Happy Easter!

Happy Easter !


It is getting warmer here, Minalami at last.






We usually can see a Easter Bunny Man at our house in the Easter Sunday. Unfortunately, he has another business this year, so we've got the other Bunny in place of him.
She did good job for my children to hide eggs in our garden.






 My boys had a fun to find eggs.

It was quite hard to find the last one.

Rum Raisins !

We got a rum raisins from our friend.
She made herself.

I baked cake with the rum raisins.
It is a very yummy!

She sometimes gave me an advice frankly cheerfully. I learned many things from her.

The group exhibition has been holding now.

"The Grace of Earth, Across the Sea" 

May.25(Wed) - Jun.7(Tue)

at ISETAN Shinjuku, Main building 5F West park

Info.: Gallery St.Ives Tel.03-3705-3050　 Facebook page

Euan will be there on 25th, 28th, 29th of May, 5th and 7th of June.

He is looking forward to seeing you there.

Snow!

It is a warm winter here. We have a few plum blossoms already.
The mornings and nights are cold, but we have warm days.





We have, however, had snow from Monday at last.
Do you have snow, too?
Please be careful on the frozen roads!



I'm getting used to shovelling snow.
I can clear snow quite smoothly, now.








First, I find one place to gather snow,
then I just clear snow vigorously with the big snow shovel.

But I gradually tire as the white field goes on and on and on and on...........

The  town snow ploughs clear the snow on the main road, I just need to clear the snow from our garden and drive way to the main road. It seems a very long way....

And there is a big lump of snow left by the snow plough blocking the entrance of our drive way.
Finaly I have cleared all snow and finished!

We had snow the next morning, too. But it is just a light covering on yesterday's snow.
I have got to used to Minakami life, so it is nothing for us, I decide to just leave it.

On the other hand, my youngest son is having fun with snow!




We expect much more snow and will get colder from now on.
Please take care!










P.S.
 I'm sorry, my writing sounds like I am the only person shovelling snow, doesn't it?
Euan, of course, has shoveled the snow too. And He is much stronger than me and it looks easier.
The kids help in the morning or when their school's off, it is already dark when they get home.
But I'm the best! :)

Happy Easter !

Happy Easter everyone!


We made lots of colourful eggs.

Mr. Bunny visited us and hid eggs in our garden.

Thank you Mr. Bunny!












The kids were having fun egg hunting, even though it  was raining.


I could hear the voices  in the garden,
"I found it!"
"Me too!"

Four years.......

March 11th, 14:46

We prayed in silence for one minute.

I have felt like it was a long and also brief time in the four years since then.
We are living a new life here.

Parted from old friends, some new friends met.
Some things changed, others not.
Some things ended, others begun.

We have had some very hard and difficult times,
but we have also had many happy times.
We are living everyday, and moving forward.

We sometimes stop,
and feel like we are not moving forward and straggling.
Sometimes looking back,
to see how far we've come.
Sometimes looking forward,
to wonder where this road leads.

I believe we don't have to worry alone,
we should talk to those beside us.

It is important to talk; do not think you burden others.
When you share your suffering and pain, it makes your mind clear
and helps disperse your worries into small fragments.
When you tell us your happiness, it increases every time.


My children are growing everyday and getting used to this life here.
They made many friends.

How do they feel and think now after four years past?
When they come home tonight, we shall talk about many things.


Life is short,  it is best to live with smiles and laughter.




Thank you.

First snow

I wrote about 

"ぐんまの手仕事2,　

GUNMA NO TESHIGOTO 2 

(Hand Crafts of Gunma #2) in this blog before.

Some people asked me about where they can get the book. So I checked.

In Gunma, you can find it in a book shop.

In the Web site, you can get from Amazon.

It presents 18 Hand Crafts, including Euan, of Gunma.

We live in a light snow area of Minakami, we had our first snow today at last.

The winter has really started!
It is beautiful, but I feel a little down hearted.
Even so the kids would love it.

Snow !!!!

We have a snow !!
Lots of snow !!!











The kids help me to cｌear of the snow.
But it is very hard work !

We could not reach to the road yet......








And it keep snowing.

