I found a video on Youtube about making acorn ( どんぐり) coffee. There are lots of acorns at my local shrine (神社) so I gathered some & tried it. This is the recipe I used:
1. First, take off the shells (殻)
2. Next, chop or grind the acorns
3. Then boil them in water
4. After that, throw away (捨てる) the brown water, which contains tannins.
5. Repeat #4 a few times, until the water is clear
6. Next, roast the acorns until they`re dark brown
7. Finally, add boiling water, wait a few minutes, and drink!
How was it? A little bitter, but okay. I`d like to make it again, but it`s kind of a hassle (面倒くさい).
Vocabulary:
- Next = Then = After that* (Be careful: not "After then")
Recently, two Teragoya students sent us postcards from abroad, written in English - thanks and well done! Although postcards are slower than emails, I prefer receiving postcards to emails. How about you? Which do you prefer?
Grammar:
- AとBとどちらの方が好きですか? = Which do you prefer (`like` じゃなくて) - A or B?
Sometimes I check the lime tree in my garden for insects, damage, etc. Today I was surprised to find this green cocoon on it. It must have been there since sometime last year. Usually swallowtail cocoons are brown, but sometimes they`re green. I guess this butterfly will come out sometime this Spring. I hope to see it.
Vocabulary:
- Sometime = いつか
- Sometimes = ときどき
On Sunday I went to see this old building in Handa, Aichi. It used to be a brewery (beer factory) but now it`s a museum. It`s an interesting building - you can still see machine-gun bullet (銃弾) holes in one outside wall, caused during World War 2. They don`t make Kabuto beer here anymore, but you can still buy it - it is made by a nearby brewery. It`s good!
Their site: http://handa-akarenga.jp/
Grammar:
- ...still ____ = まだ___
- ...not ____ anymore = もう___ない
Instructions:
Step 1: Go to a pine (松) forest.
Step 2: Get (命令する) kids to collect pine cones
Step 3: Cut out a cardboard (ダンボール) ring
Step 4: Attach pine cones to ring with wire
Step 5: Attach baby Jesus (doll) in a manger (飼い葉桶)
Step 6: Get (命令する) kids to brush pine cones with white paint
Step 7: Get angry
Step 8: Clean white paint from baby Jesus` face
Step 9: Attach tinsel bow, red berries & flower buds
Step 10: Hang wreath over front door
Step 11: Hope mother-in-law doesn`t notice red berries & flower buds are from her garden.
Grammar:
- Get/Have + 誰か + 動詞 = 誰かに + 動詞 + ように命令する
On Sunday, Gifu Teragoya teachers & staff visited a local orphanage (孤児院) to play games, and hand out toys. The toys were kindly donated (拠出金した) by Teragoya students. Thank you!
This Christmas, kindly think of people less fortunate than yourself.
Vocabulary:
- "___てくれる" = "kindly ___"
One of our students sent us a postcard from Australia. Thanks!
Look at the stamp. Can you see the price? It costs A$1.80 to send a postcard from Australia to Japan. It only costs 70yen (about 80 cents) to send a postcard from Japan to Australia!
Maybe that`s why my Australian family & friends don`t often write me letters... Yes... Yes, that must be why.
Grammar:
- Send/give/write + 誰か + 何か = send/give/write + 何か to 誰か. Both styles are okay!
I watched this movie on TV last night. It stars John Voight, who is Angelina Jolie`s father. It`s quite old - it was filmed in 1974 - and quite long (130 minutes) but I quite enjoyed it.
John Voight is quite old now - 77 - but he hasn`t quit acting yet. It seems he`s not interested in the quiet life.
Vocabulary:
- Be careful: Quite クアイト= かなり, なかなか, quit クイット= 辞める, quiet クアイエト = 静か
#映画
I went shopping & saw a nice jacket. A lot of clothes nowadays are made in China. Was this jacket made in China? I looked at the label. Hmmm, looks like it was made in the USA; "...USA...New York...American..."
But, finally... "Made in China".
When you read something, it`s a good idea to read to the end - even clothes labels!
Grammar:
- This jacket WAS made in CHINA.
- This jacket IS made of POLYESTER.
- Most jacketS ARE made in China/of polyester.
I was about to teach a class when I saw this group of about 50 people outside. They were about to cross the road, so I quickly got my camera. I took a photo as they crossed the road. The flag says "Autumn Festival." I think they are from a local temple.
Grammar:
- "about" = くらい
- "(be) about to 動詞" = will 動詞 very soon
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