EN - Events That Took Place in March

Facebook gives me a small window to lives of many. Though I know that a lot more than being shared is going on in everyone' s life, when I read postings, I am reminded of a simple yet powerful fact that we are alive. We are here on this planet, experiencing various things, thinking and feeling various things, and an amazing thing is that we are all doing it at the same time. We're in different bodies, we're at different locations, and we have different life stories to live and create. But we're here. We are alive. That's something we cannot deny. This simple fact often positively startles me and makes me love you even more.

My friend's daughter Nijika celebrated her 7th birthday.

I've known Nijika's mom way long before she was even a tiny being in her tummy.

It's nice to be able to witness growth of a friend's child over time. 

She had Jolie the Clown as a guest to entertain all the children.

She made lots of fun balloon creatures.

I found this cute sight at the birthday party.
Awww... look at this mochi-like right angled plump cheek!!! I wanted to kiss it so badly but managed to control my urge, not to wake him up from his afternoon nap.

It's more fun to correct math tests at a cafe than at home. 

Look at these giraffes!! Ahhh, I love my students. (I always tell them to draw pictures of a math question if they have a hard time understanding it.) 

Well, that's the smallest giraffe ever (maybe it's a toy giraffe), and that's really gigantic teddy bear. You can't really snuggle with it. They provide me with so much laughter. 

I quietly said, "Roger that" when I saw this message.

I got this coconut from the Farmers Market in Kula. Yum, yum.

Tonight's date destination with my little sister, April was Fresh Mint in Paia. 

We love the restaurant. (Every dish is vegetarian.) 

A partner in crime was in a serious business - looking for a perfect flavor of our desert - yes, ice cream! 

One third is done (I was making report cards although it was Sunday). I think I'm getting better at enticing myself. I say, "You can take a break when you're done this much." 

I changed the location (from home to a cafe) to refresh my mind. One more push! I actually like to write comments although it takes time. It is like writing a love letter to each child.

Later that day, I found myself dismantling the lid part of my rice cooker with a screw driver (not around the electric circuit, so no worry). I felt satisfied and put it back together. It was probably an impulsive behavior I took due to a fact that the report cards were finally done and that I felt so freed! Nah, just kidding! I wanted to clean a part of it, and it seemed like I had to take it apart.

My neighbor Lisa made this yummy soup for me. Appreciated.

One day in March, I woke up at 5 am naturally. Went to a gym class at 5:45 am. Practiced Odissi dance at 7 am. Went to a dental appointment at 9 am. Provided a computer related support to a friend. In exchange, received a facial treatment. Organized photos in my computer. Saw my little hanai sister and spent a good quality time together while I hemmed a new pair of pants, and she corrected my students' math tests. Cooked warm soup. Updated my blog. It was a beautiful and productive day. Thank you, thank you.

I went to see the Alexander Academy's "Swan Lake" on March 17th. I had many students (current and past) and grown-up friends performing in the show. They were all fantastic! It's really great to see them outside of school and to see them finding something they love and pursuing it. I was SO proud! Here is a photo of one of my ballerinas and me (with her parent's permission). (I didn't get to take a picture with each child.) Isn't she adorable with the candy in her hand? This ballet school does not have a set tuition fee. In other words, it's a donation based school, so that students from various economic backgrounds can take their classes. I love that they're providing the artistic outlet and space for the children and the community. Here is their website: http://alexanderacademy.info/ 

No matter how rainy it is, as soon as we dance, the world starts to shine. Thank you for the good practice time, Andria Perkins and Lynette Day Kanelos.

Ho'okipa in one fine March day (after a good surf session)

EN & JP - Quilted Blanket キルトのブランケット

My students did the stitches (simple embroidery)!
As I've mentioned in a past blog entry, the children are getting better at sewing.

Auntie Suzie (who works in the office) put them together, and they became a quilted blanket, and it will be available as a silent auction item at Haiku Flower Festival on Sat, April 12th!

The hearts represent love, the stars represent dream, and the swirls represent courage.

(Japanese)
これ、教え子たちが縫いました！（シンプルな刺繍を。）
以前のブログでも紹介したように、子ども達は波縫いがとても上手になってきています。

そして学校のオフィスで働いているスージーおばさんが縫い合わせてくれて、キルトブランケットになりました。4月12日(土)に行なわれるハイクフラワーフェスティバルで、サイレントオークションの一品として出品されます。

ハートは愛を。星は夢を。そして渦巻きは勇気を象徴しています。

EN & JP - Kendama and Koma けん玉と独楽

Kendama became a big hit in Hawaii this year. (I heard they are pretty popular in the mainland, too.) In my classroom, almost every child has one, and some even have multiple styles and colors.

I remember playing with it when I was a child. It's nice to see an old toy being revived and enjoyed by newer generations. I also think that Kendama is much healthier than playing with screen toys (iPad, iPhone, etc.) It develops hand-and-eye coordination and cultivates patience (as you practice tricks).

(Japanese) けん玉が今年ハワイで大流行しました。（アメリカ本土でも流行ったそうですが。）私の教室では、ほとんどの子が一個は必ず持っていて、中にはいくつもの違ったサイズだったり、色だったり、タイプだったりのけん玉を持っている子もいました。

私は子どもの頃に遊んだ以来。今やってみても難しかったです。若い世代に昔のおもちゃが受け入れられているのを見ると、何故か嬉しくなりますね。それにけん玉は、スクリーンのおもちゃより大分健康的だと思います。目と手のコーディネーションを鍛えますし、技を習得するために地道に練習するという忍耐力も養われます。

Here is another toy sent by our friend in Japan. We call this Koma in Japanese. A spinning top is simple yet requires some skills, and it has become a popular toy in my classroom, too.

