２０２５年１２月６日
一昨日ゆり様とゴルフをやったのですが低温強風でゴルフ日和でなかったことは確かです。今日は打って変わってボカボカと暖かく、風も微風で働きやすい天候でした。根深一本ネギの収穫やら、スプリンクラーの場所を変えたりしてトロトロと働きました。今年もあと少し、そのうち忘年会があり、年賀状を書かなければ、と慌ただしくなっていきます。あまり寒くなってほしくないですねー。
２０２５年写真集（Pictures of 2025）
２０２５年もあっという間に過ぎてしまいましたね。取り敢えず皆元気に過ごせたことが一番の幸せでした。２０２６年もそうありたいものです。この写真集は今年どんなことがあったかをザックリ記憶し、ご紹介するために作りました。写真を見ると、あれもあった、これもあった、と思い出せるのが楽しいところです。この春にホームページを引っ越して、農場便りや過去の研究成果を若者に分かりやすく説明しようと思っているのです。
2025 has flown by in the blink of an eye. The happiest thing is that everyone has been healthy and well. I hope that the year 2026 will be the same. I made this short album to remember what happened this year. It’s fun to look at the photos and remember all the things that happened. Since I moved my homepage to a little bit safer site this spring, I’ve been busy creating pages and pages of my past research accomplishments. Anyway, I hope you’ll continue to have a good time in 2026.
During the New Year holidays, my eldest son’s family came to stay with us and we went to Den Park in the city. My grandchildren were fascinated by the dinosaurs at the dinosaur park there.
On the last Sunday of January, Yuri’s tea master holds a tea ceremony. Her pottery is also on display.
The zodiac sign for 2025 is snake, which I don’t like. Yuri’s zodiac sign is snake and mine is rat. This is also her work.
March is the time to grow seedlings from seeds on our windowsill. Here we have watermelon, peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, etc.
My grandchildren, Miharu and Yuzuru, came to stay with us from Osaka during the spring break. Having just learned how to make it, I took the lead in making pizza. But I happened to use cake flour instead of bread flour and ended up with a complete disaster. They tried again under Yuri’s watchful eye, they managed to make the pizza without me. They certainly learned that “Grandpa is unreliable,” I guess.
We had a bumper crop of snap peas. I am sure the same will be true next spring.
In April, LaLaport, a big shopping center, has opened just a 15-minute walk away from home.
Garlic was also a bountiful harvest.
We also harvested a lot of potatoes (Red Moon).
The party was originally planned to harvest potatoes, but it was held too late. Nevertheless, we enjoyed a barbecue and bingo. My second son’s wife, Iho-chan, made a video of the event (click on the photo to start the video). Iho’s parents often join us too.
The Earl’s melon on the left looks great but wasn’t very sweet. The Prince melon on the right was very delicious, so next time I’ll just grow the Prince melon.
This watermelon is popular because of its yellow flesh, juicy texture, and refreshing sweetness. I grow it from seed every year.
In August, we had to go to Cambridge for business. We drove about three hours from there to visit our eldest daughter’s house in New York State. Pictured are her husband Jay, our eldest daughter Mayumi, and our grandchildren Mia and Johnny.
What are they making?
A memorial symposium for my mentor, Professor Yoshito Kishi (Professor Emeritus at Harvard University), was held in Cambridge on August 23rd. He passed away on January 9th, 2023, at the age of 85. I was trained by him for over eight years as an undergraduate, graduate student, and postdoctoral researcher. He truly is a “mentor to whom I owe the greatest debt.”
My wife also attended the memorial symposium.
As the keynote speaker, I shared a memorable story in 1970s.
On October 25th, my students held a party to celebrate my 77th birthday at a hotel in Lake Hamana. I had a great time with 43 former members of my group. I feel like I’m doing them a favor by saying, “It’s only because I’m alive that everyone can get together.”
This year we harvested about 300 yuzu, and Yuri made a lot of yuzu ponzu dressing.
I played golf with Yuri in Naruto in November. It was a beautiful place, but my score was terrible.
Twice a year, our children and grandchildren gather at our farm on Lake Hamana. The menu is pretty much the same: harvesting crops, having a barbecue, and playing bingo, but everyone has a great time. Iho-chan made a video for us again (click on the photo).