Ward Wanderings

They found it!

A flock of Tree Sparrows or つづめ　have discovered the bird feeder. Sometimes 8-12 of them are hopping in and out of it, scattering seed on the deck and below. They are fun to watch.

Photo taken from the upstairs window.


And then the crow daily perches on the passenger mirror and pecks at the window. Can't figure this one out.

Birds in my back yard and other stuff

My most recent quilt top.

The orange pot was a freebie won by entering a contest when we bought another heater. It heats water very well!

A Redstart that winters here and leaves in April.

There are three brown sparrows near the round stone. A flock frequents the yard several times daily.

Henry made this bird feeder but so far no birds have used it.

The ever-present crows always are looking for food.

新雪　aka shinsetsu or new snow

January 19, 2014

This morning we woke to a whopping 1 cm of snow around the house. It was pretty but, as is the normal case here in Kobe, it melted before noon as the sun was coming out.

These all were taken about 7:30 a.m.

The most recent full moon (last week) taken facing the Eastern sky. I think Venus is the tiny dot to the upper left.

Miss Murakami came to church with her mom again today. She is dressed in traditional kimono for Coming-of-Age day which actually was last week. This holiday celebrates those turning 20 and officially becoming adults.

Here she is with her mom. They've come several times and the mom, after the morning service, invited Jesus into her heart!

First project of 2014

This is my new Christmas tree skirt completed January 1, 2014. It is entirely of Christmas prints with a red ruffle and a green felt backing. There are four trees made from one print each plus four 16-patch corner blocks of different prints. The pieced border is about 4 inches wide made entirely of Christmas prints sewn end-to-end. It measures about 45 inches square.

The label indicates I remade the skirt from the previous one. That one was a huge circular green felt piece with Christmas prints glued/sewn on and had the red ruffle. I salvaged what I needed for the new patchwork skirt.


The new backing made from the old (1995) green felt skirt with some of the fabric and the ruffle.

Now I'm all set for next December--it will be here sooner than I think. Happy New Year everyone!

Thanksgiving 2013

Here's some photos of what's been going on around here in cold Kobe recently.

Karen joined us for Thanksgiving dinner.

Dahlia after the frost. I cut them down the same day.


The front doors of the church entrance. Pine cone wreaths from a few years ago.

Check out this new set of wheels !

Sara and I were passing out Christmas flyers near Sanda today. On our way back to the car, this vehicle parked behind us, a man got out, unzipped the passenger door, and opened the hatch and took out a bag to deliver to a customer in an apartment building. I quickly snapped the photo of the cutest little zipper car you ever did see, or may never have seen. Seems 7-11 convenience stores have at least one of these for delivery purposes. Must be something to drive, but I would not want to be in an accident while in it.


Isn't it c u t e ???

By comparison, here is another small car found in a parking lot a few weeks ago.

I can't tell, but they may be from the same manufacturer. Don't think I want to be that environmentally friendly.

Baptisms

Sunday we baptized two Japanese after the morning service. The first was a 12-year-old boy and the second was a 78-year-old woman. It was a victorious day!

Ryousei-kun

Matsunaga-san


Henry and Ryousei

Emperer Dahlia Blooms

These plants are more like trees--about nine feet tall, reaching the second floor. The blooms are now few and is a bit late this year.

Autumn in Kobe

Beautiful weather lately; crisp mornings, clear skies, colorful trees.


ginko tree

Japanese cherry tree or sakura


This is what a street near us looked like after the city crews came and pruned the trees.


Notice all the beautiful leaves and branches now on the ground and just a wisp of leaves left on the trees. Takes all the color away for this year. I guess the city won't need to prune again for 5 years or so. Lastly, here is a photo of a van parked in a driveway where this pruning was being done. Just saying... :-)

Typhoon 27

Is now history, or at least combining itself with Typhoon 28 in the Pacific north of Hokkaido. Would not want to be in the midst of that wind storm and it's good that it is out in the open sea.

Anyway, here are some photos of the rain-swelled creeks and yard around our building.

The parking lot becomes a lake in heavy rains; one can watch it grow...

My new garden is a bit flooded

Standing water under the back deck

This little guy sought shelter outside our window

The Emperor Dahlia now has buds and will bloom, hopefully in November.

Music notes

Here is a recent musical special between Sara on the piano and Mrs. Wakimasu on the ocarina.

Beautiful skies after the storm

Wednesday, October 9 -- we got the fringe of typhoon 23, which was going up the Japan Sea side of the island. There was a good amount of rain and some wind. Not bad. About 5:00 p.m. I took these photos of the most marvelous cloud formation running from the West to the East--essentially across the main island of Japan where we are. I love clouds--and with the sun shining on them, it was so clear and sharp. God is an excellent sky-painter, yes?

Panorama going West to East in front of our house

This one was taken in Nishinomiya on Monday evening:

Lastly, these little birds visit us frequently during the day. They are atop the electric pole in our back yard that exclusively goes directly to our house.

Another Victory

October 6 -- We had our second butsudan-burning this year. That's the family altar to a deceased loved one that is kept in the home. Mrs. Matsunaga received one from her husband's family at some time in the past. The previous Friday she gave it to Henry after her Bible study in order for it to be burned. It is not a common thing in Japan to burn one's butsudan.

After the morning service Henry prepared the thing for demise. He said a short prayer then lit it (it was doused with kerosene for ease of burning). The entire church membership (about 14 or so) watched it burn. It was such a good thing to happen.