continuation of yesterday

 

Though Yuki couldn't see the bird, today I saw this bird coming.

Do you know the name of it?

Well, probably he or she is too big to enter the nest box Yuki made.

 

Today　it was the day of Laughter Yoga at my house.

Three senior ladies joined it, and we had a very "amusing " time.

 

And in the afternoon, other two ladies came and three of us enjoyed playing the recorder.

 

So I prepared this "cheery blossom" cream cheese mousse.

 

Gardening has started.

Yesterday's afternoon ( it was Sunday) we were at home.
And it was really warm day  --- So Yuki started to organize the garden.

He broke an old wood shelf, and cut some branches.
On the other hand, I took some died plants, and put some green plants --- (parsley,  herbs, and so on)



 

In April, the gardener (We always ask him to trim the trees in our garden) is going to come, after his work, my garden work will have started. It means I will start some plants directly in the ground.

 

On the other hand, Yuki suddenly built? put this one.

Sorry, this photo was taken against the sun.
Anyway it is too eye-catching???, isn't it?
I hope some birds would come.

Yesterday's afternoon we had a calm time after so long.

Season word 0322 skylark

"Skylarks" which is called "hibari" seem to be familiar birds. I know the Japanese word, and I see the word in Japanese picture books, like sparrow.  However rethinking of the word, I haven't seen them, I haven't heard of them. Fortunately here we see lots of wild birds though the number is decleasing. Sparrow, hark, ------- . I am not familiar with the birds name, but I have seen lots of popular birds which are usually mentioned from the mouth --- except hibari.

Hibari sings, I know only the phrase, brings enough spring smell

New bird house , we wish hibari would come , while waiting for warm spring 

Yuki, built this one.

Did you know about " international meat ball day"?

I read this article, and it made me very surprised.
Meatballs around the world from VOA news

Did you know that "March 9 is a day to celebrate the  meat ball, it is "international meat ball day".

I googled in Japanese, however I didn't find anything related meat balls.
March 9 is the day to issue the first commemorative stamps. So it is "the day of commemorative stamps"  --- according to Japan post
Or March is pronounced "san" and 9 is pronounced "kyu", so it is the day of ZA(sa)KKOKU" (millet) according to Japan millet association. It's a play on words.

For me, meat balls are meat balls.
And I agree with that meat balls are a common dish in the world, though there are various way to cook.

What do you think about these 5 questions?

1. What do you think about International Meatball Day?
It is the first time to hear that. It is interesting. I'm afraid that no butchers, or no supermarkets  advertised the day

2. Do you like meatballs? If so, have you ever made them at home? If not, why not?
Meatballs are "meat balls".  When I cook ground meat, I always think that which I should make, hamburger stakes or meat balls.
3. Which of the meatballs featured in the article would you most like to try? Why?
I know that "Swedish meat balls are famous as a traditional dishes in the country".
However I prefer meatballs with tomato sauce to ones with white sauce.


4. Does your country have its own kind of meatball? If so, please describe it.
Though I told you that meat balls are meat balls. However yes, we have one traditional kind of meat balls, which are called TSUKUNE. They are chicken meat balls. The ingredients are ground chicken, green onions, ginger, a little bit soy sauce, and cornstarch.  Tsukune is usually grilled.

5. How would you explain the worldwide popularity of meatballs?
The ingredients are easy to get in any countries. So it is easy to make meat balls for everyone.
It naturally bring the popularity of meatballs, doesn't it?

dry! dry! dry!

I steamed sweet potatoes, and sliced them ( I couldn't slice them thinly)

 

 

Then I dried them. I also dried sliced fresh Japanese radish.

Done!

 

I took them to my mother, She was very surprised and glad to get them.

Now julienned (shredded) carrots are being dried. 

 

 

The leaves are loquat leaves in my garden.

To save money and to spend healthy natural live, I've started using the leaves.

season word 0316 thank-you party for teachers

Do you hold such a party when your children graduate from school?

I have  1,2,3,4,5 and six experiences of thank-you party for teachers.

