Pat's Blog

The Falling Leaves as everyone knows is much loved jazz favorite and I think of it and can hear it in my head every season when the leaves change color and fall. This is Jack Frost’s time of year and his palette of brilliant and muted colors is absolutely everywhere. I’d always thought leaves just got tired, died and fell off. Apparently this isn’t so, the tree sends a hormonal signal shutting down photosynthesis and is the English equivalent it ‘get off me.’ Wanting to get a better look at this magic, or ‘momiji gari’ red-leaf hunting. I took all these pictures in the local area recently. Some maple trees are just on fire and a blazing scarlet in some places (see picture below)



Takamatsu has some wonderful areas for viewing the changing leaves; Ritsurin Garden of course has a special light up evening session that has just finished. This is an annual event and with the floodlights picking out the tints of reds, yellows etc., it’s a sight to refresh the tired and world-weary. Spiritual refreshment in fact.



So Jack’s about with his paintbrush and winter is upon us; the bugs have all gone underground, some buried under piles of leaves and the birds are having a hard time pecking into the hard ground looking for worms. When it brightens up a bit, I’ll be blogging about the terrific parks we have here and there are some great ones. It’s always so nice to go the bigger ones, Miroku Park in Sanuki City is a favorite.
http://naturetravel.jp/2index_miroku-e.html



Manno Park is another I’ll be visiting in the Spring. Manno has a lot of stuff for kids, an amazing amount of fun trampolines, swings, bicycle courses etc. and has what is claimed to be the world’s longest slide. Take a look at this from the youtube link. It brings out the kid in me, that’s for sure.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1DVwnwjxlo

My own office has what I think is the best location in the world, as we’re almost inside the Central Park here in Takamatsu. I never, ever tire of the views from my windows and think myself very fortunate to look out at anytime and see such beautiful trees.



The other blog I’m thinking about concerns the unique stone masonry of Aji town near Takamatsu.
http://web-japan.org/jvt/en/streaming/wmp/JVT_10-11_NO4_3_EN_256k.asx
So this is an in between blog, just to show some of the color in the city and one or two shots from Negoro temple on Go Shiki Dai mountain near us. This year’s colors are somewhat muted due to the unseasonal weather which is sad. Too bad Jack. See you next year and you can do better then.



See you in a couple of weeks and keep those cards and letters coming in.