LADYBUG

Red and black polka-dot decoration on black and white stripes. I got a ladybug on my shirt :-) I noticed something hit me when I was rushing to a train station by my bike.
Not a mosquito, not a fly,,, it was a cute ladybug♪ I felt lucky and I feel I could start a day with a tiny happiness again♪

白黒に赤と黒の水玉模様。てんとう虫のブローチ♪朝急いでチャリこいでたら、何かあたった！蚊じゃない、ハエでもない、てんとう虫だもん :-) 今朝もなんだかハッピー、良い１日のスタートでした！

Roadside Azalea

Azaleas are in bloom♪  This is a shot from a car window on the way to work.  White, pink, baby pink flowers on green leaves were so bright that I was watching them while I was waiting for the light to turn green.  Flowers reminded me of memories of my childhood.  On the way back home from school, my friends and I used to enjoy nectar of azaleas sucking from the bottom of the petals :-)  Did anybody do the same thing?  I don't know if kids still do it nowadays, but it was very popular among us.  Well, I am already a grownup, I was in a car,,, so I didn't try to pick one to taste it! lol

Because they were roadside flowers covered with exhaust, I felt sorry and thought "if they were somewhere with clean air, they would live much more comfortably"  But they really were beautiful flowers.  Watching them at the beginning of a day cheered me up and gave me a lot of energy ;-)

ツツジが咲いていた♪仕事に向かう途中のショットです。白やピンクの花が緑によく映えて目をひくので信号待ちの間しばし眺めていました。な～んか子供の頃のこと、よく学校帰りに友達とツツジの花の蜜を吸って、それこそ「道草」していたことを思い出した :-)  最近の子供ってこういうことするの？私達の頃はしょっちゅうだったぁ・・・。でももうオトナだし～(笑)今朝は車の中だったから摘んで蜜を吸うなんてしなかったわ(笑)　しかし排気ガスいっぱいの道路脇に咲く様子を見てると「空気がキレイなところだともっとのびのび咲けるね」と少しかわいそうにも感じたけど、その鮮やかな花を咲かせる姿はとってもキレイで、朝から元気とパワーをもらえた！ :-)

Ask and Believe

It's been a while since I posted here last time.  Well,,, for almost 2 months so many things, so many brand new things have happened to me.  Actually, I got sick and I was about to give up my plan "studying abroad" because I thought the disease was so serious and I was very anxious about it.  My sickness was coused by extra stress and being a little too tired, my doctor said.  The biggest problem is that I never thought I was so stressed! lol  I was just trying to deal with my stuff as I always do.  The most important thing I learned from my experience is... I'm getting older,,, step by step! lol  I have to pay more attention to my body and take better care of myself so I can get along with this stressful world!!! lol  When I found myself sick, I just kept wonder "why me?" "why now?" and I was so shocked that I never found the bright side.  But people around me supported me a lot, one of them encouraged me by advising severely... now I can say I learned to control my feeling so that I can stay more positive.  I also feel I was lucky to have a chance to know about being sick before going to the states by myself.  What if I left Japan without getting through this and same thing happened in the states... I'm sure I'd be much more worried and scared!  Well, I'm not 100% fine yet, but my body is getting better and my feeling got much better than before! :-) I'm back on the track again♪  

しばらくでした。ここ２ヶ月程で色んなこと、色んな新しいことが起きてました。実はちょっと体調不良で、あまりに深刻に心配してしまったので予定の留学も諦めかけるほど気がかりになってました。医者曰く、ストレスと疲れからのものって。まぁ…本人がそれを自覚していなかったのが一番の問題！(笑)ただいつも通りやってたんだけど。今回のことで学んだ大事なこと、それは「私は年をとっている」ということ…着実に(笑)そうと分かったら、このストレス満載な世の中(笑)上手に過ごせるようもっと体に気をつけてあげなきゃ！さすがに病気って知った時は「なんで？」「こんな時に？」って考えるばかりで、ショックだけ。でも私はまわりの人たちに支えられた、ある人なんて超～厳しい言葉でシリを叩いてくれたし…おかげで気持ちを保つことができるようになった！それに今こんな経験をしておいてよかったと思うわ。もしこれを知らず渡航しそこで初めて体調不良になってたとしたら…絶対にひどく心配だし、きっとこわい。完全復活もきっともう少し、体は随分良くなっているし、何より気持ちが元気！また再開です♪

Cherry Cordial before bed

Tonight is like Friday night for me because I'm not working tomorrow♪  I finished dinner and my stomach + I are feeling happy :-)  Now I'm enjoying my own relaxing time.  I won't stay up very late because I gotta start my day early tomorrow, I have many things to do ;-)  I will just have some chocolate for dessert,,, then go to bed,,, feeling happier! lol
今夜は私の金曜ナイト♪明日お休みだから！ご飯食べてお腹もハッピー。のんびり時間を楽しんでいます。明日は明日でやることいっぱいあるし早起きするから夜更かしはせんよ ;-)　お楽しみのデザートでチョコを食べて、もっと幸せ気分で眠りに就こう！

One more gift from the states, "Cherry Cordial"  This is really good!!!

もうひとつのアメリカ土産、チェリーのシロップ漬が入ったチョコ。マジでうまいから、コレ！

Full Moon and "Happy Easter!"

