Oshaberi

2011-03-14T21:14:00.000-07:00

Today with the uncertainty of earthquakes, Tsunamis and nuclear meltdown in many peoples minds and it is all pervasive - I read this from the Dalai Lama ~ I love that man - a life lived well indeed!

The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most about humanity, answered "Man.... Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived."

Another Love Story

2010-07-07T05:10:00.000-07:00

It has been a long time between writing - as I have no camera I wait until I receive photos that can tell a part of my story.
I just have 1 photo this time ~ but it tells a story of 35 years ~ it is my love story ~ a story of Japan and having babies and now having grandchildren ~ it is personal and yet it is wrapped up in many friendships and family relationships ~ my story, our story ~ a story of love and hate, a story of compassion and caring, of fighting and making up, of expanding as a human and of getting to learn of strength and gentleness - of sharing time together and yet being apart from each other for months at a time ... and I remind myself of all of those who share my life - and thus the millions of stories that make up our world. Blessing upon all of us!

Completing the story of being on the Drom

2009-12-02T20:02:00.000-08:00

I am looking at these photoes and I am taken back to the last days of being on the Drom.
The last 8 days were really special as my grandson Izumo travelled with us - he being only 5 years old. Before we left I told him that if he complained even once or missed his parents I would take him straight home ... I thought he would last 3 days and every morning I would ask him do you want go home - and every morning he would look into my eyes and very clearly say 'NO".
3 days worth of clothes had to last 8 days - so he went home rather dirty but with a huge smile!
He was only allowed to bring books, colour pencils and notebook - I wanted him to have this opportunity to discover how fascinating this earth is A part of the collection of his precious stones and bones.
And he was such a willing little worker - helping collect firewood, digging holes for compost,drying dishes and sharing his life with 3 older women. We decided he can come camping with any of us any time!

Travelling with a horse meant that at night we camped where ever we could find somewhere comfortable. In these photoes we camped at the back of this abandoned church, next to the grave yard.
In the afternoons after setting up camp and making sure all the animals had been taken care of we would often relax.

In this photo Izumo and I are sharing a book- my bed is next to the chair. We call it a swag. It is a mini canvas tent and inside is a sleeping bag. Izumo had his own swag and brave he was the first night but by the third day it had become oh so normal!

Ans yes we lots of adventures ... we found an orphaned lamb and so Izumo was responsible for her while we went to a couple of nearby farms trying to find the right farmer - and we did!

We also sometimes camped along deserted dirt roads. Every evening cooking over open fires. At night gazing between the stars and the fire, Izumo would ask us to tell him a story. So we would pull his swag close to the fire and he would say 'tell me about 'Baba Yaga (similar to yamanba)' or I want to hear about 'the Gecko and the Dingo' & sometimes tell me a new story ... we all chuckled a lot!

This journey wasn't always easy and sometimes I felt exhausted. But it has left me richer and more in wonder with this earth and the creatures we share it with.
I want to thank Red Catherine for inviting me on this amazing journey that most of us would never have the opportunity to take. I consider myself extremely lucky. And to my husband who has seldom seen me this year but always encourages me to follow my dreams. I am blessed!

RED CATHERINE & IZUMO - on the drom

If I close my eyes I can still hear the clip, clop, clip, clop of Tigga as he pulled us through the vastness of time and the spaciousness of Australia....
My wish - May we all continue to learn to love our lives and this earth and may this wonderment move throughout our human life!

some love from Australia - part 2

2009-09-11T21:50:00.000-07:00

I started talking about this journey I have been on in my last blog ... and here are some more of the photos I promised.

Tomorrow I am off again to join up with the merry crew. I have been in telephone contact and I hear the journey continues to be difficult at times and then fabulous. So there are tears and then laughter - but that is real life - it is all and everything!
On my return will post new stories and new photos. But I hope the photos below give you an idea at least ...

Arriving in the afternoon at a reserve - our home for the night - lots of trees so enough wood for a fabulous campfire!

some days have jsut been too hard with intense 90km wind gusts. So when it gets too hard Tigga comes off the wagon and we tow the vardo to the next camp site

we camped at a run down abandoned house - no ghosts!
early morning scenes

Lunchtime stop on long dirt roads we travel down. Our main companions are birds with the occasional rabbit or fox poking their heads out and wondering what is happening as Tigga clomps by. Some cars pass slowly and wave while others rush by. But Tigga the gentle giant takes it in his stride

I prefer walking up hills but then I have to jump back on the moving vardo
Getting up and off the vardo is something that I am slowly mastering - - not bad for a 52year old!

These photos were taken at a small country town called Eudanda. We passed by the elementary and secondary schools & had teachers come and ask us to talk to their pupils - which we did and by the end we had talked to nearly every class - the photos are of the first graders - very cute and lots of questions

and because they did such a good job we gave them carrots to treat Tigga with.

訳

オーストラリアから愛をこめて　　　　その２
前回のブログで“私が出ている旅”についてお伝えしました。お約束通り、いくつかの写真を紹介します。

明日私はまた楽しい旅の仲間に合流します。私はレッドキャサリンと電話で連絡を取り合ってきました。この旅は、時に、困難に出会ったり、またすばらしいものだったりと聞いています。涙あり笑いあり。でもそれって人生そのものだよね。いろんなことがある。
また戻ったら、新しい話や写真を紹介します。今回のブログに載せた写真で、旅の様子が少しでもわかるといいな。
午後、予定の場所に到着－今夜の寝床―ここには、キャンプファイヤーに使う木が十分ある。
数日間、９０キロメートルの突風で、難儀を強いられる事もありました。そんなときあまりにひどくなると、テイガはしんどいので馬車から外し、次のキャンプ地までワゴンを私たちが引いてく。
私たちは朽ちたあばら家でキャンプしました。――幽霊なんかいないわよ！
早朝の風景です。
長いほこりだらけの道で昼食をとり、ひと休み、そしてまた進む。旅の途中、小鳥や時折ウサギや狐が顔をのぞかせて、ティガがパカパカ行くのを一体何があったのかしらと不思議そうにしている。
ゆっくり通り過ぎながら手をふっていく車もあれば、一方勢いよく走り去る車もある。でも、おとなしく大きなティガはゆったり歩を進めていく。
登り坂を歩くのは好きだけど、移動しているワゴンに飛び乗らなければならないの。ワゴンに飛び乗ったり、降りたり･･･　なんとなく少しずつ上手になっている。５２才にしては悪くないよね。
これらの写真はユーダンダという小さな田舎町で撮ったもの。小学校・中学校の側を通りかかると、先生から生徒に何か話をするように頼まれたの。私たちは生徒達に話をして、最後にはほとんどのクラスに話をしたの。この写真は１年生達―とてもかわいくて、たくさんの質問をしてくれた。
彼らがとてもすばらしかったので、ティガにニンジンをあげるお手伝いをしてもらいました。

And Now some love from Australia ...

2009-09-06T23:26:00.000-07:00

How to cure my heart - as I wrote in my last blog - it happens from time to time - my heart breaks with what is happening in the world both close and far!
So to cure myself I have been off on a voyage of discovery - even though I don't think I will get to Alice Springs!

We are walking as far as we can get in the next couple of months - down country roads to the heart of this wonderful land. I will only be able to travel from time to time but I truly am grateful.

So I am travelling in Red Catherine's vardo - a gypsy wagon,

Pulled by Tigga the marvellous hero of a horse.

Red Catherine who has initiated this journey is a Romani (gypsy) woman.
She is a tiny and 60 years old. She also has many physical problems. But she dreamed of going on the Drom - on a journey. She brings a strong voice to end animal cruelty and exploitation to a more co-operative way of how we use our animals. We disregard the fact they are living beings and see them as just pork or beef etc. It is a blessing that we can if we wish eat meat and feed our animals etc. but to approach our responsibilities ethically is the challenge for humanity.

So we have been dreaming up this journey for a long time

And me ~ I believe in co-operation not exploitation for all creatures and for the earth ...

So on august 26th we left - all in place and ready to go

My first day on the road - 26th August

And our 2 travelling companions - Jango & Tahini - the wooden bars keeps them from jumping off the vardo
So the first day and it was indeed a huge change in my daily life.
I stayed on the road for a week coming back to Adelaide on 2nd September.
It was the worst weather - strong gale winds from the Antarctica bringing every type of weather imaginable.
... anyway in the next blog I will put up some more photoes of the first week!

