On to Hokkaido~ right away!

We flew to Sapporo, checked into our AirBnb and were soon on our way to see 

Levanga's opening game.

In the subways, season 2017-2018 advertising. When I showed the poster we brought home of this to Kieahla, it only took a few seconds for her to find Zen.

  < this is how big

then, on the trains:

 
On our way into the arena...

up on the screen, as the players are introduced:

to the applause of the sold out stadium!

Homegame won!

To Japan, Fall 2017

We got to Japan, the beginning of October, to find Halle kind of  remembering us. She especially takes to Taka! October. Not so cold as we had anticipated.

Reindeer ears from the winter past.  She doesn't mind wearing them around home.

The one day I got to babysit while mommy napped, Halle and I did lots of things. One of them was to hang laundry to dry.

I also got to entertain in "Ischin's room" where Taka and I sleep. English books didn't entertain her. She just wanted to explore everywhere she's not been able to get in to! All the drawers and climbing up shelves to peer out the 3rd story window while I held her. She very well could have pushed aside the screen and, leaned over to the outside, seemed like! So I never stopped holding her!

 
With Taka back, Halle and he kept busy, and one thing I asked him to help do was take out batteries from a puzzle of musical instrumetns, which Naomi didn't like either. Everytime we walked near it, it went off! Playing the Old McDonal song... for 10-15 seconds. Taka and Halle got out the batteries of that one noisy puzzle. Halle worked hard at the screwing part!

We left soon from Ischin's to fly to an airbnb in Hokkaido. For Levanga games. And Zen of course. 

 

Towards end of summer 2017

Can you see 

the hummingbird?

We set up that metal frame out there, for the snow peas, but the hummingbirds really have loved sitting on it.

The organic herbal farmers out in the fields, only some hours a week. I found out they rent for very little, about $50/acre, but the water...costs four times residential fees. : (    Our water is tied in with theirs, so we - too- have to pay those quadruple fees as well.

A BEE! It drowned in our grey water bucket. Sadly I pulled it out, and with my glasses on I pushed on it's tiny body, wishing I could resuscitate the dear creature. I left him there on our bbq grill tray. Overnight, but lo and behold, next morning the bee WAS MOVING!!!  I placed the green bean by him. He grabbed on. I touched him, and with his tiny legs he tried to push away my finger! I took him over to a potted plant, and put some flower blossoms around him. Even a tiny bit of fresh water.

An interview with Zen. If we didn't have the 'net, how little would we see of the boys! This is a treasure.