Rusty Shed

Sometimes rust can be a work of art.

It actually kind of reminds me of an oil painting. You know, all those layers? I think this shed used to be a pretty Tiffany blue. But I like it just the way it is.

Kebab Stand

We have a Kebab stand parked along Tokorozawa's shopping arcade, Prope Dori.

Kebab, or kebap, is really popular here recently. But I heard that in Turkey they mostly use lamb, but here in Japan we use beef or chicken. So I guess it tastes a little different from the original kebab.

But whatever they're using, it smells amazing! And the turkish guy who sells it is very friendly, winking at everyone. Even the old ladies giggle.

Where Is Our Blogger?

To be honest, I'm not very political.

But you can't help but have an opinion when you see so many people being hurt when they should be happy, or at the very least, safe. Everyone has been seeing bits and pieces of what's been happening in Iran, and one of our CDP bloggers, who is located there, seems to be missing. And so this post is dedicated to him and everyone else who is raising awareness of what is going on in Iran. They deserve freedom. The freedom of speech, the freedom of choice, the freedom to dream...freedom period.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Iron Gate

An iron gate.

I like most iron gates, wrought or cast. The black ones are my favorite. It looks sturdy but at the same time the design makes it seem delicate.

I say the more elaborate the design, the better.

Watch Cat

Tokorozawa isn't a rough neighborhood at all. But this cat seemed to be looking out for the car. Or maybe the cat was just waiting for someone.

It was definately watching out for someone or something. Sweet cat.

Roof Accessory

I'm always amazed at how plants can grow just about anywhere.

Well, I found pretty pink flowers growing in the mouth of a roof drain pipe. How did that happen?

I Heart Blueberries

One thing I miss about living back in the states is the U-picks. We used to go pick apple, peach, cherries, strawberries, and my all time favorite, blueberries!

But I've found the U-pick system here in Japan is expensive and most have a time limit to how long we can pick. That's no fun. So when I started a veranda garden last year, I really wanted a blueberry plant, but the season was over before I knew it.

So I'd been sniffing around for a blueberry plant this year and I finally found my blueberry plant! Can't wait to eat fresh blueberries!

Tokorozawa Engei Center

Found myself heading out to the gardening shops around Tokorozawa over the weekend. I think I like the Tokorozawa Engei Center the best. 'Engei' means gardening or horticulture in Japanese. They have everything from tomato plants to plumeria flowers to bonsai trees.

This time I was looking for flowers. Do I want lavender or marigolds?

Hitching a Ride

I found a tiny albino spider hitching a ride on my bike.

I'm hoping it just moved to the tire before I took the picture. If not, the spider's eyes must be spinning from hanging on the tire while I was riding on it.

Walking With Daddy

A little girl walking hand in hand with her dad. They were probably headed for the kindergarten just around the corner.

A lot more dad's in Japan are interacting with their kids these days, but I'm still surprised when I see a business man riding a bike with a child in the baby seat or even just taking the train with their children. But I think it's great. I loved spending time with my dad growing up and I miss him like crazy now that I'm grown up and living far away. I hope everyone has at least one fond memory with their dad's.

Happy Father's Day!

Mos Burger

Mos Burger is a popular fast food joint here in Japan. It's a bit more expensive than McDonald's or KFC, but has an image of a healthier menu.

They also let you know where all the vegetables are produced. Like the day I went, the tomatoes were from the Fujita farm located in Toyohashi City, Aichi prefecture.

And if you look at the napkin stand below, they're promoting the new Tomato & Lettuce hamburger with a 'Kokusan' mark, which means that the meat is Japanese beef. We seem to be very picky about our meat. Once again, I have no idea why, seeing as I'm a vegetarian.

I'm just a very big fan of Mos Burger's french fries, yum!

It's Raining, It's Pouring

The rain was really coming down hard the other day.

It suddenly started pouring. Lasted about 15 mins. We've been having a lot of these squalls in the last couple of years. It's like the weather has gone tropical on us.

But the rain...it's pretty magnificent.