At kindergarten I have had twice.

One was with my elder daughter , in this case I participated and helped other mothers, because I was a lower-level or junior mother.

And as you guess the other one was  with my younger daughter, and in this case I "arranged " the event as one of senior mothers (or upper-level mothers). I played piano.

Same situation occurred, at elementary school.

My daughters went different junior high school.

Both of there officers of the parent and teacher association were selected in a lottery.

Fortunately or unfortunately  I was selected as a officer at each junior high school. So I arranged the events in the background. There were some semi-professional performers (musicians, artists), but no one performed.

Well, well, what I want to write that is, my memory of thank-you parties for teachers of are all linked with playing the piano.

Thank-you party for teachers, reminds me , that tune!

Since the last thank0you party, not find new suits, for 15years.

 

acupuncture and moxibustion

I read an interesting article.
A Crisis in Pain Drugs Leads to Greater Use of Acupuncture  (VOA news)

Discussion
1.What are you thoughts on the rise of acupuncture use in the U.S.?

Really? I'm really surprised to read this article. I thought people in the U.S. tend to be afraid of being put needles. Actually I love it, and I haven't never felt pains, instead I feel better.
I sometimes use  "stick-on type disposal needles " to relieve my chronic shoulder pain.

2.Is acupuncture widely practiced in your country? Why do you think this is the case?

Partly yes it is. It depends on generation. Probably over their 50's it is widely practiced.
Many elderly people are suffering chronic pain in somewhere such as shoulders, knees, backs. We don't usually take strong drug like "opioid".  We do manage to tackle such pains using "traditional" fork therapy. Though taking acupuncture at clinic is coved by our health insurance.


3.Do you believe that acupuncture can be as effective as painkillers? Why? Why not?
I dare to use the word "chronic". Yes it effects on chronic pains " a little" or sometimes well.

And I also like taking moxibustion therapy. And I also  do it by myself.


This is the way to use sennen moxibustion at home, though it is Japanese.

This is the way to use stick-type disposal needles, though it is Japanese.

These are mine.

season word 0308 camellia

 

"Camellia" is called "kameira" in KATAKANA Japanese or "tsubaki" in Japanese.

KAMERIA sounds bright, and colorful.

Tsubaki sounds, very traditional, as a normal flower.

 

From the garden, single of tsubaki every day, reflect the red in the kitchen

In the garden,  enjoy picking up plopping tsubaki , the smile of my grandchild

 

Do you know that tsubaki are not suitable as a present, especially for the sick in Japan.

The reason is that they plop suddenly when they die  down. It gives them the image of sudden death.

 

For spring

The day of Hina festival was over, so we had to put away Hina dolls quickly. Because it is said that if we decorated them after the day, our daughters wouldn't get marry.

 

 

So I put them away .

The cup "prince" is made by Ah-cha, and wooden dolls were made by my daughters whey they were in the kindergarten.

Of course I put them away.

 

Five years ago on the Hina festival, it was the day of engagement ceremony of my younger daughter.

At that time, we changed TATAMI mats and all of things were moved on the second floor, and ded the ceremony.

At that time the mother of our son in-law was fine.

 

For five years, though it is usual, various things happened. And now a new step seems to be taken.

 

Well, I put Hina dolls away, and I put some about Easter (and a book about ST Patrick's Day)

 

This spring, I don't have many elementary students, so I don't decide whether to make Easter eggs or not.

season word 0301 scattered sushi

 

In Japanese it is called chirashi sushi. Chirashi means  scattering.

So the translation is not so bad, tough you should scatter politely.

 

If you get the source of scattered sushi, it is very easy to make it at home.

 

 

However, for me the problem is that it is difficult to cook a small portion.

Well, well, my mother used to make scattered sushi from scratch without such source.
It has gotten troublesome for her.
However she cannot bear without eating scattered sushi on March 3 (the day of Hinamatsuri).
So she orders special scattered sushi to her familiar sushi restaurant nearby.
Of course she said "I have to share scattered sushi for my grand daughters.)
Fortunately her granddaughters (my younger brother's son's) and T(my daughter) live next to the door.

