Thinking of Spring - Japanese Style

Daughter No. 2 and I checked out the library used book sale last week.  I found a stack of japanese magazines and seed catalogs that had been donated so I picked up the most colorful seed catalog of the lot.  It is the spring 1983 issue and that is about all I can tell you because I don't speak or read Japanese!  But I can appreciate these beautiful pictures.

Melons really say spring and summer for me.  Daughter No. 2 and I are watermelon pigs.  We can sit down and polish off a whole one between us at one sitting, no problem!

There are of course a few exotic flowers and veggies that I would love to try!

Mums are a popular flower in Japan, especially in paintings, etchings and textiles.

Just for fun I also picked up this little travel booklet for Malaya, March 1962.

I love the ads.  What do you think the "latest apparatus" for facial massage would have been in 1962?  I would love to jump in a time machine and go back to travel to Malaya in 1962.  I'd probably have to take up cigarette smoking though!

Cute Volvo, don't know about those white walls though.

After looking at this travel booklet, I am going to watch "A Town Like Alice" today.  I love, love, love that miniseries.  Such a fabulous love story and that Bryan Brown is smokin'.  If you have never seen it, please watch it now!  It was a PBS series many years ago but Blockbuster or Netflix should have it.  You will thank me later.   In fact, maybe I will just make it a Bryan Brown marathon and watch "The Thornbirds" after that.  Oh yeah.    

Comments

[Natasha Burns]

Great colours Suzy, love the lumpy looking carrots! Wow they have cow's udders there, I've bought them from the florist and they last for ages cut in a vase (the orange things in the photo after the lumpy carrot pic).
Wonder what the apparatus was?
Wow that's some vintage Aussie TV you're talking there in The Thornbirds and A Town Like Alice!!! very interesting part of Australia

[Lilli]

I love discovering new varieties of produce or flowers. It's such an amazing world we live in, so many new things to experience.

Never heard of that PBS series. I'll have a look around to see if I can get my hands on it up here in Canada :)

[Elizabeth Holcombe]

Suzy turned me on to "Alice", and it is sooo good!~~~Now, that see catalog is really cool! Those veggies are insane looking!~~~XXOO, Beth

[Cheryl]

good news watermelon lvr - I am going to test a watermelon margarita when they come in season down here - I'll keep you posted on the results!

[fitty]

i came across your blog by accident and had to post on this particular blog as I saw your picture about Malaya.. I am from Malaya or now it is call MALAYSIA.. but too bad 1962 was not my year.. born 10 years later.. and now things are different.. wish you could visit my country one day!..

the Le Coq d'or restaurant was no more running.. even the building (was known as BOK house) was demolished.. here the link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bok_House

we still have Jalan Bukit Bintang..http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jalan_Bukit_Bintang the most busiest 24/7..

glad that you found the mags.. :-)