Enjoying life...

-Harvest moon-

Today is called 'Jyugoya' or 'Chusyu no meigetsu'. We do 'Otsukimi' for our tradition.
Jyugoya is full moon night. Chusyu no Meigetsu is mid-autumn moon or harvest moon. Otsukimi is looking at moon.
This time we look at harvest moon to feel the autumn. We decorate 'Otsukimi dango' (Rice dumplings) and 'Susuki' (Pampas grass) on day of the harvest moon.

The weather forecast said 'We might not see moon, due to the rain from this evening.'. Also at that time, there were some clouds around the moon. Moon was hid before and after I took this photo. I was a lucky to take a photo.

Otsukimi dango with moon...

I made some Otsukimi dango after came back from the work.

That was easy. Just put rice flour with some water then made into small ball. After that boil them. No adding sugar or any other ingrediens.

It's easy and healthy sweet. We usually put dips such as 'Kinako' (Soy beans powder), 'Mitarashi' (Sweet soy sauce) and 'Anko' (Red beans paste).

Respect-for-senior-citizens-day

-Apple Jam-

Respect-for-senior-citizens-day is called 'Keirou no hi'.
On that day grandchild/children visit their grandparents to do nice thing on that day.

I normally give a present them.
This time I gave to my grandma Apple Jam. I made it yesterday.


-Handmade Label-
Ringo jam (Apple jam)


-Appearance-


-Ingredients-
Apple, lemon juice (1 tbs) and sugar.

-Recipe-
1. Peering the apple and take out the core.
2. Slice the apple and put it in the pan. Pour the sugar and lemon juice and wait few mins.
3. The heat it up. First high heat then low heat. Keep stirring (Do not burnt) until easy to break down.
4. Squish as much as you like. (All, half or even you can feel the apple)
5. Put it in a jar which sterile (put in the boiling water) then put a lid on and turn over little while.

This time I put sugar about 20% from after peering apple's weight.
Sugar amount depends on the variety of the apple. If it sour need to put more sugar. Also if you like sweet one, you need to put more.

You can just throw apple skin and core out, but I made into shervet before throw them.
The skin and core put in boiling water with sugar and boil until the skin colour is came out in the hot water.
Take out the skin and core then pour the juice into the containe. When it is cooled down put in the freezer.

Extra photo (23/09/10)


-Crystal Apple-

Soap

Lush (Fresh handmade cosmetics)

Recently I care about products which I use for skin...
Just remembered there is a shop close to my work.

I bought two soaps today...
Hand/Body soap and hair soap.


Mitsubachi March (March of honey bee) and Torikomania
Engish (AUS): Honey I Washed The Kids and Trichomania

Both have really nice aroma...
Honey one is, you can tell from the name. Aroma is honey. After washed the body or hand still have aroma.
Trichomania is for hair. Aroma is coconut. During wash my hair, I feel like in tropical island. There are rich coconut aroma. After that still have delicate flavour.

I like so much both soaps.

Little bit expensive (I reckon Australia is moore expensive than Japan.), but I reckon if you care about skin it is worth to buy it... and best thing is very gorgeous aroma from natural products.

Summer event

-Summer festival-

In the morning I went window shopping with my friend at inner city.
At night time, there was a summer festival.

It was small festival. Even though there are lots of stalls. Food, drink, games, toys and so on...
I took few photos there and chose good condition one.

In front of the shrine, there are many lantern.
We didn't go into the shrine, but it was very gorgeous...


Shrine and lantern

This might be interesting for foreigner...


Character masks's stall

There are various kind of masks which popular in children.
It's not only for children. We can buy and wear it.

There were many people, but it was fun to go.

Hiking

-Hiking to Mt. Ibuki-

I went to Mt. Ibuki with my parents.
My mum drove us.

The highway was chockablock... It took 3 hours to there. (Normally about 2 hours.)
However I found cute road sign.


Animal caution for Tanuki (Raccoon dogs)

We arrived the parking...
Let's hike!!

There are many rocks.
Most of the rocks are limestone, so it's very slippery when it's wet.






View from mountain toward to ski resort.

Some lives in mountain...

Captured a bird.

However long distance, so bit bad quality...

A locust.

For me, this is creepy...

Gorgeous butterflies everywhere...

A man said me, 'Look, you should take this too.'

I saw many pretty flowers.

(Sorry it's only Japanese name...)

'Ibuki torikabuto'

'Utsubogusa'

'Marubadakebuki'

'Tsuru ninjin' (Maybe this, but might different flowers will bloom...)

