I found our wreath & replaced the old leaves with new green ones. Last time we used red flowers to add colour. This time we used fishing floats. Yes, I have a lot of them ( https://en.bloguru.com/otto/361390/a-few-new-floats )! This might be the last time we use this wreath - after 4 years, it`s sta...

When I was a kid, my brothers & I had small toy field guns (野砲) which fired matches*. Nowadays that kind of toy isn`t popular & is hard to find, so I decided to make my own. After making it, I decided to make a matching** jeep. To fire this toy field gun, you put a match in the barrel (銃身), pull the...

When I went to Fukui last week, I was pleased to find some more fishing floats on the beach. I added a few* of the nicer ones to my display case collection. It looks better now, right?Nowadays I have few** chances to do serious beachcombing, so I wondered when I would be able to complete my display ...

Last week I visited the Gifu Museum of Fine Arts for the first time. It had just re-opened after renovations. My first surprise was that entry was free - nice! Then as I entered the main gallery, I was surprised to find that the lady at the entrance was an old student of mine! We chatted quietly - i...

I bought some old postcards at a fleamarket last Saturday. Like me, they are old, discoloured (日焼け) & devalued (値下げされた). However, I like this colour for painting pictures on. This is a painting of the view from my room when I was in hospital recently for a minor operation.P.S. - I sent this postcard...

These are the items I made for our school fair on Saturday. They are all made of recycled wood. By the end of the evening I had sold all of the plant boxes, a few of the butterflies, and two of the cars. I asked the man who bought the red car, "Do you have a son?" He said, "No, it's for me - I like ...

I made these wooden cars for our school fair tomorrow evening:https://jp.bloguru.com/teragoya-gifu/355833/instagramAre you free* then? Please come take a look at them & other things that I made. They will be for sale (sorry - not free**!).Vocabulary:* 暇** 無料

I recently blogged about Mr. Horie, the barber & photographer: https://en.bloguru.com/otto/350731/hories-hobbyOn Sunday I went to see an exhibition of his photographs at the 加藤栄三・東一記念美術館 in Gifu Park. The exhibition is until August 25. Please go take a look*!Casual English:* "Go + 動詞" = go and 動詞. I...

毎年この時期に開催されるArt Around Adams。Normal HeightsからKensingtonの間の2マイル程が歩行者天国になり、さまざまなベンダーがそれぞれのアート作品を展示・販売されます。ライブミュージックが聞くことが出来たり、ビアガーデンがあったりと、一日中楽しめるイベントです...

This morning I was in Nagoya & I had some time to kill, so I visited the Tokugawa Museum. It has various objects such as old art, scrolls (巻子本) and weapons, especially samurai swords (刀) - lots of swords! Actually, I don`t know much about the Tokugawa period, or swords, or scrolls, so I felt a littl...