Yumi's Air BnB offering

Enjoy staying in a nostalgic, atmospheric Heisei-era house

Although it was built in the 90’s, it’s been recently renovated. This one-bedroom house is in a convenient location in rural central Japan.

The rooms

The spacious master bedroom has two single beds. The beds can be moved, so you can use them as a double bed if you connect them. The large living room has a mid-century-design sofa, which two people can comfortably sit on. The modern, fully appointed kitchen is big enough for two people to enjoy cooking together. A new IH cooktop has been installed, and there are plenty of kitchen utensils. The supermarket ‘BIG’ is only three minutes’ walk away from the house, so you can find fresh Japanese vegetables and prepare a delicious meal at home.

The neighbourhood

The house is located near a busy main road, Route 19. However, you will not be annoyed by traffic noise as long as the window is closed. Shiojiri train station is about 30 minutes’ walk, but there is a ride-share taxi service; the stop is only a few steps away from the house. You can make a reservation easily using an app. The ride-share service is not punctual, so it’s recommended to book your departure one hour ahead of time.

Postcard from - readers in China!

Hello Jim sensei!

Yumi & I have been in China factory this week. We've been busy for the meeting everyday. The Chinese that Yumi learned is "Ming Pai Ra"

See you next class :)

Graded readers on tour!

 

Meatballs with tomato sauce

 

Ingredients

    😃For the meatballs

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 150g/5oz onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 900g/2lb beef mince
• 2 tbsp freshly chopped herbs, such as marjoram, or 1 tbsp rosemary
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

    😃For the tomato sauce

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 110g/4oz onion, sliced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 150g/5¼oz mozzarella, grated
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 x 400g cans tomatoes

Method

1. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a stainless steel saucepan over a gentle heat, then add the onion and garlic. Cover and sweat for four minutes, until soft and a little golden. Allow to cool.
2. In a bowl, mix the minced beef with the cold sweated onion and garlic. Add the herbs and the beaten egg. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
3. Divide the mixture into approximately 24 round balls. Cover the meatballs and refrigerate until required.
4. Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce. Heat the oil in a stainless steel saucepan.
5. Add the sliced onion and the crushed garlic, toss until coated, cover, and sweat on a gentle heat until soft and pale golden.
6. Slice the canned tomatoes and add to the onion mixture with all the juice. 
7. Season the contents with sugar, salt and pepper.
8. Cook the tomatoes uncovered for approximately 30 minutes or until the tomato softens (while this is cooking make the meatballs).
9. Heat a frying pan and cook the meatballs for about 10 minutes in about three tablespoons of olive oil.
10. When they are cooked, put them into an ovenproof dish with the tomato sauce and top with the grated mozzarella. Place under a preheated grill until the cheese has melted.
11. Serve with spaghetti.

Kotaro & his Dragon Mother

Once upon a time, there was a good guy who managed cultivation for his village. He had girlfriend. They loved each other but he didn’t know her well.

One day, he secretly attached a long thread to her dress when she left his house. Next day, the thread showed the way to her house. However the road led into the deep mountains. He saw she was the incarnation of a dragon. She stopped meeting with him as soon as he visited her house.

After a few years, an old woman picked a baby out of a river. The baby was named Kotaro. Eventually, the old woman died, and Kotaro set out to find his mother, because he felt very lonely. He remembered that the woman had often told him that he was the child of a dragon and that he had been found in the river from dragon mountain.

While he travelled, he noticed that his village needed good fields for life. When he arrived at the pond where his mother lived, he screamed “ Mom ! “. A big dragon came from the pond, and he told his mother that he wanted to make her pond into a field to help his village as his father had did. His mother understood she would lose her living place if she accepted her son’s demands. Nevertheless she decided to help him. While she attacked her body to the mountain for cultivation, rumbling sound was very big. When that sound stoped, the new field was born. The village people lived happily ever after thanks to their fertile field.

Nobody knows where Kotaro and his mother lived, but we can still see their flight around the mountains near Ueda city in Nagano like a long bank of fog.

