February/March update

My, where has the time gone?  Weather-wise, it's been colder than usual, but Spring is coming.  Here's a couple of typical pictures last week.

Snow falling at 10:17 a.m. 3/21/14 

Sunshine at 10:18:18 a.m. 3/21/14   go figure---

Our Field Conference was the week of March 10 bringing the missionaries in Japan, both military and national, together that week. It coincided with the Japanese Bible Conference.   We renewed acquaintances and made some new friends.

Jeff Welch from Kansas preaching as Ron White interprets.

These two little ones were doing a duet on the piano. Looked like they knew what they were doing.

Here's Tim waiting with plate in hand for the signal to get some food. 

Karen and Timmy came with their parents to our church on 10/16 for a special meeting.  We normally don't have children for Sunday school, so we got out the toy box for them to play in.  You should have heard Karen's squeals of delight--it was so funny--they could be heard in the church room!

L to R - Mr. Wakimasu, Mr. Curley and Mr. Harris joined us.

Storm number Two in 2/2014

The snowman made on Jan 8 as it was on January 13th. 

The gray bird eating from the holly bush. 

 

About 30 sparrows perched on the wires.

Another 5 inches fell on February14th.  Two storms in a week is extremely rare around here.  News Flash--for Feb 19 and 20 there is prediction of more snow...what is the world coming to?

February quilts

This was in another post already.  Basic blue and white with red accent.  About 45 inches square.

The backing for the above quilt is just a bunch of leftovers from previous projects.

This is also about 45 inches square.  It's a strip-pieced fence rail of various prints. The back is plain tan.

 

 

The last one is also strip-pieced and has 9 blocks of about 12 inches square.  This pattern makes beautiful diamonds if it were a twin or queen size. If you have the same color in the longest diagonal, it really stands out.

The label.  The backing is polyester kimono fabric off a roll.

Cold still here in Kobe

The snow, which now it more ice than snow, is still on the ground this Wednesday, Feb. 12 (Happy Birthday Mr. Lincoln).  The bird feeder is a big hit, but they seem to splash more seed on the snow beneath than in their little bellies.

The crows are walking around trying to find something, so we toss out some old bread for their enjoyment. 

Then there have been other birds in the backyard, but they don't seem to come to the feeder; perhaps they are a bit big for it.

I've figured out this bird to be a Brown-eared Bulbul.  There's a small brown patch behind the ears on this basically grey medium-sized bird.

These are now ice buckets, about three layers thick. 

The cute sparrows come around several times daily for our entertainment. 

Blizzard!! of sorts...

We woke up to snow coming down here in North Kobe, Sat. February 8.  Winters here in this part of Japan are generally mild with more rain than snow.  When it does snow, we get a dusting that is usually gone by noon.

Today, however, was just the second or third time in 23 years here that we have over 5 inches of snow, and as of 11:00 a.m. it is still coming down.

 The birds have not visited the feeder as regularly as yesterday when there was no snow.

 It's a good thing we have stocked up on kerosene for the heaters and have food in the fridge.  I imagine most of the area is shut-down because of this rare example of too much carbon emissions.  As we all know from third-grade science, without carbon dioxide, life would not exist.

The forecast is for snow most of the day, so we shall see what happens on Sunday morning.  Last time it snowed  like this in January, some people could not make it to church.

About 3:00 pm we went out and shoveled the driveway.  About 5 inches were measured. In the process, it was snowman time so Henry and I made the big one complete with arms, hat and scarf, and I did the seven little ones.   (you can see the rock eyes and the bush arms)  We need another adult in there. 

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.