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April 30th. Tortellini FormaggioI made tomato soup with Tortellini Formaggio. Dry Tortellini Formaggio takes 14 minutes to cook. That's long. So, I soaked them in water overnight beforehand. That was supposed to shorten the cooking time. And it did shorten the cooking time, but they tasted bad.
Today is Thursday, and it's Torisen's senior discount day, so I went to Torisen to buy groceries. As part of their efforts to reduce food waste, Torisen discounts food items that are nearing their expiration date. I like to buy those kinds of things. Inari sushi, daifuku, tempura, fried horse mackerel, and more. These can be frozen and stored for about two weeks without any problems. Horse mackerel fillets were half price, so I bought a pack and sautéed them. Lately, the proportion of food waste reduction discount items in the groceries I buy at Torisen has been increasing, and I feel like the effect of the senior discount is fading.
Soba-yu is the water used to boil soba noodles. Some of the nutrients from the soba noodles are dissolved in it, giving it a slight soba aroma and flavor. I like soba-yu and use it as a base for soup.
I made a soup with soba-yu, vegetables, and tofu for my evening meal. I also had sautéed horse mackerel fillets, lettuce and tomato salad, and grilled atsuage.
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April 29th. The FuneralI had sauce yakisoba that I made last night for my breakfast. I also had granola yogurt and cafe au lait.
I received news a few days ago that a classmate from junior high school had passed away. The funeral was held today at 11:00 AM at JA Iwai Memorial Hall 1. I also attended.
Whenever I attend a funeral, I think, "It's my turn next." It used to be a joke, but now it's reality. This feeling has become stronger with each passing year.Throughout his funeral, I imagined my own funeral. I pictured myself lying in the coffin, the condolence telegrams sent, my own portrait photograph for the funeral, and so on. I spent a hour about these things.
After the funeral, I had lunch with eight of my classmates at Restaurant Suehiro.
I had fried rice, grilled atsage, apple, and lettuce salad for my evening meal.
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April 28th. I Applied HerbicideI woke up around 5 AM. I grabbed my telephoto lens and tripod and went out. I waited for the first bus in front of Châteraisé and took some pictures.
For some reason, the scene felt more dramatic when it was raining. One reason is that although the streetlights are on whether it's sunny or rainy, they appear relatively brighter on rainy days. The reflections on the wet road surface were also dramatic. I'll try taking photos on rainy days a few more times in the future.
I had tofu, lettuce and leftover fusilli chicken curry for my breakfast.
Then, I went to Yasaka Park to take pictures.
In the afternoon, I applied herbicide. Today I used 2-4-D. This has been in use for half a century and is inexpensive and safe. It's ineffective against grasses, so the lawn will survive. It has some effect on broadleaf weeds, but its effect is limited. In particular, it may have no effect on wood sorrel (Oxalis). I'll have to pull them out by hand.
I made two servings of sauce yakisoba. I had one for my evening meal and packed the other in my lunchbox. I also had apple, granola yogurt, lettuce salad, and cafe au lait.
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April 27th. It was RainyI woke up early. It was raining. I photographed the first bus to Noda City. I'm looking for photogenic scenes in the city to submit to a photo contest in Bando City.
I had chicken curry fusilli pasta, tomato and lettuce salad, fried squid, and a café au lait for my breakfast.
I made an instant ramen Charumera with lots of vegetables for my evening meal.
A major earthquake struck Hokkaido. Many people in the area were affected. My daily life continued as usual. I switched my US dollar-denominated life insurance policy.
I personally like the atmosphere of the photo of the bus in the rain, but it's a bit dark, so it might not be suitable for the Bando photo contest.
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April 26th. My Own MedicationI had a fried squid and cheese sandwich, tomato and lettuce salad, granola yogurt, and café au lait for my breakfast.
I had chicken curry rice for my evening meal.
I take medication for high blood pressure and high cholesterol every morning. I also give my cat medication every morning. I take my medication as soon as I wake up. I give my cat's a while after she finishes breakfast. I almost never forget to give my cat its medicine. However, I sometimes forget to give my own medication. Well, forgetting either once in a while doesn't cause any problems, though.
