かつてない風速の台風の接近で不気味な不安がありながら、今日は曇り空に陽がさしたり雨が降ったりの不安定な１日でした。梅雨の長雨の後、猛烈な暑さの８月が駆け足で通り過ぎ、早９月に暦が変わりました。床の間のしつらえを新しくしました。掛け軸は平井東庵の芙蓉とシジュウカラ。この時期に合っているのかどうか自信ありません。芙蓉は季語が初秋ですが、シジュウカラはどうも夏のよう。花は近所の野菜市で買ったウドの花。ビロードの肌触りの赤いケイトウは部屋のアクセントに。薄紫の花は「角虎の尾」だとお客様で来てくださった地蔵町のYさんに教えていただきました。花に似合わず勇ましい名前です。コンペイトウのような赤い花は千日紅（センニチコウ）。これもYさんから名前を知りました。８年近く続いた政権が首相の持病悪化のため急遽変わるという思いがけない事態に、マスク生活がまだしばらく続きそうな中で色々なところで色々な人が暗中模索しています。季節は同じように巡ってきますが迎える生活は去年と同じではないこと。自身も変化しているので当たり前ですが、受けて立つ力をどうやってつけようかと考えます。Due to the approaching typhoon which is the strongest we have ever had, we have been experiencing uneasy and unstable days with occasional sunlight between clouds and showers. After the long rainy season, August passed very quickly with terrible heat, and now the calendar has turned to September. I changed the alcove display. The hanging scroll which has drawn on it a cotton rose and great tit (Parus major), is by Toan Hirai. I don't know whether it is appropriate for this season. I got some flowers at the vegetable market near my house. The flowers in the alcove are called Udo whose stalks are edible when they are under ground. Red cockscomb with a surface like velvet became an accent of the simple Japanese room. The pale purple flower is loosestrife for which the Japanese name literally translates to "tiger tail plant". I learned the name from Ms. Y and thought, "what a gallant name even though it looks elegant". The tiny flowers which look like sugar candy called Konpeitoh in Japan are globe amaranth. We are in an unexpected situation now where our prime minister, Shinzo Abe whose administration continued for almost eight years, declared his resignation because his chronic illness got worse recently and it surprised me. We are expecting more restraint in daily life to protect coronavirus and many people seem struggling here and there. The fall comes again but our life will not be the same as last year. I, myself, am also changing every year physically and mentally. I wonder how I can get more energy in the face of this uncertain situation in the world.