The moon I can see from my window is full tonight.  Well,,, the shining thing in the middle of the picture is the moon... I know it's not a good pic. lol  You should just open the window and look out side for a full moon in the dark by yourself! lol  It's clear in Hiroshima area, the moon is beautiful♪

It's quite cold tonight, but I guess so many people are having cherry blossom party outside.  Drinking under beautiful blossoms and the beautiful full moon must be very nice♪ 

今日の月は満月。この…写真の真ん中で光ってるのが月。もっとうまく撮れればいいんだけど(笑)

なので、窓を開けて、実際に見てみて！今夜の広島の空はクリアで月がきれい♪

今夜はけっこう冷え込んでいるけど、きっと外でお花見の人も多いはず。桜と満月の下で一杯なんていいじゃーん♪

I just learned that "Easter" comes right after a full moon, one of my friends told me so today.  Tomorrow's Easter Sunday.  I guess most of the Japanese people don't have custom to celebrate Easter... including me.  But I got this Easter bunny chocolate :-) as a gift from the states and it reminds me of the day more than usual. 

Thanks, auntie K :-)  This is cute, so I've been wondering where to start my bite! 

"Happy Easter!"

今日、仲良しの友達から「イースターは満月の後にやってくる」って教わった。明日はイースターの日曜日。私もしかり、あまり日本じゃ馴染みがないと思うけど、今年はこのイースターバニーをアメリカ土産でもらって、いつもより身近に感じます。叔母ちゃん、お土産ありがとう。カワイイからどこから食べようか迷うよ！「ハッピー　イースター！」

美術館に行ったので比治山の桜も♪

These are pictures of this Thursday, my last day off of this week.  I went to Hijiyama to visit an art museum and to see cherry blossoms :-)  It was a very nice and warm day so I enjoyed walking in a park in a small nountain, seeing blossoms.
お休みに「比治山」へ行ったときの写真です。美術館に行き、桜を見て、、、穏やかな天気の一日でよかったぁ♪

The park is ready for cherry blossom party with lamps hanging under trees.

桜の公園はすっかり花見っぽい雰囲気♪

Small park area with a big statue by the modern art museum.  This is a place in the city but it's really quiet with a lot of trees,,, nice :-)

美術館横の、大きなブロンズ作品が据えられた広場。木々と木漏れ日と桜と…遊ぶ子供と通行人のおじさんと。。。のどかでいい♪市内からすぐの場所だけど、小高い山の上なので、静かです。

Everybody was having relaxing time there.  Beautiful cherry blossoms make our relaxing time more special.

桜の下から、街を眺めたり、カップルで過ごしたり、奥様友達がワンコを連れて来ていたり…　いつもの寛ぎ時間も桜が咲くと特別な時間になる♪桜パワー :-)

Birds were singing in the warm spring sunshine♪

春の日差しと緑いっぱいの公園では小鳥の囀りもたくさん聞こえてきました♪　いいね。

I don't even have a plan but... lol,  if I have a chance to have kids, I will definitely take them to places like parks or something where we can enjoy nature a lot :-)

のどか。癒されます。

いまは予定さえないけど(笑)私にも子供だできたら公園とか自然の場所にたくさん連れて行こ :-)

Cherry blossoms make our luch time more special, too♪

桜の下ランチタイム。格別ね♪

Cherishing... 愛でる

I've been enjoying my relaxing day off :-)  After driving back home from a movie and small shopping, I went to a riverside walk in my town just to check cherry blossoms and get some more nice fresh air♪  

今日も素敵な休日を過ごしています。映画と買い物の後、近所の河川敷までリフレッシュに桜を見に行ってきた♪

It seems a little too early to enjoy trees full of pretty blossoms, but I could see some buds coming out among twigs.  I brought my camera and was trying to looking up at the trees bending backward.  It was funny but people passing by started to stop around me and looked up at the trees just like me since they found me taking pictures of cherry blossoms. lol  

まだちょっと早かったみたいだけど、咲きかけの蕾が枝じゅうに見られました。私、木の下からカメラを上向きに構えてて…　おかしなことに、そんな私の姿に気づいた通行人のみなさんが足を止め始めて、みんな同じ姿勢、しばし一緒に上を眺めて桜蕾鑑賞タイム。

One of the people, a lady walking her puppy told me "Look over there.  Small bunch of flowers is there.  You should take some more pics from here♪"  She was kind :-)  I could take this picture thanks to her♪ 

そのうちの、ワンコ散歩中のマダムが「ほらアナタ、こっちに咲いてるわよ。キレイなのが撮れるんじゃないかしら♪」って、親切 :-)　おかげで素敵な一枚が撮れました♪

It was around 5pm when I went to the river.  The sun was about to start setting.  The sky was getting dark blue in the east.  Among twigs and buds, I found the moon which was still faint in the blue.  It is hard to see in the picture, but the combination of the cherry tree and the moon in the dark blue was beautiful♪

河川敷に行ったのは夕方５時頃だったので、夕日の前、東の空が暗くなり始めた頃。うっすら見え始めた白い月が、枝の合間遠くに見えました。写真では分かりにくいのが残念だけど、桜の枝とまだ青い空に見え始めた月のコラボ、ステキだったぁ♪  

We'll be able to enjoy blossoms more in a week here.  This riverside is my favorite place in my town :-)

I'll come here and check trees again on my next day off♪

じきに、１週間後にはここも桜の花でいっぱいになるでしょう。ここはウチの町のお気に入りスポット。また次の休みに見に来よう♪

Extra picture... "birds" lol  Nature just around my place.  Nice and relaxing♪

おまけ「鳥たち」(笑)　身近な自然に癒される♪