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April 25th. Saturday English ClassI made tofu and vegetable soup for my breakfast.
I attended Saturday English class from 10 o'clock. I talked about the KAMU Kanazawa I recent visited.
I made vegetable soup and buttered toast with maple syrup for my lunch.
I had braised pork spare ribs and a fried squid rice bowl, vegetable soup, and a tomato and lettuce salad for my evening meal.
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April 24th. Photo KANO ClubI baked graham bread in my electric automatic bread maker, setting the timer to finish baking at 5:30. I made a fresh graham bread sandwich with a radish leaves and cheese omelet is a leftover from yesterday for my breakfast.
I went to Chikusei City, and attended the monthly meeting of the Photo KANO Club. Member Kamakura showed me many photos from his 14-day trip in his camper van. He traveled from the Hokuriku region, around Suruga Bay, and along the Sea of Japan coast to Shimane Prefecture.
On my way back from there, I looked for a good spot to take a photo of the full moon and Mount Tsukuba overlapping. I couldn't find a suitable location.
I went to Tsukuba and ate Tenseiro at my favorite soba restaurant Kimura. I filled up the gas in my FJ at Costco and bought a few grocery items.
Then I went to the Kokuou Shrine. I checked the direction of the sunlight at 3 PM.
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April 23ｒｄ. Togakushi SobaI woke up early. The first bus to Noda City passes in front of Iwai Post Office at around 6:04 AM. I parked my FJ in the Chateraise parking lot and set up my tripod and telephoto lens. The bus came, but a mobile crane was in the way, so I couldn't get the scene I wanted.
I also obtained timetables for other bus routes. The Noda route is the earliest.
I made ｒadish leaves and cheese omelet for my breakfast. I overcooked it.
I boiled some Togakushi soba (dried noodles). I bought it at the co-op. It was expensive, but delicious. These dried noodles need to be thoroughly rinsed in cold water after boiling. It's a bit of a hassle, but they're incredibly delicious. I had Togakushi soba, tempura, and tomatoes for my evening meal.
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April 22nd. Poêlé Spanish MackerelI cooked Poêlé Sawara（Spanish Mackerel） with Dried Persimmon, Bok choy, and Shimeji mushroom. I tried again. This time, I did a basting(Arroser) carefully. It turned out better than before.
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April 21ｓｔ. CompostI made my favorite instant ramen Charumera with plenty of cabbage and cilantro for my breakfast. My wife is always surprised when I make ramen for breakfast. It seems ramen is not on her breakfast menu.
I added compost I made in my compost bin to the base of the rose bushes. I left out the Angela rose because it grows too much. I make the compost in an electric composter. All of our kitchen waste is turned into compost this way.
I went to Torisen to buy milk. I also bought Spanish mackerel because it was half price due to a food waste reduction discount.
I cooked Poêlé Sawara（Spanish Mackerel） with Dried Persimmon, Bok choy, and Shimeji mushroom for my evening meal. I should have placed it with the skin side up, but it fell apart and looked messy, so I flipped it over.I also made a baked potato and lettuce tomato salad. I also had wine.
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April 20th. Angela RoseI had a lettuce salad, grilled atsage, granola yogurt, and a café au lait for my breakfast.
I took care of the potted plants in the entryway. I pruned them, added fertilizer, and tidied them up.
I made a pork spare rib stew rice bowl for my lunch.
In the afternoon, I pruned the Angela rose bushes that were clinging to the fence.
Angela is a hardy and disease-resistant rose. However, it quickly becomes an unsightly bush if pruning is neglected, so it needs to be pruned several times a year more frequently than other roses. It is susceptible to aphids, so insecticide is necessary. Fertilizer is not needed.
I made tofu, sausage, chikuwa, dumplings, and vegetable soup for my evening meal.
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April 19th. The Lettuce Has SproutedI made dumplings and vegetable soup for my breakfast. I also had the leftover Toge no Kamameshi from yesterday, which was half left over.
I sowed lettuce seeds in a pot two months ago. The lettuce has sprouted, but it's so tiny I could probably eat it all in one bite. My younger brother brought me a free head of lettuce.
