Cute Otome Tubaki.

 Yay!  Today I am on a day off .  After I updat my blog, I wonder what

I should do..It is really cold today, the wind that coming from the

north is roaring outside, but, first, I will transfer my strawberry into

a bigger flower pot, then, I'll listen to some songs that I really appreciate

which are: Save The Best for Last, My Heart Will Go on" and

"A Song for you", etc.

One of my favorite flower, “Otome Cameria”(乙女椿）, are at
their best in my garden. Otome means young lady. These flowers are
lovely as their name.

Heavenly bamboo ( nanten, 南天)　that the fruit is so heavy.

Unseasonable bloom of “Ground Pink”…..What happened?

Cooooool??

 

 

 

By the way, last month I visited Shosen Valley with my parents
and daughter. The place is one of the famous sightseeing spots in
Yamanashi Prefecture especially the falling leaves are colorful.
We wanted to walk in along river at Valley. Because of my
daughter's situation, we planned again to visit the place next year.
My daughter is still wearing corset and can’t ride a bicycle　yet,
because of the injury that happened to her two months ago, however,
she's now getting better.

 

 

So, we climbed up by a ropeway from Shousennkyo this time.
We enjoyed the splendid view of Yasaburoudake which is
located 1.058 meters above the ground. Autumn is really the
most exciting season for us.

 

From the great view of an Observation Deck, We admired so much
the Mt. Fuji.

 

 

And also, from another Observation platform, we viewed the 
breathtaking sight of Kufo-basin  and Mt.Fuji.

We enjoyed our walks through the road but suddenly little by little
it becomes rugged and slippery, despite of that, we still had a lot of fun.

 My daughter and I made a lot of little round doughnuts.

I wondered if I sprinkled too much sugar.

 

 

 Our pet Pyon is very gentle and quiet. 

 

How do you like these characters called “Kakuremomojiri” and “Hotokeakabane” ?

 They seem to be both cute and disgusted, right?

They are turning into a bit of a fad between young people these days.

I used them as mobile phone strap.

 

 I made a Christmas wreath out of paper at the office yesterday. It's very easy and you can make it in a short time. By the way, the atmosphere here in the city is in a very jolly mood and everyone can feel the Christmas spirit. This is the best season for me. How about you?

 

Merry Christmas!!

a cool autumn wind

My garden has quite become autumnal.

 "Japanese toad lilies "are in full bloom quitely.

These flowers are a little bit quite and sober ,but they are perennial

plant and don't give trouble, so these plants have been in

 my garden since we built our house here10 or so years ago.

 

with  the pomegranates which my daughter got from her school.

 

These pure white crysanthemums are conspicuous now in my southern garden.

 

 This gorgeous flower called "Ginger" stands out a lot,doesn't it?

 This is one of my favorite flowers in my garden.

 This plant is growing bigger   year by year.

 

 

 These beautiful "Colchicum " is also one of my favorit flowers.

I took this picture in October.

I harvested some Chinese chives, and cooked " miso soup" which I

often I cook for breakfast, with them. A newly made miso soup

 is really delicious.

Our new pet, Loach

It's name is Pole.

Pole likes to keep still.

 

 Our Hermit crab is on the run.

 My children's birthday was last month. I felt very happy

 to see them eating my home made cake with gusto. 

As for my daughter, Unluckily, she broke her spine  during PE lesson last month ,

and she is wearing a corset now, can't take exercise for a few months.

But she go to school brightly every day. I do hope she gets better soon.

 

Have a nice weekend!  Take care!

Green Star!

Recently, it is getting much cooler in the morning

 

and evening. YEAH!!  The better season for

 

gardening is coming here. The lovely flowers called

 

a “Blue Beard” are blooming in my garden..

 

 

Here is a "Gumbo” flower

It is very cute as a vegetables’ flower.

A section of gumbo is like a shape of a star,which is

really nice. But my gumbos sometimes are tough and

have a lot of string.

I wonder if  the less moisture of the soil causes it.

 

 

 

This dish is simmered with Kiriboshi daikon ( simmered

dried strips of radishes),which is a typical side dish of

Japanese home cooking. I garnished it with green stars.

 

 

By the way, There were  two big activities held in the

 

junior high school where my children went  last weekend 

 

for two days.  On the  first day, We had seen  Recitals of

 

a dance, short drama and singing in chorus inside a gym.

My son first sung with other two students “Sorannbushi /

 

ソーラン節　(traditional work song of fishery worker)” and

 

performed it with 20 or so students vigorously. The bouncy

 

song makes us cheerful. As f for my daughter, She played

 

the role of a turtle in dram called “Urashima Taro(浦島太郎)”

She played it confidently. I was proud of them.