訳）

どうやって私の心を癒そうか。－前回のブログに書いた通り－時おり、心を痛めてしまうことが起る。世界のあちこちで起きている悲しい出来事に、私はがっかりしてしまう。

そこで、自分を癒そうと、私はディスカバリーの旅に出ました。オーストラリアの真ん中にある街、アリス・スプリングまでは着けないとしても！

今、2カ月くらいかけて歩けるところまで行こうと歩いている最中です。このすばらしい国の真ん中に向かって田舎道を歩いています。時々しか旅には出れないけれど、こうやって旅ができることは本当にありがたいって思う。

キャサリンのジプシー・ワゴンに乗って旅をしています。
ワゴンを引いているのは、優秀な馬で私たちのヒーロー、ティガ。

この旅を考えたキャサリンは、小柄で６０歳のジプシー（ロマーニ）の女性。彼女も身体の具合が悪いところが多いけど、旅（ドローム）をするという夢を持っていたのです。この旅で彼女が声を大にして伝えたいことは、“動物を虐待することや都合のいいように利用することを止めて、人間と動物がもっと助けあっていく関わり方をしよう”ということなのです。動物が生き物だということをないがしろにして、私たちはただ、豚肉、牛肉等としてとらえています。食べたいと願ったり、育てたいと願えば、そうできるのは、とっても幸せなこと。でも、倫理的にどう責任をもつのかを考えることは、私たち人間の課題です。

この旅で私たちはずっとそのことを考えています。

　私は、すべての生き物や地球のために、人間が都合よく利用するのではなく、共生していけると信じています……

出かける準備をすべて整えて、８月２６日に私の旅が始まりました。
２匹の旅の仲間は、犬のジャンゴとタヒチ。（ワゴンにつけた柵は、走行中飛び出ないように）

さて、旅の初日。それはいつもの生活とはまったく違った生活でした。
一週間、道の上で過ごし、９月２日にアデレードに戻りました。
その間の天気は最悪…　南極から吹きつける凄まじい強風。

次回のブログで、この最初の１週間写真をもっと掲載します！

My Love Letter to Shimizu - part 2

2009-08-23T21:36:00.000-07:00

Love letters are all about that wondrous feeling - love lets face it makes you feel fabulous until you experience the heart break.And when it comes to planetary health it feels my heart has been breaking for a long time ... I am being dramatic and yet it's the truth!!!

According to history, poems and the paintings of long ago, Shimizu along with Miho Beach and Hagoromo was once upon a time a truly beautiful place. A visual paradise, blessed by great weather and good soils.

The Goddess Hagoromo was so enraptured by the incredible beauty of this area that she was tempted from her heavenly abode to swim in the beauty of Miho. She immersed herself in the ocean surrounded by ancient pines, Mt. Fuji and the mountains of Izu Peninsula.

I wonder what the Goddess would say now - would she too say "shame, shame shame". Would she shed a tear for what has been lost - for ever!
Some may say that Shimizu city planners managed to destroy most of the beauty along with the pine forests a long time ago. When you enter Miho peninsula on a clear day you are greeted by the majesty of Mt. Fuji as well as the thousands of electrical wires hanging all over the place. Ship building yards and an unloved main road has taken the shine away.
Added to that a filthy dirty beach that if it does get cleaned up, the next tide bring in the next few tonnes of garbage

....but there is still at times a magic that you can taste, a call to an ancient beauty that reminds you of the timelessness of the Kami as the kites swoop amongst the pines calling to the wind and each other.
So why my outburst and hurt. Miho has been unloved for a long time. There is a huge change happening around Hagoromo. I am sure many will be happy by the new box homes, and widened roads - that go all the way up to the fragment of the pine forest. Lots of vegetable gardens are disappearing under concrete ~ I wonder why?

The pine forest (actually there is no forest
- just a sliver of a reminder of what used to be a forest) is now so stressed out that most trees are under insect attack with many ancient trees just not surviving. It breaks my heart, it is just so sad to say goodbye to these old trees. Once gone there is a need to wait at least another hundred years or more to replace the mystery and the grandeur of this little slice of paradise. My grandchildren will never see or experience what their culture so far has done for thousands of years.

So again I say it is with such an incredible lack of insight and short sightedness of what could have been created at Miho. In a society which places so much importance on education I ask where are all the creative intelligent people? Surely a healthy vibrant education system is in the continuation of the making of a proud civilisation. Japan where are you disappearing to?
For thousands of years people have taken pleasure in walking the shores of Miho, serenaded to by the beauty of the Kites call whirling above the pines, sea fogs transforming the landscape into dragons breath, waves crashing on the shore vibrating through the dark green pine needles... this is precious!

訳）

ラブレターって、あのすてきな感情、愛がいっぱい詰まっている。でも、実際それを読んで幸せな気持ちでいれるのは、その恋が終わってしまうまでの間、だけどね。
でも、内容が地球の健康に及ぶと、心が痛い…ずっと。私はみんなに知ってほしいから情熱的に語ってきたし、語ってきたことは今も、“真実”なの！！！

歴史、昔の短歌や絵画によると、三保の浜辺や羽衣と共に、清水の街は昔とても美しいところで、“地上の楽園”といわれ、気候や土壌にも恵まれたところだったそうです。
羽衣の天女は、そのあまりの美しさに魅せられて、美しい三保で泳ごうと天上から舞い降りてきました。松の木やら、富士山、伊豆半島の山々に囲まれた海に身を浸したそうです。

でも、天女が今この地を見たら何て言うだろう。彼女も「なんてひどい。悲しいわ」と言うかな。失ったもの（それも永遠に！）に涙を流してしまうかな。

清水の街の都市計画に関わった人たちが、昔、松林や美しい環境を破壊したんだ、という人もいるでしょう。晴れた日に三保半島に足を踏み入れると、壮大な富士山が出迎えてくれると同時に、あちこちにぶらさがっている何千という電線も見えます。そして、造船所やメインロードが光を遮っています。
その上、浜辺はひどく汚れていて、掃除をしても、また波にのって何トンものごみがやってくる。
……でも、いまだに、魔法が味わえる時があるの。美しい古代へタイムスリップ。トンビが風や仲間に向かって鳴きながら松林の中を飛行すると、悠久の神の存在を感じます。

私が怒り、胸を痛めている理由は、三保が永いこと、みんなに愛されていないということ。羽衣周辺は大きく変わりました。そこに新しい家が立ち並び、広い道路ができ（それは松林の入口までずっと続いている）、うれしく思う人も多いでしょう。でも、多くの野菜畑がコンクリートの下に消えてしまっているんです。どうしてこうなってしまうの？

松林（とはいっても、今は林ではなくて林だったころの名残にすぎない）は、現在、ほとんどの木が害虫の被害にあって、悲鳴をあげています。昔の木はとうてい生き残れない。それらを見ると、悲しくなります。古い木々に別れを告げるなんて本当に悲しいこと。一度失ってしまったら、少なくとも百年、いえそれ以上の年月を待たなければなりません。再び、この小さな楽園の神秘と壮観さを取り戻すのに。このままでは、私の孫たちはこれまでのそのすばらしい文化をこの先見たり体験することは決してないでしょう。だからこそ、言うんです。何を三保に造るべきだったか、あきれてしまうほど見識がなくて、短絡的なのです。教育に重きを置く社会の中で、想像力のある賢い人たちはどこにいるのでしょうか。自分たちの誇り高き文明を途絶えさせることなく作り上げている中にこそ、健全で活気のある教育があるんです。日本よ、あなたはどこに消えてしまうの？

何千年もの間、人々は三保の浜辺で散歩したり、松林の上で旋回するトンビの歌声を聞くのを楽しんできました。あたりの風景を竜の吐息に変えてしまう海の霞や、海岸に砕けちる波が深緑の松の葉をふるわせる。すてきね！

A love letter to Shimizu - part 1

2009-07-13T19:52:00.000-07:00

I returned to Australia 3 weeks ago from Japan - I have left with 3 months of fabulous memories and this time ~ love letters from my grandson. Love letters, precious things indeed! 10 days after my arrival my daughter gave birth to a big bonny boy - Kodai ... and Maya is doing really well!!! (no photoes yet!) For 18 years I have been flying across oceans between Japan and Australia. It is now 32 years since I landed in Shimizu. It's a long time hey! I have raised my 2 children raised in Japan & Australia and now 3 grandchildren whose lives will be also entwined in Shimizu! I remember one evening a couple of weeks just before I left Japan. Standing out the back of our Umegaoka classroom, I was gazing at the big paddocks and vegetable gardens. I was having a cafe' latte (fair trade and organic and it was incredibly delicious). I soaked in the wonderful ambiance of this space with the the greenenss, the big sky (for a city!) and bird songs. I really felt incredibly blessed and very lucky. Lucky because Shimizu is heading the way of many big cities - it is getting covered in concrete! I really have appreciated and learnt so much about life in Japan - 'honetatemai' being one of them. But as a love letter I revert to my western ways to express what my heart is feeling. And this love letter is one of a breaking heart. I say "Shame, Shame, Shame" on the Shizuoka government for raising the land tax on vegetable gardens. It is stupid, short-sighted and incredibly painful on my heart to see so much rich, viable land die for housing, car parks or widening roads - lets just cover the whole place in concrete and plant more skeleton trees on the pavements. Lets make Shimizu even more uglier! What is happening around me indicates the shocking lack of city planning taking - city planners with no vision! To love a place and see it being destroyed little by little over 30 years does break ones heart. But it has now got to a point where I need to say enough is enough! In Shimizu I am able to buy locally produced seasonal vegetables & fruits and it is fantastic. This offers me a wonderful way of life. This is a part of my happiness - a part of my love of Shimizu. But now with concrete threatening every garden plot I am wondering how long till this part of Japanese culture becomes extinct. Most people aren't aware of creeping changes, what becomes lost, until it is too late. Shimizu, Shimizu, Shimizu ... what will become of you?