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April 18th. COMPAL's Open MicMy wife made our breakfast more carefree for me as usual. I did not nothing. No, I did wash the dishes. Mount Eboshi in this morning was a beautiful. It was a good day.
I called Fuji ice to make a reservation to 3 pack of 5 Jimanyaki in 1 pm at 10 am. Jimanyaki is made by wrapping anko in a pancake-like dough and baking it in a mold. Its cost is 100 yen each. I think the price is a part of taste. It tastes great when it's freshly made.
I went to Fuji Ice Cream at 1 PM, but there was a line. You should definitely make a reservation by phone before buying.
My wife made mackerel minced rice for our lunch, which is rice mixed with ingredients such as mackerel, eggs, and shiitake mushrooms and more.
I returned to Iwai with my cat using Nagano Highway, Tohoku Highway, and Kenoudo Highway after lunch. I bought an Oginoya toge no kamameshi on a way. I took 3 hours.I gave a pack of Jiman-yaki to my brother, and he gave me a head of lettuce.
I had a toge no kamameshi, vinegared cucumber, and lettuce salad for my evening meal.
I walked to COMPAL at 8:30 pm. There was an open mic tonight. The event alreday sterted, hawever Tokunou did't came eyet. He came littel rait. So he was last in line. He performed singing and guitar playing as usial. Tonight, he had not his shamisen. It was wonderful enagh. The other five performers(also included two ladies) were wonderful too. We also enjoyed chat intercept between performances. I stayed until just before closing there.
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April 17th. The Uniquely Shaped ChimneyMy wife made Vegetable dishes, egg dishes, some fruit, granola yogurt for our breakfast. She cooks in moderation, taking into account protein, carbohydrates, fats, and other nutrients. She also seems to care about presentation. Well, that's quite different from me. Thanks to her, so meals are more enjoyable.
She went to a gymnastics class at the community center. I took a walk from Yanagimachi to the castle park and took some pictures.
We met up at our favorite soba restaurant Katanaya, and had soba for our lunch. Today, we each ordered medium soba for me and small for her, and a plate of tempura assortment (they call it Tenchirasi on their menu). I forget to take a soba photo.
After lunch, we strolled around Ueda Castle Ruins Park and the Yanagimachi area. I've always been curious about the uniquely shaped chimney of Takeda Miso Brewery. I haven't been able to get a shot I like. Today, I wanted to compare the photos I took in the morning and afternoon. So, I went back to the miso brewery.
My son was out tonight because he was working the night shift. My wife made bamboo shoot and rapeseed flower peperoncino spaghetti for our evening meal.
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April 16th. 21st Century Museum of Contemporary ArtWe got up early at 4 a.m. We went for a walk around 5 a.m., before dawn. We went to the nice bakery where my wife had bought some bread yesterday. They were already working. The morning scene at the bakery was lovely. The antique shop we peeked into through the window was also lovely. Groini is a lovely antique shop, and an antique manual fire pump is displayed in front of the store. Yesterday, my wife chatted with the owner for quite some time. He told her about the sights to see in Kanazawa. Looking at the display in his shop window, you can get a sense of his aesthetic sense. We took a walk around the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art. Morning walks are refreshing, and they make me hungry. We returned to the hotel just as the breakfast buffet was about to begin.
For us, the important factor in choosing a hotel is breakfast. We both like buffet style. Ideally, we'd like it to start around 6 pm. Here it was 7 pm.
The number of dishes was neither too few nor too many. It included local cuisine. I felt quality over quantity, for sure. Though both would be even better! I'd rather have a few perfect dishes than too many I can't finish. Incidentally, in a buffet style, I aim to try every single dish. This time, I tried everything except the miso soup. We always take our time eating breakfast at the hotel buffet, usually around 60 minutes.This place passed with flying color. Everything was delicious and no corners were cut. It's now one of my favorites, I’ll be back.
After breakfast, we checked out and left our luggages. We took a walk in the castle park before going to the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art. The swimming pool is a popular exhibit. Reservations were required to enter the basement level of the swimming pool, and our stay was limited to about 5 minutes. However, the weather was nice, and it was a great experience to immerse myself in the artwork. I couldn't take pictures at my leisure because I was worried about the 5-minute time limit.