 

So, my son belongs to his school’s cheering group for

three years. The last performance of the day's program 

 the rooters sung a fight songs .

If  you like, please enjoy their rooters’ song on this video.

 

 

 

  

By the way, this day was the day when they needed to take

a lunch box to school. They slasked me to cook cute and

 colorful lunches.

So, I trid to wrap some riceballs with tin foil with cute animals.
 

This was very popular with my son and daughter..

On second day, Athletic festival was held in school ground.

Our parents enjoyed watching my children and their

classmates do a ‘centipede' race (between teams of

runners with their legs linked together) , relay betweens

their classes , a cavalry battle.  I fully felt a great growth

of my kids through  these two days.  Fooray for bloom of youth!!!

 

If you like, please watch this video of the relay.
But I’m so sorry that the Video’s picture is not good.

My daughte and I went to Takeshita St. in Harajyuku, Tokyo ,

 

 where is famous shopping district which sale such a cute and

 

style clothes and accessories. It was really crowded. 

 

My daughter bought some accessories of her favorite idol group there.

 

On our way  home , after earing  goodtaste dinner with my parents and my children

in my hometown, fortunately we were able to watch fabulous

fireworks  through the space between some buildings.  Beautiful!!

What a lucky day it was!!   Fireworks video here

      

       Have a  wonderful weekend!!!!

Fun fun fun trip to Nikkou , Tochigi Prefecture

 

I went on an overnight trip to Nikkoin Tochigi Prefecture with my

family .  I visited  there for the first time in the last 30 or so years  

scince I traveled here as school trip and family trip when 

 I was a child.  My husband and children  took first time trip to Nikkou. 

 By the way,  I associate  Nikko toshogu ,Kegon WaterFall, Irohazaka ,

autumn leaves and Chinise dumplings with Tochigi Prefecture.

 

 

"Iroha Pass (Iroha zaka　/　いろは坂) "

 

 

We left our home midnight not to meet traffic jam, and got to our first

destination  about 6 AM  as scheduled.　Red leaves at Iroha pass is very famous.

 

My son is still sleeping.

 

Look at  the display  of my car navigation system.

Iroha pass is such a twisty and winding road

Lake chuuzenji (chuuzenjiko / 中禅寺湖）　

Senjogahara Marshland

 With the stone statues ,three monkeys, in parking lot behind a souvenir shop

"Ryuzu Waterfall" (Ryuzu no Taki/　龍頭の滝) ,which means dragon head waterfall

in Japanease. The very best season to visit here is  autumn leaf season.

Please enjoy the roaring sound of this waterfall, if you like.

 

 

 

What a excellent view!  This is   almost 100 meters tall "Kegon Waterfall

(Kegon no Taki/ 華厳の滝)", which is one of  Japan's three most  beautiful

falls , from the paid platform. Foutunately, we were able to see a fantastic

rainbow appearing  over the waterfall.

  Look at these  six pictures below taken   in Toshogu (東照宮）,

which Japan's most lavishly decorated shrine and the mausoleum of

"Tokugaa Ieyasu"(徳川家康）,  the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate.

 

The Five Storied Pagpda

Toshogu's famous carvings "Tree monkeys"

 

 

Toshogu was enlarged into the spectacular complex seen today

by Ieyasu's grandson Iemitsu during the first half of the 17th century.

 

 

 

Yomeimon Gate( 陽明門）

It is designated as national treature. Especially,sculptures are remarkable

 

Karamon Gate

 

 

Near the hotel with my children and my cousin's children

We stayed  in "Kinugawa onsen(鬼怒川温泉）”,where is popular

 hot spring resort town along  Kinugawa River , near Toshogu

 with my cousin and her family. We met at the hotel in the afternoon.

 A Frying-squirrel  that my cousin has got. Its name is "Peach". She's so cute.

The following day, We first played at "Kinugawa River " its water is very cold, .

 We found some tadpoles there.

And then, We also went to a dude ranch ,and I felt relaxed there.

 

We slided along lawn with a sled.This was really fun.

Much faster speed than we expected excited us.

 

We parted sorrowfully  from my cousin and  her family here,

and headed for "futarasan Shrine"

The approch to Futarasan shrine

 

"Futarasan Shrine(二荒山神社）" was founded in 782 by ”Shodo Shonin”,

the Buddhist monk who introduced Buddhism to Nikko

The Taiyuinbyo is the mausoleum of the third Tokugawa shougun, Iemitsu,

"Niten Gate"

Main Hall (honden/ 本殿）

One hundred forty dragons are painted on the ceiling in Haide Oratory.

That was extremely excellant.

 

After visiting this gorgeous place, we directed our course toward  home.

I  had  happy ,exciting ,full time with my family and relatives during vacation.

 

I hope I could go to Nikko  in colored leaves season next.