Our family adventure-organic farming in Japan: January 2006

Friday, January 20, 2006

Snow, snow, snow!

So you've all been hearing that Japan is getting lots of snow this year, right? Well, although the stories you've probably heard are mainly from the northwestern main island where it's warmer and the snow is wetter and very heavy which means the increased snowfall is causing more accidents...people around here are now saying that this is the most snow they've seen at once here too. So I'll send you a few photos, although nothing spectacular photo-wise, maybe you can see how much snow we have!

The snowblower is running everyday and the rest of the time is spent getting snow off the top of greenhouses, off the roofs,etc. Snow removal is a full time job right now! It's hard to show you how deep the snow is because of the snowblower and drifting, but even in the field behind our house it's up to the bend in the greenhouse frame which means it's chest high. The snow is dry and powdery here, fluffy, until it melts some and gets crunchy.

Quite a shock for a Missouri snow-blink and it's gone-girl! Although Kenji grew up in Hokkaido it's more snow than he ever saw where he grew up too. And the boys, especially Sage, are loving it of course! Sage is doing what I always dreamed of doing as a kid(I'm not just saying that, I really did dream of it!), digging tunnels and caves in the snow drifts. Kai and Lucas had fun going out with me this morning, as it was sunny and not bitterly cold. Toshi threw them into the snow banks much to their ear-to-ear grinning delight. It's been very cold lately, so it was nice to be out in the sunshine today and for the boys to get out. The younger two are still in the rolling around stage, so when their faces get wet they get cold soon. Sage will be taking a few ski lessons in school this winter, today they practiced putting everything on and walking in their boots and skis.

Well, someday Kenji will probably take some really pretty pictures of all the snow, he already has some nice ones on there, so check out his blog...get there by looking under profile on this blog.

Thursday, January 05, 2006

That Day

Natalie Imbruglia
» That Day (Moment Of Clarity)

That day, that day
What a mess what a marvel
I walked into that cloud again
And I lost myself
And I'm sad, sad, sad
Small, alone, scared
Craving purity
A fragile mind and
A gentle spirit
That day, that day
What a marvellous mess
This is all that I can do
I'm done to be me
Sad, scared, small, alone, beautiful
It's supposed to be like this
I accept everything
It's supposed to be like this

That day, that day
I lay down beside myself
In this feeling of pain, sadness
Scared, small, climbing, crawling
Towards the light
And it's all I see and
I'm tired and I'm right
And I'm wrong
And it's beautiful

That day that day
What a mess
What a marvel
We're all the same
And no one thinks so
And it's okay
And I'm small
And I'm divine
And it's beautiful
And it's coming
But it's already here
And it's absolutely perfect

That day, that day
When everything was a mess
And everything was in place
And there's too much hurt
Sad, small, scared, alone
And everyone's a cynic
And it's hard and it's sweet
But it's supposed
To be like this

That day, that day
When I sat in the sun
And I thought and I cried
'Cause I'm sad, scared, small
Alone, strong
And I'm nothing
And I'm true
Only a brave man
Can break through
And it's all okay
Yeah, it's okay

I heard this song the other day on the way to the grocery store and thought that I've had "That Day" before. No, I'm not divine, to say the least...but the way these words and thoughts tumble on top of each other is much the way those days are experienced in my mind-the clarity of beauty seen through the eyes of pain.

To be able to say with all certainty that I can know what reality is would be bold..but to say that I can be honest with what I see within my limited vision of the moment is where I am. Where I am is not a statement of where I will be in the next moment or in 30 years, it is not a label for who I am, it is simply admitting the reality that stated or not, is the truth. Hard, wrong, right, whatever..(ever thought that if you don't say it, it isn't true) That I am here now, inviting a holy engaged God to move me on or use me there...in His time, in HIS time. And within the times- seemingly windless,Spiritless, moments that sometimes ensue..The Waiting...the grace of God experienced within, and without, through the patience of others comfortable with the flawed me..I can see the supernatural changes that come in my vision quite without my involvement...Eyes on your Creator, eyes on your Creator, prone to wandering one.

"There are times when you can't understand why you cannot do what you want to do. When God brings a time of waiting, and appears to be unresponsive, don't fill it with busyness, just wait. The time of waiting may come to teach you the meaning of sanctification-to be set apart from sin and made holy-or it may come after the process of sanctification has begun to teach you what service means. Never run before God gives you His direction. If you have the slightest doubt than He is not guiding. Whenever there is doubt, wait." My Utmost for His Highest, special updated edition, Oswald Chambers, Jan. 4

"No matter what changes God has performed in you never rely on them. Build only on a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ, and on the Spirit He gives...When we come to the end of ourselves, not just mentally, but completely, we are able to "Receive the Holy Spirit" the idea is that of invasion. There is now only One who directs the course of your life, the Lord Jesus Christ." My Utmost for His Highest, Jan. 5

With you, crawling towards the Light amongst the messy beauty of the life He created.

Sunday, January 01, 2006

Our New Year's Day 2006.

Playing in the snow-all of us together-for the first time this year. It was a beautiful day,sunny and no wind, great for being out.

Sage and Kenji making an icy slide down the back of the sledding hill

which one do you want this time?

It was a good run1

a break to see how big the chicks have gotten and feed them some bread crumbs

Kenji had good luck petting the chicks

Here Lucas I caught one for you to pet

That was fun!

Pictures from walking the dog partway down our driveway

Our driveway to the road

The ski mountain behind our farm and some Menno Village buildings front left, sorry not a great zoom

the farm dog, Neru, I miss you Ray!

Eating "Nabe", a Japanese winter dish that's great for warming your bones after sledding. It consists of various veggies and thinly sliced meats boiled in a broth of some type and cooked at the table. You add more as it's cooked and eaten. Today we had a salt flavored broth with Menno Village carrots, chinese cabbage and baby greens(growing in a greenhouse in a tunnel, doing great, tasty and no bugs! just slow). long, big Japanese green onions a neighbor farmer gave us and we added blocks of tofu, some meat, and various mushrooms and Sage's new veggie for the day-Japanese leeks(very yummy!). We all loved it, I was thrilled to see Kai chowing down on the cabbage and Sage eating the various greens and leeks, it's a yummy way to eat alot of veggies.

Lucas melting down after staying up late New Year's Eve and playing hard until our "lupper" at 3 pm.

it took about two minutes for him to fall asleep after the last picture, hugging his sleeping necessities-blanket, turtle and ducky-man, boy, my lap is full!

Here it is, Kai wanted to be sure I took a picture of it

Playing Mousetrap, our boys all time favorite game(great garage sale find!)-a good one that all of us can play, including Lucas. We also played lots of kiddie Uno and Sage and I tried out Farkel, (thanks mom and dad!).

It was a vegging day-yeah! we really needed one. The kids ate lots of snacks and watched lots of Japanese New Year's TV in between playing games and attacking daddy:)