Begger's Chicken. 「乞食鶏」

This is my first experience to make Begger's chicken.
My friends gave me the chance.They have prepared to buy the ingredients,Chicken, Chinese spices,Chinese rice wine and pork refill in the chicken,for a week ago.
I gave my help to steam and roast it.
I packed the chicken by lotus leaf.
We Make a clay to packed it.
And we put it on a grill and burned wood under it.
After several minutes,we burned wood and leaves on it.
We have been making a fire for three hours.
After burn out,we were really excited to open it.
I wondered what was happening the chicken in the fire.
The result was really nice work!The chicken was reached a fire tenderness.
It was extremely rich and delicious!

Have you ever ate it?

今回は、初めて「乞食鶏」という御馳走を作って食べたお話です。
私は乞食鶏という名前も知りませんでしたが、時間がある夏休みに、友人が企画して下さり実現しました。
これは中国の御馳走で、別名「富貴鶏」とも言い、鶏を丸ごと蓮の葉で包み、蒸し焼きにする料理だそうです。
一週間位前から材料を買い集めて準備して下さったそうで、私には初めて見るものばかりでした。
私は焼くのを手伝いました。
まず、たれなどに付けた鶏肉を蓮の葉で包みます。
その周りをくるむ粘土を練り、鶏肉を覆います。
鉄板の上に置き、鉄板の下と上で火を焚きます。
落ち葉や薪を燃やして、蒸し焼きにします。
出来上がるまで約３時間かかるそうで、それまで待ちます。
みんな、いったいあの火の中で、鶏はどうなっているんでしょう！？と、ワクワクしました。
灰をどけて、粘土を割ってみると、なんと蓮の葉は全く焦げていなくて、良い香りがしました。
中の鶏は.....？
見るからに美味しそうな出来上がりです！
食べてみると、芳醇な何とも言えない豊かな味でした。
初めての挑戦は大成功でした。中華料理屋さんでもなかなか食べられない貴重な経験をすることができました。
もし、機会があれば是非おすすめしますが、材料にしても火を焚くにしても、なかなか難しそうですね。。

Incredible power of greenery.偉大な緑の力

The summer will come after rainy season in Japan.
Some say you would be better to make green curtain around your house when summer comes.
So it would lower temperature of the room.

I agree with that.
Greenery of my house is more than that.
Actually my house is surrounded greenery.The big trees give shade on it.
The temperature of the room would be lower than other one.
It would be warm by sun shine in the winter because it's a deciduous trees.
It's an incredible power of green I think.

And as a bonus, in this summer, I planted basil and Japanese basil seeds two month ago.
Now I got fresh basil.
We are helped greenery any time any where.

夏が来ると、緑のカーテンで家の周りを覆いましょう　などとよく言われます。
室内の温度が下がるから　という理由ですね。
私の家は”グリーンのカーテン”なんて物ではなく、木の陰で覆われています。
そのおかげで、だいぶ普通の家よりは室内の気温が低いと思います。
落葉樹なので冬は日が当たって暖かいです。
緑の力は偉大ですね。
今年は２ヶ月前にバジルとシソの種をまいたので、今は好きな時に新鮮なものを食べられます。
色々な所で、私たちは植物に助けられていますね。

A pot of water lily. 睡蓮鉢

There are many people who enjoy to have small fishes in a pot of water lily in Japan.
The unglazed pot can keep appropriate temperature in the water.A glazed pot gets water high temperature.

It is a kind of biotope space.
I have small fishes,small shrimp,shellfish and water weed.
The fishes eat water weed,sometimes I feed,the shrimp eat fish droppings,shellfishes sat moss.
It goes well,they develop eggs.So the number of fishes would increase.

However almost fishes are die during winter.
On the other hand most shrimp have left in the pot,Few fishes are still there.
Some birds take a bath there often.

When spring has come,I feel that I want to get more fishes.
I wonder I will buy gold fish.
No,I would not.because some stray cars must eat it.

