Seasons

We have been in Japan for almost a year. I think I enjoyed the autumn colors the most. The temperature was perfect and the night skies were clear. When we arrived in October, I did not have any time to take photos. This year I’ll try to capture Tsukahara’s fall colors. Winter was my second favorite season. It was frigid, but the surrounding beauty made up for that. A “winter wonderland” would best describe the winter of 2011. Sure, it was difficult to get around. I learned that driving in the snow was fun provided there were no other cars around. It was so quiet and peaceful in the winter. Sitting by a warm wood stove was a magical experience.

“Spring is a time for awakening.” Living in California most of my life, I never knew what that saying meant. I was used to the weather going from cool and rainy to hot and dry. That was a sure sign that spring arrived. In Tsukahara, the change was subtle. It was still very cold, but the stillness disappeared. Winter loosened its grip which allowed for tiny plants to emerge from the ice and snow. After a few weeks, the meadows of golden brown turned into lush green. It seemed as if everything turned green. A plethora of insects also made their debut.

Summer kicked off the rainy season. The rain was soon followed by the humidity and heat. Which brings us to today…it will be 33C with 45 percent humidity. It’s time to sit in front of the air-conditioner. The rest of the week will be cooler, but thunderstorms are in the forecast. The hillsides are saturated from the rainfall. I’m looking forward to fall.

I have a weather station that I purchased before I left the states. Over the past year in Tsukahara, the coolest temperature has been -10C and the warmest has been 33C. The biggest surprise was the rainfall amount in a 24 hour period…5.67 inches!   George