Finally..

It's snow. Finally.

It's late to start snowing here this year. Although I don't like cold weather,I was already for snow because it's fun to see snowing. It's beautiful..

I had a company from South-Korea. There were three cute girls. They asked my husband what does it mean "Suda(our last name)" in Japanese. They told us that Suda means "chat" in Korea. They thought this was chat place then stopped by.

Winter Flowers

Eventhough it's not very pleasant season,I found pleasure. It's gardening.The color of flowers in winter are very qute! There are my flower pots of this winter.



I'm crazy about an ornamental cabbage(second row,left and right) now. I put linen cloth on Japanese like basket which my parents sent me with orchid as a gift when the cafe was open. Now,the orchid is gone.. then I reuse this basket.
--from left,clockwise--ornamental cabbage(purple),mondo grass(black),stock(pink),mondo grass,ornamental cabbage (cream yellow and pink) primula juliana(strawberry pink) --center--dusty miller.



These are cyclamens ans wire plants. I love these Bordeaux wine color(flower) and silver leaves!




Ops,this is not very good..

It's first time to make hanging basket. I hope it's going to be better when they glow few weeks later..

Finally,these are violas in the can. Behind of viola is muscari(bulb.)

A Beautiful Day.

It's a sunny day. And low humidity around 30%. What do you think of this number? I've already forgot how did I feel about 30% humidity in the U.S. or Mexico but it's quite low in Japan.


Dry air may not good for skin.. but good for laundry! I think May is the best month of the year when it comes to weather(climate).





An editorial stuff of the local magazine visited us this morning for the interview. The magazine introduce new business every month. We get the chance that our cafe will on the magazine next month. Small article though.

Thanks for the nice weather,I've met many people today,too. And an elderly nice couple come again today.They had visited us when we just opened. I'm very happy to see those people. They didn't mention anything but they chose us. The very important customers.

The husband likes to take pictures,I guess. He took many pictures of the cafe eventhough he took those last time they visit us. And he took pictures of his wife sitting chair,with flowers.. I felt like taking pictures of them.

We are off tomorrow! It's going to be cloudy or rain though....

Best cough drops ever!

I don't know how many times I bought this candy since I found it.

I used to buy honey lemon cough drops when I was in MI and it was essential in winter. Even after I was back in Japan,I still looked for and asked someone visit the U.S. or someone from U.S. to get the drops.

But I don't have to find someone or ask to buy it anymore. I can get substitute one in Japan.

Royal jelly and propolis are in this candy. When phlegm cought in my throat,I take one or two. Then phlegm is gone.

It's something you should try!

found new one.

I've found new good music for cooking time. She is Hindi Zahra from Morocco.
Very relaxing. "Beautiful Tango" is remarkable.

Azalea

An azalea front of the cafe is full bloomed.
Salmon pink color is beautifully much with blue sky. The flower is wonderful. Those are just blooming gracefully but attract people.


The view from inside.

Do you see the table and chairs outside? The guests who love outside or smoke take that seat sometimes.

achieve agreement.

Jazz is great.I know that.

My husband suddenly started to collect those CDs a couple of months ago. I guess he thinks Jazz is the best BGM for the cafe.

Sorry honey,but it sometimes too heavy for me specially in the morning(before noon.) It makes me sleepy.Then we decided to take turn to play favorite music. It's like a battle.

These are CDs I'd like to play in the cafe. You know,cafe-like music. I'd like to play Corinne Bailey Rae when young girls come in. I'd like to play Norah Jones when women over 30's come in. etc..

Today,we have reached an agreement,finally.

It's the internet radio. The station is "MIX R&B."I liked this sation when I was in MI then listen to it often.It's very relaxing. We played this station almost all day long.

Father.

My farther have taken surgery yesterday.He had found out early stage prostate cancer when he also took enlargement prostate surgery last March.He needed to take a surgery again to take out prostate before it spread to other part of body.

The surgery was over and succeeded. He looked so small when I saw him in ICU room but he seemed relieved and laid on the clean bed. Although he was in half conscious from coming out from under anesthetic,he thanked each family member.

I wish he will be recovered soon.

First bite.

Gosh,insects season begins,already!

I got bite by gnat when I was weeding my garden. This is one of the problems living in nature.You can't wear half sleeves or half pants if you want to weeds.