This museum has both paid and free areas. The outdoor area is free, but there were also works of art in the indoor free area APERTO 21. Now, there is NOMURA Yuka “Golden River” We took a commemorative photo there as well.
After that, we took a walk in Kenrokuen Garden.
After having a late lunch at a restaurant inside the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, we took the Shinkansen back to Ueda.
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April 15th. KAMU KanazawaI gave Miya-O who was in my FJ parked in the Bouyama parking lot at Ueda, her medicine. I won't be able to give her her medication tomorrow morning, so I'm going to skip it tomorrow. I put more than two days' worth of food and water in four bowls. I left her there.
My wife and I took the Shinkansen from Ueda at 11:00 AM to Kanazawa. We arrived at the Mitsui Garden Hotel Kanazawa at 2:00 PM and left our luggage there. It was rain. Our main purpose was to visit two art museums. We are going to visit the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art tomorow, and today we went to KAMU Kanazawa.
KAMU Kanazawa is a unique private contemporary art museum. They has a small building with three floors call KAMU center. And they has multiple exhibition spaces scattered throughout the city. For example, on the rooftops and staircases of department stores, in a certain bar, and on utility poles.
We visited to KAMU centar farst, and bought a ticket and get the map. A one-day ticket costs 2000 yen per person. The map shows the locations of the artworks. At the KAMU Center, there were three artworkswas with one artwork on each floor. However I felt that the entire building was a single installation. We walked in the rain with umbrellas, looking at a map to find the next artwork.The anather spaces are close together, allowing you to move between them in about 5-7 minutes on foot. You can enjoy 7-8 contemporary arts while walking around Kanazawa. Most of these are art installations. We couldn't go to the bar, and didn't notice the utility poles.
My best unique of them was a flag. There are three flagpoles in front of a company. That's a normal sight. However, one of them had the flag that was a contemporary art work attached to it. When that happened, my brain started to see the company sight as if it was an art work. I couldn't help but laugh at myself.
Because we walked around in the rain, we discovered things other than the artwork. A lovely antique shop at Kanazawa, Seseragi Street. The shopfront with an antique hand fire pump. A bakery with a unique atmosphere called Hirami Pan. They are operating in a store converted from an ironworks. The hair salon has a beautiful, well-maintained wooden exterior, and the potted plants look especially lovely on a rainy day. The samurai's residence had a well-maintained small garden, which looked lovely in the rain.
You can enjoy contemporary art and exploring the city at the same time. I recommend you KAMU Kanazawa if you like contemporary art.
You can enjoy contemporary art and exploring the city at the same time. I recommend you KAMU Kanazawa if you like contemporary art.
I'd heard rumors that the conveyor belt sushi in Kanazawa was good, so I invited my wife to try the most popular restaurant in the Omi Market. But the entire Omi Market was closed for the day. So we went to another restaurant (around the third most popular. whose I'd seen the manager on YouTube.) that was open. We had dinner there. It cost about 7500 yen for two people. The Arajiru(fish miso soup) was good. The sushi toppings were okay. But the shari (the rice part of the sushi) was unacceptable. A sushi restaurant should put its heart and soul into the shari. I guess it's just conveyor belt sushi after all.
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April 14th. My wife and I climbed Mount Tarou..The weather was nice today. Mount Tarou was clearly visible. My wife and I climbed Mount Tarou. We ascended via the Shiju Hachi-Magari(48-bend) course and descended via the Urasando(back approach). There is a shrine called Taroyama Shrine near the summit. We paid my respects there.
I was exhausted after my first mountain climb in six months. My wife seemed fine, though. I was pretty sure I was going to get sore muscles from this.
After descending the mountain, we took a break at Starbucks, drinking a cafe mocha. I just zoned out for about ３０ minutes.
It looks like it's going to rain tomorrow. So, we decided to go to Kanazawa. At first, we were planning to take the FJ Cruiser with my cat and take the highway, but it would take more than ２hours longer than the Shinkansen. That's ４hours the round trip time. And the designated parking lot at the Kanazawa hotel doesn't seem suitable for leaving the cat in the car. So, we decided to leave the cat and FJ at our usual parking lot in Ueda and take the Shinkansen to Kanazawa.
