紅葉進行中 (Foliage Turning into Autumn Colors)

　上に掲載したのは、ウォーキング中に撮った堺市のこの付近の紅葉の進行状況を示す写真である。写真 1 枚目は、11 月 2 日、鈴の宮公園で。左から中央へかけての上部でよく紅葉しているのはハナミズキ。中央下の遠方にイロハモミジの木が 2 本つらなっているが、近くで見ると、まだ五割程度の紅葉である。サクラの木も多いが、上部が少し色づいた程度。2 枚目は、11 月 3 日、アリオ鳳の敷地内、南東角付近のカエデ。この木は他の同じ木に比べて、比較的よく紅葉しているが、まだ緑がかった葉がある。最後の 2 枚は、11 月 4 日、八田荘公園で。小さな公園だが、私はこの公園の秋景色が、近隣のどの公園のものよりも好きである。

Photos above, taken during my walking exercise, show the extent of turning into autumn colors of leaves around here in Sakai. The top photo was taken in Suzunomiya Park on November 2. The foliage well in red from left to the center at the top belongs to a flowering dogwood tree. Two Japanese maple trees are seen in the distance of the center. A close view of them revealed that about 50 percent of their leaves turned into autumn colors. While there are many cherry trees, only their leaves at the top are in autumn colors. The second photo was taken at the southeast corner in the ground of Ario Otori on November 3 and shows maple leaves there. Compared to other maple trees around there, this one had leaves fairly well in red, but there were still greenish leaves. The two photos at the bottom were taken in Hattasō Park on November 4. Though it is a small park, I love the autumn view of this park best among those of the nearest parks.