michael lambe's scrapbook

John Dougill sent me a copy of his “Kyoto: A Cultural History” to review on Deep Kyoto and so far I like what I read:

Throughout the year succesive waves of colour break upon the city. Plum and peach blossom heralds the more famous cherry, after which follow azalea and iris. In summer come hydrangea, water lily and lotus, while in autumn there are the “seven famous grasses” followed by the changing maple leaves. Winter sees the camelia as well as the rich red berries of the nandin. The annual round has won much admiration, for each season has endearing traits : the white-and-pink blossoms of spring; the glistening moss in the summer rains; the brilliant colours of the autumn leaves; and the sprinkling of snow on the winter mountains…

So you see, this is a very beautiful city I’m living in! It’s azalea (or つつじ；tsutsuji) season now. They come into bloom right after the cherry blossom has fallen and as they are commonly used in hedgerows about the city, the sheer quantity of the blossoms is awesome. Here are some I snapped at Nishi-Honganji on my way home from work last week.

I love these flowers. They seem to glow even on the gloomiest days with a soft light of their own. Something to cheer you up even on a rainy day like today.