訳）

３週間前に日本からオーストラリアへ帰国しました―――３ヶ月間のすばらしい思い出と孫からのラブレターを胸に…。ラブレターってイイね！
オーストラリアに到着して１０日後、娘のマヤは大きな丸々とした男の子、コウダイを出産しました。マヤもとても元気です。（まだ写真はないけど！）私は１８年間、海を越え日本とオーストラリアを行き来しています。私が清水へ来てからもう３２年の歳月が過ぎました。とても長い年月ですね。私はオーストラリアと日本で２人の子供を育て、今では３人の孫がいます。この子たちの人生もまた清水に関わっていくことになるのでしょう。日本を発つ２週間ほど前のある晩のことを思い出します。梅が岡教室の裏手に立ち、耕作地や野菜畑を眺め、のんびりカフェラテ（フェアトレードの自然食品で信じられないくらい、とてもおいしいの）を飲んでいました。緑と広い空（街中にしては）小鳥の歌に包まれたそのすばらしい環境に、私はただ浸っていました。自然を感じ、今自分が信じがたいほど恵まれた環境にいて、とても幸運だなと思いました。　というのは、清水の街も大都市のようなコンクリートで覆われている街へと進みつつあるからです。日本で人生についてたくさんのことを学ぶことができ、本当にありがたく思っています。そのうちの一つが、“本音と建て前”――ですが、私はあえてここで本音を伝えるラブレターのように、西洋の手段をとって、素直に自分の気持ちを語りたいと思います。でも、このラブレターは“心を痛めている”ことを伝えるものだけど…。私は静岡市政に、“農地の税金を上げるだなんて、なんてことをしてくれたの！”と言いたい。今こうして、梅ヶ岡教室の裏手に広がっている肥沃な土地を見ていると、なんてばかげた、先を見据えていない、嘆かわしいことだって思う。すばらしい土地を、家や駐車場、広い道路の建設のためにコンクリートで覆って、やせた木々を歩道に植えている。清水の街をかえって醜くすることなのに。今、身近で起きているこうしたことは、あきれてしまうほどの都市計画のなさや、真の未来を見据えていない都市計画立案者ばかりだということを物語っています。
愛する場所が、３０年に渡りだんだん破壊されていくを見るのは心が痛みます。でも、「もうたくさん！」って言うべきところまで来てしまっている。清水では地元産の季節の野菜や果物を買うことができます。これは、すばらしいこと。そのおかげで、私は心豊かな暮らしができます。それは私の幸せの一部であり、清水が好きな理由の一つ。でも今やコンクリートが野菜畑を脅かし、農耕をしてきたすばらしい日本の文化が絶滅するのはいつかと心配しています。多くの人は、このゆっくりと進む変化に気づいていません。でも、失ってからでは遅すぎるのです。

清水、清水、清水、どうなってしまうの？

It's a good day

2009-04-28T22:55:00.001-07:00

A LONG TIME BETWEEN STORIES
Since I last wrote I have become a grandmother for a second time. Her name is En and she is my Dragon Princess. Now 5 months old and I have fallen in love madly!

At the end of last year I returned from my 3 months in Japan and I found myself spiralling into sadness - a depth that left me feeling flat and despondent ...

I had returned to mass media - something that I can easily ignore while living in Japan ~ and returned to the horrors of yet another war.

The cruelty of the human race to each other! How much sadness!

The number of women and chlidren dying in bombs and the horror will never be known

... the after effects are felt for too long!!

During this time Izumo, my little grandson, my hero of 4, often visiting me, would come into my house, grab my hand, while pulling me outside to play ... would look me in the eyes and with a big smile say "Today is a good day ... isn't it!!!"

Since he provided me a place where unconditional love flowed, I once more set upon the journey to find optimism! When reaching the joy of what I believe life can be, he ceased his "it's a good day isn't it - and I started to miss it.

So one day I turned around to him and said "Hey Izumo! Today's a good day isn't it" - he cocked his head to the side and looked at me as though "of course it is - we know that!"

I haven't tried to forget the cluster bombs being dropped or the blood soaked corpses of children ... or the lame excuses ...

I have instead tried to find a place for them in my heart. I do this to nurture hope and compassion - what else can I do with my anger ... but to transform them into something worthwhile ....

As the innocence of a 4 year old reminded me to see the world in all its possibilities ~ for life is a blessing ~ it should be and it can be ~

"Today is a good day ... isn't it!"

訳）‘０９　４．２８（火）
いい日だね。
久しぶりのブログ。
前回のブログからの間に、もう一人孫が産まれ、私はまたまたおばあちゃんになりました。彼女の名前は炎（えん）。私のとってもかわいいドラゴンプリンセス。今は５ヶ月で、私は彼女にぞっこん！

日本に３ヶ月滞在した後、オーストラリアに戻ると、私は螺旋状に悲しみへ、へたり込むような失望へ落ちていくのを感じた。日本ではあまりラジオや新聞を見る機会がなかったが、ここでは耳に入ってくる。日本で暮らしている間、気楽に無視できた何か、そう、未だに続いている一つの戦争の恐怖に戻った。
ガザでの互いの人種への残酷な行為…、なんて悲しいだろう。爆弾で死んでいく女性や子供達の数や残酷さは決して知られていない。彼ら、彼女らの後遺症は長く続いてしまうでしょう。

そんな中、もう一人の孫、私のヒーロー出雲（いずも）は、私の所に遊びに来ては家に入ってきて私の手をひっぱり外へ遊びに連れ出そうとする。そして私を見て、にっこり笑いながら“きょうはいい日だね、ねえ！”って言うの。彼のそんな無条件の愛に、私はこれからももっと楽観を見つける旅をしたいって思ったの。でも彼はある日突然“今日はいい日だね”を言わなくなっていて、私はそれを淋しく思い始めた。だから今度は私から彼に“ねぇ出雲今日はいい日だね！”って言ったの。そしたら彼は頭を横に傾けて、 “当たり前じゃん。そんなの分かっているよね。”とでも言うように私を見た。とってもかわいい孫の出雲は私にとって大切なことを教えてくれる大先輩だ。

私は落とされたクラスター爆弾のことや血まみれの子供の遺体、また説得力のない言い訳など残酷な出来事を忘れようとはしていません。その代わり私の心の中にその悲しみを置く場所探した。こうすることによって、私は望みや深い思いやりをはぐくもうとしたの。
私は一体何が出来るの…　ただ、それらを何か価値のあることへ変えていくしかない。
４才の無邪気な子供があらゆる可能性を持って世の中を見るように私に気づかせてくれた。命は祝福であり、祝福されるべきであり、祝福されるだろうものだから。

“今日はいい日だね｡　　ねえ。”

translation of last blog

2008-10-07T22:49:00.000-07:00

次のファイルまたはリンクを添付して、メッセージを送信する準備ができました:
2008年9月1日

注意: コンピュータのウイルスから保護するために、特定の種類のファイル添付の送受信が電子メールプログラムによって妨げられている場合があります。添付がどのように処理されるかを判定するには、電子メールのセキュリティ設定を確認してください。

BETWEEN MEMORIES

2008-09-11T21:39:00.000-07:00

CAN YOU SPOT THE KOALA IN JAYNE'S BUSH BLOCK?

AS CLOSE AS MY CAMERA WILL GET

訳）‘０９　９．１１（木）　　見えるかな…

ジェーンの家の木の中のコアラを見つけることができますか。
（出来る限り近づけて撮ってみました）

MY DESERT JOURNEY ~ memories of leaving Adeladie in May on my way to Japan.

2008-09-01T20:41:00.000-07:00

It’s been a long time in between blogs!!!

I am back in Australia after 3 months of a very full life in Japan. I have been busy since my return to Adelaide at the beginning of August ~ just over 3 weeks ago now!

And it has been so COLD!

But the last 3 days I have felt hints of spring coming ~ 3 days of sunshine after so many cloudy wet days … so feeling again an inner energy awakening!

This entry is a brief reflection of my last 3 months that I was away.

It didn’t start with Japan
It was first saying goodbye to my husband and grandson for 3 months – I knew I would miss them and I did!

Then I flew to the centre of Australia for a week with Minmia and a friend.
We all met in Alice Springs then rented a car for a week. The first thing we did was go to a supermarket. Then we drove over 500kms to Uluru.

The next day we drove to Uluru –

Minmia needed to visit friends and have meetings in – the Aboriginal community Mititjulu, near Uluru.

Aboriginal communities and especially remote communities like the one we visited experience lots of problems, lots of sadness, lots of hopelessness, lots of poverty but then there is also lots of hope, lots of courage, lots of graciousness and lots of laughter.