Posted for Yumi

Report on The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum was designed by the architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, and it's a registered UNESCO World Heritage site.The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is a good place to learn about architecture as it offers activities for kids.

The Guggenheim Museum Group also has museums in Bilbao, Spain and Venice, Italy.

Current exhibits in New York:

The following exhibitions are ongoing.

- Vasily Kandinsky: Around the Circle from 8th Oct. 2021 to 5th Sep. 2022

He mined the expressive and spiritual possibilities of color, line, and form.

- Jennie C. Jones: Dynamics from 4th Feb. 2022 to 4th May 2022

Jennie C. Jones has produced works that respond to the museum's architecture by interweaving visual and aural experience.

- Gillian Wearing: Wearing Masks from 5th Nov. 2021 to 13th Jun. 2022

Gillian Wearing’s photographs, videos, sculptures, and paintings probe the tensions between self and society in an increasingly media-saturated world.

Collections

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum has lots of precious collections.

You can see Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, and modern French masterpieces including works by Degas, Manet, Van Gogh, and more as regular exhibitions.

Yumi Tsukada

Audrey Hepdurn - biography

Audrey Hepburn is one of the best players in golden time of Hollywood’s movie and the EGOT actors who win all sorts of awards - Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony. She was also an icon and popular actress who had slender appearance and bright smile. 

She had influenced  not only to cinema production but also to fashion market. Her dresses of  "Breakfast at Tiffany’s"  had been designed by Givenchy, and the black dress she wore is one of the most recognized as her style.

Her life, which we receive from articles in the magazines,  shows brilliant success and supreme happiness. However, her true story in childhood was relatively unknown. World War II had broken her future as a ballet dancer by malnutrition in the war. In her late life, after getting many prizes, she dedicated her life to UNICEF which helps the poor children who need help for their lives.

While traveling for UNICEF, she had found out she had cancer. To get back to all of the children who had been waiting for her help,  she decided to fight the cancer in the USA, but she couldn't win. Her family recommended she go back to her peaceful house in Switzerland which she loved, and lived happily with her family. 

Although her body had no power to walk by herself, Givenchy prepared his private jet plane for her safe return.  In 1993, she had breathed her last in her house with her loving family at her side.

Posted for Yumi M

Letter to university friend - after reading

Dear Anna,

I hope that you are doing fine. It's been awhile to write a letter to you because I was in a blindness and was losing my mind. I have been a sniper for a team since this war occurred. I was thinking it was right decision, but some things happened to me lately and I realized that I was wrong.

One of things that happened to me is that a man was truly trusted from the bottom of my heart was killed by the top of my team. I thought I was choosing what I want to do, but it was wrong. He was protecting me from the top of team. The top of my team is cold and demanding. Now, they want me to kill someone, which I don’t want to do that.

Another thing which changed my thought is a cellist. He started to play cello after bombing at bakery. 22 people died for the bombing, and the cellist plays cello for 22 days. One day, I heard his play, and realized there are too many hates in this town. No one of my enemies or me doesn’t have to be a killer. I’m regretful to be a sniper very much.

Now, people of my team are chasing me because I didn’t obey them. Maybe, they will kill me. I hope I can survive and meet you again. I want to hang around with you after this war is over someday.

Your friend,

Alisa

Comic is good for "Slam Dunk"

I was wondering if there is a movie based on novel I read. The only one that I could remember is a cartoon called "Slam Dunk", which was on TV when I was a junior high school student. My sister bought the comics, and I read them too. The story is about a rough high school student, Hanamichi, who tries to attract the attention of a girl, Haruko. He joins the high school basketball club because Haruko likes basketball. He couldn’t play basketball at first, but he enjoys it and becomes a good player as he is athletic. All the characters are attractive, and there is some humour in the story. Also, the author, Takehiko Inoue draw neat pictures and captions. 

