いよいよ菊が咲き、秋の深まりを見せる植物たち

　１０月下旬です。ここへ来て秋は急に深まり、今夏は日本中で北海道も含め４０°近い猛暑でしたが、その後、秋は束の間で、ニュースによると北海道ではすでに降雪があり、今日はいっそう強い寒気に覆われると予報されてます。このような気温差は何故起こるのでしょう。

　これは地軸が２３.４°ほど【南北回帰線と同数】傾いたまま地球が公転してるので、結果的に太陽高度が変化するからです。このため、北半球と南半球では季節が逆になります。現在の地軸の方向は北極星にあります。ところが、駒の先が揺れるように、自転してる地球は地軸の方向が本当に徐々に変化しつつあり、これは地球の歳差運動によるもので、その周期は26000年ほどと言われてます。遠い未来に日本は温帯でなくなる可能性があります。進化する人類はきっとこれに対処できるでしょう。

　ところで、秋の深まりと共に、我が家の庭でも早くも菊が開花してます。写真左下は日本シャクナゲの葉です。紅葉が始まり、常緑樹であっても古い葉が落葉を始めてます。それと共にすでに来春の蕾がたくさん生まれており、植物は季節を先取りしてます。

　開花以来、その名の通り、やがて１００日目を迎える百日紅【写真右下】は最後の力を振り絞って咲いてます。この写真は三階の窓から撮りました。サルスベリは紅葉後すべての葉が落葉します。平安時代ころ中国南部から入ったと言われ、すでに日本の気候に「順応し」毎年花を咲かせます。私も日々、柔軟な心で生活したいものです。ところで、今日は県議の「あつこさん」との座談会が私の家の前の集会所「ふるさと」で開かれるので楽しみです。

Dear my friends who are crazy about the change of season and great music.

　The simultaneous interpretation into English for our mutual understanding will be done after my breakfast in Japan time.

......................................................................

　It's late October. Autumn has deepened suddenly. This summer, Japanese archipelago including Hokkaido, experienced a scorching heatwave with approaching 40° Celsius in temperatures. However, autumn was short-lived. According to the news, snow has already fallen in Hokkaido yesterday, and today a more colder front is predicted. Why does such temperature difference cause?

　This is because the Earth's axis is tilted at a 23.4° angle (the same angle as the Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn) as the earth orbits, resulting in changes in the altitude of the sun. This phenomenon causes seasons to reverse in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. As you know, the Earth's axis currently points in line with the North Star. However, like spinning a top, the Earth's axis is gradually changing its direction. This is due to the Earth's precession, which is said to occur every 26,000 years. It's possible that in the distant future, Japan will no longer be a temperate zone. As it evolves, humanity in the remote future will surely be able to cope with this circumstance.

　By the way, as autumn deepens, chrysanthemum is already blooming in my garden. The leaves in the bottom left of the photo are valuable Japanese rhododendron. As the leaves begin to change color, even evergreen trees are beginning to fall their older leaves. At the same time, many buds for next spring are already forming, therefore plants are getting ahead of the season.

　As the name suggests, the crape myrtle (bottom right) is about to reach its 100th day since her flowering, and is exerting its final strength to bloom. This photo was taken from a third-floor window. Crape myrtle loses all its leaves after the leaves turn red. It is said to have been introduced from southern China around the Heian period, and has already "adapted" to Japan's climate, blooming every year. I should live each day with a flexible mind like the crape myrtle. By the way, I'm looking forward to today's roundtable discussion with prefectural assembly member Ms. Atsuko, which will be held at the Furusato community center in front of my house.