And between visiting the community we also did some sightseeing. I was the driver so I had to keep my eyes on the road, so was often stopping to gaze at landscapes that opened into endless horizon. These photes were taken driving to Katajutta.

I returned to Sydney, and spent the night with a girlfriend who lives near the beach. I went to bed that night with the sound of the waves – waking to a sunrise not over Uluru but over the amazing coastline of Sydney and then …to the airport I went …off to Japan!

This journey I know has changed my life – I don’t know exactly how but something in my soul moved during that week.

Also during the trip Minmia suggested she come to Adelaide and teach/ share her Aboriginal knowledge and culture to any women that may be interested. So I am now organizing her visit here. I wonder what will eventuate. I hope a very interesting and meaningful weekend for everyone that comes along!

Now I am in australia am planning to regularly write next time I will reflect on some memories of being in Japan!

Enjoy the last of your summer!!!
Jayne

訳）‘‘０８　９．１（月）

日本への旅の途中　砂漠の旅　アデレードでの思い出

久しぶりのブログです！！
日本でのとても充実した3ヶ月の生活を経てオーストラリアへ戻ってきました。
でも実は８月初めにアデレードに戻っていて、ずっと忙しくもう３週間も経ってしまったの。

それにしても、こっちはとても寒い。

でもここ３日間は春の訪れを感じます。曇ったじめじめした日々の後、3日間お日様が顔を出し、内なるエネルギーが再び目覚め始めている感じ！

さて、まず私のここ３ヶ月間の短い報告です。
始まりは日本ではなく、まずは夫と孫に３ヶ月間のお別れを言ったところから。
彼らとしばらく会えなくなるのは淋しい事とは分かっていたの。で実際もその通り！

そして家族とのお別れの後、私はまずミンマイアともう一人の友達と一緒にオーストラリアの中央部へ１週間の旅に出ました。私達はアリススプリングで会いそして１週間レンタカーを借りました。それからまずスーパーマーケットへ行き、その後ウルルへの５００キロドライブ！

ミンマイアは友人に会う約束と、ウルル近くのアボリジニの部落ミチチェルで会合がありました。アボリジニの社会特に私たちが訪ねたような遠く離れたところでは、沢山の問題や悲しみ、絶望、貧困を抱えています。一方多くの希望、勇気、優しさ、笑いがあります。この部落を訪ねている間、いくつかの観光もしました。私は運転手だったので道路に目をしっかり向けていた。でも時々車を止めては、果てしなき地平線へ広がっていく景色を見つめました。ここに写真はカタジュタへのドライブ中に撮ったものです。

シドニーへ戻り、海辺の近くに住む友達の所へ泊まりました。その晩私は波の音を聞きながら床に入りました。次の朝はウルルの彼方からではなく、シドニーのすばらしい海岸線の彼方からの日の出で起き、空港へ行き、そして日本へ…

この旅は確実に私の生き方を変えたと思う。どのようにかは確かではないけど、この週私は感動し、私の心が動いたのを確実に感じた。
またこの旅行中、ミンマイアがアデレードに来てアボリジニの知識や文化を、そういうことに興味を抱いる女性たちに教え、分かち合いたいと提案してきました。だから今私は彼女のアデレードのプランを練っています。どんな感じになるかな…。
参加してくれた人たちにとって、とても興味深く意義のある週末になるといいな。

今私はオーストラリアにいるけど日本での思い出を次に定期的に書くことを計画しています。夏の終わりを楽しんで下さい。ジェーン

Translations from Teruko of previous blogs

2008-08-27T22:17:00.000-07:00

Hi, Jayne
I've just came back from Arima onsen and Kyoto Square Dance Party.From this week, OEK will start again. Attending OEK is always lot of fun.
Thank you Jayne.
I hope it will work well.
Bye Teruko

２００８，５，７（水曜日）
わたしは日本へ向かいます～ミンミアの本に関するミカルの話
ミンミアとのアリススプリングとウルルへの旅―とてもいい旅～8月初めまでの日本への旅のため忙しかった。アデレードでのある日―もうイズモと会えないと思うと寂しいー私の周りの不思議たとえば蟻ってなんてスゴイのかとか、思い起こさせてくれる私の孫―それで荷造りをしなければならないけど、ミンミアの本に関するミカルの話を知らせたかったのです。（あと一息）ガンバレ！ジエイン
ミカルの洞察力
私がクオンドンツリーの下で最初の本を手に、インドのラジャスタンのアブ山の頂上でミンミアに出会ってから11年たった。ミンミアがウラジリの人々を支えて女性の仕事を教える貴重な部族を守るということは11年もの間の私の願いでした。だから私たちの孫もひ孫もそれらを聞くことができるのです。本はこのようなことをするのに最良の方法のようだ。何という旅、しかも孤独ではなく。多くの女性がこの願いが実を結ぶのを助けてきた。私は私たちがこの古くからのオーストラリアの原住民の話を理解する次の潮流の初まりにたっているんだと思う。私にとって、話の核心であり、霊的教えです。非常にながい年月に渡り多くの女性達によって、多くの犠牲が払われたことで今日この本を手にすることができたのです。あなたがこの本を読むことを勧めます。

２００８，４，２８（月曜日）
ミンミアの本＝クオンドンツリーの下でー
ここ何年かずっと私はとってもステキナ女性と一緒の時を過ごしてます。彼女の名はミンミア。彼女はアボリジニの年長者で私をガイドし、女性の仕事に基づく多くのことを私に教えてくれます。彼女の古くからの文化はここ4万～8万年間進化し続けています。（あなたが考古学者を信じればね）アボリジニ達は白人の植民地化以来恐ろしい歴史を経験しています。－白人の法律で子供達を連れ去りー計り知れない苦しみと文化の破壊を引き起こしたことは言うまでもないがーにもかかわらずミンミアのように多くの人々の中には信じがたいほどの慈悲と寛容さそしてすべての者に対してよりよい世界と癒しへの願望がある。彼女はすばらしい先生であり私にとっての手本です。
ここ数年にわたり、彼女は公開授業をやっていてそれらは書き起こされている。2年前2人のよい友達がすべての手に入る授業とメモを収集してそれらを本に編集しました。そして彼女の本は自分の声（言葉）で語った自分の物語なのである。彼女は私の人生を豊かにしてくれる。この本は彼女のまなざし、文化そして精神を通して女性の為に書かれた。もしこの本をほしい人はminmia@lspdr.net.auへEメイルを送って下さい。
アデレイドの3月
暑い夏を過ごしながら

２００８，３　熱波とカラカラ天気のこの2週間
アルテミスにて
今日“おしゃべりの苗木”に水をやるために2回アルテミスへ出かけた。－乾燥した2度の冬と長く暑い夏のあとだというのに木々は熱い砂地で生き延びていたなんて奇跡。時々強い熱風がもっと厳しい生活を強いたというのに～風はただ若木の葉を乾燥させるだけでなく移動する砂に埋めてしまいます。まったく情け容赦もありません。レッドキャサリンでは平均気温が38度から40度の間の時2回ウーハーがきてくれた。－私たちがいた2週間と彼女の分もう何日かーそして彼らのおかげで2回ほど抜け出せたのです。－彼らの気持ちに幸あれ！だってすごく暑いから。（ウーハーとは農場で1日何時間か働いて、ただのベッドと食事を与えられるボランテア）
贈り物は2年前に植えた木のうち2本に花が咲いたこと。それらはメラルーカという名で沢山の果汁が出るので小鳥たちにとっては最高の場所であり最後に巣を作る所です。それは私の奇跡。初めの植林で1500本木を植えたと去年私は書きましたが、生き延びたのはたった150本です。これがそのうちの2本。このあたりの場所ではすべてのメラルーカが切り倒されたのに花が戻り、先のことは解らないけどいつか赤ちゃんが？

心から悲しいこと。ジャバワッキーーおとなしい大きなすばらしい犬―骨の癌で自宅で亡くなった。彼女は沢山の動物を飼っていますが、この犬の不在は未だ涙を誘います。－私もこの犬がいなくて寂しい。この写真は獣医が到着する数時間前にとったものです。
我が家にて
太陽が上がる前の早朝、フミオが屋根に上って新しい1日に挨拶しながら、枯葉をはいてます。大体週1回かそれくらい彼は屋根に上るけどここ2週間は30～40度という気温でほとんど毎日やらなくてはいけないです。私の所はユウカリの樹に囲まれているので家やフミオの作業場の屋根の枯葉を掃除しなければなりません。もしトイや屋根に残りがあると山火事のときにそれらが燃料になり家が焼けてしまう原因になります。又雨の時屋根からの水はみんな大きな雨水タンクへ集められます。－これは私たち家族の1年を通して飲料水のもととなります。－だから屋根掃除はここに暮らすためにすべきことの一つです。でもごらんの通りフミオは全然気にしていません。というのもこの16年間で初めてのスゴイ乾燥で牧場には羊に食べさせるえさがほんの少ししかありません。おいしい干し草を買わねばならなかった。羊に幸あれ！

I'mm off ~ Michals' s story about Minmia's book

2008-05-07T02:07:00.000-07:00

A busy day tomorrow in Adelaide followed by a journey to Alice Springs and then to Uluru with Minmia - a good journey and then to Japan until beginning of august ... I am alreay missing Izumo - my grandson who reminds me of the wonder found in the world around me ... like ants and how amamzing they are! ~ So need to pack but wanted to post Michal's story about Minmia's book!
Cheers
Jayne

Michal's insights
It was 11 years from the time I met Mimia, on the top of Mount Abu, Rajastan, India, to holding the first copy of 'Under the Quandong Tree' in my hand. It had been my heart's wish for those eleven years to protect the precious lineage of women's business teachings that Minmia holds for her Wirradgeri people so that our grandchildren and great grandchildren could hear them too. A book seemed to be the best way to do this. What a journey but not a lonely one. So many women have helped this wish to bear fruit. I think we are at the beginning of the next wave of understanding the indigenous story of this ancient continent Australia and to me it is the heart of the story - the spiritual teachings. So much sacrifice has been made by so many women over hundreds and thousands of years to make it possible to have this book today. I suggest you read it.