The comic was very popular and I was excited as it would be on TV. However, the TV show disappointed me. The voice actors were different from what I imagined, and the animation was awkward. I guess it's because there was not much background imagery. I felt each scene was chopped, and there was no flow. The characters were not enthusiastic or active in the cartoon. Although it's a cartoon, the producers didn’t use the advantage of animation. I guess I wrote too much of bad point of cartoon as I love Slam Dunk. In my conclusion, I like comic better than cartoon.

A fictional newspaper report - after reading "Hijack"

OUP graded reader "Skyjack"

- A large plane was hijacked. The hijacker asked the government to bring their brothers and being free instead of the passengers’ safety. They called themselves the People’s Liberation Army.

- The Prime Minister tried to make time for catching them, although she knew that her husband was in the plane.

- I believe there are many types of affection in this story. One is the hijacker’s. They just wanted to help their comrade. Their way of helping them was just wrong, hijacking and bringing guns. The Prime Minister’s husband was looking forward to meeting her. It is essential truth of affection. The Prime Minister could not figure out at first, whether she protected her husband’s life as a wife or if she put priority on the government issue. This is also an expression of love.

- One of hijackers, a 12 year old girl, shot the passenger who tried to run away for her comrade’s freedom. I guess she just felt hatred toward that passenger because her affection would be brokered by him.

- We have affection towards family, friends and everybody. At same time, we have hatred for keeping our own affection. This hijack story exhibits that hatred gives birth to violence and a sad ending. In addition, I would say that affection lies side-by-side with hatred.

- If they, the PLA , had been given a good education, they could have decided to correct their way of life. I hope that by changing society, that all kids have the opportunity of going to school to make correct choices for a happy future and long life.

Posted for Yumi, a Zoom learner with Luna for B2:First prep

Prediction of Second Semi-final game of World Cup 2018

Second semi-final game starts tonight at Japan time.

Croatia and England will meet for the first time at FIFA World Cup. I'm sure that the game tonight will be exciting.

The first half of the game will be probably 0-0, and they both have to be patient to get a goal. The game will change in the second half.

England has been staying away from Semi-final for awhile, and they are eager to be winners of World Cup 2018, so goddess of victory will smile at England.

In the second half, Harry Kane will win one goal and England will win the game at the end.

You will see tonight!!

World Cup Predictions for Group D - Yumi the pundit

The teams of group D of World Cup soccer, 2018 is Argentina, Iceland, Croatia, and Nigeria.
I’m estimating the result of games of group D as follows.

In the game of Argentina VS Iceland, Gylfi will score two goals, but Messi will score 3 goals, so Argentina might beet Iceland.

In the Croatia VS Nigeria, Mikel will show his excellent performance and he would lead the win of the game by one to zero to Nigeria.

Nigeria will show their fundamental power in the game with Argentina.
They would control the game in the most of time, but they may lose one score at 20 mins in the second half. It is unfortunate but Nigeria may lose the game by one to three.

Finally, I estimate that Argentina will be the first and Croatia will be the second in group D.
They will go to next stage of game.

Rob Roy

A fan mail to Diana.

 (Ask her a few questions as well as telling her why you admire her.)

Dear Diana,

I’m your big fan. I love you because you are a good horse rider. I love to see horse running on a green field. I’ve never seen you are riding on a horse, but I can imagine you manage your horse like you dance and run a big beautiful field in Scotland.

If possible, could you tell me the name of your lovely horse? It must be a good looking horse. There is another reason why I’m your fan. I think you are mentally strong woman.

You believed and supported your father. You are proud of him that he did what he believed. Your family’s situation became difficult because of him, but you didn’t blame on him. Were you afraid while you had kept the secret of your father? I wish I could be a listener of your lonely heart. Please do not think you are alone. Things will be better.

I always pray for you that your situation will be better.

Sincerely,

Yumi

Taketorimonogatari - a Japanese Fairy Story

My fairy story

Tell the story of a fairy tale from your country

There is a famous fairy story, which called Taketorimonogatari.

We don’t know who wrote it and when it’s written exactly. People assume that it’s written in 10th century.

