Something I made recently

 Once my own life had settled down, I finished the sweater I had been knitting before taking Mary in.

In the photo of magazine, it looked a lovely cardigan, Lured by those words, "Inspiration comes from Paris." But I got the length wrong and adjusted the collar three times, then there wasn't enough yarn left, so the design has changed quite a bit.  I feel frustrated when my knitting don't go well..

 I baked my birthday cake. I can't make anything elaborate, but cream and strawberries are a truly delicious combination. You agree too. 

　We grew and harvested rye. This was just for practice. 

Our mentor is an elderly farmer who lives nearby.

 At first glance, the rye crop seemed to have succeeded. However, the harvest season in Japan coincides with the rainy season. Exposed to prolonged rain, the rye began to sprout; with no dry days to follow, it succumbed to mold and was ruined. 

　Mary’s fleece had become matted and felted with seeds and thorns, leaving only about 600 grams, ( Usually 3 kilograms ?) I have started spinning a little of it. The resulting yarn will likely be of poor quality, but it came from a time when Mary was suffering, I couldn't bring myself to throw it away.

Dear friends, how have your days been ? Are you okay with the heatwave !?  

I'm knitting a sweater at a leisurely pace—mostly on rainy days.

Hello,

I haven't updated my blog in a while, how have you been ? 　Autumn is short here, and winter came quickly. 

Knitting is always blissful.

I had to chase away the butterflies from my broccoli in the kitchen garden every day, but thanks to that, it grew deliciously.

During the autumn, the chrysanthemums bloomed beautifully in the garden, so I took some to the family graves. 

Sewed a dress at the end of summer.

Making "bonsai is fun. ( Bonsai is growing miniature trees ) This one has beautiful autumn leaves.

May this new year bring you many happy moments.

Winter days

Hello, How is your days ? It doesn't snow much here always. During the winter, lots of wild birds come to the garden and the trees are asleep.

This is the kitchen window, can you see the birdhouse I put up in the tree? It's perfect, I'm a security guard for them.　

Moss is beautiful in winter. It's so green.

Sometimes I baked more elaborate treats, topped with kiwi jam from my garden.

Few days ago, my cat and I were relaxing in the backyard and it was evening.　we were very surprised because all of a sudden a bird fell on my head from above.　I have no idea how it happened, but it was a pigeon and was surprised too.

That's a countryside mystery, isn't it ?

 

In my hand

 Hello, How are you doing ? Is your place getting cooler ? Autumn here was two months late. I sweep up the leaves that the garden trees drop every day.. boo-hoo ! 

 I was sorting in the PC and found some photos I took this spring. I wanted to show you and probably forgot those thing.

My goats sheds a lot of hair, and Wild birds take them to their nests. I like this natural system for baby birds keep warm.

Small bouquet of garden Hydrangeas

too much carrot.. 

I ate "Rock cake" for the first time, Delicious :)

　お元気ですか？やっと秋ですね、毎日落ち葉の掃除をしています。

パソコンのゴミ箱を見ていたら、友達に見せようと思って、そのまま捨ててた写真があったので載せます。最初の写真はヤギの抜け毛ですが、これを野鳥は巣に持っていきます。このふかふか布団で雛がかえると思うと自然って素晴らしいって思いませんか

小さなブーケは庭のあじさい。最後の大きい写真はロックケーキの作り方です。岩みたいなケーキは、ごつごつしているけど軟らかく美味しいです。ぜひお試しください

ふるった小麦粉450ｇ　とき卵2個　室温で軟らかくしたバター160ｇ　黒砂糖240ｇ　洗ったレッドカラント240ｇ

　バターと砂糖をクリーム状になるまでこすり、庭にレッドカラントの実をお持ちの方はここで加え混ぜ、次に卵を少しずつ加えて混ぜる、さらに小麦粉を加えて混ぜ合わせる。（冷凍のカラントの場合は解凍し、最後に加えた方がよさげ）オーブンシートの上にボタっと岩っぽく落として、180度に予熱したオーブンで25分焼く。

半分の分量でも12個くらい作れます

Mushrooms cultivation

 Gardening stores in Japan sell small wood part for growing mushrooms. contains mushroom bacteria inside it, so spray water twice a day and be careful to control the temperature. 

Tuesday

The appropriate temperature is 15 to 25 degrees. Autumn is the best season to grow because temperature differences are necessary for growth. 

Friday

And Sunday was the first harvest. What a speed !

　きのこの栽培をやってみました。一日２回霧吹きし、あとは生育温度が15～25度になっているように気を付けます。私のところは薪ストーブで暑くなるので、涼しい部屋に置きました。なるべく温度差がある方がいいそうです。最初の写真が火曜日、次が金曜日、最初の収穫は日曜日でした。ものすごいスピードですね。うまくやれば100個くらい収穫できるそうです。私がやったのは「もりのキノコ農園シリーズ」のしいたけでした。

A book and knitting progress

 How are you doing ? I hope that you spend calm weekend and everything will be fine for you.

It's the season the garden is full of flowers. But I'm pondering how reduce garden work. 

