Attending J.E.E. Earth Day annual hike

Hiromi Kato

On April 19th, the Earth Day weekend, I attended J.E.E annual hike to Kumogahata.
I took my little dog Bell and my niece Momo-chan with me.
Although they were only a dog and a child in the group, they become good friends with the all attendants.
It was just such a great day. We had a picnic lunch under a Sakura tree.
The Sakura was late-blooming type and it was just about fully blooming. So pretty!
Still it was in April, the temperature reached 30C ,record-breaking high , very hot.
But it was so nice and cool in the mountain, fresh air filled in shady forest.
The more we deep breathed, breathed slowly in, out, in, out...., the more we felt washed away both our body and soul.
Felt fresher and fresher on every step.
We just kept on walking (For Momo-chan and Bell skipping all the way), chatting and picking up trash on the way.
It was same as every year, but the most horrified me was heaps of cigarette butts littered on the road sides.
It seems to be more and more each year.
How can people throw away might-be still burning butts?
How can they be ignorant of fire? There were such horrible bushfire in Australia and even in Japan outbroke this spring.
All of them were ended up a tragedy.
I sincerely hope these people become aware before it is too late.

Together with Momo-chan and Bell, we all are looking forward to attending the next hike.
Hope to see you all again.