9HlyWR4siic2JkyODKJT8LfI6ajzOOBkk5kpKwhvHxBLRh0wKAO_o9R3OPhDSs3Q-DSmrHJlXFdgxB5pWt8XgyP_2ntya8KqPJc-ORA6um-hFoEaW7anxiP0YwpGewNXOoDIGu8Oj-VLogEmyiFizPIXHOFmPuDXP3yWjpE2BzX4sl/s712/IMG_7474.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="712" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq5_9rSEyxJGLraC9HlyWR4siic2JkyODKJT8LfI6ajzOOBkk5kpKwhvHxBLRh0wKAO_o9R3OPhDSs3Q-DSmrHJlXFdgxB5pWt8XgyP_2ntya8KqPJc-ORA6um-hFoEaW7anxiP0YwpGewNXOoDIGu8Oj-VLogEmyiFizPIXHOFmPuDXP3yWjpE2BzX4sl/s320/IMG_7474.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Looking around the garden, I feel we have grown up together with these trees. At age 40 or 50 years, all of sudden, I became feel closer to those trees. Actually, they looked like family members to me. When my parents have moved here almost at the same time as we did, my father used to care for trees earnestly. At first, I gazed at him working with them. In several years, I found myself to have become a tree lover as well. It might be a heritage or could be a sign of aging. When we feel losing the capability as a living being, we might feel closer to and fond of such trees living long.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>Shin JA1NUThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01887476281297960362noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229771691402494724.post-12561225886690156382023-11-24T09:28:00.000+09:002023-11-24T09:28:25.711+09:00Tempura again<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Tempura again a couple of weeks ago. The left dish was oyster while the right was pumpkin and sweet potato.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of the purposes of this menu was to consume pumpkin. Dozens of them were harvested a month or two ago. Some of them were given to a friend of mine. But still a lot of them were left and seemingly are going to be decayed before being cooked. I should have sent some to my relatives etc. But it could be, I am afraid, unwelcome favor to them. I hesitated sending them to nephew/niece living in Tokyo. Next summer, I should downsize the farming of pumpkin. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sweetpotato could last long, possibly, until next spring. Some of them could be parent fruits next spring. I have found a cooking way to steam them in an electrical jar. It seems important to cook them gradually from the room temp to the high. It is to help changing the starch to maltose. This could be cooked as a material for miso soup as well. A useful and delicious vegetable. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUi0qxxuhKVDuA3su_03H1FysSiOfQ2oyhfyxxIpCfjhp3mrWb5oNCJw4RxcGRMDegEiQiJigDg0pjrvRTLzHJ-n14zBaFshqD8Lr0FdMKj1jr1Jc1EByfMmYaWbKsHBuaY9tpharFpKpKyvFhbu96njBTJwzTFZlnPJiz-5GRTR64fytboPxJMYEL9BVd/s712/IMG_7464.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="712" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUi0qxxuhKVDuA3su_03H1FysSiOfQ2oyhfyxxIpCfjhp3mrWb5oNCJw4RxcGRMDegEiQiJigDg0pjrvRTLzHJ-n14zBaFshqD8Lr0FdMKj1jr1Jc1EByfMmYaWbKsHBuaY9tpharFpKpKyvFhbu96njBTJwzTFZlnPJiz-5GRTR64fytboPxJMYEL9BVd/s320/IMG_7464.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Autumn potatoes were harvested yesterday. Pretty good amount. It will be stored in the house and will be cooked little by little.</p><p><br /></p><p>Oysters were a bit too small but tasted good. Maybe, bigger ones will be available soon. I would try frying them then.</p><p><br /></p><p>I am still busy planting seedles of onions. Otherwise, the farm is getting quiet.</p>Shin JA1NUThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01887476281297960362noreply@blogger.com2