kurashi arekore

11.25.2009

Hi.

see you later.

I am having a little? break from here. Above are images of sneak peak for something new, something old, something exciting, something harmonious, something ecological, something simple.

If I do not come back before Christmas, have a merry one.

Take care

and see you later.

m xoxo

11.20.2009

etcetra

etc....

etcetra...

Slowly I am getting back to my routine. Changing seasons and after holiday in Japan made me a bit low but my life goes on. I wonder if this gets better every year or something I will feel rest of my life... Never mind for now. Christmas is soon and kindy finishes soon that means I have lots to do and no time to be sitting down.

Some images from a zine called etcetra.

I like those bags in the photo above. Simple but each one has got different something like red handles, dotty part, stripy side..more bags of yukiko tomita. works here

had better go now.

have a lovely weekend.

11.06.2009

小さな人と、大きな人のための小さな音楽会

This neglected blog of mine...

I have been busy as usual ( my own speed though) , stitching otedama from piece of cotton kimono fabric, practicing the piano and all sorts of related stuff for this.

There will be organic green tea and organic vegan sweet for carers while watching and lisitening to the songs and some classical tune( by me and a cello player!) This is not a concert where you have to ask your children to sit still but we will be doing finger plays, moving around, singing together. Very relaxed. All in Japanese though.

please e-amil me for detail if interested.

and I am sorry again for not posting "books from Japan" One of the zine actually lead to the whole thing so I will write about it but until the little 音楽会、i will not be here much. But I will be back.

10.21.2009

domestic life

Finally, finally we are all recovered apart from my throat. ( might be just talking too much?)

While we were getting better from flue/cold or whatever it was, we ate even simpler food than usual.

Steamed rice, miso soup, pickled cucumber, steamed egg plant with miso(got it from my friend, Kana. Thanks!) and potato and asparagus.

The potato dish is from this recipe book I really like. A Perfect recipe with new potato in spring. The reason I really like this book is it has got four seasons and each season has different recipe as we have different vegetables each season. (these days at supermarket you can buy almost everything all year around though) I like eating seasonal vegetables. (still learning Brisbane weather)

The wooden round box is ohitsu and it is something I brought back from Japan. One of my grandmother apparently bought it and she has given it to my mother and now it is mine.

A bit of sweet, kinako and goma scone.

Roasted potato and sweet potato, tempeh, rocket and spinach on bread, pickled cabbage, pickled cucumber, egg plant dish.

It is good to be well again. We are now busy cleaning and sorting, visiting friends, having friends and enjoying the spring.

Good to be well for sure.

PS Books from Japan next time.

10.13.2009

no photos

I have been a bit unwell, not badly sick or anything but just not so well. (combination of hay fever, cold, homesickness) Actually every spring is tricky for me or every time seasons changing, my body seem to take fair bit of time to get to used to the weather. It is a good opportunity to look after myself though.

I am often found in front of my piano these days, looking at some music scores or writing some music instead of sitting in front of this PC or my sewing machines. Although I did enjoy stitching around a neckline of a velvet dress I bought easily 10 years ago and I cut some part of a white dress( need to finish the edge), thinking more stitching on different dresses and some clothes that I do not wear, tuning into something completely different. Lots of eco-fun projects but a break from Etsy for now.

I will come back and write about some books I have got while in Japan. Till then, take care and enjoy spring or whatever the season you have there.

10.05.2009

kids stuff

Our trip usually has kids stuff here and there every time. Often we go to the same places but this time, we took one more step whether it was a good idea or a bad idea. 生駒山上遊園地(ikoma sanjyo yuenchi), a funfair on top of Ikoma mountain.

We used to go on cable cars just to go up the mountain but this year, we had more fun, riding other things and looking at the view of osaka and nara. I am a bit worried about this little fun fair since it was not crowded at all on a weekend. Everyone goes to big name theme park like USJ or Disney stuff( I will not bother having links) I assume. But at Ikoma, you do not need to queue at all, I mean at all. and it is free to get in. I hope this place will remain as it is...

another place we go is 梅小路蒸気機関車館　

yes. Little O is a possible train nerd. and what is more, i could be too. I was excited to see D51 getting ready for us to have a ride on it. デゴイチ。　

Our friends K & Y joined, as well as my sister and brother-in-low who is a real train nerd. He just had a train trip all the way to Hokkaido from Kobe by himself to see his father. While he was gone, my sister and us had a nice time in Kobe, having lunch at modern ark cafe

then left boys at bornelund kid-o-kid which was much

bigger than the kyoto one and boys had a great time without us. Shopping without boys is much easier but I was overwhelmed by the people, noise, smells and everything. We went to three shops and that was it. All I bought was two pairs of socks but looking at shops were quite inspiring and that is why I usually visit some shops. To get inspired. Here.

九条公園 is another fun place to go with little people. (do check out the link for the photo)

Big space to run around and a very long slide.

other attractions as well.

Harvesting rice was on the list since little o has been talking about it but me, going out the night before, coming home so late, we cancelled it, sorry Kana, Russel, Haruka and Yujin. There were other reasons too but it was mostly my fault. We did see lots of lots of lots of ride field everywhere we went and little O kept telling big O " tanbo, tanbo" with a bit of aussie accent. He is an aussie alright.

But we did go and see tea farms with friends Mika and Bob. Tea farm was another obsession for little O since he read about it. 健一自然農園 is where we went. 　Long time ago, I read an interview in Re:s that the founder of this farm was from where I am from. Instantly I wanted to support him so I used to buy his tea in places, thinking one day I would go and buy his tea from him and this little dream of mine came true.

We sort of got lost so had to phone him then he came back from his farm to his house/ office, an amazing old Japanese house with かまど

He let us come into his house/ office and gave us tea to welcome us as if we knew each other. How lovely. and we bought some teas. Different kinds. then to a little park for a picnic and a play. picnic lunch always taste better when we have friends, don't you think?

other kids stuff we did, well little O's favorite was to go to どんぐり公園( acorn park) .

The next day we got there, I took him there as I used to go when I was his age. Nothing was changed in this little park. This place is called park but just a hill and lots of acorns and trees.

Little O picked some and one of them was like himself with the thing on top( what do you call those?)

anyway next time, he wanted to take big O so I draw him a map and they followed it. and the next time, he wanted to take my sister when she was visiting, they used a map again. My map was so popular.

and this is nothing to do with Japan trip but UNO. When big O came a few days later, he brought UNO cards from Nanna and little O learned to play really well. I think UNO will be

our travelling mate for a long time since he could do it at airports while waiting, in air planes or friends house where they have no toys. By the way he really beats us!