日本では、睡蓮鉢にメダカを飼っている方が沢山いますが、私もそのうちのひとりです。
本焼きの鉢の中は真夏の高温で暑くなりすぎて魚が死んでしまいますが、素焼きの鉢（自作）の中の水は気化熱によって適度な温度を保てるようです。

これは小さなビオトープ環境になっていて、メダカ、ヌマエビ,貝、水草を入れています。
メダカが餌や水草を食べて、糞をエビが食べ、藻を貝が掃除してくれます。
うまくいくと、メダカが卵を産みつけて子メダカがいつの間にか泳いでいたりします。＜br＞ メダカはほとんど冬の間に死んでしまったりするのですが、エビや貝はしっかり生き延びていて、暖かくなるとうじゃうじゃ出てきます。
春が来るとまたメダカを増やしたくなりますね。
金魚でも買ってこようかなあ　と思いますが、野良猫たちに食べられてしまいそうなのでやめておきます。

Fallen leaves in this autumn.今年の落ち葉

I feel like that fallen leaves are brightly colored this year.
It might be just my imagination,but I feel more clear than usual.

Although I don't live in countryside,there are so many insects in my yard.
I can see a lot of bugs,scarabs,millipede,centipede,cicadas and bees during the summer.
I can not come into my house at night during the height of the season,because a lots of bugs cicadas come together to entrance light.
Needless to say I don't like it except spiders.I don't know why I don't fear spiders.I can touch it.
For the reason lizards live in my house.They want eat it.I like them.It's an adorable.

私の気のせいかもしれませんが、今年の落ち葉はいつもより鮮やかな気がします。
田舎に住んでいるというわけでもないのですが、暖かい季節にうちの庭には沢山の虫が現れます。
蚊やハエはもちろん、黄金虫、セミ、ヤスデやムカデ、などなどです。夏の夜に帰宅すると門灯に沢山集まっているので中に入りにくいほどです。
いうまでもなくあまり虫は好きではないのですが、なぜか蜘蛛だけは怖くありません。触れても気にならないんですね。
うちにはそういった虫たちを食べてくれるヤモリも住んでいます。かわいいのですね。

The picture is digger wasp nest. It might be wrong what is called.What should I say that?

I will need not to meet tons of insects until coming spring next year.

この写真は土蜂の巣だと思うのですが、あちこちに出来ています。

今からしばらく来年の春に暖かくなるなるまであまり好きではない虫には会わなくてすみます。

The end of the summer.

I relief to end this summer. I could concentrate to make my works it's been a while.
It has been so tired summer heat. It simply wasn't possible to carve a stone.
I'm really not good at the summer. I wish summer season would be short.Or better yet,to get cold summer.
Or even better,I wish the summer would be gone.
Sorry if you like summer.

A war will begin tomorrow.

I tried to translate in English Japanese popular poem of Setsuko Miyao.

"A war will begin tomorrow"
You became not to think a person as a person because you got used to be on the jam-packed train every day.

You became not to think mind as mind at board on the internet.

It frequent happened abuse death and suicide you became not to think life as a life.

You finished preparing it.

You don't think a war as a war.

Finally,the war will begin tomorrow.

written by Setsuko Miyao.

Unfortunately I thought it is expressed well Japanese young people's real feeling.
We need to have imagination what is real war.

Article 9 of the constitution.

I don't like conflict.

Many countries have military.
To do a war is that you will kill someone and will be killed by someone.
Although human race has made the advance of sciences, we are still fighting each other.

I think Article 9 of the constitution, renunciation of war is not fantasy.
Japanese leader is forcibly going to break out it.

I want to stick the ideal of it.
I wish whole world have a standard model.

Weither Japan?

When I watched the speech of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, I thought that he looked like solicitor of doubtful cult.
He was going to appeal people's mind,as if he is a deceiver,making anxiety,doing brainwashing and forcing you to allow acting military power.
He drive young people to struggle to survive. So they accept to take part in a military.
These days there is that atmosphere in Japan.