'Syurosou'

'Kooni yuri'

'Kawara nadeshiko'

'Ezo fuuro'

'Waremokou'

'Tsurigane ninjin'

'Ruri toranoo'

We arrived top of the mountain...

This mountain is 1,377m.

The building used to meteorological station, but not any more...

Good bye mountain...

These are from the car views.

Twisty road... It was exciting, but I bet mum was tired to drive this road.

Treat time!!

We off to Oogaki to have summer sweets.

Mizu manju/kuzu manju (Water bun/Arrowroot bun)
Pink (grape-an/red beans paste with grape taste), Green (Maccha-an/red beans paste with green tea) and Brown (Anko/red beans paste)

From Mum

-Present from my mum-

My mum went to Hawaii with her co-workers the other day.
I got many souvenirs. In the souveir there was a watch. Mum asked to fix the belt, because it's too big for me.
However it was still big for me, so I had to go Swatch shop in the certre of the city. The other day, I had another thing to do in the city centre, so I went to the shop while I was there.

Finally my watch was fixed by Swatch staff. It was really short time to fix it.
Anyway from now on I have a nice watch.


Looks like small turtles are line up...


I took off three pieces of silver round part...


Signature of 'Swatch'...

I really like this watch. It's so pretty and well designed.

Title: Swatch from my mum
Theme: Jewel...

Making time!!

-Coloured pencil case-

Creativity day...
I wanted to make something today.
I was looking at my pencil case which I made before then came up with one idea.

'My coloured pencil case'

My coloured pencil case is really old... since I bought I use it.


My coloured pencil case...

'Bye bye my old coloured pencil case...'

Here is my new coloured pencil case...


'Sakura' coloured pencil case


Inside 'Sakura' view...

I made it sipmle.
Because colour will give us lots of story...

Theme: Keep it simple
Thing: Old and new coloured pencil case
Title of new pencil case: Sakura

Happy weather.

-Rainbow-

It was rainy in the morning.
In the evening when I was making dinner, I saw the sky. I thought 'There is rainbow', because it was orange coloured sky. I went to see it and I found it.

'Yes, I thought so.'


Rainbow with airplane

When I was taking photos, airplane was coming.
Finally I could captured this photo. At that time, the rainbow was almost gone.
I was so happy to take this photo. I had smile on my face when I took this photo and I felt I will have good future soon...

I hope everyone have gorgeous time like this rainbow.

Gardening

-My vegie story-

I went to farmers market with my mum on Saturday.
There are vegie shop and flower shop. That shops are selling vegies and flower from around the farm... around that area.

My mum bought two pot of Zucchini for me.
I planted on my old pots on Sunday.
(These are bottom photo.)


My Zucchini in old pot...

I wish I lived like Australian house with big garden, but I live in apartment. There are no space like there. Even though I want to grow something and decided to grow Zucchini which is one of my favourite vegies.
I found good one at market. Those plants are really nice and fine.
I hope they are grow a lot and produce some zucchini. I'm really looking forward to seeing some...
I hope one day...

To be continued...

Day out.

~Walking in Tarui area~

I went to Tarui with my dad.
The weather was pretty good. Sometime cloudy, but I could see blue sky.

At first we walked around the town.
We visited 'Jinjya' (shrine).


In front of the shrine.
There were two kind of cherry bloosoms. (Normal one and droopy one)


Droopy cherry bloosom. Behind 'Torii' (Gate of shine)

When we were walking in the town, we found something cute...


In front of someone's house there was a dog...

The dog was really quiet and just sitting in the small garden.
He/She (?) was so cute. I liked very much.

We also visited different shrine. This was different type of shrine is called 'Taisha'.
Before the shrine there were two gates. One of them was huge.


Huge red gate...
You can see some cars bottom, so you can tell how big this gate is.


Top of gates with blue sky.
So gorgeous...

From the red gate, we walked about ten minutes.
Finally we found shrine is called 'Nangu taisha'.


Entrance of shrine.


Inside of shrine.

There was a river in the town that called Aikawa (Ai river).
It was spring festival, so there were lot of peole, but not so crowded.

This river is famous for 'Koinobori' (Carp streams).


'Koi' is a kind of fish which is like above.
This one was in the town when we were walking in the town.

Many 'Koinobori' are here...


'Koinobori' with cherry blossoms and Ibuki mountain.


One of my favourite photos of the day

It was gorgeous day. I could see so many things just for one day.
Thanks my dad.