Minmia's Book - Under The Quandong Tree

2008-04-28T17:53:00.000-07:00

Over the last few years I have been spending some time with a very wonderful woman.
Her name is Minmia

She is an Australian Aboriginal elder who has been guiding me and teaching me many things based on women’s business. Her ancient culture has been evolving for the last 40,000 – 80,000 years (depending on what archeologist you believe!) Even though the Australian Aborigines have experienced a terrifying history since white colonization – white law took their children away – which needless to say has caused immeasurable pain and destruction of culture – there lies within many people such as Minmia an incredible graciousness and forgiveness and a desire for healing and a better world for all –she is a marvelous teacher and role model for me
Over the last few years she has been doing public teachings and they have been transcribed.
2 years ago 2 very good friends took it upon themselves to gather all available teachings and jottings and compile them into her book. So her book is her telling her stories in her first voice.
She has so enriched my life!
It is a book written for women through her eyes and her culture and her spirit.

For anyone interested in obtaining this book please send an email to minmia@ispdr.net.au

March in Adelaide

2008-04-03T22:19:00.001-07:00

Spending time in a hot summer
March 2008 with the last 2 weeks in a heat wave and no rain insight!

AT ARTEMIS
There were 2 trips up to Artemis this month to wateri Oshaberi’s baby trees – after 2 dry winters and a long very hot summer it is a miracle they are surviving in the hot red sands, sometimes with strong hot winds making life even more tougher ~ the wind not only dries the leaves but can bury them in the moving sands … so they are indeed doing it tough.
Red Catherine has had 2 lots of woofers visiting during our 2 weeks and for her more days of when the average temperature was between 38- 41 degrees ~ and so they managed to get out a couple of times – bless their hearts cos it is hard and hot!
(Woofers ~ volunteers who for exchange of a free bed and meals work a few hours a day around farms.)

The gifting was two of the trees we planted 2 years ago are in flower – they are called a melaleuca and provides lots of nectar and a great place for small birds to eventually make nests in. They are my miracles! As I think I wrote last year we had in the first planting of trees planted about 1,500 but only 150 survived ~ and these are 2 of them! On this part of the property all the melaleucas had been cut down so they are back in flower and you never know – 1 day making babies!

The heart sadness was Jabberwocky, her gentle giant of a gorgeous dog passed away at home with bone cancer ~ even though she has so many animals his absence still brings a tear – I miss him! This photo was taken a few hours before the vet arrived.

AT MY HOUSE
Early mornings before the sun rises Fumio was up on our roofs, sweeping away the dead leaves while greeting the new day.

Usually once a week or so he gets up there but with 2 weeks of temperatures in the high 30’s – low 40’s it needed to be done nearly every day ….

As I am surrounded by eucalyptus trees we have to keep the roof of our home and Fumio’s working shed clean of dead leaves. If left in gutters and on roofs during a bush fire the leaves become fuel and can cause houses to burn down.
And when it rains all the water from my roofs are gathered in large rain water tanks – this becomes my family’s supply of drinking water through out the year - so cleaning roofs is a part of what must be done living where I do.

But as you can see it is a job Fumio doesn't mind doing!

Because it has been so dry for the first time in 16years I have very little food in my paddock for our sheep to eat. We have had to buy in food – heads down munching away on some sweet hay! Happiness in sheep heaven!

And then 2nd April our first autumn rains was a hailstorm – pounding down on my (clean) roof (thank you Fumio) leaving my lawn white, sprinkled with both living and dead pine needles from the ferocious winds! Out come the long sleeve jumpers! Confusion for not just me but I reckon all living beings in this part of the world!

Talk to you all soon
Jayne

Japanese translation of 20th Jan 08

2008-03-02T20:58:00.000-08:00

おしゃべり英会話の私たちみんなより、あけましておめでとう！
皆さんにお便りしてから､ずいぶんたちました。そしてついに1月も半ば過ぎとなり､2008年のブログを定期的に送りたいと思います。

最近2週間くらいアデレイドでは、3回も41度の暑さを記録しました。
ウオーすごう～く暑い。でも先週はいくらか涼しかった。－あなたたちには日光、青い空、そよ風と恵まれていると思うかも。皆さんほとんどの人はヒーターをつけてジャンパーを羽織りこれを読んでいることでしょう。

ここに座ってこうして書いていると､台所の窓から外を見ると､なにやら訪問者がいるようです。オーストラリアウッドダッグです。写真にある２羽の鳥は野生のウッドダッグです。（頭の形がガチョウに似ているけど）黒い頭のアヒルは雄でちょっと後ろで青白い頭で羽にぽつぽつあるのが雌です。
アデレドの丘陵に住み、家の後方には大きなゴムの木に取り囲まれて､森に住んでいるような幻想を抱きます。原野があるということは多くの種類の鳥と家を分け合っています。この１５年間はわたしの裏庭に小さい野生の鳥の聖域造りを営んでます。わたしを訪ねる１５種類の違った鳥たちが定期的又は１年の異なったときにきます。わたしがこうしている理由は多くの人々が丘に住み､沢山のオーストラリアの未開地が家を建てたりイングリッシュガーデンになったりして消えつつあり､これは多くの種類の鳥たちが食べ物を確保するのがますます困難になると言うことです。この地域には沢山の猫や狐がいてたいていの鳥はこれらの賢いハンターのたやすいターゲットです。
ここには１年中住んでいるつがいの鳥がいますが、仲間の多くは夏に戻ってきます。時には５０羽の鳥がえさを求めてやってきます。―足下に鳥のつぶえを見ることができるのよ！でも鳥たちの命は恵みの雨にかかっているの。わたしのダムはもうほとんど空っぽ。
去年もまた乾燥した１年だったので、ダムが干上がった時たいていの鳥は水を求めてここを去らなければならなかったの。彼らは交尾すると森の中、空洞の丸太の中に巣を作ります。雛が生まれてすからでようとつつきます。そうして地面へさまよい出て、そこでしばらく危険にさらされます。－どうして危険―前に話したように沢山の猫や狐―それらは決して自然界の釣り合いの一部ではなかったので雛たちはこれらの近代的なハンター達に対して十分な装備をしていないのです。実際に雛が脅されたときその親が囮になって、行動しようとするのを見ますが、しばしばそれらは食べられてしまいます。
わたしはアヒルが大好きです。見ていると本当におもしろいの。ある時アヒルは声を出して、事を運び、あちこちつついて命令したり、考えを再建したりしています。でもアヒルの世界ではすべて平等です。女の子が男の子をつっつき、女の子も反対につっつかれて。このアヒルの世界ではどちらが弱い性というのは全くありません。
おしゃべり英会話の生徒でいてくれてありがとう！これらの鳥たちのために、あらゆる種の資金を助けてくれて。

ところでこの陽気な朝わたしは去年の思い出をひもとくことにしました。
あなたたちの多くが教室の移転を見に来てくれ他と思います。

２００７年に見た最後のーー堂林教室の目覚め
ヤモリのお母さんと赤ちゃんがさようならを言いにきました。
さようなら堂林教室　　ありがとう　　大事な数年間
さようならを言うのがすごく悲しいのは堂林教室をとても愛していたから。わたしはとても恵まれていたのよ。というのはわたしの古い友達のナタリー～彼女の知恵、助言、笑い、朝のお祈り～と共に一緒だったから。こういう時って友達が必要なのよね。
ナタリーは又お地蔵さんの前掛けと帽子も作ってくれたの。そして山姥の前掛けもね。
本当にありがとうナタリー