This is a little bit easy way than to make formal scattered sushi.

laughter yoga with "my" healthy tea

Yesterday, I hold a laughter yoga club at my house. Three ladies came and we had lots of laugh.
The other day, I wrote about my herbal tea on this blog. Yesterday, I didn't serve my herbal tea.
Instead of them ---- can you guess what are they?

I picked some loquat leaves from the garden  I baked them in the oven, and made tea.
Loquat tea is one of  traditional healthy tea in Japanese.
Did I tell you that why a loquat tree is here in my garden.
When my daughters were little, they were suffering from skin trouble, and someone recommended me to use some traditional Japanese home remedy. I believed some things worked well.
And one of them was loquat chink, loquat water , and loquat tea.
At that time, in my mother's house there was a loquat tree, so it was easy to get some leaves.
And my daughter and I put some loquat nuts in the ground. They got big more quickly than we expected. Now I keep one loquat tree (Others were cut down).
In summer, I always make loquat water for my grandmother.
And this time I make loquat tea.
Not so bad.

 

 

medical herb???

Did I tell you I'm learning about medical basic herb of 15 herb plants.
And the basic test is hold next week.
Though I'm going to take the exam in Tokyo, I'm not sure whether to go.

Anyway, the other day I took special lecture from a teacher and my fiend.
For her I baked apple crumbles with lots of cinnamon and clove.

 

 

Let me introduce what I'm using now.

To week the symptom of pollen allergy, I started to drink a tea of elderflower and nettle.

I also made the chink.

 

 

This spring, I'm going to plant nettle, though they have some spines.

And I'm also going to plant a lime tree.

 

Taking some herb tea might effective to me, however they are a little bit expensive to take some daily. So according to my "frugal retirement life plan" , it is good to take my special herb tea consist with plants which grow in my garden and some a little bit expensive herb I buy on the net.

 

Well, well, I also constantly dry them, ginger, sage, and laurel.

Season word 0222 Adonis amurensis

Is this word familiar with you?

I also checked the word "pheasant's eye", but its typical color seems to be red, it's not FUKUJYUSOU.

Anyway this flower is so familiar for senior people and Japanese garden lovers.

Nowadays people tend to like European style gardens, so not so many people have this potted flower of Fukujyusou.

I have it.

 

Though I want say that " they come out ", I can't.

Actually when we bought this house about 30 years ago, my friend presented one. It became big, and bloomed many flowers 10 years later . But since then it got little by little, and unfortunately it didn't appear the year before last year. I think it told us for our area as a parent tobe finished.

So I bought another one last year and planted.

 I hope it will get bigger. It shows our new "senior couple" area has started.

Fukujyusou, what happiness  will you bring? , go forward into the future
Fukujyusou, why you can bear so hard, my favorite flower

Though we decided to go out to a little bit far place ---

Yesterday, I took an examination in the morning, and went out to a little bit far place with Yuki by car. It took 50 km from here, we went there using a kind of expressway which cost 210yen.

There a small Hina doll exhibition was hold there, it was free.

 

Our main aim was to see a indoor exhibition of potted flowers of peonies.

I found an article on the newspaper, and was interested in it. The place organized it to attract people even in cold winter. The fee was 200 yen.

 

However the exhibition was hold in a "not big" hall, and --- if we enter in it, we have to pay 400 yen.

(You can guess, how small the hall is)

We were wondering whether to enter there or not. And we noticed that many people stood in front of the gate and they peeked inside over  the gate, and they left there.

So we did the same thing. We could see the inside over the gate and it was enough.

I thought it must have been expensive to pay 400 yen for 5 minute look.

 

Anyway we decided  to come here, so we drooped by at the "big" souvenir shop. The shop was larger than the hall.

We bought fresh salmon which cost 400 yen. You might ask how long we stayed there. Anyway we stayed there for longer than five minutes.

