Flowers in the fields

Tetsu and Choco and I went on a longer walk than usual around our district.  Through the forests, beyond the rice fields.

 

 The Cosmos are out in vibrant colors.

As is the Golden Rod.  (I think this is Golden Rod)

This is a far off shot cut close of our church.

And here is another far off shot cut close of a little obaachan working by the side of the road.  Can you tell how bent over she is?  So many Japanese older people (and remember Japan rates highest in the world for longevity) are quite bent over and walk almost facing the ground.  I had once heard that this was because of their spending many hours of their days bending in the rice fields, but my mother-in-law is almost as bent over and she's never worked in a rice field in her life.  I think it must be because of a lack of calcium in the diet or something.

Even though it must be hard to even walk in this position, the farmers and their wives often shuffle along in their fields pulling weeds, cutting grass, always finding something to do.  Occasionally they will straighten up with a, "Yoi-sho!" (Heave-ho!) and then go back to work.  They are not ready to be put out to pasture yet!