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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
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 Happy
New Year
January 1, 2023 - Hey friends Happy New Year!!!!
Thanks for coming to read our updates. Wishing all of you a happy and healthy
New Year.
Picture - Us about to
eat a traditional Japanese New Years meal. |
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January 3-6, 2023 - This was overnight trip
number 32 and was for four days and three nights. This trip was focused on the
public road which was in need of raking to allow for two wheel drive vehicles.
We actually had about twelve fires going at once to burn the twigs and leaf
litter. The road was also hand graded to account for a slight amount of erosion
caused by recent rains and the strong typhoon which hit the island last year. A
friend came up with her two kids to play for a couple of hours. This was
actually the first trip of the new year and turned out to be very productive. |
 First
Camping Trip
January 4, 2023 - This was actually the second
day of a four day and three night trip up to out mountain campsite. This was
also the first camping trip of the new year. We spent most of the four days
raking up twigs and leaf litter on the public access road. We wanted to be sure
our friends with two wheel drive vehicles would be able to visit without any
problems.
Picture - Us eating
lunch up at out mountain. |
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 Returning
Home
January 6, 2023 - This is the last day of our
first camping trip of the new year. This was actually our 32nd overnight camping
trip since we purchased the property over a year and a half ago. A bit chilly
this time of the year but still okay thanks to "glamping" in our bus tents. A long
story there.
Picture - Us getting
ready to return home.
Picture - Mountain - Us about to return home
picture-1.
Picture - Mountain - Us about to return home
picture-2.
Picture - Mountain - Us about to return home
picture-3.
Picture - Mountain - Us about to return home
picture-4. |
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January 8-11, 2023 - This was overnight trip
number 33 and was for four days and three nights. The focus was totally on
removing the unsafe oak trees on the opposite side of the public road. These
huge trees had numerous branches which were completely dried and rotted out and
could fall at any moment. Even though only the Makita chainsaw was working, the
work was completed on this trip. A few huge trees were cut including a tree
which was too huge to cut all the way through and the wind ended up finished the
job and toppling the tree. This was a really nervous trip but now the public
road in front of the campsite is safe for hiking. |
 Working
Fun
January 11, 2023 - This is the last day of our
second camping trip of the new year. This was actually our 33rd overnight
camping trip since we purchased the property over a year and a half ago. We
spent the entire trip cutting huge oak trees along the access road. The trees
had numerous branches that were dried and rotted out and were hanging over the
road and unsafe. This also opened up the canopy even more allowing for a
fantastic nighttime view of the stars. The entire family really likes working
together.
Picture - Us working
on gathering up the cut wood to be used for firewood next year.
Picture - Mountain - Us about to return home
picture-1.
Picture - Mountain - Us about to return home
picture-2.
Picture - Mountain - Us about to return home
picture-3.
Picture - Mountain - Us about to return home
picture-4. |
 First
Farm Trip
January 12, 2023 - This was a perfect day for our
first trip to the farm of the new year. We picked a few Sakurajima radishes and
close to a hundred sweet potatoes before returning home.
Picture - Us at the
farm. |
 First
Party
January 12, 2023 - What a great way to finish off
a beautiful day....with a party. We invited our best friends on the island, the
Miharasan family. The kids all had a great time, as did the adults as usual. A
bit too much beer and wine but the hangover the next day was worth the fun, lol.
Picture - Us partying
with our best friends. |
January 16-19, 2023 - This was overnight trip
number 34 and was for four days and three nights. This trip was all about
processing the mess on the side of the road from the last trip along with
cutting a lot of understory trees on the slope close to the campsite.
Picture - Mountain - Us about to return home
picture-1.
Picture - Mountain - Us about to return home
picture-2.
Picture - Mountain - Us about to return home
picture-3.
Picture - Mountain - Us about to return home
picture-4.
Picture - Mountain - Us about to return home
picture-5.
Picture - Mountain - Us about to return home
picture-6.
Picture - Mountain - Us about to return home
picture-7.
Picture - Mountain - Us about to return home
picture-8. |
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