- September, Horse Chestnuts and Father -

Yesterday, in the 23 wards of Tokyo, localized heavy rain caused damage such as river flooding and floor-level inundation. The weather forecast had predicted that the weather would deteriorate rapidly from the afternoon, but it truly became a "disaster-level downpour," which was very shocking. (+_+; The image above was taken just about three hours before that heavy rain fell.

In the gardens and parks of Tokyo, the season for "horse chestnuts" to fall is about to begin. It has become a customary event for me to go out for rehabilitation walks with my father during this time every year, bringing back a few, even though we don't actually leach the lye out of them to eat. (^～^

I still fondly remember how my father would often find them before me and look so very happy, saying, "Look! I was faster than you again this year!"

Even now, the nuts and autumn-colored leaves that my father picked up in various places are beautifully decorated in front of my mother's Buddhist altar. "There's no point in having too many. Just this one and this one. Let's take these home for Mom♪" was my father's usual catchphrase. Now, I go pick them up in his place, and while talking to my parents about old memories, I decorate the altar with the nuts and leaves.