Ikebana: Week 4

Narcissus, Mitsumata (the white painted branches – called mitsumata because the branch forks into three pieces at every intersection and mitsu means three), and Doracena, in the corn family and goes by Dracaena in English.

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Tako Time

…and by which I mean, octopus. Perhaps a sign of my going native, but at the time, it didn’t seem like that unusual of a gift.  Why should it?  I’ve already received squid, abalone, fresh salmon roe, and sea urchin in the past six months.  If not still squirming, then at least newly deceased. Also, [...]

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Ikebana: Week 3

Falsely advertising the coming of Spring, my newest ikebana arrangement teases me each time I leave or return to the house. Tulips, Yuki Yanagi (a type of white and yellow flowered spirea shrub), and Mugi (tall green barley stalks)

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Thailand

My two weeks in Thailand were sunny, warm, fun, delicious, challenging, eye-opening, and all together, just what I needed.  While it’s always a little hard to be away from family and friends during the holidays, exploring a new – and awesome – country helped in abating my lonesomeness for home.  The trip also came at [...]

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Ridin’ the range once more…

開けましてお目出度うございます！今年も宜しくおねがいします。[Akemashite omedetougozaimasu! Kotoshi mo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.] [Happy New Year!  I humbly seek your good favor for yet another year....or in other words, it's 2010, what up now!] My apologies, all dedicated readers, for my long absence from the wide world of the interweb.  I’ve been back in Kazamaura for over a week, but there’s been [...]

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