Don't rush, don't rush, "here and now"

From the bustle of spring in full bloom to the dense air of deep green.

Before we knew it, it was already June.

This spring, our family has been obsessed with wildflowers in our garden.

It's been three years since I moved to Fukuoka this fall, but there's still a lot I don't know about the plants that grow on my property.

Plums, osmanthus, maples, persimmons, and chestnuts.
I used to enjoy watching the large, eye-catching trees bear fruit and bloom every year, but this year I decided to only grow herbs in my garden instead of vegetables (because the vegetables get eaten by animals that come out every night...)

I began to pay attention to wild plants, a part of our everyday existence.

The plants that are currently popular are mugwort, houttuynia cordata, horsetail, and plantain.
I wondered why I had never tried mugwort before, as it was so delicious that it was on the dinner table almost every day.
You can make it into tea, add it to your bath, or make a tincture to use as medicine.

I can't believe such a wonderful being was always right in front of my house!

As I started to pay more attention to wild plants, and observed the pace of nature, I noticed that even if I had just mowed the grass, it would grow back in abundance in no time...
At first glance it may seem fast, but when you look at it over the course of a year, it's actually quite leisurely and steady.

The wild herb tea is made by drying it in the sun, slowly boiling it, pouring hot water over it, and waiting a little while, so you can really feel the process of it being made, which gives it a wonderful aroma and flavor!

Loquat leaves and mugwort are used in natural remedies and are said to be medicinal herbs. Although they may not have the immediate effect of regular medicines, I feel like they slowly resonate inside me and make me feel better over time.

Compared to those wild plants, how time-constrained and hasty am I usually?

Not just for myself, but for my son too.

"Hurry up and eat your meal!"
"Hurry up and brush your teeth!"

Since I'm urging them to hurry up, they end up saying things like, "Give me the sweets quickly! Hurry, hurry, hurry!!"
I often hear these days that there are more and more children who can't wait, but I wonder if it's the parents themselves who are creating children who can't wait.

When I think about the fact that plants grow at their own pace, bear fruit, and bloom, perhaps it is the time they need to bring out their innate power, I feel that we too can achieve the best results by taking our time and savoring the process, rather than rushing for results or obsessing over efficiency.

That is living in the here and now.

This week, Utsushiki will be hosting two events where you can take your time and savor the here and now.