Once there was a husband and a wife. They didn’t have a child. One day, the husband went to bamboo forest, and found glowing bamboo. The husband cut the bamboo. Surprisingly, there was a cute girl sleeping in the bamboo.

The husband brought the girl to his house. The wife was pleased to see her, and they decided to raise her as their child. They named her “Kaguya”, and raised her with caution. Kaguya grew up rapidly like bamboo, and she became beautiful girl. As time goes by, many kings hear that there is a beautiful girl called Kaguya, and so many kings come over to Kaguya’s house to propose her. However, Kaguya didn’t want to marry any of kings. Five kings were persistent, and Kaguya asked one impossible favor to each man. The favor is to bring a Buddha’s base, bring an immortals tree, bring a fire-mouse skin, bring the ball of dragon neck, and bring a shell of swallow.

Each man brought fake, but Kaguya detected the lie, and those men had to say good bye to her. About the same time, she told the husband and the wife that she came from moon. She was sad, but soldier from moon came for Kaguya, and she went back to moon.

My favourite survival story

My favorite survival story...Fictional or true, film or book what story of survival do you like it?

I guess many people will raise this masterpiece called, “two years’ vacation” by Jules Verne when they hear what your favorite survival story is.

I read it when I was eight years old. I’m not sure if schools still do that, but most elementary schools used to sell recommended books before thwy had a long vacation like summer or winter. The direct translation of the survival book’s title in Japanese is “The record for drift by 15 boys”. I certainly knew that this should be adventure story.I bought and read it during summer vacation. 

The story is that some students  in New Zealand boarded on schooner. They lost a way because of storm, and landed on Unknown Island. They were confused, but tried to find a way to live in the island by searching it. By gathering their knowledge, they organized the rule to live in the island like a law that adults do. This story also gives us some boy’s friendship. Some boys aren’t in good relation, but they overcome by helping each other. 

I think this story has full of excitement, and gives all children dream.

Return to Earth - with a letter in 2129

Dear great-great-grandaughter

Ellen gave Harl a letter to deliver in 2129. Write Ellen's letter.

Dear Harl,

I don’t want to say that you were right, but now I may have to say that you were. I truly believed that telepath can save our world. I believed that people help each other and have more sympathy. Lately, many young people die. Police determined that it’s suicide. It is not revealed in the society but I doubt that it’s because of telepath. I sometimes hear some strange voice in my head. The voice seems like a girl’s voice. She says, “You killed people. Because of your project, lots of young people died. I know everything. I know you changed world, and world went wrong because of you.” Do you think I’m crazy? No, it’s really somebody’s voice, not what I think in my head. I’m worried about the world in the future. Can human survive although young people are dying? Can my great-great-granddaughter meet you? Do you remember that you invited me to go to the space with you? I should go with you to see if human can be alive. I will ask my granddaughter to pass this letter to her child, and pass it to you when you come back to earth. I believe you can guide this world to right direction.

Sincerely,

Ellen

Love among the Haystacks - after reading

Under the stars. Write about a night when you slept outdoors

The elementary school that I went had an event to go for camping when I was fourth and fifth grade.
I was excited to go for camping because didn’t have a chance with my family. We stayed lodge when we were fourth grade, but we actually built tent when we were fifth grade.


Nowadays, tent might be light and easy to build. Back then, tent was thick heavy sheet, especially, the rental tent was nothing fancy green tent, but I was so excited to build it with my friends.

The tent seemed that it’s not big when I saw it from outside. However, I was moved when I went into the tent. My group was four people, and it was big enough to chat and sleep for us. The fifth grade camping was held in June. The sad thing is that the day was cloudy. In the night, gentle rain started.

Because of rain, I couldn’t hear much sound of frogs or birds. I only heard the sound of rain drop and river stream far away. I slept soon for that I worked hard that day to do activity, so it was not the problem anyway. The rain finished in the morning, and little bit foggy. It was magical atmosphere in the forest.

While I write this essay, I remember the joyful camp. Someday, I hope to have a chance to go for camp!

Amelia Earhart and her airplanes

Planes

 

One of Amelia’s air planes was Lockheed 5B Vega.