月見教室の移動
月見教室の新しい写真はないけど、次にはもっと新しい写真をね。
新しい教室梅が岡を造っている間~（写真）
それは大仕事でしたが今終了しました。それは本当にすばらしいことです。非常に沢山の人々が手を貸してくれたのですが。そのすべてみんなにふれることができないけれど、数人について触れます。余計なすべての仕事をしてくれたすばらしいスタッフ　本当にありがとう。特にマーク、袖をまくり上げ、掃除をしたり、磨いたり、直したり、そしてすべての先生方の交代勤務の手助けをして、多くの時間を費やしてくれてありがとう。そしてベックス　本当にありがとう。―マークの妻に言う必要があります。マークはこれらに時間を費やし、妻、ポピー、メイ達とずっと家で過ごすことができなかったのです。
ことえとめぐみにはこの教室の移動運営をしてもらいました。

わたしの友達ナタリーにはーミシンで滞在中ずっと働いてくれました。－もしハロウイーンパーテイーに参加したならナタリーの作ったおいしいトフィーやハニカムを味わったことでしょうースタッフのために私たちのエネルギーを保つために作り続けたのです。
堂林教室での上の彼女の写真は彼女がお祈りをしているところです。－彼女は何年もチベット仏教の実践者です。そしてオーストラリアでいろいろなことをしているけど、瞑想の先生です。
わたしの娘マヤは別の裁縫きの女性で、掃除上手で、いい庭師です。梅が岡への移転に手を貸してくれました。彼女は小さな子供イズモから離れて、何時間も働いてくれました。彼女に疲れ知らずの作業なしではわたしはもっと大変だったでしょう。―特に庭仕事と縫い物はー
きよみはしばしば私たちに昼食を届けてくれました。わたしが全く移転に関わっているとき、彼女はナタリーを取り込んで、沢山の時間を彼女と共にしました。
わたしの親戚みんな使い走りや食物を持ってきてくれたりして支えてくれました。電気技師ののりおさんー彼はわたしの義理の弟ですが。とても親切で沢山の時間をわたしに割いてくれました。はつえさんは食事のことや掃除を手伝い、マヤの手か必要なとき、孫のイズモの世話をしてくれました。そしてかつおさんはいつも忙しく動き回り、できることは何でもしてくれました。庭師のげんごろうさんは木を刈ったり、土を掘ったり、植え替えたりしてくれました。けんたろうさんも又週末にやってきて、げんごろうさんとマヤを助けて木や岩を移動したり運んだりしてくれました。
そしてわたしのステキなつれあいーふみおさんー３０年にもなりますがーオーストラリアにいて“信じること”と電話で勇気づけてくれ気持ちを共にしました。
そしてすべてのすばらしい生徒達が大きな模様替えを、ものともせず、みんなの前向きの態度に本当に感謝します。
ＯＥＫがこのようにステキな人々から沢山の応援をいただいてとても光栄に思います。
このようなことが行われていた時、“梅が岡教室”に訪問者がいました。なんて言う鳥かわからないけど、“梅が岡教室”で作業をしていてよかったです。だって月見教室ではできない鳥の生活を支える野菜庭園がここにはあるので。すごく祝福されていると思う。

生活もやっと落ち着いたので、これから規則的に書こうと思います。今初めてこのブログを読んだ人は去年のわたしの話そしてＯＥＫの話へどうぞ戻ってみてください。
私たちみんなにとってすばらしい１年でありますように！

AFTER 6 MONTHS AT LAST ~ HELLO!!!

2008-01-20T19:19:00.000-08:00

January 21, 2008
HAPPY NEW YEAR
FROM ALL OF US AT OSHABERI!!!

It has been a long time since I have communicated with all of you ~ and so at last!
We are already half way through January! In 2008 I hope to post regular articles on our blog!

The last couple of weeks in Adelaide we have experienced a long heat wave with it peaking 3 times at 41 degrees! Wow – it has been so hot! But the last week has been a little cooler – you feel so blessed by sunrays, blue skies and warm breezes. And most of you will be reading wearing jumpers with your heaters on!

As I sit here and write this I look outside my kitchen window I have a few visitors – some Australian Wood Ducks! These 2 birds in the photoes are native Wood ducks (although the shape of their heads is similar to that of a goose. The duck with the dark head is the male and slightly behind him with the pale head and speckles on her side is the female.

I live in the Adelaide hills and the back of my house is surrounded by big gum trees, giving me the illusion that I live in a forest. Having wilderness means that I share my home with many species of birds. For the last 15 years I have run a small native wild bird sanctuary in my back yard. I have about 15 different species who visit me either regularly or at different times of the year. The reason I do this is because with many people now living in the hills a lot of the Australian native bushlands are disappearing giving way to homes and English gardens. This means that many species of birds are having a lot more difficulty in getting their food supplies met. There are also more cats and foxes have been introduced to this area and most birds are easy targets for these very clever hunters.
I have a couple of permanent couples living here all year round but in the summer many of them return and I sometimes get 50 of them visiting for daily treats – you can see the bird seed under foot! But their life depends on good rains and my dam is now nearly empty. Last year was also a dry year and when my dam dried up (deleted) most of them had to leave to try and find water. They mate for life and have their nests in hollow logs in the forest (thus wood ducks). When chicks are born they are nudged out of the nest and float to the ground where they live a dangerous life for awhile – why dangerous – as I mentioned there are many cats and foxes that never used to be a part of the natural equation and so they are not well equipped to deal with these modern hunters. Indeed when the chicks are threatened I have seen their parents trying to act as decoys – often meaning that they get eaten!
I love my ducks – they are so much fun to observe. At times they are very vocal establishing and re-establishing there pecking orders and there duck politics – but its all equality out there in duck world – girls pick on boys , on girls and vice versa – nothing about a weaker sex in this mob!
Thanks to your support for being a student at Oshaberi as that means that you help fund all the seeds for these birds – so thank you so much!

So on this very mellow morning I also find myself unraveling memories of last year
I know that many of you too have been on the journey of seeing Oshaberi transform.

The last part of 2007 saw ~ the disillusionment of Dobayashi

Even the ghekkos, mum and then the babe came to say Goodbye

GOOD-BYE DOBAYASHI – thanks for some great years!

And what was a very sad time for me in saying goodbye because I loved Dobayashi – I was very blessed because my old friend Natalie was there with me with her wisdoms, counseling, laughter and her morning prayers! It is at times like these that you need a friend.

Natalie also made the bibs and hats for both our Jizo San's and for the bib for our yamanba!

THANK YOU NATALIE!!!!

To the transformation of Tsukimi classroom - Though no new photoes of Tsukimi - wanted tyo include imagery - next time newer photoes!

While creating our new classroom ~Umegaoka!

It was a huge undertaking but now that it is done, it feels fabulous. I can’t mention everyone who helped as their were so many of you but to mention a few of my wonderful helpers ~~~
· Many thanks to my fabulous staff for all the extra work given – especially Mark who spent hours with rolled up sleeves, cleaning, polishing, fixing and helping shift all our stuff!

And I also need to say a BIG THANK YOU TO BEX, Mark's wife for all the extra hours he wasn't at home with her and Poppy and Mei!
· To Kotoe and Megumi for taking control of moving our office.
· To my friend Natalie – at the sewing machine – who worked hard throughout her visit with us – if you attended our fun Halloween Party you would have tasted her fabulous toffees and honeycomb – that she kept on making for the staff to keep up our energy levels! The top photo of her at Dobayashi is when she was doing her prayers – she has been a Tibetan Buddhist practitioner now for many years and is a meditation teacher amongst doing many other things
in Australia · To my daughter Maya – another fabric woman, fabulous cleaner and gardener who helped transform Umegaoka. She worked for hours away from her little boy, Izumo and without her tireless activity it would have been much harder on me - especially in the garden and all that sewing!
· To Kiyomi who often brought us lunch and treats and as I was so involved with the shifting she took Natalie under her wing and shared a lot of her time with her!

To all my relatives who supported us with all the extra leg work and fed us and my electrician - Norio san who is also my brother in law and was so kind in giving me heaps of his time. Hatsue San who fed us and helped clean and looked after my grandson, Izumo as often needed Maya’s help. And Katsuo san always running and doing anything he could to help
· To Gengaro the gardener for his pruning and digging and transplanting. Also to Kentaro who came for a weekend to help out Gengaro and Maya dig, shift and carry plants and rocks.
And to my wonderful partner – Fumio, of 30 years, who stayed in Australia but shared telephone calls encouraging me to ‘believe’!

And to all our wonderful students who took the shift in their stride and didn’t complain ~ I really appreciated everyone’s positive attitude!

I just feel so privileged that Oshaberi has so much support from all these wonderful people … and then while all this was happening we had a visitor welcoming us to UMEGAOKA ~
Our new classroom ~ what bird I cannot say but it is so good to be working in Umegaoka as all the vegetable gardens in the area support birdlife that can’t live in Tsukimi – I feel very blessed!