Have you been bitten by gnat? It's awful. It's not like mosquit bite. The mosquit just suck blood but the gnat literally bite.It's so painful and awfully itchy. Fortunatelly,I put special ointment soon I got bite,the mark is smaller in the picture.

But ... I don't think itchy is awful.We knew pleasant feeling of scratching itchy place.My friend who got gnat bite same day agreed.

rest rooms

Let me show you the rest rooms I've remodeled by myself. (Ok..not by myself. by ourself..)

This pretty door is one of the most favorite things in my cafe.I wanted to use stained glass I made when I was living in MI for somewhere part of the cafe.

I asked my husband to put the glass in the middle of the door. I didn't think that was easy one but he made it!

It's washing place. This mirror is from Puebra,Mexico. We bought it when we took short trip around central Mexico.

Do you see the wall? The color is cream yellow.I plaster the wall because it wasn't clean when we moved in. I thought I've told you that it was realtor's office before us but this place(whole house) looked almost abandoned eventhough somebody was living upstars where our living place now.

So, we needed to do a lot of make over but we couldn't afford to ask professional to put wallpaper or other things then decided to take a cheeper and easier way. I liked natural texture of plaster and I heard it's a good material to absorb moisture. My husband was against me to put plaster first.

But I really wanted to make the rest rooms pretty Mexican-Spanish taste. Then I decided to plaster by myself. I'm almost satisfied the result when I hear some customers say they like the rest room.

essential goods for relaxing time.

Yep, nobody came to our cafe yesterday except a delivery guy. We closed the cafe earlier.
My husband has gone shopping.


While he was out,I took bath which is my favorite time.This is a very good one to make you relax. Melody Gardot is one of my favorite singer and I have two CDs of her.

"Golden Week" is over.

It was long holiday from Apr. 29th. to May 5th. in Japan called "Golden Week." Because there are 4 public holidays in this term,many companies close down then employee take day off.

Apr. 29th. ... "The day of Showa era." This day was "Showa Emperor's Birthday." After his death, name (how to call this day)has been changed.

May 3rd. ... Constitution Mamorial Day.

May 5th. ... Children's Day.

Since 2007,goverment decided that between two holidays into a new holiday then May 4th. became public holiday called Green Day.

It was sunny wonderful comfortable nice Golden Week. Because there are many atractions in Nasu area,the street front of our cafe was jammed. Many customers came to the cafe in this week. I've met many new people.

Now,the Week is over and rainy day today.

I guess it will be no guest day today... It's ok. Be patient.
Tomorrow is another day. It'll be Saturday (weekend) tomorrow and weather forcaster says it's going to be sunny again! Looking forward to meet many people.

tea pot warmer.

I like to collect colorful stuff like fabric,paper etc.

Then decided to make pot warmer. It wasn't piece of cake to sew for me but it was fun to touch soft fabric and cotton.

It took whole day to make three. Exhausted..

Bienvenido a mi cafe.

My husband and I have just started own cafe since Apr.1st. in Nasu, Tochigi pref.


It was realtor's office before and we remodeled inside by ourselves.

Someday,I hope you will visit my cafe. I'll be waiting for you!

SUDA COFFEE

Tochigi Pref. Nasu Takaku-otsu

593-402

my rollcake

I've never thought I'm good at cooking or baking. But I like to make something not only foods but crafts. It's very fun.

Anyway,I practice baking everyday. This is one of cafe menu,fruit roll cake. It's very encouraging me when someone say those cake I make are delicious.


Snow ball cookies. These two are my favorites

no no snow..

Actually,it was yesterday I took cherry blossom's photo.

It was really wonderful day yesterday...
Then snow today. Winter.
Freezing.

Zero customer at cafe. It's the first time zero customer since I opened. I shouldn't be off yesterday,I guess. I could expect many customers because of nice weather.

cherry blossom

Finally. .Spring has come.

Since the weather has been so strange this year(not just this year??),it's been so slow until full bloom.

It was very warm like summer. No,it was summer! High temperature rose to 25C.

People enjoyed sunshine.

still underconstruction

Either I don't have confidence of my photos and English. But I think it's time to keep a journal of rural life,cafe etc. Then I hope to have some customers from foreign countries who read my blog.