Cheers!

Enjoying a nice cuppa hot cocoa on a rainy afternoon.







This is not a parenting blog. :P

Happy Valentine's Day

I know of people who totally disregard Valentine's Day with a pragmatic maturity, which I totally respect. And of course I'm surrounded by love birds who'd not let the day pass less special.


Unbashfully, I come from the second lot. Well, that is for now.


Anyhow I see it, I don't see us celebrating Valentine's Day like we did for many years coming. So I offered a slow meal with my partner, while wishing there's a way to thank Bear enough. I hope he doesn't forget how once I was a romancist, and thought of him really special, precious. He still is, always is.


The food wasn't exceptional, but I hope he remembers my loving is.
















I had hearts in my soup that day you know.





And here you go, the mosiac for 2011. Happy Valentine's Day everyone. :)

When is snow falling?

I'm excited about seeing friends in US having snow!!! SNOW!

It's still falling leaves we're seeing here... So the question goes, when is snow going to fall?






First snow was pretty early the previous years, so I guess it's time we see flakes coming. Right now, I'm smelling anything else but trees ( whenever my funny nose smells trees, that's when I know snow is about to fall )

So I'm tracking... and meanwhile, enjoying the last colors of fall.















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And spotting my silly passion...

Heart in the sky

I caught a heart-cloud the other day! Yup, the day when I was out without my camera. Grr..


But Bear did capture this one for me in Summer. ;)

Paragraphs in the midst of monsoon

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Nothing's so happening here - it's a wet season running a dry spell.



~The garden~

Good news! It's finally getting fixed starting July! YAY!!!




~The bike~

Obviously, Bear wanted it at our place instead of our in-law's garage. Did I mention for how many donkey years Bear hadn't touched his toy, and that he had to hurt himself with a fall 2 years ago? And how he almost got me killed 2 times in earlier summers? I insisted on escorting him from behind on Father's day - the longest journey that made my tummy churn laminas away. I almost tore the wheel out whenever Bear shook me off. I prayed so hard that God stopped 2 rains in between that hour ( or we can accuse Bear of his hell speed that threw the raining clouds behind us ). Imagine my relief when we got back in a piece, THANK JESUS!




~ We heart shiitake ~




Yep. The Japs call this mushroom 'shiitake'. Bear loves it so much that he almost got some logs home to nurture home-grown shiitake at the rear. ( It's the fun he's after, not quite the shiitake. )


If you agree with me, the tiny one on the surface can almost pass as a heart!





~イナダのさしみ~

We've been frequenting this fabulous Japanese restaurant that always surprises us with extraordinary cuisine, always artistically presented. I wish I've brought my camera to explain what made us we jump from our seat last night. A raw fish 3/4 the length of my arm and twice my 'biceps' thick was brought up before Bear! It was a grotesque sight, with the fish head bigger than my fist; seemingly smiling and alive! Its flesh cut out in generously thick sashimi and... did I see blood? Unpalatable I'd say, YUCK! We laughed so hard after leaving the restaurant, it was definitely the most unforgettable dinner experience to date.



~Nothing too small~

I have this problem everybody is having, always hesitant about praying over trivial things I thought I could solve on my own, till there were close moments when pressure almost blew me up! But God was in control. Again, and again, and again, I've learn to put things at His feet ~ the great things and small ones too. Nothing's too insignificant I can't bring up before Him, for He's the fatherly figure that cares...


Thank you Father, for the garden thingy, the bike thingy, the heart shiitake, the garden thingy again thus the celebration at つづみ. We're blessed.





P/S : Dear MJ, you may have been gone for a year today, we still have you in our playlist. Always will.

In His time

It may be the least fun May we have to date, darting across places for business rather than leisure, and not very rewarding... Still we're grateful for every time-out brief, and I'm thankful to Bear for offering his time when he should be grabbing it for rest.



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It's still a lovely May, though less celebrated, less fruitful than we've hoped... but we have it all - good health, and peace; can't ask for more. =)



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The heart fell from the petals when I had the vase refreshed! Not sure if it's from the sweet pea or carnation, so delicately shaped and sized... It answered the many 'when's kept in the vault, what's always making me anxious and remains beyond me.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

Ecclesiastes 3:11

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So I'm not going to question when will the next 'heart' happen , and surrendering the other bigger 'when's to Jesus. I know He'll take care of them. =)


Hope you had a lovely May. ♥

Petaled

Here's how the place looks like, trees bursting all the way to the mountain tops.






We decided to conquer this mountain now or never, after much dubious measure of our stamina. The trail was unforgivingly steep from time to time, with rolling pebbles and sandy smooth stretches. Well, we've persevered. ;)




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And come spot my new find! ;)











We sought this little getaway on Sunday morning, good kids gone bad. Nevertheless, I got the message through the great work of His hands this day ~ Even the petals sang His praise.

Caressed

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In between mild snowfalls, the wind has certainly taken a change in nature these days. It wraps like a warm caress under the friendly sunshine. I feel flirty with every gust that lifts my hair in wavy extensions.






I can't wait for Spring to fall into my arms opened wide! More sunlight it'll bring, with musical birds, blooming trees, and pretty outbursts of life everywhere! For first, this place is getting a whiff of the plum blossoms.
















Buddy's princess has turned 1. =) Wanna know how pink her full chubby cheeks look like, the picture above tells something. The adorable smiler represents this season... She loves me, for I'm the only stranger allowed to carry her. Heheh!



Enough of those overhead, don't forget that the pretty ones beneath the dormant soil are revived once more. I've always loved dainty wild flowers like such.







I probably don't get to put on my new Spring wear often, alas; Bear's project is now running hot and predicted to burn more weekend hours. We'll be catching the season only in chips and pieces, until norm is resumed. Hopefully, the war will be over before Sakura blooms.







Nevertheless, tis a season to feel lovely.





I'm cluelss about how it got there, this sunken heart is flushed with the surface of the ground. Exquisite huh?

You can't hurry...

Spring. You can't hurry it like how hungry Bear hurries food on the table. Or how I try to mock one at home by bringing in flowers, Spring eludes us all the more. Says the weather forecast, we'll be having snow again next week.






Can't hurry love, my friend. I had to kiss many frogs till my prince showed up. Wish I could tell you, but I've decided not to... There will come a day you find out.










Can't hurry God ( inhale )... He's never hurried me either.







While waiting for the dvd release of New Moon in Japan, I'll just put up with memorizing the lines in Twilight. =P






I didn't pin much hopes on these bulbs discounted at 80%, and had them planted later than should. They're germinating nevertheless, without having me to hurry them. =) Let's see how they look like in weeks!


Patience. I'm hoping, trying, and meditating on one, till it's instilled in me. Inhale...


Meanwhile... Hurry up weekend!

Tra lalalalala...

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Happy Chinese New Year to everyone concerned!! And...

Happy Valentine's to all. Hugs.




Images collected from the past 2 years.

It's a good start for the year. I found a long lost friend. =)