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.
What little motivation I had was sapped by a lingering cold. Beginning to get the better of it, I harvested the rest of the sweet potatoes. Later in the day, my wife brought back some sushi. After eating it, we both took Kento for an evening walk. I was just about to heat up my cup sake when I thought I best take to the toilet. By my second hurried appointment, I was having to debate which way to face first. I felt dreadful. It was suggested I go to hospital as I might be infected with Anisakis; a parasitic nematode. After another hour of it, I relented and at half ten my wife drove me to the San-in Rosa hospital. Incidentally, over here you check the local newspaper to find which hospital to visit, since they rotate the aliments they treat.
Upon arrival, we had our insurance details taken and joined the back of the queue. I am glad I didn’t have to queue for the only toilet as I was still going both ends and quite explosively too. After sometime, I was then examined and soon found myself prone and on a drip, but not before getting an injection in the arse. There I lay for a good hour and a half thinking about the toilet. Towards the end of my course, I did take to my feet to relieve myself. Sadly, it was another toilet with an empty soap dispenser. Just before two we set off home.
I didn’t get a good explanation of my malady, although the word taichyo was mentioned a few times; something to do with being run down and getting ill. Whilst I was being treated, a father there said both himself and his son had the same sushi. His son took a turn for the worst though, having had a cold. It could be there is higher bacteria count in the fish this time of year. Having a weakened immune system gives rise to the chance of food poisoning. Although over that, I am yet to shake off the cold.
The latest typhoon has brought heavy rain to Honshū. It’s passing south of Tokyo at the moment. The brassicas have taken a weathering as the gusts have been strong.
I took a photo a few days prior on what was a nice day. From the left:
Garlic
Sweet Potatoes
Hakusai, Cabbages, Broccoli
Spinach
Carrots
Beetroot
Mizuna
Potatoes (jumble of oddments in front)
Asparagus at the back
A day during the past week I was left to fend for myself. Having got a few beers, I took to the garden to see what could be dinner. It was an opportune time to give the sweet potatoes a test. Regrettably, my garden nemesis had the same idea, only a few months previous and is still at it. The first pulled was a surprise as it was sprouting, normally the shoots (called slips) are planted rather than growing them from the tubers.
Fumbling around a bit more, I came to one that wouldn’t budge. Rather like in the story of the Giant Turnip. After some effort, it came free to reveal a gnawed outside. Several plump nekirimushi were unearthed at the same time. I wanted to bake a large sweet potato in the oven, but this one would have taken hours. They are sometimes sold for ¥88 per 100g instead of by quantity; this weighed one and a half kilos.
My wife came home early as I was prepping thick slices in the microwave. We went out to a sushi restaurant instead.
Over the following days, it got finished off, despite being of bad flavour. Although the same problems persist from the bugs, the more modest sized ones taken today are much more agreeable. As is Kirin’s latest beer.
Over the past week, the nights have been noticeably cooler. So much so, I seem to have disappeared deep under the covers, in lieu of concluding anything (except beer).
Today was hot. In the morning, I checked on the brassicas and found that the tender centre of one of the hakusai had been devoured. The glum feeling was soon vanquished as I spotted the first shoot of garlic to have speared through the soil.
The garlic is adjacent to the herb garden and a presently unkempt corner of the garden. Prior to lunch, I went out again to see if there were any more developments. I counted a further two and heard something rustling between my feet. I looked down to find an incoming snake, rather like that scene with Roger Moore in Live and Let Die. Without a cigar and aftershave, I could only hop to the side as it raised its head and call to my wife. It scuttled back from where it had come, which was rather good of it, giving me a decent look of it. It might have been a Shimahebi or Hibakari?
Most lunchtimes, my wife’s aunty takes her break at the house. She said she has seen a few Aodaishō (Japanese Rat Snake) in the front garden, they reach a length of between one a two metres. Still, it was somewhat unexpected.
I think I have been somewhat influenced by Patrick and Steph over at Bifurcated Carrots and In the toad’s garden. If being a touch frugal the garlic could last until late spring. Instead, it’s being invested, along with some elephant garlic, in the ground.
Although it doesn’t look a lot, the size of the cloves are more akin to heads of the organic stuff sold for ¥300 a piece. A potato ricer might be more appropriate than the nice stainless press my parents gave me. The Aomori garlic is to the left.
The heads were broken up at the beginning of the week, only today did I start planting them. A dozen hakusai (Chinese cabbage), several cabbages, and a few broccoli plants jumped the queue. Still got about a hundred cloves to plant, but hopeful the bending over will keep us stocked closer to a year.
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.