This is good book for some garden problems, about easier management and less work  and etc. I'm reading it often, considering about some advice and try to improve my garden. We decided to break one of the neglected flower bed that was made 35 years ago. It leads for reduce redundant gardening. Then some flowers need to be relocated, oh this hand work, take a year...? phew..

in the kitchen

 My lace shrug ends on the right side, and the sweater requested hubby begins a little, I'm knitting them when it rains. 

お元気ですか？　庭が花でいっぱいの季節になりましたが、同時に庭仕事が膨大です。上の方に写真を載せたオレンジの本がとてもいい本で、日本でこういった知識を教えてくれる人がいないのが残念です。内容は夫婦で庭仕事をやっているご家庭の庭に関する問題についてですが、主にどうやって庭仕事を減らすか、花壇の配置や手間のかからない植える植物、学ぶことが多いので、わからない単語を調べつつ何度も読みます。とうとう作者（プロの園芸家）の忠告に従って古い花壇を壊すことにしたんですが、何しろ手仕事だし、いくつか植木も植え替えないとで時間かかりそうです。

　編みものはレースのボレロが右側が終わったところで、夫にねだられたセーターも始めたところ、雨が降るとやっていますよ

 

Dog's blanket and some pairs of socks

 Did you enjoy your vacation ? (We didn't have vacation because hubby's work was too much busy.) It was hot summer, I didn't want to touch wool in the deadly heat. Even so I'm finishing something small knitting in the last few months. Knitting calms me down always, you too ?

夏休みは楽しかったですか？うちは夫の仕事が忙しく盆休み無しでした。今年も暑かったですね。さすがに猛暑でウールを触るのは避けましたが、この数カ月でいくつか小物を編みました。やっぱり編みもをする時間は、心が落ち着きます。

She turned seven

Think of knitting for dog's blanket use scrap yarn. 

あまり糸で犬のブランケットを夏の間に編みました。なかなか良い色合いになりましたよ。

And it was finished before autumn.

Each year I'm knitting 10 pairs of socks, those are for 5 people. and doing half of 5 now. Socks are really consumables. However hand knitting is warm. 

 When it cools down, a lovely sweater project is waiting for me :) Are you planning a big project ?

涼しくなったらセーターを編もうと計画中です。台風は大丈夫でしたか？

Fishing in the river

 Dear friend, How about you ?  Really hot days continue. This was 36 degrees (96.8F) here, it's good to be in a cool room. Though, we went fishing on the weekends.

Under a big tree, the temperature drops by 20 degrees (68F). I don't fish, so I read a book leisurely in a cool place. 

I brought my knitting, but did not. The book was interesting.  

Hubby caught some baby fish this day.

However, don't you think this question is the same.

We will go fishing again. I wish hubby catches supper.

Footprints in the snow

It snowed where I live. It looks like winter is finally here !

ここでも数年ぶりに雪が降りました。やっと冬がきたように感じます。雪の上の足跡が面白くて色々と写真に撮りました。最初は水鳥です、夜になるとうちの屋根で寝ているサギだと思われます。

The footprints of some animals pleased me. It is the footprint of a waterfowl. The river is right there, one of them seems to be sleeping on the roof of our house.

テンとイタチは冬の毛皮の色で見分けがつきますが、うちの庭に来るのはテンでした。鶏を持っていこうと頑張って数日通っていましたが、こっちも対策はしてあるので、とうとうあきらめたようです。黄金の素晴らしい毛皮をしています。鶏を殺すので農家では嫌われますが肉はうまくないそうです。爪も牙もするどいです、足跡は二つ可愛く並んでいるのが特徴です。あの走り方ですからね

Footprints of テン Martens (?). They are similar to ferrets, but have more great golden fur, and terrifying teeth and nails. They are disliked by farmers because they kill chickens. The feature is that two are lined up.

そして愛くるしいタヌキ。むにゅっと軟らかそうに静かについています。アライグマに似ていますが全く別の生き物で、野菜も荒らさないし落ちた果物または大好物がミミズ　の　人に無害な生き物です。イヌ科。庭にタヌキの公共トイレ（ため糞）があり、うちにはモモちゃんと呼んでいる可愛いタヌキがいます。

And this is the footprint of lovable "tanuki". It looks just like a raccoon, but it's a completely different creature. The staple food is earthworms. A creature that is harmless to humans, Classification is a same as a dog. 

そしてうちのワンコの足跡。もしかすると初めて見たかもしれない雪、転がるように走ってはしゃいでおりました。

This is my dog's footprints, she was pleased with the snow.

向こう側で野ウサギの足跡も見ました。ここまでは私の知る範囲ですが、ぎょっとしたのはテンの足跡の横にキツネらしき足跡があること。キツネはいない。でも歩幅が広すぎる。野良犬はいないしと、しばらく動揺していました。もしかしたら猫が走っただけかもしれないですね

I also saw the footprints of rabbit on the other side.  But this was scary, on matter what, the fox footprints are sideways to the marten. The stride is large. There are no stray dogs around here. or did cat run ?

I noticed that there were many animals in the garden, but they were nocturnal and cautious... The countryside is lively. 

越した時は静まり返っていると思っていましたが、実際は田舎には動物がたくさんいて、非常に賑やかです。