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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Beach Camping

- We went on a fantastic camping trip to our favorite beach, and enjoyed an unbelievable sunrise. The month finished off with another crazy Halloween party.

Picture - Our campsite at beautiful Hamada Beach.
First Fish

- Today we sent fishing at Shimama Port, which is about a ten minute drive from the house. We caught an oyabitcha, AKA bingu on Tanegashima. This was actually the first fish caught while fishing with the little guy.

Picture - The first fish ever caught while fishing with little Lael.

Picture - Home - Us ready to do some fishing.
Picture - Home - Us with the famous fish.
Rosh Hashana and New Spoon

- We spent another Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana, on Tanegashima. Tonight was even more wonderful because Lael got to eat with his new spoon.

Picture - Home - Spending Rosh Hashana together.
Picture - Home - This was also the first Rosh Hashana for Lael.
Picture - Home - Lael eating with his new spoon 1.
Picture - Home - Lael eating with his new spoon 2.
Picture - Home - Lael eating with his new spoon 3.
Picture - Home - Lael eating with his new spoon 4.
Toxic Chemicals

- This time of year these bags of fertilizer can be seen all over the farms.

Picture - Minamitane Town - Close up of a pile of fertilizer bags.
Camping Trip

- We went camping for the first time with little Lael. This was also the first time to go camping at Hamada Beach. As usual, there were no other people and we could really enjoy and relax. We made a nice barbecue and a campfire at night. Then the stars came out for a beautiful evening with cool breezes and, of course, a glass of our favorite wine, cabernet.

Picture - Hanging out in the afternoon.

Picture - Hamada Beach - Hanging out together at our campsite 1.
Picture - Hamada Beach - Hanging out together at our campsite 2.
Picture - Hamada Beach - Hanging out together at our campsite 3.
Picture - Hamada Beach - Hanging out together at our campsite 4.
Picture - Hamada Beach - Us with a nice view of the coast 1.
Picture - Hamada Beach - Us with a nice view of the coast 2.
Picture - Hamada Beach - A beautiful view of only the coastline 1.
Picture - Hamada Beach - A beautiful view of only the coastline 2.
Picture - Hamada Beach - Now heading towards night and getting ready to eat.
Picture - Hamada Beach - Getting ready to sleep in the tent.
- Facebook Post - Really nice night. Spent some time talking with my older son at the campfire. Then kids sleeping and me and wifey got some quality moments together. If this was San Diego then we violated pretty much every beach rule and regulation....lol. Now thunderstorms off in the distance....oh no. Crazy.
Beautiful Sunrise

- We were already up and waiting for this beautiful sunrise, and as it turned out, in the wrong place. We looked at the glow off in the distance and continued to wait, when an older man began yelling for us to come where he was standing. He was the owner of a local bed and breakfast and, when he saw us, brought us over to the best position on the beach to see the sunrise. What a really nice thing to do.

Picture - A beautiful sunrise between the rock formations.

Picture - Hamada Beach - Us waiting for the sunrise to come.
Picture - Hamada Beach - Beautiful sunrise between the rock formations 1.
Picture - Hamada Beach - Beautiful sunrise between the rock formations 2.
Picture - Hamada Beach - Beautiful sunrise between the rock formations 3.
Picture - Hamada Beach - Beautiful sunrise between the rock formations 4.
Picture - Hamada Beach - Beautiful sunrise between the rock formations 5.
Picture - Hamada Beach - Beautiful sunrise between the rock formations 6.
Picture - Hamada Beach - Akiko playing at the beach 1.
Picture - Hamada Beach - Akiko playing at the beach 2.
Friends Visit

- Our friends came to stay at our home for a night. Although we already met Atsumi, this was the first time for us to meet her husband Dennis.

Picture - All of us hanging out in the front yard.

After they stayed, Dennis posted this on my Facebook page.

"Hi Howie and family
Now we are back to reality here in Seattle but wanted to just thank you for your hospitality a couple of weeks ago, letting us stay at your place, eating good food, drinking good beverages, listening to good tunes, visiting with good people! Never thought i would be playing poker in Tanegashima while listening to Alice in Chains! Say hi to Shai and tell him i really enjoyed playing all those games with him,,,,,,well, we probably will be back in Tanegashima again next year so if your still there...we will stay in touch
Take care
Dennis and Atsumi"

Picture - Home - All of us hanging outside together.
Anno Imo Potatoes

- The yield was incredible this year for anno imo potatoes, with over 800 produced, and without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides.

Picture - Home - A wheelbarrow full of anno imo potatoes from our farms.
Picture - Home - Shai holding a nice bunch of potatoes 1.
Picture - Home - Shai holding a nice bunch of potatoes 2.
Going Bananas and Fun Game

- The banana trees were put in only last year. The trees, technically herbs, are now about 8 feet tall and producing these delicious bunches of fruit. We also made a fun outside game.

Picture - A huge bunch of bananas picked from the farms, totaling over a hundred individual fruits.


Picture - Home - Beautiful bunch of delicious bananas 1.
Picture - Home - Beautiful bunch of delicious bananas 2.
Picture - Home - Beautiful bunch of delicious bananas 3.
Picture - Home - Beautiful bunch of delicious bananas 4.
Picture - Home - Beautiful bunch of delicious bananas 5.
Picture - Home - Beautiful bunch of delicious bananas 6.
Picture - Home - Beautiful bunch of delicious bananas 7.
Picture - Home - Beautiful bunch of delicious bananas 8.
Picture - Home - Fun game made from old wood 1.
Picture - Home - Fun game made from old wood 2.
Picture - Home - Fun game made from old wood 3.
Picture - Home - Fun game made from old wood 4.
Picture - Home - Fun game made from old wood 5.
Nasty Words

- This is the same game as in the previous post but with a bunch of nasty words written on the wood gate.

Picture - Home - Nasty words written on the wood gate.
Shelly

- This is a picture of Shelly, the small turtle we found at the rock beach. We let her go at the same beach since we thought we were returning home to America in January 2017.

Picture - Home - A nice picture of Shelly.
Crazy Party

- Another crazy party with our good friends, Oyabing, Yocci, and their kids.

Picture - Hanging out all together.

Picture - Home - The dude with a bug.
Picture - Home - The dude with a cupcake holder.
Picture - Home - All of us together 1.
Picture - Home - All of us together 2.
Getting Ready

- We are getting ready for another crazy Halloween party at our home. The return of our same costumes as last year and same decorations. Hey difficult to get stuff on this small island. lol.

Picture - Whoa the return of Sly and the Family Stone.

Picture - Home - All of us wearing our costumes 1.
Picture - Home - All of us wearing our costumes 2.
Picture - Home - All of us wearing our costumes 3.
Picture - Home - All of us wearing our costumes 4.
Picture - Home - The living room is a bit scary now.
Picture - Home - The return of the incredible Mr. A. Lee En.
Picture - Home - The decorated dog gate.
Halloween Party

- Another fun but kinda small Halloween party this year. Basically some folks from the neighborhood showed up.

Picture - A few of the friends who came throughout the night.

Picture - Home - The first group of friends to show up.
Picture - Home - And more friends showed up 1.
Picture - Home - And more friends showed up 2.
Picture - Home - A picture of the kids with the perfect human.
Picture - Home - A picture of the kids.
Picture - Home - The kids with Miyukisan and the perfect human.
Picture - Home - A crazy guy with a funny shirt.
Picture - Home - A crazy guy with a funny shirt and the perfect human.
Picture - Home - A present for the party.