And the year starts ...

Happy New Year everyone! This past holiday season, we didn't do much except bake, cook & eat alot like everyone else does at this time. We went away for a few days skiing, in Sugaidaira in Nagano. Annika & Niklas enjoyed themselves, skiing with friends & zonking out in the hotel-tatami room.

And of course, I sewed a couple more bags & something just for me! A simple brown skirt with elastic waist (because zippers give me headaches!). And yet not too simple because I'm spending hours & hours sewing buttons & crystals onto the front.

Recently I made these 2 pleated bags (Blushing Pink with Pleats No 1 & No 2). Both have been sold & I am making version No. 2 (with the hair-shaped handle) for me too! Chinese new Year is coming up (25 January) & every Chinese needs a couple of new items to start the new Year of the Ox!

No school today

For the first time in their lives, Annika & Niklas didn't have to go to school because there's too much snow!

How strange for us! In past times, when living in other countries, we've had school cancelled because of heavy rain or wind & now, snow.

And.....have you ever seen a snowball-maker ?!!!

SNOW AGAIN !

I know that most of you aren't excited about snow, this time of the year. We always get excited about snow, anytime of the year! This morning we woke up to find that it is snowing again! So Annika (my 7 year old) & I ran out to take more pix! I had to tell her, " See...Mama promised you snow this year!".

Spring is coming !

It’s grey, it’s raining but the cherry blossoms are coming out! I remembered when we first came to Tokyo to check out the city, in February 2006. We fell in love with our present home because there was ( & still is ! ) a beautiful plum tree, right outside our door. Well, not really right outside or we’ll have a hard time getting in & out !

Ok, the tree….It was beautiful already, when we first saw it in its bare state, with tiny buds struggling to come out into the cold. Today, the little pink buds are here again, already so pretty but "shy” with only a couple in bloom! Each year, we look forward to seeing this tree in full bloom & when the breeze comes, it will be like pink snow ! In Japanese, "ume" means plum.

First snow in the city !

This morning when the kids opened the door to leave for school … it was snowing ! Our first snow in the city since we moved here.

So pretty now, as I’m typing, with falling snow & the plum tree, just outside the window. Good thing it snowed here as I had promised my kids that it would snow in the city.

So exciting! If it had not, at some stage I would have to climb up the roof & throw paper confetti down!