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April 13th. We Went to UedaMy wife made granola yogurt, grilled peas and broccoli, apples, stir-fried bamboo shoots, fried eggs, and a tomato salad for our breakfast. I made buttered toast.
My wife and I went to Ueda with my cat in my FJ Cruiser. We arrived in Ueda around 1 PM. We bought sandwiches and other items at Bakery Cocorade Ueda store and ate them inside. They offer free coffee. The eat-in area and the bakery in this shop are separated by glass. Therefore, you can watch the bakers working. It's probably impossible to see them baking bread before opening hours, but you might be able to see them making pastries or custom orders. On this day, a female baker was packaging pastries.
After that, I visited Atago Shrine. The photos I took there last time weren't very good. That was because I was using the wrong lens and the weather was bad. So I went back to take pictures again.
Next, my wife and I visited Kiriharano Toyoaki Shrine, which was about 800 meters away. It was my wife's several visit, but my first time.
Several small shrines that were located in the vicinity have been gathered together and enshrined within the grounds.
My wife made spring rolls for our evening meal.
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April 12th. Catching Your Eye, Sparking Your InterestMy wife made several dishes for our breakfast.
My wife and I delivered to Moriya to deliver some of the fresh bamboo shoots we picked yesterday - still in their husks- to her best friend's house. After that, my wife went to her favorite hair salon.
She hadn't come back by lunchtime, so I made and ate a pork spare rib rice bowl by myself.
I attended the monthly meeting of the Bando Photo Club from 1 PM to 4 PM. The members each showed several photos they had taken over the past month and discussed them. Three members were absent today, so each person showed more photos than usual. I showed about 24photos.
It seems to me that many members limit their photographic subjects to standerd themes like landscapes, flowers, birds, animals,or pets. I believe that anything that catches your eye or sparks your interest in daily life should be both a subject and a creative catalyst.
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April 11th. In Thick FogI woke up around 5 a.m. to find the outside shrouded in thick fog. I grabbed my camera and went outside, hoping to take some unusual photos. However, the fog was too thick to get any decent shots.
When I got home at 7 AM, my wife had already made breakfast and was waiting for me.
I attended my Saturday English class at 10 AM.
Today was the anniversary of my mother-in-law's death. My wife and I went to visit her grave.
Afterwards, we went digging for bamboo shoots together in the bamboo grove at my wife's family home. We got a lot.
When we returned home, my wife made several dishes using the fresh bamboo shoots. Bamboo shoot rice, stir-fried bamboo shoots, simmered bamboo shoots. We enjoyed those wonderful dishes for dinner.
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April 10th. Ramen Soba UdonI made a soup with chicken meatballs, chives, carrots, onions, daikon, and atsuage for my breakfast.
I parked my FJ in the parking lot next to Shimizu Park Station and took two trains to Akihabara.
I went to the Ganso Kyushu Jangara Ramen Honten ramen restaurant in Akihabara for the first time in a while for my lunch. It was around 11:30 AM, and it was the first time I'd seen a storefront without a line.
Back in the 1980s, when I was obsessed with personal computers, Akihabara only had electronics parts stores and consumer electronics retailers. I would even sacrifice my lunch break to search for computer parts. There were hardly any places to eat lunch. I've been going to Jangara since the 1990s.
However, now Akihabara has transformed into a center of subculture. The streets are overflowing with foreign tourists, and restaurants targeting them line the streets everywhere. It was a little disappointing to see no line at Jangara, which I thought would be popular with foreigners.
Next, I went to Nissin Camera, a store that deals in used cameras. They have a reliable selection of used items, from film to digital. I used to get reliable used equipment here, but now I get it from Kitamura Camera online. I still come here to try and find a bargain. The Universal Mercury, which I had been interested in for some time, was on display. This was a half-frame film camera with a distinctive rotating shutter, manufactured in the 1940s by the American company Universal Camera. It was in perfect working order, but the price was 33,000 yen. I just took a picture and went back.
Next, I went to Lemon Company's Akihabara store. This store is a used photography equipment shop that stocks many older, almost fossilized, photographic lenses, even older than those from Nissin Camera.
