nature

no words

Sometimes I find that words can be a distraction when writing. With the view of Mount Fuji still in my mind, and the weight of my son still on my lap, tonight was such a time.

no words Read More »

the sea

Being lovers of nature as well as the old and new world, we are so fortunate in where we live. While a shorter walk takes us to the train station or the shopping center, a short bicycle ride takes us to the nearby beach and mountains. And a thirty minutes drive will let us reach

the sea Read More »

evening exercise

The warm summer days in Fukuoka do not suit the active life of a two-year-old who wants to be out playing all day. It is a long wait for him between the morning outing (sometimes we go to the community center in the mornings, sometimes to the local shopping mall, if the sun is behind

evening exercise Read More »

the singing rice fields

Already a year has past since I in front of an open window enjoyed the rice frogs sining in the rice fields for the first time. And this year I have so come to love these fields – they feel like home. From the window I have been following them going from brown patches of dirt

the singing rice fields Read More »

everyday beauty

Tonight my son fell asleep lying on my chest; I cannot imagine anything more beautiful. His whole existence is beautiful – the pure innocence of a child. The trust he puts in us without even thinking about it – I was lying in bed thinking of what I possibly could have done to deserve it, to

everyday beauty Read More »

a song to the mountains

I cannot get enough of the mountains here in Japan. Every day I feel drawn to them, to see them, to feel them, to walk among them. It is almost like they talk to me through the air I breath, the cold winds that sweep around my face, the dense forests. The air at home when

a song to the mountains Read More »

stairs

Being a beautiful day, my son and I decided we should go exploring together. Just as I was about to prepare our picnic lunch, our son’s grandmother called and said she had prepared some lunch for us today; wow! So it was with homemade onigiri bento that we set off on our bicycle heading for

stairs Read More »

adventsfika

I could not resist to follow up the last post with a story of how we have enjoyed our lussebullar, saffron bread. The second of Advent we climbed the mountain at the foot of which we live. Ever since we moved here I have been looking up at the mountain, wanting to stand on its

adventsfika Read More »

finally fall

Finally the most beautiful time of the year is here. Before our son was born, I would take an early morning train and go to the mountains, searching for the autumn colors in nature, walking the trails with my camera and tripod and thermos with hot coffee. I would take an early morning train and

finally fall Read More »

a day to grow

Sometimes our son seems to grow more in one day than in a whole month. My wife and I were talking the other day about when we should stop call him baby; of course he is still our little baby (and I guess he will continue to be as long as we live), but we

a day to grow Read More »

art and poetry

Since becoming a father I have not had the time to work so much on my own art and poetry. Well that was a bit of an understatement – I have been too busy nursing our son, taking care of the house, moving from Tokyo, trying to find some daily time to study Japanese, that

art and poetry Read More »