Enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of first-time parenthood. Progress on the vegetable garden and other ramblings of a gaijin in Japan’s least populous prefecture.
Over the weekend, both of my wife’s uncles chose to harvest the rice. Whilst my father-in-law went to help his brother, I turned up about ten-ish to help Shigeki.
After Shigeki (pictured), did the edges (to keep the smile on his face), I ploughed the field ready for next year.
The combine was then jump-started and off he rode, standing up and if he was in driving a Panzerspähwagen. It was amusing to see him bending over to light a fag, whilst in ‘command’. Once the bulk was harvested, I had a turn and break from loading the truck up with bags of rice.
Despite the odd shower, early on, it turned out to be a good day for it. After harvesting rice, most people drive off to a nearby grain store to sell their rice, resulting in queues that last for hours. Fortunately, on our two trips, this was not the case. Later some of the rice will be redeemed from the silos in lieu of full payment. At the weigh-in, the combined loads came to 810.6 kg, about 32 kg a sack.
On our return, I got the job of mooching around a field, with 50 kg of ‘stuff that makes the rice taste good’ (I think it was a herbicide) on my back, scattering it about. Following several loads, it was back on the tractor before retiring for a bowl tan tan men noodles and gyoza. I was rather sad to call it a day.
I first noticed the autumn beers were out on the shelves in the third week in August. A month on, summer is still to give way. It seems any ounce of creativity or drive I had has been wicked away by the unrelenting humidity (it’s back). Somewhat untimely, as the previous week I started a little teaching and have to dream up engaging lesson plans.
Miho’s wedding broke the monotony of the month. During the reception, I enjoyed watching people rushing around with bottle of beer, introducing themselves, filling glasses and hurrying back to grab another bottle. It was rather like one of those Japanese endurance games, but in suits and kimonos. Rather surprisingly, I felt bright as button the following day.
The garden is much the same, if a little tidier, still waiting for the strong sun to fade. Kento continues to stumble about and is keen on pulling himself onto anything head height.
I’m quite fortunate in that my sister-in-law (pictured) is getting married on Sunday. As a result, places that hadn’t been weeded for a long time have been picked over and the compost bin is now brimming.
Earlier in the week, my wife announced “summer is back” as the heavy rain gave way to cloudless sun. There is a cooling breeze and it’s a lot less humid than previously. I’m looking forward to digging the garden and getting things prepared for the winter veg.
Kento is having his first piece of dragon fruit. He’s been taking his first steps too. Although the gravity of the achievement soon sets him down.
In the paper the other day, there was an article about the finding of ハマオモトヨトウ (Brithys crini) caterpillars in the prefecture. They were last since around parts in the mid Fifties. The name is derived from their favoured plant Hamaomoto, found between Minami-Kantō and Okinawa. The report shows a chap with hundreds of larvae swarming around a plant in his garden. Surprisingly, it cites the greenhouse effect and the rise in CO2 levels as the cause.
Since the remaining tomatoes were getting a touch of Botrytis, the chutney making plans were brought forward. I would have liked to have harvested a couple of kilos of the larger momotaro. However, I had to make up the first kilo with the firmer skinned iko. The mix was bulked out further with the addition of a couple of aubergines and a courgette. I’ll add a recipe to the appropriate section in a few weeks, it will need in the least a few weeks to mature.
