July 7th, 2008
Tanabata
photo by scyllarides via Flickr
The bamboo leaves rustle, rustle, shaking away in the eaves. The stars go twinkle, twinkle; Gold and silver grains of sand.
If I had some bamboo, I’d make a Tanabata “tree” today, write my wishes on paper and tie them to the tree. Then, if tonight’s skies are clear, those star-crossed lovers Altair and Vega could meet for their once-yearly tryst across the Milky Way and in their happiness grant my wishes. More about Tanabata.
What would I wish for? Rain. Cooler weather. A truckload of mulch. Some black bamboo. And a nice garden house to sit in to enjoy it all.
What would you wish for?
by M Sinclair Stevens
July 7th, 2008
Sunshine (after one whole day of rain I’m bored to death with it) and some strong men to help me dig my new border and the pond to be. 😉 Fun pic and your twitter about the hot pepper made me laugh.:-D
I’m glad you noticed my Twitter…that’s the place for late-breaking news at Zanthan Gardens. — mss
July 7th, 2008
Hi MSS, like you, I would wish for rain, nice steady slow soak into the ground rain, not the gulley washer kind. For many days, and while I’m at it, only during the night. Could there be more, hmmm, not, that’s it. Thanks for asking.
July 7th, 2008
I’d wish for a cabin by the pacific ocean…that I didn’t have to drive two days to get to! We would magically appear, and so would the meals 🙂
July 7th, 2008
Hope you got some rain around 4pm today. We had a brief heavy shower and I rejoiced. Saw your last post rather late and replied with a little advice on tomatoes for the fall.
It’s never too late to leave a comment. I’m alerted to all comments no matter what post they are left on. Thanks for the tomato advice. Did you pull yours out or just cut them back. When will you plant for fall? — mss
July 7th, 2008
Rain, just some rain…and a truck load of organic compost and while we’re wishing…my back to be as strong as it was in my 40’s. Thanks for asking and may we all get our wishes.
July 7th, 2008
Tanabata–oh, you’ve loosed a torrent of memories from our three years in Sendai. We used to go watch the drummers (scantily clad men, mostly, so more fun for me, the only female in the family, than for anyone else) wind through the nearby wooded park to the huge, by which I mean gigantic, bonfire, where everyone danced, and flowers were given out, and tossed on the flames–it was a drunken time in the best, most metaphorical sense.
Why do you write about Tanabata?
–Kate
So you used to live in Sendai? That’s THE place for Tanabata Matsuri, ne? I used to live in Beppu. — mss
July 7th, 2008
Rain for all those who don’t have any right now, for me, a good harvest from my garden, pretty flowers, and the garden to be magically mulched one day!
July 7th, 2008
Only one wish, but it is a biggie. My wish would be for no hurricanes to hit the US this year.
July 7th, 2008
To be back by the Pacific Ocean…mind you I’m keenly aware that the prairie I’m on is an ocean as well and I’m enthralled with it…but deep down the salty brine is home–its where I came from and it still has its loving tentacles wrapped around my soul.
July 8th, 2008
To become a boring Northern California garden blogger? If that doesn’t work, maybe a new walkway in my front yard, a new fence, and a rain barrel.
Or maybe to express my love of the ocean as eloquently as Steve Mudge just did.
July 8th, 2008
I’d wish for rain for Texas & Tennessee & drier weather for Iowa, Central IL & Central IN. For myself: fewer mosquitoes! Sorry about your Tomato.
July 8th, 2008
Another 5000 gal. tank to go with the one I have on my rain water collection system as I used it up this year. OH, and more rain as well.
July 10th, 2008
Slow, soaking rain would be good, MSS…but sometimes what I wish for the most heartily is to enjoy the kind of simple and inexpensive air travel between Texas and Chicago and between Texas and Seattle that was promised when we first moved here.
Sometimes the starcrossed lovers are parents and their children.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose