a good bright sunny day and a long winding road ahead turned my hour-long grocery trip to a 3-hour long cycling adventure to nowhere. well, it is somewhere, but it felt like i'm in the middle of nowhere.
it's exciting to finally cycle out of the range covered in my well-used map. the rays of the sun shining on my back, the rush of wind against my cheeks, pedaling uphill, racing downhill... all these exuberated a certain kind of carefree, liberating feeling that i've never felt before. the thankfulness that was generated was akin to the deep sense of gratitude that filled my heart while sitting on the swing in the front porch of the Elliots' residence in Ajigasawa. it's as if i've been zoomed out of...
life? not really. i was very present where i was. the peace that washed over me set me at ease. i am finally at ease!
*smiles* such peace and calmness allowed in the midst of a busy week are certainly gifts from above. perhaps the first of many steps towards learning to pause and breathe. it is this kinda pausing that builds up a foundation of solid rock within while there's a storm on the outside.
this little flower (?) caught my eye (looked like a tiny cabbage to me). it really stood out awkwardly around the dirty dark brown hardened mud surrounding it - i had to give it a gentle kick to find out if it's actually part of the dried muddiness. it is. such bright hope springing out from dark, unattractive dirt. spring is definitely here =)
horsey certainly brought much delight. Mitsuki was trying to convince us that he saw a horse in Hirosaki before but we weren't too convinced. Now i can tell him he's right!
i've never been much of an adventurous person. can't blame me. i grew up where girls are in constant danger whenever they are in solitude (or not), whether in broad daylight or in the darkness of the night. neither have i been much of a spontaneous person. but there's enough 自動販売機s (vending machines) around to make sure i will not die of thirst even if i get lost.
it must be the big change - that liberating, carefree sense of freedom, the refreshing change from the concrete jungle i grew up in, that got me to cycle on and on. it was hard to turn back. it's like you found something good, something very good, and u want to pursue it relentlessly. so much so that your normal fears are taken away from you. i've always feared being stranded, not knowing my way back. or if i become too tired to go back. but somehow this beautiful afternoon, i just wanted to cycle on. there's assurance that i'll be ok, that i'll know when to stop.
and so in the middle of nowhere, i found it to be somewhere:
Toogijuku! the high school I've read so much about (well, more than any other schools in Japan anyway). it's part of my history class on John Ing and his contribution to Hirosaki.
more photos from my little outing:
Toogijuku! the high school I've read so much about (well, more than any other schools in Japan anyway). it's part of my history class on John Ing and his contribution to Hirosaki.
The mother.
Piglets.
Poor little piglet!
Awww~ 
the Charoset. I rmb Bomi telling me, "I've no idea how it's supposed to look like!" my reply? "neither. and i bet no one else does!" - it came to be the most popular dish that night.
that's how I had my Charoset. On Matzah (flat unleavened bread) and lettuce.
instead of Roast Lamb, we had 焼肉 (yakiniku) lamb. well, it's still lamb! reminded me of how Greg and Hilda Hughson (Otago Uni Chaplain) so kindly offered to roast a lamb for us last year.
a rooster. reminder of Peter's denial of Christ (Matthew 26:74-75). it didn't end there. he was later reinstated and went on to share the gospel of Christ boldly. "And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." -Matthew 16:18
purple Lenten candles.
KeRaRa
Cafe Resto Refuge
Zilch
Pebble cafe
Himawari
Paris Tei
Cembalo
Manchan
Cafe Jeeba
Buruman
this made me wonder if i could still froth milk properly...
Baileys latte that came with a kiss
reminds me of... you and you.
we ate out of each other's bentos =)
kampai~
3 strawberries. one for each princess.
