I made amazake using sake lees. Once the sake lees have melted in a pot, I add chocolate marshmallows cut in half. Put the rum in a teacup and pour amazake. It was delicious! (Michiko)
I received the invitation to an exhibition of Tsuzuki Seiko-san’s posthumous works. It will be held at Ai Gallery in the Okuno Building in Ginza, Tokyo. At her last solo exhibition in 2019, my husband and I were invited by Seiko-san, and we went to meet her at the gallery diagonally opposite the Akamon Gate of the University of Tokyo in Hongo, Bunkyo Ward, where we purchased a work titled “Heloniopsis orientalis”. Flower language is “Hope, Unforgettable”. I’m sure Seiko-san is creating what she loves in heaven. I hesitate to go all the way to Ginza alone at this time. These photos are from her 2019 solo exhibition in Hongo and the work my husband and I purchased. Although it appears delicate at first glance, it is filled with beautiful vitality. I think my husband, Shuzo chose this piece because he was attracted to the two flowers standing side by side, like us. (Michiko)
It’s now March. The sun will bring warmth with each passing day. The cemetery is bathed in bright light no matter the season. The photo in the schedule book is Dolce. (Michiko)
It’s a roasted sweet potato stand run by “Ekimae Kaguya,” a daytime temporary support facility run by the NPO “Sunwork Kaguya.” The fabric appliques on the stand were so cute and lovely so I took these photos. They were made by members of the group. On some days, “Kaguya Cafe” is open in a corner of this building. (Michiko)
I plan to visit the grave this weekend. The weather forecast is sunny, but since I, Rabbit is allergic, I’ll also check the pollen information. I enjoy playing my favorite Schubert’s “Impromptu No. 3” and humming along to the melody line. (Michiko, violinist playing piano)
I was able to enjoy a fulfilling February, adjusting to the fluctuating temperatures. I practiced two short pieces with a hesitant, sigh-like quality: Paradis’s “Siciliano” and Mascagni’s “Cavalleria Rusticana.” My joints tend to stiffen in the cold, so using a big vibrato also helped rehabilitate my fingers. I would love to play together if I had a piano player. (Michiko)
As a rabbit landlord, I went to the Fujisawa Tax Office to file my tax return. I went there early in the morning in the pouring cold rain, got a numbered ticket, and killed two hours. With the help of a kind tax office staff member, I was able to complete the entry on my smartphone. I’m a timid rabbit, so I’m worried about clicking the wrong button when entering my information at home. I’ll ask the tax office to help me again next year. They said, “Please come!” (Michiko)
A few days ago, around lunchtime, I was at a crowded Odakyu Line ticket gate. A foreigner who was looking at her smartphone called out to me in English. She asked me where the ticket gate for Kamakura was, and I taught her. After finishing my errands, I went back to the Odakyu Line platform. The platform was narrower than before due to construction work, and there was a long line. I was carrying a cane and shopping bags, so I couldn’t squeeze between people, so I walked on the yellow tactile paving toward the front of my destination train. It occurred to me: visually impaired people using white canes might one day fall in an unexpected accident. Recently, new stairs were installed to get off the JR line, but I felt that the Odakyu Line platform on the first floor had created an even more inconvenient and dangerous route for people with mobility issues and poor eyesight, including myself, who have difficulty using stairs. I hope that in the future, the construction process will be carefully considered to make local residents safer and happier. (Michiko)