Ukiyo-e: The Lucky Teapot of Temple Morin

This woodblock print, by the amazing artist Yoshitoshi Tuskioka, is an iconic work for me. Compressed into it's lines and shapes are many favorite symbols and a certain peace and humor. The waving grasses visible through the window flicker in the moonlight while the ambience of a steaming teapot, the strewn books and the the tanuki's peaceful and knowing grin confirm a quiet happiness with life.

The creature depicted is puzzling. Badgers have a mischevious place in Nipponese legend; however a shape-shifting fox (kitsune) or a racoon dog (tanuki) might also be shown.

The story connected with the picture is a popular one, though like most tales, told in many ways. In all versions the tanuki and the teapot are the same, shifting back and forth in form. John Stevenson, in his book, Yoshitoshi's Thirty-Six Ghosts, Weatherhill, New York and Tokyo, 1983 gives a recounting of the tale as well as the symbols in the work.

This is a first edition impression of the work - one can tell by the three colored cartouche in the upper right corner. Later editions had only two or one color. The print is from the series New Forms of 36 Ghosts 1889-1892. The Ghosts series was Yoshitoshi's last major series of works - the last few were published post-humously.

A Beginning

Freshly started, just this moment. I'm fascinated by the breadth and depth of things people are willing to share and discuss, so I thought I'd join the conversation for a while and see where it leads. Rather than starting out with a pile of marginally valuable personal information, let's leave introductions aside for now and get to know each other over time.

Naturally, this blog will center on things of interest to me - plants and gardening, technology, cats, fountain pens and other writing utensils, Ukiyo-e, cooking, travel, photography, farmer's markets, and people. Those subjects should give us enough space to play in for quite a while, but today I think we'll start in the Garden.

It's high summer here in the Pacific Northwest just now - and though we've have had seemingly interminable rain the past few weeks (ever since they declared a drought), it is sunny right now and quite pleasant, with a bit of a breeze to riffle the leaves of the Japanese Maples and Fir trees. The garden is just inhaling the warmth - you can almost hear it. The grand pause of budded plants waiting to burst that we've been enduring these last few weeks looks like it may finally be over and the riot of color beginning again. On the other hand, the rain makes the ground wet enough to pleasantly continue the endless battle of pulling Stinky Pete and blackberries.

• Opening today: Salpiglossis, Ligularia (rocket type), Salvia Guaranitica v. 'Black and Blue'


• Continuing and Notable: Globe Flower, Salvia Hians (the yellow and purple stunner shown in today's picture), Salvia Officialis, Salvia Patens, Salvia Chaemonoides (sp?), Pacific Iris


• Opening Soon: Bugbane v. Brunette, Ligularia (daisy type), Salvia Flava


• Poor Opening: Poppies of all sorts
• Fading from the Scene: Poor Man's Orchid (too bad - these are always amazing)