giving

"You give but little when you give of your possessions.
It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.
For what are your possessions but things you keep and guard for fear you may need them tomorrow?"

-Kahlil Gibran

garden flowers

China-Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan

 

 

  

I went away for the summer to China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. At first the plan was to go to Kyrgyzstan to take some lessons in Russian but I ended up spending some time travelling through China mainly in Qinghai and Xinjiang. And staying at Issyk Kul and Altyn Arashan, the countryside in Kyrgyzstan. 

7月から2ヶ月中国、カザフスタンとキルギスに行きました。最初はキルギスでロシア語を勉強しようと思っていたけど、中国ではウイグル自治区や青海省時をみてまわって、キルギスではイシクル湖の周りやアルティンアラシャンという山の方に行きました。

キルギスのオシュで会ったお友達のサイト。夫婦で世界一周しています：

ふたりでふらり　ゆるりとぐるり

Weekend activities

I often work weekends but it's great having them off sometimes. A few weeks ago there was a free music festival in Toyota. It was nice hanging out with good friends with music and dancing all around. Last weekend a furniture maker friend came and taught us how to make a wooden spoon! I must start taking more time off on weekends.

Rain

最近雨の日がいやじゃない。

2 days

When I came back from my trip to Kanazawa and Kaga, all the cherry blossoms were in bloom. 
2日の旅行から帰ってきたら、桜がたくさん咲いてた。

Spring

I didn't realize that I went out not wearing a scarf.　

moving and settling

New year is a big celebration in Japan and it makes me look back on the year. Last year was a filled with changes. I changed jobs three times and moved house three times. I now feel more settled here in Nagoya and ready for a new challenge. Last year I made a mid year resolution to spend more time with friends and I think I did quite well with that. I'd like to keep on doing that this year but also to draw more and gain a new skill, maybe dressmaking or pottery.

去年は仕事も変えたり引越したりしました。名古屋に引越して落ち着いてきたのまたなにか新しいことを始めたいと思う。陶芸とか洋裁も習ってみたい。