A person who become surrounded by their advocates can not see a wide range of view because they say only good things to the person.
"You are fabulous!" "You are right, go ahead to do things."
We should rethink that is it right? Is it enough to consider all of the things?
Otherwise, we will go to the wrong direction.

Dangerous Leader of Japan.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe insist to do "Proactive pacifism." He puts it nicely.
Actually he want to use military power. I scare him, can't understand him.
Beyond that he say patriotism incite full auditory people," Japanese are great."I don't like it.
Worse than that almost all of young people are indifferent politics. They are brainwashed easily.
He can do it conveniently.Japanese people need to think about it seriously.
We should think, judge and decide about it by ourselves.
Now is a good time to do it. Although Japanese don't have a habit being independent, you have to change the behavior.

Studying English in Japan.

The Japanese government and CEO's some big companies are desperate to force studying English on young people.
They say we have to work globally, so it's inevitable to be able to make good use of English in any situations.
However it's ineffective. Why ?
Basically we absolutely don't need to use English in our daily life,except people who have jobs that need English.
In addition, the number of young people who study abroad is decreasing.
They don't want to go abroad. I hear from them often that they want to get mid-level job, being able to earn mid-level and having a mid-level marriage.
What is a mid-level marriage ?
Anyway they don't have any high hopes. They are called "Satori ageさとり世代” in Japan.
It means they have realized everything already.

Thinking Children Living in Fukushima.

I absolutely don't trust the Japanese government, especially these days.
They say that they can control the Fukushima nuclear power plant.
However, the actual state is too far from it.
A huge amount of water with radiation still has been spilling even now.
Nevertheless, they have a terrible plan to force-feed homegrown foods to children.
They decided to use local production for local consumption at Fukushima for school-provided lunches.
It's never safe to eat foods product around a nuclear plant.
They want to pretend that radiation doesn't exist in Fukushima.
Some mothers are against it, but they are looking coldly on others. There is strong group pressure.
The government treats the children as if they were guinea pigs.
How dare they do such things.
All of the people who have children and live in Fukushima should make claims about it. They don't need to accept it.
Why do the Japanese comply with the command of government obediently ?
It's complete nonsense to force suffering on the children.

I heard that no one lives in prohibited areas of Chernobyl.
Why doesn't the Japanese government prohibit living around the nuclear plant ?
They should provide or help find proper places of residence. The government has the liability and responsibility of the nuclear plant disaster.

Doing virtue.

When I watch people who try to do virtue to help disasters on TV, I often think is it really useful for the victims ?
I have heard the saying from one of my friends who suffered such a disaster.
He said he received some kindness which was unnecessary for him from strangers.
However, he was not able to say that.
In my opinion, no one blames the people who are doing good things.
The worst thing is a person who believes that they are doing good things without doubt.
It is just gratification of the ego.
I think you always need to reflect about yourself all the time.
Doing good things is not always perfect.
You need to imagine what they want.
It's difficult doing good for others.

It's an Apology show time.

People who live in Japan often see someone apologize on TV.
I feel that is weird.
The people stand side by side a line.
One of them says "Makotoni moushiwake arimasendeshita.誠に申し訳ありませんでした。"(I'm really sorry to everybody.)
So the people bow at the same time.

I have heard that they practice the performance ahead of time. Even some companies that advice how to apologize exist.
No one thinks it is meaningful. Who thinks it's going to solve the problem ?
It's just like typical Japanese. Old people called it "Misogi"みそぎ,it means ritual ablutions.
There is no solution planed. However, the fact remains that the sense of Japanese culture requires it.
Actually, I think the most important thing is substance rather than form.
We should take it seriously.

Athletes who want people to be impressed.

