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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.
Comments or questions about this blog?....message me at
Facebook. |
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 Rocket
Marathon
March 2016 - This is the month of the annual
Rocket Marathon, held at the Tanagashima Space Center. We also went to see the
cherry blossoms in bloom. A lot of home projects were completed.
Picture - Beautiful
cherry blossoms blooming in the park. |
Outside Stuff
March 2, 2016 - A new dog house to keep the
fighting guys separate, a bunch of wood, and a lot of bamboo stacked in the
yard.
Picture - Home - A new dog house made from
the picnic table.
Picture - Home - A bunch of old wood ready
for the barbecue and food smoker.
Picture - Home - A bunch of old bamboo ready
for the barbecue and food smoker. |
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 Cherry
Blossoms
March 5, 2016 - Today we went to Hase Park to see
the beautiful cherry blossoms in bloom and to enjoy a picnic together.
Picture - Us sitting
with the beautiful cherry blossoms.
Picture - Hase Park - Us sitting with the
beautiful cherry blossoms 1.
Picture - Hase Park - Us sitting with the
beautiful cherry blossoms 2.
Picture - Hase Park - Us hanging out with a
friend
Picture - Hase Park - Shai playing with his
friend Satoshi in the playground 1.
Picture - Hase Park - Shai playing with his
friend Satoshi in the playground 2.
Picture - Hase Park - Us hanging out with
friends.
Picture - Hase Park - A group of beautiful
cherry blossoms. |
 Baby
Coming
March 6, 2016 - Shai processed a lot of green
onions today. Akiko is looking very pregnant with the baby due in a couple of
months now.
Picture - Akiko
looking very pregnant now.
Picture - Home - A ton of green onions from
the farm.
Picture - Home - Shai processing the green
onions.
Picture - Home - The green onions all
processed and ready.
Picture - Home - A picture of me looking
like a mountain man.
Picture - Home - Akiko pregnant picture a
side view.
Picture - Home - Akiko pregnant picture
another side view.
Picture - Home - Akiko pregnant picture a
front view. |
 Sakurajima
Radish
March 7, 2016 - Today we picked a lot of huge
Sakurajima radishes. These things can get incredibly huge but actually taste
much milder than typical Japanese white radishes.
Picture - Shai next to
a huge Sakurajima radish.
Picture - Home - Sakurajima radishes picked
from the farm.
Picture - Home - A Sakurajima radish picked
from the farm.
Picture - Home - Shai next to a huge
Sakurajima radish.
Picture - Home - Tasty Sakurajima radish
washed and ready. |
 Huge
Radish
March 12, 2016 - We picked a lot of huge radishes
this week for eating and for drying. Shai was really happy spending time in the
farms doing his favorite thing, picking stuff.
Picture - Shai holding
a really huge white radish.
Picture - Home - Shai holding a nice group
of radishes.
Picture - Home - A nice group of white
radishes.
Picture - Home - Shai holding a nice round
radish.
Picture - Home - Shai holding a huge white
radish.
Picture - Home - A huge round radish from
the farm.
Picture - Home - A huge white radish from
the farm.
Picture - Home - A huge round radish washed
and ready.
Picture - Home - Made a really nice barbecue
with rocks from the farm.
Picture - Home - We made a nice picnic lunch
outside today.
Picture - Home - A lot of tasty chicken
cooking on the barbecue outside. |
Found Itajikibana
March 15, 2016 - Today Akiko went for another
driving practice lesson. Me and Shai decided to drive along the coast to see
what we could find. We discovered a really cool place called Itajikibana, which
is basically this really huge rock.
Picture - Nakatane Town - Itajikibana plaque
showing the location.
Picture - Nakatane Town - A nice view of the
rock and coast.
Picture - Nakatane Town - Another nice view
of the rock and coast.
Picture - Nakatane Town - A few view homes
close to the rock and coast. |
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 Rocket
Marathon Before Party
March 19, 2016 - This is the famous Tanegashima
Rocket Marathon before party which is held at a community center in Minamitane
town. This is quite a deal. For only five bucks per person, you get really nice
performances, free food and all the alcohol you can drink, which usually turns
out to be quite a lot. This year was no exception.
Picture - Us hanging
out at the before party.
Picture - Minamitane Town - The before party
tickets.
Picture - Minamitane Town - The before party
food pancakes.
Picture - Minamitane Town - The before party
food potatoes.
Picture - Minamitane Town - The before party
alcohol beer.
Picture - Minamitane Town - The before party
alcohol liquor.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Us hanging out
together.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Shai in front of
a couple of characters.
Picture - Minamitane Town - A before party
performance taiko playing girls.
Picture - Minamitane Town - A before party
performance tropical girls.
Picture - Minamitane Town - A before party
performance young girls.
