This is a story about an international couple raising and home educating three young boys on a small island in Japan, half living in buses, engaged in organic, self-sufficient farming in the middle of a mountain forest while dealing with climate, cultural, and personal challenges. These pages are about pretty much anything and everything all guided by our family motto, Taking Chances, Making Changes, Being Happy. Thank you very much for joining us on our ongoing crazy adventure.

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Home - Story - July 2015
Home independence day partyIndependence Day

July 2015 - This month we decided to celebrate Independence Day with a party.

Picture - The afternoon party group.
July 3, 2015 - Facebook Post - NOW ON THE ROAD - Akiko passed all of her drivers tests in record time and is finished. Congratulations. Now she is going to be on the roads of Tanegashima. Watch out. lol.
Happy Independence Day

July 4, 2015 - This month we decided to celebrate Independence Day with a party. This was our very first Independence Day party on Tanegashima. Hey thanks David for bringing bud and bagels. American beer on the fourth of July, very apropos. The bagels helped a lot to get rid of the hangover the next day. lol. And of course thanks to Oyabing and Yocci for bringing the fantastic bread and smoked cheese and nuts, very delicious. A neighbor brought over a wide variety of seafood for the party today which she collected at the local beach, including small tasty abalone.

Picture - Home - David came early along with Oyabing, Yocci, and their son Taiyo 1.
Picture - Home - David came early along with Oyabing, Yocci, and their son Taiyo 2.
Picture - Home - Finishing up all of the bud beer on the way to the evening.
Picture - Home - More friends showed up in the late afternoon.
Picture - Home - Everybody, especially the kids, were beginning to get a little crazy already.
Picture - Home - A bit of small tasty abalone.
Picture - Home - Now evening and the kids were crazier and the adults were on their way to being intoxicate....as usual.
Picture - Home - The night continues along with the eating and drinking.
Picture - Home - David showed up again in the evening.
Picture - Home - Finishing up a really fun party.
July 12, 2015 - Facebook Post - Jalapeño Peppers - Picked a bunch of jalapeño peppers from the farm today. Last week picked a bunch, went to pee, and ended up with some pretty hot cojones. lol. Tonight wifey forgot and touched her face. She is awake tonight.

July 16, 2015 - Facebook Post - FARMING HAPPINESS TONIGHT - Tonight we ate a lot of stuff from the farms. Already drank a bit too much cabernet but gonna try to remember. We ate okra, chili peppers, cherry tomatoes, cumcumbers, shiso leaves, basil, garlic, runner beans, and probably some other stuff, all fresh and with no fertilizer or pesticides. Nice meal definitely.

July 19, 2015 - Facebook Post - TALK ABOUT FREAKY - Tonight I was drinking cabernet as usual when Akiko and Shai came running out saying a snake was on the screen in the bedroom. Thought they were definitely joking. Went in the bedroom and found a snake halfway up the screen. Flicked it off. Shoulda taken a pic. Freaky.

July 20, 2015 - Facebook Post - RAINY DAYS - Spent a couple of semi dry weeks catching up on weeding in three farms totaling over 400 square meters. Now the rain is back with a vengeance with over four inches expected in the next 48 hours….enough fuel to get those weeds growing again, yuk. Planning to begin a mulching program beginning next week. For now a couple of days in the house returning a lot of email and getting caught up on some site work.

July 21, 2015 - Facebook Post - FARM DAMAGE - Storms the last couple of days made a mess of the farms. Heading out now to assess the extent of the damage. More fun and waiting for the sun. WTF - Hey I really like this island but now almost a month of torrential rain pretty much every day. All three farms are being decimated. This is becoming a real problem for farmers on this island. Spent today picking up the farms after a couple of days of mega rain and tropical storm force winds. Now tonight it is pouring again. When is this going to finish? Actually saw animals walking in pairs and a strange ark was parked in the upper farm. lol.