It was called little red bus. It was vivid red, and had a single seat.

In 1932, she used it for her famous flight and made a record.

She flew alone over the Atlantic Ocean back and forth without any recess. It was the first record for woman.

The Lockheed 5B Vega was sold into the market in 1927. The designer was Jack Northrop and Allan Loughead. It was first product made by them for Lockheed Aircraft Company. Lockheed 5B Vega was sharp shape and fast. It soon became popular among pilots.

She repaired the little red bus because of an accident. The fuselage was replaced and strengthened in order to carry extra fuel tanks.

It mounted three types of compasses, a drift indicator and a more powerful engine. She accomplished the Atlantic Ocean flight with the modified little red bus.

She sold it to Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute. It’s presently displayed in Smithsonian museum.

Another air plane was the Model 10-E Electra. It’s also made by Lockheed Company. It was the best known aircraft, but disappeared in the Pacific in July, 1937 with Amelia Earhart and her flight assistant, Fred Noonan on the half way to achieve world record flight.

Posted by Reiko on behalf of Yumi

Brave girl saved her little brother - after reading "Gone"

Newspaper report - Gone girl done good

On 20th Aug- Jenna Paul saved her younger brother, Timothy Paul who was kidnapped. The criminal, Celia Brooks used to be Jenna’s neighbor.

Timothy Paul was kidnapped in the super market near the park on 13th Aug. Jenna was taking Timothy for a walk. She left her pram at the entrance of the super market because she was taking a dog too, but the pram was gone when she came back from her shopping.

Police organized a team of 300 staff to find Timothy. A witness lady said that she saw Jenna with a baby and a dog in the supermarket, but there was no more useful evidence.

Jenna decided to find her little brother, and found old neighbor, Celia Brooks was carrying a baby although she has never had her baby when Ryan Clark was missing firstly on 25th Jul. Jenna doubted Celia would kidnap Ryan and Timothy. The brave girl found the new house of Celia, and found Timothy there. Jenna’s father called police, and Celia Brooks was arrested.

Celia Brooks has been a mentally incompetent since she lost her first baby, and became ineligible to have a baby anymore. Police is investigating further crime that she confesses for kidnapping of Ryan Clark.

Reporter - Yumi

Mary, Queen of Scots sends an email to Elizabeth I

Dear Elizabeth,

Hello, how are you? It’s been a long time since I met you last. When I was first put in this prison castle, I cursed you every day. You were just jealous me because I’m beautiful and clever.

Now, however, I don’t have any anger, and I just want to see my son, James. I beg you very much to see my son. Please order him to come here.

There is one more thing that I hurt my heart. It’s about the rumor that I killed the father of James. I never killed Henry. I think I have told many times to you, but I declare clearly here once again that I didn’t kill my husband.

I heard that Kirk O’Field is broken, and I immediately ran there. I never expected that my husband is dead, but there was his dead body exploded when I got there. I was in a party. How can I kill him at Kirk o’field. It’s physically difficult.

Now, I don’t care how people think about me, but for my son, I want him to know the truth. Please tell my son James that I never killed his father.

I know you will soon order execution to me. I won’t curse you anymore. I just beg you to raise James as a good king, and give him lots of love for me that I couldn't do.

Best Regards,

Mary

(pp Yumi)

Film review: ”DRACULA” directed by Francis F. Coppola

I saw a film the DVD shop near my house.It was called 'DRACULA' from the famous old story.

Gary Oldman is the star of the film. He plays Marques Dracula who has lived alone for 400 years. 400 years ago, he had found a treasure who had been his wife. His life had been happy. The reason why he has been vampire is he changed his character for getting back at God after his beloved wife had died. One day, he meets a woman who looks just like his wife. He doesn't want to bite her and turn her into a vampire. However she wants to be vampire to stay with him.

The most romantic and sad moment is at the end of the film. However the film is also very large scale directed by Mr.Francis Ford Coppola. His directing is amazing. I sometimes have the illusion of flying in the sky like a vampire.