• Daily Life

    Wattle Day

    It’s officially Wattle Day in Japan today, and I’m absolutely delighted to have a thriving wattle growing in our garden. I guess a little explanation is necessary. March 8 is Mimosa no Hi, literally, the Day of Silver Wattle. The flowers mark International Women’s Day, and the idea of giving women silver wattle (called mimosa outside of their native Australia) emanated from an Italian communist politician in the 1940s because the beautiful yellow flowers were more readily available than other floral items frequently presented to women around the world at the time. It’s not a national holiday in Japan, and…

  • Daily Life

    Hello Cocky!

    Spring is drawing closer by the day, if not actually here already in Tokyo, but that doesn’t mean the warmth has arrived yet, though the cockatoo in Kangaeroo Corner couldn’t care less. Every morning is getting lighter and the flowers are blooming. Kangaeroo Corner’s wattle is resplendent! We were originally going to have a wattle-viewing party in the early spring, but it looks like reality has intervened. Speaking of reality, it’s bloody chilly again today. Apparently, this is only a one-off. It’s a little apt, as the icy relationship with my boss is becoming positively chilling after we were dumped…

  • Daily Life

    Wattle Happen Next?

    It’s becoming increasingly clear that spring is not too far away, and the wattle tree in Kangaeroo Corner is giving hints of something about to spring into action. March, which starts tomorrow (der!), is traditionally a coldish month, with a warm day every few days here and there. This winter has been mild, especially when compared to the chilly one last year. But it’s still too bloody cold for too bloody long for my liking. Nonetheless, starting today we have a week of relatively warmer weather forecast. And I’m excited for the garden, particularly our wattle tree, which looks poised…

  • Daily Life

    Open Up Your Eyes, An Everlasting Bud!

    Kangaeroo’s Aussie seed experiment is moving forward, and today resulted in its first buds. Seedling growth came from an everlasting, a pink, yellow and white flower native to Western Australia. I potted everlasting seeds last weekend in humidity pods. They’ve been growing under lights daily ever since, except for Tuesday night when the power plug short-circuited. I’ve checked the pods daily to see how they are developing, so was delighted to see the little leaves sprout. Might have some stronger seedlings in the works. Once they have grown big enough, I will transplant them into pots and move them into…

  • Daily Life - Unknown Nichigo

    A Seed Of An Idea

    As I touched on over the weekend, I’ve started trying to grow plants from seed and I completed the first round of the process this morning before heading off on my bike. Dwarf wattle seeds that I soaked in boiling water last night were the final group of seeds that can be planted in the winter. I managed to spread the seeds over a tray and put them in the humidity pod. Most of the work was finished yesterday after the ride. The process so far started in September and October of last year (2022) when I collected Australian native…

  • Daily Life

    It’s All Happening Here!

    Pushed for time and all other sorts of resources, Kangaeroo was surprised to note this morning that it had been almost 10 days since the last post on the site. So much has been going on, some of it pretty crucial, that time slipped away. To borrow a turn of phrase made popular by one-time Australian cricket captain and commentator (and fellow Victorian) Bill Lawry, it’s all happening here. I guess it’s best to go forward by category. Among Kangaeroo’s interests over the past year has been the Aussie garden. A crucial part of that garden is the lawn, traditionally…

  • Indigenous Strine (Woiwurrung)

    Ending With the Seed of An Idea

    Sometimes, Kangaeroo can come up with the seed of an idea. Thanks to a bit of a search a few months ago, Kangaeroo has got plenty of Aussie native plant seeds to try and grow. Growing them will be a late-winter, early-spring initiative. But preparations are already underway. Will be interesting to see how the Kangaeroo Cove shapes up when the northern spring hits. Related posts: Strine Dictionary Beating Jobsworths with Luck AFL – Modern Australia’s Religion and Failed Proselytizing in Japan There And Back Again: Oz 2022 Powered by YARPP.

  • Japanese Kangaroos

    Nurturing the Soul

    British Poet Laureate Alfred Austin once wrote, “To nurture a garden is to feed not just on the body, but the soul.” Kangaeroo is getting to find that out. Gardening never really meant much to Kangaeroo, other than getting dragged out of bed as a youth on Saturday mornings to mow the bloody lawn with an antiquated, run-down Victa lawnmower. Never the most energetic or enthusiastic of people at the best of times, the onerous task colored Kangaeroo’s views on gardening for decades, despite all family members showing a penchant and delight for gardening. Having spent the vast majority of those aforementioned decades…