今年は低い温度が続いているせいで、千曲市の名物の花、森地区のあんずの花が遅れています。でも、千曲市の隠れ名物の花、戸倉キティパークの節分草も遅れて、逆にちょうど今満開です。

友人のＰｅｔｅｒさんからの写真です。５ｃｍぐらいな小さな白い花びらの中心に真黄色の雄しべと紫の雌しべが特徴。

節分草は珍しい花なので、今に見るのはチャンス！

With this year seeing cold temperatures continuing for longer than normal, our town's trademark flowers, the apricot blossoms in Mori, haven't started blooming yet. On the other hand, one of our lesser known flowers, the setubunsou in Togura's Kitty Park have also been delayed and are actually in full bloom right now.

My buddy Peter Ninnes sent these pictures today of the setsubunsou in peak form. They are a petite plant, with tiny 5-cm small white flowers featuring bright yellow stamen and purple stigma. A very photographic flower -- if you can find them. And they are very rare. We are fortunate to have a grouping of them here locally. Now is a great chance to come and see them.

2011年の森「あんずの里」のあんず祭りは公式的に4月2日から始まる予定です。花の方は間に合うのでしょうか？今日、森の方へチェックしに出かけました。

あんずの里は細長い農村っぽい谷です。奥の木と入口の木の花咲が違うわけ。上と下の全部を回ったけど、唯一咲いていたのはあんずの里観光会館の前に立っている一本でした。やはり、今年の冬の寒さが長く続いているせいか、今年のあんずの花が遅れています。地元のおばさん情報では、4月8日ぐらいからは見事だろうと。

しかし、日本の諺で、「花より団子」の様に、花が咲いていなくても、農村の雰囲気を味わえて、農村の空気を吸って、農村のおばさんと親しみやすいお話をしたり、とにかく行ってみる価値はありと思います。(あんずのソフトアイスもあるよ！）

ついでに戸倉上山田温泉へお風呂をどうぞ！

So, the 2011 Mori 'Apricot Village' Apricot Festival is scheduled to start tomorrow, 02-April. But will the apricot trees blossom on time? Today I drove over to check it out.

Mori's Apricot Village is a relatively long valley and the trees bloom differently depending on if you're down at the bottom or up at the top. Well, I scoured the valley from top to bottom, and the only tree I saw blooming was the one in front of the Apricot Village Tourism Hall. Go figure!

One local little old lady told me the blooms won't be ready for 'hanami' (flower viewing) until April 8th this year. I guess the low temperatures that have been continuing even into the start of spring are making the trees bloom late this year.

But as the saying in Japan goes, "It's the sweets more than the flowers!" Mori makes for a nice daytrip even if the blossoms aren't in full bloom. And don't forget the apricot flavored soft ice cream, too!

Make sure to come to Togura Kamiyamada Onsen for a bath, too!