Found this critter today in our overgrown herb garden.. no idea what it is but they look very cool.

Yellow, black and white beetle-like insect on a green shiso leaf


Some photos from our business trip to Eastern Hokkaido. Didn’t take many because it meant being de-gloved for too long (my phone takes too long to do anything).

Kinda boring shot of a small paper coffee cup with the Japan Airlines logo on it. Craft beer menu and a small circular sign with the pub details on it. a plate of nachos with salsa behind which is a pint glass containing imperial coffee porter along side its companion bottle. a snowy scene with an old elementary school in the background and a sign for Brasserie Knot in the foreground, a brewery located in the gym hall of the school. a snowy scene with blue skies and many Japanese cranes wandering about a protected park slightly zoomed in photo of more Japanese cranes in the snow


A few photos from the post-launch event, first proper meeting of the Kochi Craft Beer Association. Lots of positive discussions and samples with explanations of beers from each of the breweries! Exciting to be part of this.

A bunch of happy looking people with beers sitting around a table covered with beer, pizza boxes and various snacks. A bunch of happy looking people with beers sitting around a table covered with beer, pizza boxes and various snacks.

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    The founding 5 brewers of the Kochi Craft Beer Association. Likely, I will be the seventh member, if we make progress with the location challenge that is.

    I hope that there is some female representation in the group in the future and have some plans in that regard.

    snippet from a Japanese newspaper featuring a photo of five brewers, all holding cans or bottles of their beers in a restaurant setting.

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      We received a box of very ripe tomatoes from our tomato farmer friend and they need to be used very soon.. so lots of simple tomato sauce bases will be made today!

      As well as a tomato tart for lunch, and some roasted tomatoes.. delicious.

      lots of very red tomatoes

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      “Haw you get aff o ma lawn!”

      No really, we bought the Duplo for my youngest daughter.. absolutely not for papa..

      a primarily blue and yellow castle-ish swing structure with a Duplo person wearing a bucket over their head and wielding a shovel.


      My 5 year old daughter was at home today for an obligatory ‘stay at home after a fever day’, so we decided to cook together.

      We made a tomato and red lentil pasta sauce with croutons, served with spaghetti. I think we have only bought 1 jar of pasta sauce since we moved here and not only due to the absence of variety.. we cook an array of kick ass sauces nowadays from scratch.

      A white porcelain dish with roasted tomatoes, garlic, green peppers and onions. A very saucy spaghetti dish in a bowl.


        Hello!!

        Arrived while my wife is out.. challenging times lie ahead.. I have no regrets.. yet.

        A side on photo of a brand new sleek steam deck.


        Thought I would branch out my re-awakened stew skills to match the red coloured veg in the fridge. It was very tasty but thankfully enough left to toss some pasta through tomorrow.

        A red hued stew with numerous vegetables and legumes in a bamboo bowl with a stainless steel spoon