ダリア dahlia

　ダリアの和名は、天竺牡丹(テンジクボタン)です。天竺の意味はインドですが、どうしてインドという名前が付いたのでしょう。ダリアはオランダから日本に持ち込まれたと聞いていますが、インド経由の海路で渡来したのでしょうね。

　The Japanese name for dahlia is "天竺牡丹 (Tenjiku-button)." The meaning of Tenjiku is India, but why is it named India? I knew that dahlias were brought to Japan from the Netherlands. They would have come by sea via India.

干し柿 dried persimmon

　渋柿が売られていたので、干し柿を作ってみました。見た感じはよくないですが、凝縮された味がなんとも言えず、美味です。

　Astringent persimmons were sold, so I made dried persimmons. It doesn't look good, but the condensed taste is indescribably delicious.

紅葉と遊具 autumn color and playground equipments

　日本人は、ことのほか紅葉（こうよう）を楽しむと言われています。

　子供が遊びの中で知らずしらず、こうようが原風景となっていくのではないでしょうか。

　It is said that Japanese people especially enjoy autumn leaves.

　While the children are playing, the autumn leave would become the indelible landscape of Japan and that is imprinted into the children's hearts without realizing it.

真葛(サネカズラ) Japanese kadsura

　昔は粘性のあるサネカズラの樹液で髪を整えたそうで、美男葛(びなんかずら)とも呼ばれます。女性は使わなかったのだろうか。

　In the old days, it is said that the viscous sap of this plant was used to set hair, and it is also called "美男葛;binan-kazura" in Japanese which means "the handsome man of climbing plant."  I wonder if women had not used it.

紫苑(シオン) tatarian aster

　薄紫色の部分は、花びらだと思っていましたが、実は舌状花で、中央の黄色い部分が筒状花ということです。

　I thought that the light purple parts were petals, but these are actually ray flowers, and the yellow parts in the center are tubular flowers.

山茶花(サザンカ) sasanqua

　サザンカが咲き始めました。もう、冬ですね。

　The sasanqua has started to bloom. It's almost winter.

箒草(ホウキグサ) kochia

　ホウキグサ(コキア)と稲の珍しい取り合わせです。

　It is a rare combination of kochia and rice plant. The fruit of the rice plant is the staple diet of the Japanese people.