(Japanese) これは独楽。日本のお友達が送ってくれました。シンプルだけど、コツのいるおもちゃですね。これも子ども達に人気がありました。

JP - 食べものは偉大だ

おからの五目煮

食べものは偉大だ。

エネルギーを与えてくれる。

ほっとさせてくれる。

人を集める力を持っている。

食べものは偉大だ。

何と、おからがハワイで手に入るのですよ！

豆腐を地元で作られているところがあるのでね。

見つけるとテンションが上がりますね。

プカラニという町にある、プカラニスーパーレットで買っています。

一番上の写真にあるように、おからの五目煮作りました。

これは毎週土曜日の朝にクラで開かれている朝市（ファーマーズマーケット、今の日本でいうマルシェ）で、ある韓国人のご夫婦が売られているもの。

5ドルです。おいしいです。見かけたら買っちゃいます。

何人かのお友達から頂いた果物たち。

沢山の食べものが豊富にあるとき、有り難く、

そしてどんなお金持ちよりもリッチに感じます。

これはベジタリアンバージョンの麻婆豆腐。

Yvesという会社の大豆でできたお肉もどきを使って。

私はみそ汁大好き人間です。

これは二つの違った種類の海藻を入れました。

小豆も手に入るので、ぜんざい作りました。

白玉に豆腐を混ぜるというレシピも試してみました。

マウイの日本人の友人のお母様が作ってくださった、天ぷら！

私は家で揚げ物しないので、もうご馳走でした。

ご丁寧に「天つゆ」と書いてくださいました。

お茶と間違って飲んだらいけないのでね。細部まで心と手がこもっております。

見てください、このご馳走の山！
これは3月の最後のよさこいのクラスの打ち上げパーティーでの写真。
ほとんどのおかずは当時マウイに遊びに来られていた美香さんのお母様、ふさよさんが作ってくださいました。ふさよさんには「ちりん亭」というあだ名まで付いていますのよ。
こんなに多種類の主に日本のご馳走を食べられる機会は滅多にありませんので、
私は「嬉しい！おいしい！」を連呼しておりました。
「ちりん亭」がまたすぐにマウイに戻ってきてくれるといいなぁ・・・
（なんて甘い期待をしております。）

食べものは偉大。
食べものは人と人を繋いでくれる。
食べものは、私たちを内から元気にしてくれる。

これを読んでいるあなたが、誰か愛する人と一緒に、心をこめて作られたご飯を食べていますように。

おまけ

マウイの句会でゆきさんが持ってきてくれた、干支の飴。

全部ちゃんと動物たちが見事に描かれています。

かわいいですねぇ！

私は戌年に生まれました。

EN - Food is Mighty

Okara no gomokuni

Food is mighty.

It gives us energy.

It provides us comfort.

It brings people together.

Food is mighty.

It's rare to find okara outside of Japan, but luckily because Hawaii has local vendors who make tofu, there is okara. Okara is a by-product from tofu. Its freshness lasts only a few days. In other words, it goes bad quickly.

When I find it, I get excited. I usually find it at Pukalani Superette in Pukalani.

I used okara to make a dish called okara no gomokuni (the first photo of this entry) with konnyaku, gobo (burdock root), carrots, and shiitake mushroom, and cooked soybeans.

I find this yummy food at the upcountry farmers market, sold by a lovely Korean couple.

It's $5. I love getting this.

Many fruits were given to my by my friends.

When I see food in abundance, I feel so grateful and more rich than any millionaire.

Vegetarian Mapo Doufu

This is a Chinese dish. Usually, minced meat (beef or pork) is used, but I make it with veggie ground (made by a company called Yves's).

I love miso soup.

In Japan, we have a bowl of miso soup at least once a day.

This one, I cooked with different kinds of seaweed.

Zenzai - azuki beans cooked with sugar (I use brown sugar), and the white round things are shiratama (rice flour dumplings).

Tenpura made by my friend's mother.

I don't make tempura at home because it uses lots of oil, but I love eating it.

She even made Tentsuyu (soup for the tempura; you dip the tempura in it briefly before you eat), and she wrote it so, so that no one would mistake it as tea or something else - such a detailed care.

Yeah, this is what I am talking about :)

This photo was taken at a potluck party (to celebrate the last Yosakoi class of the last season).

Most of the dishes were prepared by my friend Mika's mother, Fusayo who was visiting Maui at that time. She even has a nickname for her "catering services." It's Chirin-Tei.

I rarely get to eat this many varieties of Japanese or Asian food at one occasion, so this was indeed a special treat, and I loved it. I wish Chirin-Tei will return to Maui soon :)

Food is mighty.

Food bonds people.

Food nourishes us from inside out.

I hope you are eating food that was prepared with care with someone you love.

- Extra -

These are candies made in Japan, representing all 12 Chinese Zodiac signs: Mouse, cow, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake horse, sheep, monkey, chicken, dog, and boar.

Aren't they cute?

I was born in the year of dog.