Shirane-aoi(glaucidium palmatum; Japanese wood poppy)

I went to see Shirane-aoi (glaucidium palmatum; Japanese wood poppy) at Mt.Hakken which is located near Lake Nozori in Gunma prefecture. Shirane-aoi is native to Japan. Recently this plant has been in sharp decline in Gunma prefecture. However,a lot of local people started to protect this plant. They had a number of initiatives designed to preserve the species, including seed collection, seedling cultivation, planting, installation of protective fences, mountain cleaning. There are about 80,000 clumps of Shirane-aoi now.

Ikebana lesson

I took a Ikebana lesson today.
I tried a free style arrangement.
Flower materials are
Leucadendron,Campanula,Allium,Silene-Sakurakomachi,Gold sticks,Baptisia australis.

Next picture is my senior colleague's work. This style is called "Rikka"which needs high level skills.

I want to try like this soon !

New nail

These are colors of summer vegetables.Cucumber and eggplant are some of the typical summer vegetables in Japan.

Flower arrangement lesson

I have joined to a flower arrangement circle. This picture is my work.

Materials are
Left:Rose,African daisy,Common gypsophila,Dracaena.
Right:African daisy,Cornflower,Horsetail.

Lacking rain !

It was fine weather at my town.But It was lacking rain these days.Owing of dry weather,there is shortage of water in my town.It cause many troubles in the rice-planting season.

93 year-old singer

I took a charge of operating a sound board at Japanese Fork song concert today.A  93 year-old woman was singing fork song. She was called Nami from her group members.Her song was strong and wonderful. I heard that she will advance to national music competition. Probably she is oldest entrant in this competition.How wonderful!

Ikebana lesson

I had a Ikebana lesson today.
I am learning Ikenobo-Ikebana.
Today's style was Shoka.
Flower materials were Japanese crethra,Slender deutzia,Amsonia elliptica.