Tuesday midnight, Sunny, 15℃/56℉

March is graduation time in Japan.
One of my student who graduated from an elementary school last week is also graduate my painting class today. Actually this our spring show will be the last art show for him.

He  has been my student since he is 7 years old. He is 12 years old now. He came to my class/my place once a week. He was a good artist and he is a good baseball player. He will be busy with study and a member of the baseball team. He wanted to do basket ball too. I think it is good for him. I will miss him as my student.

Sunday morning, March 24, Cloudy, 18℃/62℉

I teach art for children on weekend.
This is my lunch, Bento, today.

Friday midnight, March 22, Sunny, 18℃/62℉

It is a beautiful day, and it isn't windy.
Cherry trees and mustard flowers by a bank was a heavenly view.

Thursday morning, March 21, Sunny & Super windy, 18℃/64℉

I stayed home yesterday, so I didn't suffer from hey (pollen) hever at all.
Well, I have classes in the late afternoon today. I should bring a box of extra soft Kleenex for my runny nose.
Also, it is very windy in the morning, so I decided not to go to yoga class by my bike.
I will practice Yoga by online. I love www.ekhartyoga. They have great instructors.

I am getting tired of hey hever and strong spring wind.
I can't wait April, because all those troubles are away in April.

Some more spring photos....*\(^o^)/*

Wednesday midnight, March 20, 20℃/70℉

I go to relaxation yoga class once or twice a week at a sport club in Kawagoe.
Also, I have started Ekhart yoga class through Internet.
It is the best online yoga class from Negtherlands which is about 9000 km from kawagoe.
www.//ekhartyoga.com
There are signs show the distance from Kawagoe to sister cities in Europe.

Wednesday midnight, March 20, 20℃/70℉

These photos are we had yesterday for lunch.
We enjoyed the view from the terrace.
I have been busy with my students show and my tax returns, so it was good rest.

Monday midnight, March 19, Sunny, 19℃/68℉

The weather has been different from usual.
It was very cold in January and February.
Then it got warm and windy in March.
We had many strong windy days than usual March.

Today was exceptional.
I had a good time with my friend.
We had lunch at the Italian restaurant by the Shyakujii-Park in Tokyo.
The cherry trees in Tokyo are beginning to bloom.
This is very early.
I will show food tomorrow.

Tuesday midnight, March 19, Sunny, 19℃/69℉

New connection expedited Saitama- Yokohama route on March 16.
www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/03/15/national/new-connection

I took Seibu Ikebukuro line to Shakujii-koen(park) to see my friend.
When I transfer the train at the Tokorozawa station, Saitama,  I looked up he sign on the platform. It said for Yokohama, Kanagawa. I thought it is great. We had never thought about this kind of connection.
I did't go to Yokohama today. I want to go to Yokohohana to visit my friends in near future to see my friend in Kanagawa.

Monday midnight, March 19, Cloudy, 18℃/62℉

Vending machine in Japan is different from in the US.
Basically I don't buy bottled beverages from those vending machine, but it is a part of our culture. After the great east earthquake beverage company reduce the lighting of the machine to save electricity.

I took those photos at the platform in Tokyo station.
Actually those kind of machines are everywhere in a town.

Sunday Morning, March 17, Sunny , 11℃/51℉

There is an interesting bakery, Toku in Kawagoe.
The Token only open 9 AM to 1 PM or until they sold out their bread.
Their bred are very good and reasonable price. Custermers are waiting as you see in the photos.

Thursday afternoon, March 14,Cloudy, 18℃/62℉

I am posting this on my way back from Chiba.
My Chiba class went very well. They are hard workers!
I had 6 students on Wednesday, and 3 students on Thursday.
They, all seniors copied painting of Paul Klee on heavy cotton bags.

Wednesday, afternoon, March 13, Sunny & Windy, 22℃/62℉

I have been teaching in Chiba, in the same city as Narita airport.
It's a monthly class. I have 9 senior students. Some of them visited Oregon with me some years ago.

It take almost 3 hours train ride from Kawagoe. I transfer at Tokyo station.
The Tokyo Station is very large. They have many entrances.
As you see photos it is like a air terminal.
In the photo you find people wearing a mask.
Actually, the train fromTokyo to Chiba delay because of wind.

Monday midnight, March 12, Sunny, 17℃/59℉

I bake sourdough bread, Hoshino tennen kobo- bread, once a week by a bread maker.
It is difficult to slice the bread, but I found an new tool, a bread cutter.
Now I can make a sandwich.

Monday midnight, March 11, Sunny, 15℃/58℉

It was the 3rd memorial of the great east Japan earthquake.
We don't talk about it in our daily life, but we won't forget.
After that disaster I received many email from my friends and neighbors in Oregon.
I thanked to them.

I have been listening special memorial radio program about the earthquake.
We offered a silent prayer for the soul of the victims of the earthquake and tsunami at 2:46PM.

Sunday midnight, March 10, Cloudy, 15℃/58℉

Sunday is the most busy day.
I left my house at 8:30, took 40 minutes by my bicycle to my class, taught art for children all day, and came back 9:00PM. It was super windy this evening, so on my way back I had to walk with my bicycle.
I had ten students and an assistant today. We were busy with our spring show.
I thanked for my students today because they work very hard today. Some children worked foe their projects 4 to 5 hours.

It was a record warm day in March 24℃/72F.
This warm temperature made a strong wind.
The wind strewed pollen, and carry yellow dust from China.
Some of my students and i had runny nose all day.
When I came back to my house the door mob was covered by dust.
As sooner I came home I took a shower and changed all my cloth.
I feel much better, not much runny nose and sneeze.

Saturday midnight, March 9' 17℃/61℉

It has bee very warm this past three days.
The temperature today is like in April.
Because of that lots of people are suffering hey fever including me.
Today was the worst. I have been blowing nose all day.
My eyes are bloodshot.

My Saturday kids class went very well.
The photo is today's one of girl's work.
We were painted on wooden box-photo frame.

Thursday midnight, March 7, 14℃/55℉

It is becoming warmer and warmer.
I took these photos by a rice paddy field on my way to work.
The rice paddy is dry and resting in winter.
I like to see these small wild flowers.

I have one adult and five children in my class today.
All of them, except one child and I are allergic to pollen.
So, we need to blow our nose many times.

In early spring quality of air is worth. It is not only pollen, but also Yellow sand which is carried to Japan by westerlies, the wind from desserts on the Chinese continent. Also we are concerned about particulate matter 2.5.

Wednesday, Late afternoon, Sunny, March 6, Cloudy, 14℃/58℉

It was beautiful sunny day, and warm day. It will good to go out.
I am allergic to cedar pollen which flew all over in sunny and warm day in early spring.
No teaching today, so I tried to stay home because I wanted rest from hay fever.
No sneezing today.
I took this photo from website. This a forecast and quantity of pollen in air.

Monday midnight, March 5, Sunny, 12℉/52°

Spring has come to Kawagoe.
I took those photos near my classroom.
The classroom is in the light blue house. The owner of the house lives in the house.
She teaches abacus for elementary children Monday to Thursday.
There is a temple near the house. It is one of tourist spot in Kawagoe.
It is one of the Seven Deities of Good Fortune in Kawagoe
The tourists make the rounds of the Seven Deities of Good Fortune.
The little rock garden in the temple fragrant with ume blossoms.
The temple also has a graveyards.