Next, I went to Tokyo Station and took some pictures. It was raining a little. I used an umbrella to take photos. I thought I could capture an unfamiliar view of Tokyo Station.
My wife called to say she had arrived at Omiya Station. So I went back to Shimizu Park Station. She arrived there about 10 minutes before I did.
We trided to go to our favarit Tsukuba soba restaurant, Kimura, but it was closed. Instead, we went to our favorite handmade udon restaurant, "Yamabiko Benten" in Tsukuba City. This restaurant serves exquisite Kyoto-style udon noodles. I usually prefer soba to udon, but whenever I crave udon, I always come here. Today, however, we came here not because I was craving udon, but simply as a delicious alternative since the soba shop was closed.
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April 9th. I Cleaned UpI woke up early. I made two servings of sauce yakisoba noodles with lots of vegetables. I ate one for breakfast and packed the other for my lunchbox. At the same time, I made a ham and cheese hot sandwich. I also had a fried egg, granola yogurt, and a café au lait for my breakfast.
In the morning, I cleaned up after mowing the lawn. If you leave the cut grass as it is, it blocks the sunlight and prevents new grass from growing, so you have to remove it.
In the afternoon, I cleaned my house starting from the south side. The bathroom, toilet, kitchen, stairs, and entrance hall are also included. My wife is coming home tomorrow, and she complains that our place in Iwai is messy if she has to clean it herself upon arrive. To avoid that, it has become customary for me to deep-clean the whole house the day before she arrives.
I had hot sandwich, lettuce tomato salad, and cafe au lait for my evening meal.
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April 8th. For Cats with Iimpaired Kidney FunctionI made potato and vegetable dumpling soup for my breakfast. I also had granola yogurt, an apple, inari sushi, and café au lait.
I mowed the lawn again today. I was still not used to operating the brushcutter, so I was Quite tired.
For cats with impaired kidney function, adequate hydration is crucial. Cats with kidney disease tend to "drink a lot of water and produce a lot of dilute urine," making them prone to dehydration. The recommended daily water intake for a 4kg cat is apparently about 240ml. Miya-O is definitely not getting enough. I looked up using Google AI, and it seems that soaking dry food in water before feeding it to your pet is a good idea. I tried it right away. Apparently, wet cat food is 80% water. So, I tried measuring out and feeding her 10g of dry food to 40g of water. She ate it all. From now on , I plan to mix her dry food with water in this 1:4 ratio.
I am going to mixed dry cat food with water in a 1:4 ratio and gave it to my cat.
I went to Kokuou Shrine. This is a shrine associated with Tairano Masakado. This was part of a location hunting for the Bando City Photo Contest. I'm looking for the perfect scene. During the day, the main hall is open and lighting until around 5 PM. I took a picture from the torii gate with a telephoto lens.
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April 7th. Midori no ROKKORI made granola yogurt, clam rice, chicken meatball soup with cilantro topping, and café au lait for my breakfast.
Since the 1970s, photographic lenses have had an ultrathin film coated on the glass surface to improve light transmission. This film reflects light of specific wavelengths, causing characteristic colors to appear depending on the viewing angle. Some Minolta lenses have nicknames derived from this, such as "Midori no ROKKOR (Green ROKKOR)". I checked through my own Minolta collection to see if I owned any lenses like that, and I found one with a beautiful green reflection and another with an orange one.
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April 6th. I Mowed the GrassMy neighbor gave me three bunches of cilantro, so I've been putting it in everything I eat lately! I even froze some of it.
I made a curry soup rice bowl topped with cilantro.
In the morning, I mowed the grass on the slopes around my house. This was the first time this year. I removed the dead grass from last year to encourage new growth.
I made a cilantro soup with mochi for my lunch.
In the afternoon, I weeded my flowerbed at the foot of the fence.
I made cilantro, tofu, tuna, mayonnaise, and tomato salad for my evening meal. I also had beer and granola yogurt.
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April 5th. Canon FD 35mm f3.5 S.C. No.127273 I had Kakiage (tempura of small shrimp and vegetables), a fried egg, a tomato, clam rice, and cilantro soup for my breakfast.
