another scones.

There are cranbery scones.
I use sour cream instead of butter.
I decided the shape in a rectangle,not too wide. It is just convinient size to eat while reading books and sipping a cup of coffee.

The Golden Week.

It has been started this year,too. It's called "The Golden Week."

Because there are several national holidays during this period,the movie company expected a lot of people to come to watch the movie then named it "Golden Week."

There are few visitors of this year probably because there are many people who are anxious about the influence of radiation. Or who just don't feel going out yet because of an earthquake disaster.

But people are getting come back slowly.

Our cafe's parking lot became full today,finally.

beautiful Fukushima.

I visited 1000 year-old-cherry blossom tree. It's very famos one. More than 300,000 people visit here every year but it's not usual this year because of influence of the neuclear power plant's incident. Yes,it is in Fukushima pref.

Fukushima is known as a beautiful place. There're mountains,trees,rice fields...full of nature.


The eldery woman's temporary shop. She sells beans,pickles etc. She was beautiful. I loved watching her smile.

The Horsetails. It's been long since the last time I saw this plant.

Spring has come.

The favorite flower pot I made yesterday.

I like the color combination between skyblue of pot I painted and geranium's pink.

The fuchsia is waiting to be planted.. I'm looking for the good friends for her.

-Our Potter-

Before we started to prepare for the cafe,we thought what kind of cups we use was very important. We visited the pottery fair then we met a potter.

We like this ivory color,touch,design,and his personality. Now his cups,dishes are used at cafe.

He is on two fashion magazine this month. He's quite famos.

I've heard sad news which must never happen.

The children from Fukushima are bullied.

Many people lived around Fukushima neuclear power plant had to evacuate then no choice to live where they are not familiar with. It must be hard spacially for kids.

When two kids,bothers from Fukushima,started introducing themselves to new friends,they run away because the brothers are from Fukushima.

It is about how parents tell their children about these circumstances. It is about how the parents educate their kids at home. I'm sorry if it sounds impertinent because I know nothing about raising child. But this is one of the trial we have to through. We have to get rid of prejudice.

Day Trip on Apr.13th.

It was nice and comfortable day. The temparature was about 70F.

We were behind the truck. I saw some people to fix their roof.(on right side of this photo.) It's the area where damage of the quake was heavy here.

The rice field is getting ready.

I bought some plants at nursery today. It's going to be nice and warm day tomorrow. I'm looking foward to plant those in the garden.

his birthday.

It's a birthday of a man whom I respect.

We had a Temaki-Sushi party tonight. "Temaki" means roll by your hand. Each one make own sushi roll with sheet of seaweed,vinegared rice,and usually,thinly sliced raw fish. But sometimes you can put corn,can of tuna, or vegetables,anything you like.Since "temaki-sushi" is reasonable price and fun to make own sushi,it's good food for the party.

The decoration cake I made. He complained it wasn't sweet enough.

So far,61 aftershocks today.
The crisis level of the nuclear plant is raised from 5 to 7.
I think we must act wisely as a serious situation but I got scared and upset often.
In such a case,he is always calm and smart. That make me think I trust him.

enough.

I was using my pc on the second floor.
I was counting today's earthquake on the web site because I felt many quake since midnight.36 quakes happened by 5:15pm today.

I was about to write my blog.Then M7.0 aftershock,again.

My husband was here this time.(He hadn't been here on Mar.11th.a month ago) I rushed downstairs with slippers (no time to wear shoes.)I thought the house was going to be toppled at last when I run down the stairs.

Since then,many aftershocks happened in every 5 min. I packed my luggage just in case.

I should stop writing now.

something make you happy

We found out one of the patisserie in town was closing and it was the last day today.

I've heard the good reputation of the shop but I never had a chance to visit.

Already few cakes were left when I visit.The patissier told me that the Strawberry Tart was going to be devided. I told him I would wait for the tart.

While I was waiting,I saw some packed boxes in the shop which was very sad.

When he brought this artistic one after devided,I couldn't stop smiling. His work looked great not only looks delicious but cutting skill.

When he handed me the box of cake very carefully,I told him this was the first time to be there. Then he told me emotionally,thank you for your first and last visit.

I don't know why he have to close his shop but I'm sure that he is going to make someone happy by his work in another city.

Amish style coleslaw

This is a cole slaw salad for lunch today.

I use lemon juice,honey and olive oil insted of mayo. I think it's amish style. Right?

I put this salad on side of curry with rice.

the precious things

The Muscari is blooming.

The hundreds of volunteer people are sent to the striken area every day. The quake and tunami survivors need to clean their neighborhood up but it is hard to move ships,cars,mud,and everything soak in water which is very heavy. The volunteers were told they never allowed to use the word 'trash or debris" because those have been the victim's belongings which are valuables with memories.