I like it, just as long as I'm indoors, of course.

Wet & Drippy

It's been raining like crazy these past few days. I think I actually like all this rain. It rains really hard, with thunder and lightening, but only last about an hour. Weird.

This car was still dripping from the shower this evening.

Hole in the Wall

I found a hole in the wall...literally.



And this is what I found when I looked through it.



You'd never know at a glance that a pretty white flower is growing behind this wall.

Hoppy Glow

The red glow of the lanterns.

They're advertising 'Hoppy,' a type of beer flavored drink. Mixed with shochu, it was a replacement drink when beer was too expensive, but even now it is still a popular drink in the Tokyo area.

Lights of the Night

A lamp in front of an apartment, lit up for residents who pass by.

The Guards

I found a pair of fierce looking lions guarding the gate of this house. They glare at anyone and everyone who dares to pass through.




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Today I'm also going to post about a lovely award I got from Nobu of Funabashi Daily Photo. Actually he has a lot of blogs, but all of them are so very interesting, you'll have to go see!

Anyways, these are the rules to follow:
- Put the Award in the blog
- Link back to the blog you gave you it
- Pass the Award on to other blogs
- Inform owners about Award
- Make rules visible


And so, the Awards goes to...!

Tavi
Saijo Daily Photo
Montréal c'est toi ma ville
Salem, Oregon Daily Photo Diary
My Manila

I wasn't too sure how many people I could pass it on to, but following Nobu, I picked five great must see blogs! They're all wonderful and have amazing photos, so have a look! I'm always looking forward to seeing new posts :)

The Ivy, Bush, and Flower

Same wall, different view.

A Bit of Yellow

I found this bright yellow flower sticking its head out over the wall of someone's yard. What is it about yellow that makes you a bit more cheerful when you spot it?

Hey Bud

Well, it's not really a bud. It's a fully grown flower. But I found it sitting on top of a gate as if it belonged there.

What are the odds of a flower falling off the tree and landing there? Plus facing up and still looking fresh?

This buddy sure is pretty amazing.

Sleep-a-thon

The sound of rain put me to sleep on Saturday night and I didn't wake up until Monday morning. Wow.

Raining Againg

The start of the rainy season is just around the corner. I can feel it. My hair feels it. My boss's knees apparently feel it.

We call the rainy season 'tsuyu'(梅雨) here. It's a word that brings to mind umbrellas, frizzy hair, and snails on hydrangea leaves.

This year the rainy season in the Kanto area is predicted to be from June 8 to July 20.

Homeward Bound

The trains coming in from Shinjuku and Ikebukuro.

Today's friday. I've been waiting for you this whole week. From the minute I woke up on monday. And finally...you're here, woohoo!!!

Happy weekend everyone :)

Good Reads

I'm a bookworm...so when it comes to books it doesn't matter if it's brand new or ripped in half, just as long as I can read it.

But thankfully, the Used Book Fair we sometimes have in Tokorozawa has a nice selection of books that are still in good shape. They have everything from Japanese paperbacks, called Tankobon, to children picture books. They're open from 11am to 8pm until June 8th.



I picked up the blueish/white book on the bottom...one of my all time favorites 'Gone With the Wind' because I've never read it in Japanese. It could take a while but I'm determined to finish reading the Tankobon.

Mirror Mirror in the Bush

Who is the most cautious of them all?

One of those mirrors you look into before driving out onto the street. It's located right on the corner of a parking lot. It looks like it's just hanging there but I'm sure there's a pole standing somewhere in there.

Cozy Corner

Cozy Corner is a popular pastry shop in Japan. They first opened a store in Ginza back in 1948, but now you can pretty much find their stores everywhere. This is the store at the Shin Tokorozawa station.

Cozy Corner is famous for their giant cream puffs. It's so good! You can see their other yummy products here.

The store is right across from the station ticket booth...such a temptation! Anyone who passes by this place without at least pausing briefly to glance at the pastry is definitely a stronger person than I am. And whoever thought to put the store at this location is a genius!