By Mitsue Finch Uchida
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英国の夏もいつの間にか終わってしまいましたね。でもインディアンサマーなるものがあるのでまた暑さがぶり返すかもですね。個人的には8月生まれなので暑さには強く、夏が大好きなんです！特に欧州の夏は本当に過ごしやすくて気持ちいいですね。ああ、あのサウナ状態の地下鉄以外は、ですね！
8月初頭のボルドーは暑かったですが、木陰で気持ちの良いフランスの涼風を今も思いだします。また、Devonのヒース、ゴースに囲まれての草原、漁村で食べたF＆C、クラブサンドに紋甲イカのグリルと、とても素敵で美味な思い出です。皆さまの夏はいかがでしたでしょうか。
さて9月23日頃の「秋分の日」を境に昼と夜の長さが逆転し、日本は暑さも少しずつ和らぎます。これが「暑さ寒さも彼岸まで」といわれる理由ですね。日増しに夜が長くなるので「夜長月」、そして「長月」になったといわれています。
「敬老の日」や「お彼岸」など、家族との『絆』を感じる行事が多くあります。また、9月15日頃の「十五夜」は、月を愛でながら収穫に感謝する日です。旧暦では7月から9月が秋にあたり、秋の真ん中である中秋は空が澄んで月が美しいため、十五夜は「中秋の名月」ともよばれています。日本人の昔から月に馳せる気持ちはなんとも風情がありますね。
さて、英国の現実はと言いますと、今月は新しい首相がいよいよ決まり、国会も夏休み以降大変騒然としそうですね。また光熱費、物価の高騰と色んな問題も山積みされ、新首相がこの問題をいかに解決できるのかと国民は息をひそめて…というか半ば諦め顔で今後の行方を見つめているようです。
そして今月もウクライナ戦争は解決するすべもなく続いているという悲惨な状況がつづき、Nasaでは50年振りに月に向けてロケットを発進させたりと、世界は矛盾だらけと思うのは私だけではないようです。そんな時は両足を地にしっかり着け（Grounding）、呼吸もゆっくりと鼻から吸って鼻から吐き、大きく目を開き、舌を出して吸った息をすべて吐き出してみると気持ちがすっきりすることまちがいないです。
秋桜と書いて「コスモス」と読みます。春から初夏の頃に種をまき、秋には桜のような花が咲くことから「秋桜」と書きます。やはり花より団子、最後は美味しい食べ物のお話です。秋分の日を中日とした７日間は「秋の彼岸」、お墓参りや法要など、先祖供養の日で、その時にお供えする「おはぎ」は、春には「ぼた餅」とよばれます。
粒あん、こしあんの両方があり、「おはぎ」は秋に収穫したばかりの小豆で粒あんに、「ぼた餅」は冬を越して固くなった小豆でこしあんにしてつくっていたそうです。秋の萩、春の牡丹に見立てて御萩、牡丹餅とよんでいたとのことです。今年は「おはぎ」を作りたいですね。
ではここでいつもの俳句・川柳に挑戦です。
秋桜（こすもす）の 風に揺られて たびごころ
おはぎ食べ 歯医者さがしに 一苦労
十五夜に ウサギ探して はねる子や
そして9月に落語家サンシャインさんがイタリア人コメデイアンとのコラボの落語をご披露と聞いています。どんな内容となるのか楽しみですね。チケットはこちらからどうぞ。「Sun2」のコードで2 for 1で購入いただけますので、ご家族ご友人とご一緒に楽しんでくださいませ。
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Summer in the UK has come to an end. But there is something called Indian Summer, so the heat might come back. Personally, I was born in August, so I love summer! Summer in Europe in particular is really comfortable and pleasant. Oh, except for that sauna-like Underground!! When I visited Bordeaux in early August it was exceptionally hot though I still remember the cool French breeze in the shade of the trees. Also, Devon’s heath, grasslands surrounded by gorse, F&C at a fishing village, crab sandwiches and grilled crest squid are all wonderful and delicious. How was your summer like?
Around September 23rd, the autumnal equinox, the length of day and night will reverse, and the heat will gradually subside in Japan. This is the reason why it is said that “the heat and the cold reach the equinox”. As the night gets longer day by day, it is said that it became “Yonagatsuki” and then “Nagatsuki”.
There are many events such as “Respect for the Aged Day” and “Higan” that make you feel “bonds” with your family. Also, around September 15th, “Juugoya” is a day to appreciate the harvest while admiring the moon. According to the lunar calendar, autumn is from July to September, and mid-autumn is the middle of autumn, when the sky is clear and the moon is beautiful. The feeling that the Japanese people have for the moon since ancient times is very tasteful
Now, speaking of the reality of the UK, a new prime minister will finally be elected this month, and it seems that the parliament will be very noisy after the summer vacation. There are also a lot of problems such as utility bills and soaring cost of living prices, and we, the people, hold our breath wondering how the new Prime Minister can solve these problems. . . Or rather, seems to be staring at the future with a half-give up face. And I’m not the only one who thinks the world is full of contradictions, with the tragic situation that the Ukraine war continues this month with no solution, and NASA launching a rocket to the moon for the first time in 50 years. It seems that. In such a case, place your feet firmly on the ground (Grounding), breathe slowly through your nose and exhale through your nose, open your eyes wide, stick out your tongue, and exhale all the air you have inhaled, and you will definitely feel refreshed.
It is written as autumn cherry blossoms and read as “cosmos”. The seeds are sown from spring to early summer, and the cherry blossom-like flowers bloom in autumn, hence the name akizakura. The 7 days from the autumnal equinox are called “Autumn equinox,” which is a day of memorial services for ancestors, such as visiting graves and memorial services. There are both grainy and strained bean paste, and it is said that ohagi was made with red bean paste that was just harvested in autumn, and botamochi was made with red bean that had hardened over the winter and was made with strained bean paste. It is said that the rice cake was called Ohagi and Botanmochi because it was likened to Hagi in autumn and Peony in spring. I want to make ohagi this year.
And in September, Mr Katsura Sunshine will perform rakugo in collaboration with an Italian comedian. I’m looking forward to what kind of content it will be. Please come and visit Sunshine at Leicester theatre. You can book the ticket here, also you can get “2 for 1” using promo code [Sun2]
Here are some Haiku and Senryu as always;
Akizakura(Cosmos) Wind below thinking of traveling (秋桜（こすもす）の 風に揺られて たびごころ)
Sweet beans dumpling looking for a dendist hard to find (おはぎ食べ 歯医者さがしに 一苦労)
Full moon looks for a rabbit little girl jumping round (十五夜に ウサギ探して はねる子や)
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