I hope you are OK.
Please stay warm.

It's about 66cm.

We found our car !

P.S. The snow lay 88 cm deep this afternoon.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!

I wish you much happiness  in this coming year.

There were so many things that happened to many people last year. Enough to change your life values....

There were times when it was very hard and uncertain, even for us, whether we would be able to overcome these things and to move forwards.


But at the same time, we received much encouragement, support, and help and many warm thoughts for us.
Thank you very much.

We walk forwards one step at a time.

My elder sister, Emiko, sent us a New Year card, with these word,
" Let's have a good year.
We can create our own future."
Thank you.



Let's have a good year!

We had a Sports day every weekend last month

 I haven't written a post for a long time.

We had so many things happening here in Minakami, where it's getting cooler morning and evening.

Firstly, the family.........

 We had a School Sports Day every weekend during September.

The first weekend was at the primary school,

then next weekend was at the junior high school,

the third weekend was at the preschool.

 

The children had moved to the new school since this spring, they've made new friends, they seem to be getting used to the new school life. 

We, as parents, were moved in many ways when we saw the children were doing their best with new friends, happily and resiliently.

Of course, we are doing our best too.

Euan is trying to join in the school events here as well.
The next day however, he ached from head to foot.

Unfortunately it rained during the junior high school sports day, but the children still did their best. 

Sora is also doing her best and having fun with her classmates. Because of her back injury she needs to wear a back brace and pace herself, but that's a long story.

We can't forget about the cheer squad.
What? You were too busy playing to watch?!

We had the best smile under the blue sky the next weekend

All the children really did their best, and we can see they are growing both physically and emotionaly.

I think we all are definitely moving forewards little by little.

And I'm  truly proud of my children from the bottom of my heart.

You kids are awesome!!

Birthday ♪

It was Canaan's Birthday on July 16th. He became 12 years old.

The school will finish the first term, start the summer holiday soon.

He is getting use to the new school, made some friends.

But it takes a time to make good friends like he made in the other school.
You don't have to rush it, you can make a good friend.


after the earthquake and nuclear power plant's accident, his life changed very much, also his school and his friends,  he has to live apart from Dad who is making pots in Nagano on weekdays, we can't build the studio yet, he has to squeeze in and share space in his uncle's house, it is not easy...... 
But don't give up and do our best together, it is a turning point, we can make a good life and future from here.  We can do it together.  And you can.


Happy birthday Canaan.

Surprise!

It was my birthday on June 29th.

Euan gave me a phone call from Nagano on the 28th, and while we were talking,

he suddenly said,"I've just done teleportation."
Ha?? What did he mean??, I thought....
Then Euan's face appeared from the window!

The kids and I all screamed (with joy, of course).

He came home for my birthday from Nagano.
Thank you, Euan. I was very glad and surprised.

It  reminded me of the day I saw a stranger's shadow.

At that time I couldn't say a word.

Everyone celebrated for my birthday on 29th.

I was very happy.

When I looked at the east sky, it was a beautiful clouds in the sunset. It might be a present from God....

Before dinner, we started to talk about the day on March 11th from the conversation about Sora's speech she just wrote the other day.

Euan and I cared about our children's feelings after the earthquake, we tried to help them to speak, listen, write and draw. But I find out they still kept many things in their minds.

They must have pushed their feelings into their heart to survive and protect themselves from the big change.

I think that they are used to living this life in Minakami now, so they might be able to start sharing their thoughts at last. 

We can share laughing, crying and talking in this family.

I think I am very happy. 

This is the family I always wanted.

It is the best birthday present.

Thank you all.

with wine ♪

It was Euan's Birthday on May 22nd.

His request for his birthday present was Shichirin and  Charcoal.

We bought some Australian wine from the local supermarket so we could toast his birthday.

BBQ and wine!

It was mini Aussie style BBQ.

The kids and I made cheesecake for him.

We had it with wine, of course.

There is no progress about his studio yet....

So he feels like his feet are not on the ground.

We will try to build the studio and the kiln, and he can start to make pots again soon.

I hope that it is going to be a wonderful year for him.
Happy Birthday, Euan