After many years of living in a sprawling metropolis like Tokyo I became accustomed to life in the urban jungle and really appreciated the parks and immaculate gardens in the city. Maybe that’s why I always made an effort to have flowers in the house and study ikebana despite suffering from hayfever.
Urban Tokyo isn’t a true reflection of the landscape of Japan though as it is an amazing country with mountains, beautiful countryside, beaches and stunning little islands to explore. However, I found when I was living overseas I became quite patriotic and missed the things I had taken for granted as a child growing up in a village, like fields of wild flowers.
Having become a bit of a Tokyo-ite I was sure I would have severe culture shock on my return to the UK, especially when we decided to make a village in one of the home counties our new home. But it seems I adjusted to it better than expected. It’s so nice to have such beautiful places close by to explore with Little Miss, and of course being a dog owner the great outdoors is part of daily life now.
A couple of weeks ago dog training was in a beautiful woodland area of a private estate and today fields of wild flowers…
Wondering through the long grass and flowers I thought of the phrase from William Blake’s poem, “In England’s green and pleasant land”, which has become a common description of the English countryside and I have to agree it is a beautiful place to call home.
Categories: Country Life, Lifestyle, Outdoor Life
Tanoshimi 