Greetings 10

When the end is only the beginning

Early morning, long shadows

Dear readers, according to popular wisdom, spring is a season of rebirth, summer is an explosion of activity, and fall is, well, when things start falling.

But not anymore. Lately, summer has turned into a bully. It’s so hot and muggy out there that this year I spent almost three months holed up in my house, only going out when strictly necessary.

Then autumn came, and life got back to normal, including my walks.

The flowers pictured above are lantanas. Never heard of them but they sure are lovely. I found their name through the Seek by iNaturalist. Thanks Igor for telling me about this great app.

Speaking of walking, here’s a lovely quote from this interesting essay (thanks again Igor for the link):

You see, when you walk slowly and with no real destination in mind you are not doing, you are just being. Such walking, such contemplation is the beginning of freedom, it is the necessary pre-condition for having your own thoughts and as such for truly living your own life.

Which is why it is such a shame when people pollute their potentially edifying walks by turning to their ever-present phones. When I walk the streets and alleys of my city, I constantly see people either shouting inanities into their phones or else using them to wirelessly pump music or podcasts into their eager ears. Walking thus becomes reduced to a mere mode of transportation for the carless and these reluctant pedestrians become - like so many other one-person-per-vehicle drivers - detached and isolated units moving through space.

If you don't like to walk, you can always do some exercise, like this guy.

The farmers near my place are busy tidying up their paddies.

It’s back-breaking work. I wouldn’t last a single day out in the fields.

Being a townie through and through, I don’t know the first thing about farming. Still, I just love the colors and geometries at play.

Ah yes, the train! Long-time readers of Tokyo Calling are already familiar with the three-station single-track railway in my area.

And the two-car cow and sheep trains - the local mascots, so to speak.

Here’s the sheep leaving my station.

And here’s the cow. Lovely, isn’t it?

Even in the middle of nowhere, you can’t escape the call of kawaii.

Another thing I hate about summer is that the grass and plants grow so quick and wild that come October, you need to walk with a machete.

Yesterday I went for a walk to a park about three kilometers away and found that the usually clear path was overgrown and looked more like a jungle.

I like to sit on these benches… when I can.

Then I reached the park - same story.

I had taken a book and thermos of hot tea with me, but as soon as I sat down, I was attacked by scores of mosquitos, possibly hungry and pissed off because even for them, summer had been too hot to go hunting.

So, after just five minutes, I got up and went home.

Oh well.

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In the next episode: life and death in deep suburbia!