I hope to write regularly now that life has settled down. For any of you whose first visit it is to this blog please go back to last years entries as they are a part of my story, thus Oshaberi’s too!!!
And may we all have a fabulous new year!!!
Jayne Ueda

Kappore

2007-08-28T22:12:00.001-07:00

Kappore Time!!!! Wow what a great time to be in Japan, especially Shimizu. Summer time in Japan has basically festival after festival of all shapes and sizes. Perhaps it's the best way to take your mind of the fact that it's soooo b****y hot and humid.
Shimizu's Port Festival is a 3-day festival on the first weekend of August, with the Kappore dance event held on the Friday and Saturday nights. OEK traditionally has a team that participates on one of those nights.
This year we had over 90 students and family members in our team, plus many other people came and cheered us on.
Way to go everyone who came and especially those who stayed until the end. Anyone who has tried will agree that three solid hours of dancing in the Japanese Summer evening heat is no mean feat. For those students who would like to join next year keep you eye out for posters about it at the school (usually just after Golden Week) and get in quick.

My parents are off traveling again!

2007-08-24T00:14:00.000-07:00

ThIS TIME they are off to England for a week and then they are going to Russia for 3 weeks. They will stay in a ship which will travel along the rivers from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
As my mother isn’t so well this means she doesn’t have to move from hotel to hotel but she can take her bedroom with her. When she feels well she can explore the marvels of the Russian landscape and culture and when she is tired she can stay in her cabin and rest – isn’t that perfect!
And dad is there to look after her and share in lots of good times. May they be happy!

Of course it is scary traveling when you are not well but my mother and father want to live their lives as fully as possible until they die! What good role models!!!

So photoes of my mother and me! (the photo with dad was blurry!)

These are an important photoes as I won’t see her for 3 months. When she arrives back in Australia I will be in Japan! So I will miss her but the happiness is that we are out in the world living our lives and this is the celebration.

So on the 15th September I will be back in Shimizu and looking forward to meeting new students, old students, the great staff at OEK and all my wonderful friends! I will stay for 2 months
And to make it even better my daughter Maya and my grandson Izumo will be coming too!!!

LUCKY ME

ANOTHER 100 TREES PLANTED

2007-08-21T22:20:00.000-07:00

ANOTHER 100 TREES PLANTED – THANKS TO THE SUPPORT OF OEK AND ALL OUR STUDENTS!

A PART OF OUR STUDENT FEES GOES INTO SUPPORTING ME HAVING THE TIME TO GO AND PLANT TREES = BY BEING ONE OF OUR STUDENTS YOU ARE HELPING TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE!!!
Morning coffee finished and I am off into the bush with my wheelbarrow full of goodies

August should be the time of rain. But you can see next to the wheel barrow the dry red sand!!!

So the next wheel barrow is full of water! So instead of spending time only planting trees a lot of time is needed to go and water all the young babies in the ground – and that is nearly 350 – a lot of carrying water – and getting fit!

AND THEN …
While planting Catherine yelled my name and I went running – but it wasn’t an emergency ~ she was pointing at what looked like a strange bush
~ but it was a great gift…

It was an ECHIDNA!!!
It was a very special moment because it is very hard to find an echidna ~ they have to find you!

(If you want to know more about echidnas read the blog below this one.)

Too much attention so she/he decided to start burrowing but we knew this little echidna was looking for dinner so we left her (or him) to doing what echidnas have to do.

15 minutes later we went back and it had totally disappeared

I am happy planting trees cos I know that life is indeed precious. I want in any little way help this echidna and all the wild creatures have a good life – and for this they only need wild habitats ~ not our money or our comfortable world ~ they ask for so little.

Wild creatures can not live on land when it is like this – no food or shelter …

So why are humans destroying more and more wilderness – more houses, more mining, more, more and more ~ it is a sadder world as we are just taking too much – our desires for more things are our amongst our greatest challenges!
May we rise to the challenge so that one day you or your children or your grandchildren or even your great grandchildren ~ meet an echidna in the wild!
fABULOUS

ALL ABOUT THE ECHIDNA

2007-08-21T22:00:00.000-07:00

The Echidna is one of the world’s greatest survivors. They are the oldest surviving group of mammals on our planet, all the way back to the age of the dinosaurs. The platypus and the echidna are the only egg laying mammals in the world.

Not big bold or beautiful, the echidna is the ultimate survivor. It has a small roundish body covered with spines, and intelligent eyes set near the base of a leathery bird-like beak. The nostrils are at the tip with a tiny mouth opening on the underside. It has no teeth. The mouth only opens the width of the tongue - the tongue can extend up to 17cms while darting rapidly in and out gathering food such as grubs, earthworms and insect eggs.

They are independent little animals. They live solitary lives except during the breeding season. They use up to 200 hectares for a home range, which is large for an animal that generally weighs less than 5 kg.
They live up to 50 years.
They must be 5 to 7 years old before they have their first young and that they are not prolific breeders. Up to 50% of young may die reaching adulthood.
The survivors leave their home area when they are about a year old. Some travel over 45Kms before establishing a home range.
Low population numbers and dispersal of the young mean that they do not compete with each other for food or shelter.

It is hard work and you need a lot of luck to find an Echidna. They do not return to ‘home dens’ or burrows on a regular basis and they don't often use the same pathways. Also echidnas walk silently, blend in with their surroundings and rarely emit any sounds.

Because of their lifestyle, we have no idea how many echidnas are left. Historic data clearly show a decline.

Their survival is being jeopardised by introduced predators –foxes & dogs – and by competition from rabbits. A number of ‘quiet killers’ have become evident - herbicides, pesticides, and other chemicals enter the food chain and claim the lives of echidnas as well as other native species.

What are the continued survival chances of the echidna in an increasingly hostile world? One of the most outstanding characteristics is their individualism.
Different in so many respects from other mammals – an egglaying, slow reproducer, with low body temp, non aggressive and not territorial – the echidna still remains an undisputed giant among mammalian survivors.

OEK FAREWELLS GENEVIEVE AND MISATO

2007-08-08T21:48:00.000-07:00

In July OEK had to farewell 2 young remarkable women – Misato our assistant manager and Geneveive, our wonderful ESL teacher

Their wonderful work and their presence at OEK touched many and this is indeed is a precious thing ~ All the staff and many students really enjoyed working with them.

For me the gift has been seeing these 2 young women transform more into their potential. They took on responsibility and really tried to do their best and thus make OEK the unique ESL centre that it is.

I believe they opened their arms and hearts to many at OEK and hopefully good memories are the jewels that will remain with all of us as we continue to journey into our lives!!!

I wrote this to Genevieve and I also want o share the same message with Misato ~~~
“I see within you ‘happiness’ and when it is not apart of your journeying, it will always be just around the corner. I believe that good things will indeed continue for you ~ I have no idea what your future holds for you or what dreams are being created but may they take you into your knowledge and your wisdom. Whether it is going back to studies or finding a job ~ may it feed your essence.”

So thank you for challenging yourselves in becoming members of the OEK staff and all the complexities of the work that you undertook wholeheartedly!!!

ARTEMIS ~ PLANTING TREES!

2007-08-08T20:57:00.000-07:00
ABOUT 300 TREES PLANTED & ONLY 350 TO GO!!!

We are planting our trees to make a corridor – hopefully when these trees grow they will join 1 bush block with another. This corridor effect will be wonderful.
For the wild echidnas and

for the wild wombats ~it will provide more safety to roam and to find food.

For the wild birds ~ it will provide food, shelter and nesting sites.

For humans the benefit will help create a wind barrier which makes life easier as when the strong winds blow in the valley they also blow sand.

Now it is wheat and barley so the valley has transformed into a most beautiful green. However in the summer the landscape can be barren and parched and where there is a wind the sand blows with it …

For the earth – we are very grateful to have this beautiful earth – how many millions of life forms do we share this planet with – each bringing its richness – even if we don’t experience it as we live in cities there is an exchange – we all eat fish, and some of us love the seaweeds – our amazing oceans and what lives within them !!!

MY STEADY COMPANION
Bogart my patient mate often accompanies me in my tree planting expeditions.
The trees behind him are the ones we planted 2 years ago.

RECYCLING CARTONS AND BAMBOO
We have to protect the young saplings and we do this with milk or juice cartons. The bamboo stakes come from my husband Fumio – he is a gardener and in the winter does a lot of pruning. So he brings them home and we strip them of their leaves and then cut them to size.
Why? - This helps to prevent the rabbits eating them, the wind blowing them over and in the summer the sand from burying them.

WATERING THE TREES
This is the hardest job of all and we will have to do this for at least a year.
Why – because we are in drought. It is the middle of winter but when you dig a shallow hole it is just dry red sand!!! So we have to carry water in buckets and it is heavy work – but I know if the trees could smile they would when we pour water over them!

THE CHALLENGE

To plant as many trees as quickly as possible. But to also have the wisdom in knowing they all need to be watered and that means carrying buckets of water over a distance and in the summer the challenge is to remember the joy of it!

OEK ~ WE ARE PLANTING TREES!

2007-07-30T17:39:00.001-07:00

I had the pleasure of meeting Trevor and his wife.
I went to their house to pick up 650 little babies ~ Baby trees I am talking about!!!

