宇都宮

宇都宮

シカゴもカラオケがある

この写真は　John　Her　の誕生日パーチのです。すごく楽しかった！弟とだいすけーくんとぜにやーさんたちもいました。John Her's birthday party in Chicago-- Japanese karaoke at a Korean restaurant! Daisuke, Takeshi and Tomoko were able to join us, and Takeshi's incredibly fast Japanese rap was the highlight of the evening;) Tomoko has been a great friend to me, always patient with my Japanese questions and always making time to hang out!

Update

Hi everyone (at least, anyone who is still checking this blog). . .

I wanted to give an update regarding plans for 2008. As of right now, I plan to be back in Japan by August 2008, involved in the Cafe Coen ministry in Sapporo, Hokkaido (check out our website www.cafecoen.com)! God has worked His timing yet again, presenting me with this ministry opportunity when I wasn't even searching for it. I'm ridiculously excited to be in Japan again, building friendships and living out my faith in a way that will touch people's lives and make Christ known.

アメリカの乗馬の写真。。。

アメリカの乗馬大会の写真です。

友達。。。

日本の友達がいなくて寂しいです。

The Road to Chuzenjiko (Lined with...monkeys?)

Last Friday was a national holiday, so I took off to the mountains again, this time with my mountain bike jammed in the back of my ridiculously small K-car. I drove up a new way (the other side of the mountain) which took twice as long, but with spectacular views! I found two waterfalls, and two monkeys (ugly buggers—I’ve always held the delusion that monkeys are cute, but Japanese Snow Monkeys are quite ugly and evil too. They mug tourists!) Anyway, I got some good mountain-biking in before retreating to my mountain onsen for a few hours. . . after which I amused many people in the parking lot by battling to get the bike back into the car. . .

More Kerifuri, Chuzenjiko. . .

Kerifuri, Chuzenjiko ctd.

Can you spy the waterfall?

Surprised by Beauty

Lately I've been restless, tired of traffic and crowds, wishing I was in the backwoods of Wisconsin or the old Lumberjack Trail in the Thumb of Michigan (even if just for an hour!). . . but this morning, God gave me a great gift. I went running in the morning rather than the usual 10pm, and the small iron gate I usually run past was actually open. I entered. . . and was surprised by beauty! I stumbled upon Utsunomiya Prefecture Museum and Central Park, which includes a Japanese Garden, a Western Garden, a Rock Garden, a lake, many trails and many carp. . . and it's all within 2 minutes' walk from my current home. I can't believe I've lived in Utsunomiya for over a year and never knew of this place! Enjoy the photos. . . and Heidi, if you're reading, it was "so beautiful it made me want to cry ;))" ha! You and Jane will never get over that comment, but it was true. . .

Surprised by Beauty Part II. . .

Be afraid, be very afraid. . .

Thought you might enjoy another taste of the culture here. Need to fill your water bottle? Just use one of the numerous faucets on this elegant bird. . .

Inspirational Cookware

I've found it-- the best element of my new house, a genuine specimen of inspirational cookware!!!!! While washing this pan, I discovered the best comedy English yet. . . the funniest part is that you can actually kind of imagine what the "Chartier" people were trying to say (it just came out all wrong). Something in the way of a subtle compliment, like, "We know it's not the pan that matters, and your cooking is so good that there's no improvement possible, but. . ."

Cool House. . .

I've decided to post a few photos of the house I'm renting until December. It's huge by Japanese standards, and I have the place all to myself-- the coolest part of the house is the genkan, or entryway, with its loft and strange-looking chandelier. AND I have real Japanese paper window-screens! As I now have space to cook again, I've been experimenting with my rice cooker. . . in the photo, I think I'd added dry millet and lentils to the rice before cooking. Pretty tasty too, except that the texture made me feel a little like a foraging forest creature. . . hope there's space in my suitcase for my rice cooker, I can't live without Japanese sticky-rice, whatever the low-carb advocates might say. . .