 

I cooked salmon and beans marinated salad.  And grilled sparerib

 

HABUTAE MOCHI

 

I got this sweet from a friend. This sweet dealt with a local Japanese confectionery is getting very popular, so I was very pleased to get them.

 

 

Though it is a little bit different, it is a kind of strawberry rice cake.

If you are interested in it, let's see the following youtube.

For you, it might be strange  --- strawberry and sweet beans combination , like the combination of turkey and fruit sauce (for me)

season word 0214 Chinese Year

 

"Chinese New Year" , this word was introduced on today's news paper as a season word.

However does it get familiar with us?

When I hear the word, with things  I come up with are  a large crowd in Yokohama China town and a new word (for me) shopping spree.

 

On Chinese New Year, watching the news of a large crowd (in Yokohama China Town), licking my lips

(because they are enjoying lots of special treats)

 

Shopping spree I learnt a few years ago, Chinese New Hear at Ginza, gone are the days

arranged flowers

This Sunday Yuki and I drove to a park where it took about one hour by car.
A big flower festival was held, and a work of one of my friends was displayed.

 

 

She likes gardening, and she is also interested in group planting.

And --- now she is a professional teacher of this area. She got a license to teach how to make group planting nicely in Japan gardening organization. She obtained it after she retired from her work.

 

 

 There a workshop was held. So I also did group planting easily and quickly.

 

As you can guess, for Yuki it was not so interesting.
However, the area it was very famous for SANO noodle.
So we had SANO noodle at a famous shop.

As you can also guess, I don't like it very much.

Valentine's day and Hinsa festival

The day after tomorrow is Valentine's day, isn't it?
Have you prepared something for your Valentine?

Anyway here in Japan "Valentine's Day" is one of foreign and commercialized culture.
As you know here in Japan women present chocolate for men who are only a man next to you or a very important man.
On the other hands, girls like to  exchange handmade sweet for each other.

Anyway, thank to my friend J, we enjoyed our Valentine's lesson.
What is our Valentine's lesson? Yes, cooking. Through cooking we know, we try to understand Valentine's day, or --- it is a good excuse to enjoy cooking time instead of usual lessons.

 

 

And in the early March we have a traditional event, Hina festival.

March 3 is not a holiday, however girls celebrate Hina festival.

So I put some Hina dolls on the entrance hall.

 

The small pair of dolls in the center were made by my grand mother.

Anyway tomorrow is the day of Karaku, so I prepared cholate for the master to show my thankfulness, though it is early Valentine's Day.

 

Change some items into new ones.

As I told you, I've tried to discard or recycle 10 things a week constantly.
And as you know our house seems to be far from being empty, because we buy new things "sometimes."
Anyway we discarded lots of my children's goods, however, instead of them lots of Ah-chan staying goods are here.
Usually they come here with just a small bag, because all of things including M's clothes are here.
Anyway I need to check the balance what we bought and what we discarded.
However I try not to mention replacing.

For example, I changed these towel cloth shelf, and tissue case into new ones.

 

I'm very surprised, because why I didn't change much earlier  --- probably because of troublesome.

While I was replacing them, I checked other things.

 

Finally I saw a hole on the table clothe, I have another one but this is my favorite.

  

 

And --- that's it.

This weekend comes, I need to discard 10 things and if I buy some things this weekend I'll show the list except daily foods.

Do you have any plans for this weekend?

 

season word 0208 snowshoes

 

A season word of this week on the news paper was  "KANJIKI". snowshoes.

Yes, actually they are snowshoes, but, how many "young people" know this word?

Even though I know the word, I've never put them on, and probably see them directly.

However this winter in north areas in Japan, they have had unexpected lots of snow. So some people put them on to go outside.

Of course nowadays Kanjiki is made from light plastic material.

 

KANJIKI is a very traditional old tool.

Though it is spoken in Japanese, if you are interested in it, please show it.

 

 

However when I found this video, I was very surprised.



With Kanjiki, people have to walk, who expected that?
(This winter, in the north area, they are having unexpected lots of snow, so some people have to put modern Kanjiki on)

Nowadays, light-weight Kanjiki, it's simply divine.