I won Canon FD 35mm f3.5 S.C. No.127273 on Yahoo! Auctions on January 28, 2024 for 1,372 yen (item price 572 yen, shipping 800 yen). The front and rear lens caps were included. There were scratches and dents on the filter frame. The aperture ring and focus ring function normally. There are no noticeable scratches on the lens surface.It is highly likely that this unit was manufactured between 1973 and 1975. Lenses produced in the 1970s offer decent performance and are easy to use.Probably because I usually shoot with lenses that are even older than this one.
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April 4th. Braised Pork Spare Ribs I cooked sweet corn rice and mixed it with the clam rice ingredients I made yesterday.
I made braised pork spare ribs at the same time. I boiled the spare ribs in a pressure cooker for 25 minutes under pressure, then removed the bones and cartilage. I then braised them with carrots, lotus root, onions, and shiitake mushrooms with a Gyudon-style seasoning.
I had clam rice for my breakfast. I also made and had fried eggs, cilantro soup, burdock and tomato salad, and café au lait.
I made a rice bowl topped with braised pork spare ribs, tomato, peeman, and egg for my evening meal.
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April 3rd. A full moonI had sweet corn rice, soup with dumplings and vegetables, granola yogurt, and katsuo- no-tataki(seared bonito) for my breakfast. This was a frozen product I bought from the co-op. I forgot that I defrosted it yesterday.
Today the sky was a clear blue. I went to Yasaka Park to take pictures.
I've run out of vegetables. I hadn't even received any free ones. So, I went to Torisen. It wasn't a senior discount day today. So, I only bought discounted items that were nearing their expiration date, including pork spare ribs, steamed clams, shiitake and maitake mushrooms.
I made the toppings for clam rice using discounted steamed clams, shiitake mushrooms, and maitake mushrooms.
In the evening, I took Miya-O to the pet clinic for a routine check up. Her doctor performed a blood test. Her kidney function indicators appear to be gradually declining, albeit very slowly.
It was almost a full moon again today. However, the moonrise time was about 50 minutes later than yesterday. I knew the moon would look too bright if the sky got completely dark. but I think I captured the moon at just the right brightness, with the paper mill beautifully illuminated against the darkness.
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April 2nd. An Imitation Cuban Sandwich I had a busy breakfast today. I made a soup with chicken meatballs, cabbage, sweet corn, and daikon radish, and enjoyed it alongside granola yogurt, and café au lait.
I also made an imitation Cuban sandwich. I toasted two slices of bread on both sides in a pan with plenty of butter. I layered cheese and ham on each slice and baked them in a toaster oven until the cheese was melted. Then I put the two together to make a sandwich. It was delicious, but super high in calories, so I eat it very rarely.
The weather was beautiful today. First, I went to photograph the Nyoirin Kannon at Saikouin Temple. I wanted to photograph this stone statue with the blue sky and cherry blossoms in the background. I managed to get a shot that was almost exactly as I imagined.
Next, I set up my camera by a cherry tree near the Tone River and waited. I was waiting for someone walking their dog. I waited for over 60 minutes. In my experience, the moment I give up and pack up my gear, someone always shows up. So, it became a habit to wait 15 minutes after I thought I was going to go home. Then, a woman came along with her dog. I asked her if she would walk her dog along the side of that cherry tree. She said no, because it wasn't her usual dog-walking route. Disappointed, I finally walked along myself and took pictures.
It was a full moon tonight. At moonrise, there were clouds near the horizon, so I couldn't see it. About an hour later, the moon appeared above the clouds. I took a picture of the cherry blossoms in full bloom together with the full moon.
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April 1st. Cherry Blossoms I went to Yasaka Park to photograph the cherry blossoms. It was cloudy. There wasn't enough light and no blue sky. However, in this kind of weather, their soft pink stands out even more than it would against a blue sky. A strong wind blew, and the cherry blossom petals were fluttering around.
The next sunny day is forecast for the 4th. The cherry blossoms are almost in full bloom, but it seems they are starting to fall before reaching their peak.
I made cabbage and sausage soup for my
lunch.
In the afternoon, I went to take pictures of cherry blossoms near the Tone River.
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