3 in 30 - 2002.05.05 Sunday
This year, I held out little hope for seeing the ayame (Japanese iris) bloom. I had rescued some roots from an encroaching asphalt parking lot. I had planted them in two locations, neither very good, but the other plot had produced flowers the past few years.
Inspecting the other plot, I didn’t see any buds, so didn’t anticipate seeing them this year. I had not expected to ever see blossoms on the plot by the front gate, under the huge bushy tree.
And yet, here it is.
Walking down the next street to the south, looking for interesting gates and doorways, it occurred to me to note the contrast in these two apartment buildings. One less than optimally kept up, and the other looking bright and inviting. The top one looks as though no one has bothered with pulling weeds for a year, and the stairs and railings though painted, have a primer-coat looking color. An abandonded bicycle is nearly lost among the weeds.
The second apartment building, whose name I remember as “Flower Heights” doesn’t seem to have weeds growing around it, the railing are filled in with covers and generally seems to be brighter and cleaner.
The apartments in both are still small, probably about four meters wide and eight meters deep. That’s about 12' x 25'-300 square feet. There are many details about this, but I don’t think they would fit the American life-style, certainly not ours.
The rest of the weekend was very busy with the Ome Matsuri, touring Tokyo and the High School Prom.