Some athletes often say " I want everyone to be moved by my performance."
I know the meaning, but it's a different story whether I'll be moved by the performance or not.
We would only be attracted to their dedication to their performance. They should concentrate on their proper action.
They might say the same old thing like that, I always have uncomfortable feelings.
I want them to say that all you have to do is try your best, not for someone else.
Otherwise your actions will be in significant.
This is my opinion. I might be kind of perverse.

Bitter cold of my class.

The cold winter has come these days.
A high school where I work started to use the air conditioning facility of heating this season.
To be honestly, I feel really chilly in the class.
I asked one teacher " What do you think of the temperature of the heating? It's not warm at all."
He answered " Yes, it's not set at a high degree in all of the class, because for saving electricity."
I took a temperature reading in my class. It was around 10 degree. Almost all of the students also say it is too cold.

I just have to do it at there. I always wear many clothes and put handy warmers on my body.
It was good oil heating, because I could get warm if I face the eating.

How is that happening of middle-aged and older.

I read an article in the newspaper that a number of shoplifting of middle-aged and older is more than such young people these days.
According to the article, it's not that the middle-aged people don't have money to buy things.
Some say they want to feel a thrill.
It is calls to mind that sometimes I come across those who become out of control in a train or on the street.
Although I'm also middle-aged, I can't understand their mind.
My image of middle-aged is that physical power reduce, but mind get mature.
What do you think about it ?

Learn to laugh at yourself.

"Learn to laugh at yourself"
I came across the sentence in a newspaper.

I often make mistakes. I was socially awkward from childhood until I was a young adult.
Sometimes I said something inappropriate to the occasion.
Some of my close friends said ( and occasionally still say ) endearingly "It's just the kind of person she is."
There were times when I felt blue, but I decided to feel amused by myself.
Mean while I don't have awkward times now.
So I can realize what high school students say now. There are various students in my class,
a girl who always says extremely negative things, a boy who talks offensively to everyone except his close friends, a girl who never looks directly at my eyes, a girl who just nods when I talk to her, etc...
They must have some reasons why they behave so.
I don't know, it may be due to domestic circumstances or due to their character.
I have tried not to get angry and imagine their hearts.
I hope they learn to laugh at themselves and they will overcome it.

Secrets Protection Bill

What the government is trying to do is
Hiding inconvenient truths and emphasizing self serving information.
Arresting people who wanted to know the truth and detected it.
They also threaten whistle=blowers, even journalists.
It doesn't say commonwealth, developed country.
Everyone can understand that.

The Japanese government is trying to take away our right to know. This is a crucial moment.

On the other hand, there are many people who are not concerned about it. People who voted the government in in the last election are also such ordinary people.
Some live hand to mouth, the others are interested in how to get money, not reading the newspaper.
They are unconcerned about politics.
They don't think it is their problem.
I wonder if democracy of Japan hasn't become mature yet, because Japanese have a sense that you can't fight city hall since early times.
They don't have a habit of thinking about something by themselves.
They have still believed the government as " They must be doing good things for us."

If I was forced to teach students patriotism, I might quit teaching at high school.

Ridiculous mode.

Japanese high school students usually wear the uniform of each school. Girl students wear skirts.
The length is unbelievably short. Even if winter comes, they wear them.
I ask them "Don't you feel cold?"
They answer "Yes, of course I feel chilly! But I don't wear a long skirt, because nobody wears it."
They are not able to act individually because they don't want to stand out from their friends.
Besides that I guess they make a situation in which they are in danger of being molested.
I hope the ridiculous mode will vanish someday.

Eating orange in the kotatsu.

Speaking of winter in Japan, kotatsu and mandarin orange. A kotatsu is a small table with an electric heater underneath and covered by a quilt. Eating mandarin oranges can resupply a person's vitamin c stores. during the winter. There was no central heating in Japanese houses long ago, so kotatsu were efficient heater for them. When your lower body feels warm, you will want to eat an orange. This is a natural thing to do while relaxing in the kotatsu.