I've read the article about children of the striken area. Some of them became to stick their mother and don't want to leave. Or start sucking their thumb again. The experts say it is return to the baby, the sign of mental disorder. They have uneasiness after the disaster.Then they give a sign "please,pay attention."

The important thing is "agree with them." If the daughter is sad because her doll was spept away by tunami,mother have to be with her and say "yes,the doll is gone.It's sad,isn't it?" Never say like "you have to get over it." something like that.

The experts also say "returning to baby is kind of natural reaction. There're children who controll their feelings and repress anxiety. That's a serious case. The adults have to watch their kids carefully and don't miss the sign from them."

great tense.

There was a strong M7.4 aftershock just a few minutes ago. That was strong and long.

I went downstairs and checked the cafe. The dishes didn't get damage. I put those on the floor just in case.

I'm scared.My hands are still shaking. Should I sleep with cloths on tonight,too?

Tunami alert issued again. No more tunami or quake,at least in Fukushima.

I'm watching the press conference of the Tokyo Electric Power Co. on the plant's condition. The reporters fire away. It's midnight. There are about 300 workers at there.

Cherry blossom in Tokyo.

The cherry blossom in Tokyo is full bloom.
We look forward to this time very much.
The cherry trees are noticed only after it bloom.
They have been there in snowy,windy or rainy days.
They are not watered or taken special care but they blooms every year in April.
The period of time of full bloom is just a couple of days and will be gone.
We are impressed by its bearability against weather, beauty of flower then look forward to see it every year.

-Panda fever-

The panda of the pair came to Japan last month.
We named them Lee-lee(male) and Shin-shin(female.)Open to the public was postponded because of the earthquake. But it has began since Apr.2nd.

I gave up to see the panda when I saw these people in the line. I hate to be in the line..

I heard 26,242 people visited the zoo today.

A noble person.

The priest who prays at the snowy striken area.

He wears sandals in a bare foot and goes to the destination on foot while sleeping outside.

He bowed deeply in front of the collapsed house and prayed for the requiem of the victim and revival of the town.

Meniere's ??

Eventhough it's Apr.4th. , still chilly day.
I took this photo this morning and the temperature didn't rise at all.

I actually have been sick. I had lost hearing a couple days before the quake. I had ringing in the ears.

I thought it was going to be better soon but I noticed the right ear didn't catch the low tone.
I saw the doctor then the doctor said that I got the Meniere's disease! The Meniere?! no,no. I didn't believe that.The name of disease sounded very bad for me. I was depressed little bit first but the quake tragedy made me forget my worry. And I believed myself that I'll be rcovered all by means.

I've been taking the medicine and ,fortunately,my hearing is back. I think..
I have noticed that I didn't have ringing when I woke up this morning.
I think the chinese medicine worked.
I have no idea how I got this disease.
Someone says it's from stress but I think it's from my bloodstrean problem in this cold weather.
Now,I need to do some exercise.

The Letter from 4 year old girl

I heard very sad story at the party last night. The husband of the couple shared this story about 4 year-old Tunami victim girl.We all cried when we heard that story.

There was a picture of 4 year old girl on the paper.
She was writing a letter but she was tired and slept.

When the earthquake hit,her mother rushed to pick her up to the kindergarten then went home.She was with her parents and her baby sister Her family thought the house was safe because it was built on the hill but the tunami climbed the hill then engulfed the family but she was rescued because her knapsack of the kindergarten on her back was caught on the fishing net.
The parents and her sister are still missing.

Her grand mother wants to take charge of her but the girl refused to move because she wants to wait her mother. She doesn't quite understand what happend with her and her family. She couldn't understand her parents are dead.She believes the parents will be back. She goes to the sea and watch the sea everyday and grasp her father's cell phone. She believes she's going to get a phone call from her father.

When she was at her relative's house,she said she wanted to write a letter to her mother then started to write it with color pencils.

The letter says ;
Dear Mom,
I wish you are alive.
How are you?

It took an hour for writing this message then she fell asleep.

There're hundreds of orphans by this earthquake and tunami.

The party Saturday.

We held an anniversary party at friend's house tonight.
They moved into this area one year ago. We celebrated our one year anniversary.

Here's what I made for kind of Italian night.
The vegetable peperoncino.

The Grissini.

The Ganache.

The fruit tart.

It's been two years since I moved into this town.

In beautiful nature , star of the sky,living with good people,my long vacation still continues.

one year anniversary.

We opened our cafe one year ago today.

Eventhough we are not popular yet,we have wonderful experience everyday.

I met many customers. Generally,Japanese people don't talk to someone who haven't known each other but we are privileged to talk to strangers which make us very happy.

-Man likes Hot Dog,girl likes Bagel Sandwich.-

I found a tendency that the men order hot dog and the womean order bagel sandwich.

Interesting,isn't it?