In 20 years Trevor and his wife have seeded nearly 20,000 trees!!!
They see it as one small step in their hopes to help reforest Australia.
It’s a big job they do – mixing up potting soils, planting, watering, nurturing ~ until they’re big enough to say goodbye.

They volunteer for an organization called Trees for Life.
http://www.treesforlife.org.au/home/
It is a huge undertaking and requires a lot of effort from many people.
Trees for life have volunteers that collect seeds from all the different natural habitats.
More volunteers then organize the seeds and allocate them to growers, like Trevor.
Others find people who want to grow them – they found Artemis.
So I had the pleasure of meeting them ~ sharing stories of our lives over a cup of tea.
For many volunteers, as so Trevor, it is what they do in joy and for love of the earth.

Since colonization of Australia we have had been cutting down and changing our native forests ~ now they estimate we have lost four-fifths of our total forests in Australia.
Rushing into the future with economic growth ringing in our ears we have not cared about what the future consequences would be. Now some of the people alive at this time are realizing the incredible negative impacts this has had on all our river systems, our soils, our wild creatures…

So now these trees are starting a brand new life. It is tough out there in the mallee.
Not enough rain, sandy soils that in the summer are blown by the wind and can bury them, rabbits, insects …
2 years ago I planted at Artemis with some help over 1,000 trees. Then the drought came.
Lot of buckets of water were carried over sandy soils to where these small trees struggled to live… 150 survived.
But that is 150 new trees that were able to overcome all the odds.
That’s bravery.

If we just sit in the negatives we loose out.
It is my choice to be apart of life – even by doing such a small thing as planting a tree.

Now whenever I go to Artemis – I plant trees.

These trees are under the OEK banner. Our OEK students come to our language centre ~ supporting us which then allows me to go and plant these trees.
So by learning English at such a great place you are also helping the environment!!!

In this wonderful way you are also involved!!!
May they grow, creating habitat for the wild birds and animals – and may they call back the rain …..

More stories and photos will follow

MEMORIES

2007-07-22T19:43:00.000-07:00

The last week of lessons and a wonderful break for 3 weeks for you to enjoy the summer ~ no complaining about the heat please. Adelaide is in the middle of winter and it is cold! I wish I was in Shimizu with you all now as I am also going to miss out in joining you in Minato Matsuri. I have a great photo that reminds me of dancing last year in 2006, the sweat and laughter and I was lucky to share it with my son Shinya who joined in.

MESSAGE TO OEK FROM RED CATHERINE

2007-07-15T22:08:00.000-07:00
I REALLY WANT TO SAY TO EVERYONE AT OEK A BIG SPECIAL THANK YOU FROM ME AND ALL THE ANIMALS FOR THE MONEY RAISED FOR ARTEMIS TO HELP TO PAY FOR WATER.
I was saving the money to buy a rainwater tank as water is so very vital here in the Mallee. It doesn’t rain very much where I live and water is precious.
My bore is my main source of water and comes from 200feet beneath the ground.
But my bore pump broke. This was a huge problem. When it was brought to the surface we discovered the pump, the motor, the casing, (called a shroud) and the water pipe all needed to be replaced.
So your donation went towards the cost of the new bore pump.
It took 3 weeks to get it fixed. Luckily I had just enough water in my small rainwater tank. So I had to carry buckets of water to all the animals for 3 weeks. Finally I have water once again. Now I just have to dig the pipe into the ground to stop animals and humans falling over it.
I have just been reading that so many countries no longer have clean water, and yet water is essential to all life!
It is winter here and today it is a misty rain day, not enough to soak the ground but enough to make you cold. The goats are snuggled up in their beds with fresh hay, the dogs are in the front of the slow combustion kitchen fire and I'm going to make a cup of tea and once again, thank you all so very much for your kind and generous support!!!

BLESSINGS, or in THE ROMANI LANGUAGE we say BARAKA

GOOD NEWS STORY – DAPHNE THE SHEEP

2007-07-14T16:56:00.000-07:00

Daphne entered Red Catherine’s life a tiny lamb ~ a delivery of sheep to a new pasture went wrong and Catherine ended up with dying lambs ~ anyway this little soul survived and you can see how well! Catherine bottle fed her with Romi and Tipi’s milk – they are Catherine’s goats! And so she has become a fat & gorgeous sheep and promises to have wonderful wool – she answers to her name and comes trotting over like a little doggy! Well Catherine (even though she misses her!) has found her a wonderful new home! She has a
great paddock to live in with lots of grass and trees and yes, the company of another sheep - so have a good life Daphne – Good-bye!

Life is about love

The story doesn’t end here – 1 animal goes and then she gets another phone call
“We need your help! ~ can you rescue a ???”
– Now can you guess what animal she has just rescued is?

At Artemis - HELLO! WHO AM I?

2007-06-27T23:24:00.000-07:00

Hello – I am an Australian Marsupial – a Ring Tailed Possum – my name is Sweetie and I am a sweetie too!
I like twirling my tail around tree branches (and noses). I am a rescued animal and I need a human mum because I don’t know how to look after myself or find my own food in the wild.
So I need to live in a cage. I sleep all day and come out in the evening.
Red Catherine has been my mum for 10 years now! She looks after me and every evening she gives me lots of yummy things to eat like fruit and fresh vegetables from her vegetable garden. She also gives me fresh branches of gum trees in my cage which I love.

RED CATHERINE AND HER LIFE ON ‘ARTEMIS’

2007-06-27T23:10:00.000-07:00

It gives me a lot of pleasure to bring you stories about Red Catherine and her life on Artemis
She is a wonderful Romany woman with lots of stories to tell.
The name of Red Catherine’s property is ARTEMIS and it is 157 acres.

It is a lot of land for 1 woman to look after!!! And she looks after it so well!
Artemis is located in a remote area about one and a half hours from Adelaide, South Australia.
In Australia we call this Mallee Country. Mallee is land that doesn’t get much rain and the trees don’t grow very tall. It has the beauty of open spaces, wide skies, hot shimmering summers and star filled nights.

She gives all her time and money to rescuing animals – farm animals, wild animals, cats and dogs and birds. At the moment she is looking after about 80 animals.
Her mission is in creating a not for profit sanctuary for all creatures in need of rescuing or in need of a home

We have aslo put a lot of time & effort into re-vegetating parts of her land with native trees and bushes to provide local habitat for the wild birds and animals.
2 years ago we planted 1,500 trees but because of the drought only about 120 of them still live.
But better than none! This winter we will plant about 800 gum & wattle trees. Please let it rain!!!

CAN YOU HELP - GIVE IT A TRY HEY!

2007-06-27T22:57:00.000-07:00
Would you like to volunteer as one of our blog translators?
It would be wonderful to have a list of OEK students who have a good understanding of English and would be happy to help with translating a part of this blog into Japanese!!!
It is not perfection we are looking for but interaction!
If parts of this blog can be translated then the stories will become accessible to our language centre's student’s parents!
This is a ‘win win’ situation as everyone’s English will improve.
In Shimizu there are not many opportunities where you need English. This newsletter can be an opportunity for you ~ the more you use and understand language the better or the more fluent you become.
If in translating a part of the newsletter or think you can assist others in understanding any parts of the newsletter, please contact me or Mark or Kotoe at info@oshaberieikaiwa.com

the beginning of oshaberi

2007-06-27T22:51:00.000-07:00

This blog is being created so we can share our stories about our lives between Australia & Japan, with old & new teachers and with our wonderful students and friends in Japan.
We also hope our students and friends will have an active voice too.
We would like your questions/ photos/ or feedback. It is not just about correct grammar, it is about communication.
Hopefully it will be a fun thing for all of us from time to time to share in!!!

Oshaberi

Another Love Story

Completing the story of being on the Drom

More Stories from on the Drom

some love from Australia - part 2

And Now some love from Australia ...

My Love Letter to Shimizu - part 2

A love letter to Shimizu - part 1

It's a good day

translation of last blog

BETWEEN MEMORIES

MY DESERT JOURNEY ~ memories of leaving Adeladie in May on my way to Japan.

Translations from Teruko of previous blogs

I'mm off ~ Michals' s story about Minmia's book

Minmia's Book - Under The Quandong Tree

March in Adelaide

Japanese translation of 20th Jan 08

AFTER 6 MONTHS AT LAST ~ HELLO!!!

Kappore

My parents are off traveling again!

ANOTHER 100 TREES PLANTED

ALL ABOUT THE ECHIDNA

OEK FAREWELLS GENEVIEVE AND MISATO

ARTEMIS ~ PLANTING TREES!

OEK ~ WE ARE PLANTING TREES!

MEMORIES

MESSAGE TO OEK FROM RED CATHERINE

GOOD NEWS STORY – DAPHNE THE SHEEP

At Artemis - HELLO! WHO AM I?

RED CATHERINE AND HER LIFE ON ‘ARTEMIS’

CAN YOU HELP - GIVE IT A TRY HEY!

the beginning of oshaberi