Saturday, May 9, 2020

5月9日(土曜日)2020
最近はこれまでのルートを一回り大きくして芹川を渡って往復約1時間の散歩をしています。目的地は木曽のNさんの「きまぐれ市」。近隣の農家の方の野菜をNさんがまとめて販売してくださっていましたが、去年のNさんの病気後は規模を縮小し野菜は少なくなりましたがそれでも「きまぐれ市」が続いているのは嬉しいことです。その「きまぐれ市」大抵無人のため野菜の自動販売機が置いてあって、このごろはイチゴが中に入っています。お金を投入してボタンを押すと扉が開いて中のイチゴが取り出せます。買ったばかりの甘〜いイチゴを口に放りこみながら帰り道を歩くのは愉快、爽快。田んぼのそばには麦畑が広がっています。実ると頭(こうべ)を垂れる稲穂に比べて、麦はどれも真っ直ぐに空に向かっています。自然の語りかけをしっかり受けとめたいと思います。Recently I have been taking a walk for an hour crossing over Serigawa (river) which is slightly longer than the course I took before. The destination of my walk is KIMAGURE-ICHI (lit. whim market) which is run by Ms. N in Kiso village. She used to sell vegetables from farmers nearby but ever since her illness last year, she shrunk her market and has been selling limited numbers of vegetables. Nevertheless, I appreciate that she is continuing her Kimagure-ichi. Usually nobody is in the Kimagure-ichi and the vending machine for vegetables is placed there instead. These days, we can find local strawberries in the machine. Putting some coins into the vending machine and pushing the button, I take out the strawberries. I feel so good and it is fun to eat strawberries while walking back home. There are wheat fields near the rice paddies. Contrasting with the fully ripe rice plants whose heads droop, wheat grows straight up toward the sky. I wish to take to heart the precious things nature may be telling us.