I'd like to

build my own house prolly with straw, mud and sand in the woods
make a composting toilet
and live off the grid

bamboo craft

kuzuhara-san, my friend and teacher got this used knife for me when i helped this garage sale last week. i made bamboo chopsticks with it today. the knife works very well so it was very enjoyable.

the picture below shows some of the toys i got to make when i helped kuzuhara-san with his bamboo workshop the other day. the big thing is a bamboo gun, the one on right is a puzzle ring, and the other two things...i'll show you hot to play with them when i see you :)

bamboo is everywhere around me, these toys dont need to plug them in, and they return to the earth. yey!

one of my favorite plants

we call it "dokudami" in Japanese. its scientific name is Houttuynia cordata.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houttuynia)

this plant grows in a somewhat shady place and where the soil is acidic. its super pervasive and strong.
it has white flowers, green& dark reddish leaves, and a strong scent. often people treat it like a nuisance but the whole plant is said to have a dozen of medicinal benefits so people soometimes call the plant "ju-yaku, or ten medicines" e.g. to prevent constipation, arterial sclerosis, high blood pressure, to name a few.

so i picked a bunch of it, bound it into bundles, then hung it over a bamboo pole at my dad's cabin to dry it. ill make tea out ot it when its dry and crisp. i can't wait:)

my pumpkin is in love with kale

its's hugging my kale really tight!

Beach dumpster diving

when i was talking a walk on the beach a few weeks ago, sadly i found so much trash there. some of it come from neighbouring countries like korea, china or russia. there were some plastic gardening pots so i picked them and planted corn in them. they have sprouted and its exciting to watch them grow bigger each day. somebody else's trash can be my treasure:)
thank you pacho for introducing the world of dumpster diving to me!

the best bath agent ever

all you need to do is to pick a bunch of fresh mugwort and put it in your hot bath.
its easy, free and i think it helps improve your circulation.

Wild berries!

mulberries, rasberries and elaeagnus (silverberry or oleaster), to be specific.
They are in abundance right now
they are amazingly beautiful and delicious!
i love them:)

pictures; rasberries, elaeagnus, elaeagnus detail