Halloween seems to be getting bigger and bigger, year by year in Japan.  Halloween is one of my favorite holidays.  This year, I'm going to show you the steps of carving a Jack O'lantern. Step 1 Buy a Pumpkin.  Usually I go to Morioka for some good pumpkins.  This year, I was surprised to find really good and inexpensive pumpkins being sold at HOMAC.  YEA!!! Step 2 Cut off the top  Make sure to cut an an angle so the lid doesn't fall inside.  I like the look of this zig-zag pattern. Step 3 Using a long spoon and a knife, remove all the seeds, and inside stuff.  Scrape the inner side until it is smooth. Step 4 Carve the face.  This is very important.  Use your creativity.  Anything is okay, from very simple, to works of art.  Recently, I started to carve teeth into my Jack O'lanterns.  What do you think? Step 5 Put a candle in it, and light  it. We put the completed Jack O'lantern in front of our house to protect us from all the evil spirits playing tricks on humans on Halloween. I hope you have a safe and fun Halloween  

Today's phrase is about over stepping, trying a little too hard, or not knowing your own abilities. I bit off more than I could chew.　出来る以上にやろうとした。 I hope Tokyo didn't bite off more than they could chew with the Olympics! I think Donald Trump bit off more than he could chew.  He was never prepared to be the president. I may have bitten off more than I could chew with my lawn this year . . .we'll see. And now, some illustrative pictures:   It's okay to take a big bite of English, just keep chewing and chewing and chewing.  Some day you'll be able to swallow.  

I had big plans for last weekend.  I was going to do a little cycling, finish some work in my yard, and climb beautiful Mt. Taihei.  Then, Friday afternoon, I started to feel a cold coming on.  It steadily got worse, and I spent most of the weekend resting and hoping to get over my cold before my classes started on Monday.  Unfortunately, I'm not quite over it yet.  How are you doing? In English, there are many ways to say "I'm sick".  One common idiom is: I'm feeling under the weather. Also, we can say: I'm not feeling well. I'm sick as a dog. My head is stuffy. My nose if running. I have a sore throat. I hope you will not have to use any of these phrases for a long time. Stay healthy, and ON TOP OF THE WEATHER.            

The last week has been a downward spiral for Donald Trump, ending in his video from 10 years ago, coming out to show us his true colors. In English we can say: He's gone too far this time! Some other uses: You shouldn't have bought me a car, you've really gone too far, this is too much . . . but thanks.   If you pass the post office, you know you've gone too far.   You went too far for your halloween costume this year. Take it easy, don't go too far!  

After successfully fighting puzzlegrass, mushrooms and a very dry summer, the latest enemy has come.  The next battle has begun! The Japanese Beetle. The larvae form of the beetle,   eats the roots of the grass, causing first, brown spots, and finally, causing all the grass to die.  Some pictures of the damage to my grass: There is a very cute song about Koganemushi in Japan, but for me and my garden, it has become the ENEMY! To end on a good note, my flowers are looking beautiful.  What's the name??? I forgot, someone help name the flower please.  

Summer is over and we are into Autumn.  Autumn, or Fall, is definitely my favorite season.  The weather is cooler, the outdoors smells so good,  and I can finally stop sweating all day long! The first Japanese song I learned in my language school was 四季の歌 A Song of Four Seasons Here is an English translation: The person who loves the spring is surely someone with a pure heart just like a violet. You are my precious friend. The person who loves the summer is surely someone with a strong heart just like the waves breaking rocks. You are my dear father. The person who loves the Fall is surely someone with a deep heart just like the poet Heins. You are my lover. The person who loves the winter is surely someone with a wide heart just like the thawing of the snow. you are my dear mother. Fall is so beautiful in Akita.  I hope you are enjoying this season.This year I plan to go to three of my favorite fall spots. 安の滝 Mt Taihei and a little park whose name I don't know. I hope you can take time to enjoy the beautiful scenery in Akita.

Today is a uniquely Japanese holiday.  We don't have anything similar in America.  Japan now has the oldest population in the world.  The percentage of people over 80 is the highest in history.  Every day brings me closer to that point too. Here are a few English phrases about age. First and most important: You are never too old to learn. (七十の手習い）   I'm not over the hill yet! (over the hill:  too old to do something)   Hold on, I'm having a senior moment. (senior moment: a moment of forgetfulness or confusion) My mother is as old as the hills. (she has been around a long time.)   And finally, But she is still young at heart. ( she feels young inside)   Hope you are all enjoying your 3 day weekend, and your old friends.  See you soon.