Picture - Minamitane Town - A before party
performance Tahitian girls.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Shai is being
funny as an astronaut.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Shai is being
funny as a businessman. |
 Rocket
Marathon
March 20, 2016 - This year was the 29th Annual
Rocket Marathon, held at the Tanegashima Space Center, located in Minamitane
Town. This was the second year for us to join this event which turned out much
better this time. Today was a beautiful, sunny day, as opposed to last year,
which was cloudy and mega rainy. This year was even more special, since Akiko
was competing while seven months pregnant, as you can see from the picture.
Picture - Us ready to
compete with our cool shirts.
We always do the family run which is only two kilometers total. The other events
include a three kilometer family run, a ten kilometer run, a half marathon, and
a full marathon. The entry free is only about fifteen bucks per person. Quite a
deal considering it includes free food, tee shirts, and towels.
Picture - Tanegashima Space Center - The
beautiful venue for the rocket marathon.
Picture - Tanegashima Space Center - Us
hanging out together.
Picture - Tanegashima Space Center - A
picture of the crowd.
Picture - Tanegashima Space Center - Us
hanging out together close up.
Picture - Tanegashima Space Center - A
picture of the crowd close up.
Picture - Tanegashima Space Center - The
free food coupons.
Picture - Tanegashima Space Center - Us
showing off our towels vertical picture 1.
Picture - Tanegashima Space Center - Us
showing off our towels vertical picture 2.
Picture - Tanegashima Space Center - Us
showing off our towels vertical picture 3.
Picture - Tanegashima Space Center - Us
showing off our towels 1.
Picture - Tanegashima Space Center - Us
showing off our towels 2.
Picture - Tanegashima Space Center - The
rocket marathon at the beginning 1.
Picture - Tanegashima Space Center - The
rocket marathon at the beginning 2.
Picture - Tanegashima Space Center - The
rocket marathon at the beginning 3.
Picture - Tanegashima Space Center - The
rocket marathon at the beginning 4.
Picture - Tanegashima Space Center - Us
hanging out together eating lunch.
Picture - Tanegashima Space Center - Shai
with a character 1.
Picture - Tanegashima Space Center - Shai
with a character 2.
Picture - Tanegashima Space Center - A
friend finishing picture Oyabing.
Picture - Tanegashima Space Center - A
friend finishing picture Oyabing.
Picture - Tanegashima Space Center - A
friend finishing picture Oyabing.
Picture - Tanegashima Space Center - A
friend finishing picture Oyabing.
Picture - Tanegashima Space Center - A
friend finishing picture David.
Picture - Tanegashima Space Center - A
friend finishing picture David.
Picture - Tanegashima Space Center - Shai
playing with a group of friends.
Picture - Tanegashima Space Center - Us
hanging out with a group of friends.
Picture - Tanegashima Space Center - Shai
hanging out with a group of friends 1.
Picture - Tanegashima Space Center - Shai
hanging out with a group of friends 2.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Crazy friend in
the farm working. |
 Rocket
Marathon After Party
March 20, 2016 - This is the famous Tanegashima
Rocket Marathon after party which is held at a community center in Minamitane
town. This is quite a deal. For only five bucks per person, you get really nice
performances, free food and all the alcohol you can drink, which usually turns
out to be quite a lot. This year was no exception. Um, this seems a lot like the
post for the before party. lol.
Picture - Us hanging
out with friends at the before party.
Picture - Minamitane Town - The after party
tickets.
Picture - Minamitane Town - An after party
performance taiko playing guys.
Picture - Minamitane Town - An after party
performance belly dancing girl.
Picture - Minamitane Town - An after party
performance kid group.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Hanging out
together with friends, me, Akiko, Keikosan.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Hanging out
together with friends, me and girls.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Hanging out
together with friends, me and Oyabing.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Hanging out
together with friends, me, girls, and Oyabing.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Hanging out
together with friends 1.
Picture - Minamitane Town - Hanging out
together with friends 2. |
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March 21, 2016 -
Facebook Post -
After pic and we placed 29 in the family 2k run. |
Space Drink
March 21, 2016 - Shai played a game at the
Tanegashima Rocket Marathon after party and won a case of space drink, same as
the astronauts use.
Picture - Home - A whole case of space drink
from the after party. |
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 New
Desk
March 22, 2016 - New bunk beds and desk made from
sugi, Japanese cedar.
Picture - New desk
made from sugi wood.
Picture - Home - New bunk beds made from
sugi wood.
Picture - Home - New desk made from sugi
wood. |
Bunk Bed
March 23, 2016 - New bunk beds, this time with
the mattresses, and closet shelves made from sugi, Japanese cedar.
Picture - Home - New bunk beds made from sugi wood
with the mattresses.
Picture - Home - New closet shelves made
from sugi wood. |
Kitchen Table
March 24, 2016 - New kitchen table shelves made
from sugi, Japanese cedar.
Picture - Home - New kitchen table shelves. |
Hanging Out
March 30, 2016 - New shoe rack made from sugi,
Japanese cedar. Shai was playing with this friend on the bunk beds.
Picture - Home - New shoe rack made from sugi.
Picture - Home - Shai playing with his
friend on the bunk beds. |
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