Fri Field Trip - Part One - Soba Making

 Akikosan asked if we would be interested in going to Shichinohe to learn how to make Soba Noodles and Shimekazari.  We agreed it would be fun. We always enjoy the Friday Field Trips Akikosan goes on with us. She knew a group which would like to get into Green Tourism. I didn't realize we were their FIRST group....they did great. I hope they continue and are able to work out the details. One thing we discussed is the need for someone who can coordinate with groups of Americans, can speak both Japanese and English....because it would really be overwhelming if Akikosan hadn't been along. ::grin::  This would have made a GREAT PWOC outing...or a spouse Christmas get together...something a bit out of the ordinary.

Michael suggested we go even though he is recovering from surgery. At the last minute we all agreed to leave Zander home. He really wasn't looking forward to the outing and I really wasn't at peace leaving Michael alone. It was a good call for several reasons....not the least being that Zander was throwing up as I walked in the door. ::sigh::

I'm going to write the day up in two or three posts...... Here we go.....Soba Making...Buckwheat Noodles....this was fun!

OH - you should know it was COLD...much snowier up in Shichinohe....I hadn't realized there is a ski area right up there....and the big rooms in Japanese houses are just cold...so we were told to wear old clothes, wear warm layers, aprons and bandannas.

I wondered what these were for when I walked in

800 Grams of Buckwheat flour and 200 grams of Wheat flour are mixed......

THEN - using a SPECIFIC motion you mix it with your hands to get out all the lumps.....

500 ml of  water is added a CERTAIN WAY (NOT just poured in), and then your hand motions change and you continue to mix, knead until the dough starts to form....

 Note - the ladies in the back know what they are doing! WOW - they are professional...the men...not so much. Our Soba was better than theirs. ::snort::

 This is to show the dough but also - note the hole...which is made as you handle the dough in the prescribed manner....now you have to change hand motions again to get all the air out of the dough and to close the hole....you end up with a shape that looks like a giant Hershey's kiss....

Which you flatten on a floured table...the next step is to pat around the thing - making it bigger....must be patted and not rolled at this point....

 Finally the long rolling pins come out. NOW you have to roll it up one end of the table, SLIDE it back towards you, then hit the pin up to the other end of the table again, rotate the pin, unwrap the dough, give it a quarter turn and do it again. We weren't sure WHY we were doing all this - but we followed the steps....

This was SERIOUS and yes my TONGUE is OUT. LOL 

Eventually the dough stretches to cover (or nearly cover in our case) the long pin....

Nolan was best at "hitting the pin up the table" and so we came up with our own system to stretch this stuff.

Folding....nifty way to roll the dough on the pin as it it's really too thin to move...fold, rotate, fold...

They later told me they were worried about kids using these knives...they are HEFTY and HEAVY and SHARP....I was more worried about ME than them....we earned kudos for our knife handling skills.

Note Stacia's worried expression 

Stacia seemed to get more alarmed as her turn drew near

She did it

Akikosan - a dear friend

 These are OUR noodles...we made them all...and we got to EAT them too!

I love Japanese homes. I love the walls of windows and the bright light it lets in, the wide open spaces, the moving walls...but they are often COLD. THIS was VERY welcome....a fire pit in the middle of the main room! I will have a fire pit in my living room in my dream home.

When we arrived we were given Mochi (pounded rice cakes) Sesame paste. YUM.....and now we were served grilled Soba (Buckwheat) Mochi....with some sort of seed paste. They showed me the seeds but no one could come up with the English name. I hope to figure it out before I move.

Wonderful lunch! Top left is onigiri (sweet rice ball) wrapped in a pickled leaf of some sort, a big plate of Soba (our SOBA), the bowl on the right had some picked veggies and evidently crab (it was on my hashi (chopstick) heading to my mouth when Akiko told me not to eat it - I'm allergic), bottom right is pickled Daikon (if we were here another year I'd seriously learn to make this myself - I love this), and bottom left is the Soba Soyu (Soba Sauce).  Note the Soyu is covered with a small plate which has chopped onions and wasabi (hot) on it.  This was a totally PLANT BASED MEAL....score. I have a policy to eat whatever Akikosan brings, regardless...but I was excited to have a great meal and stay basically on my eating plan.

 You add the onions to the soyu, mix a bit of wasabi with your soba noodles, dip your noodles in the soyu and slurp. I find my missionary kid upbringing serves me well here. While the others tried to figure out HOW to eat without making a mess - I OBSERVED. I picked up my bowl and began slurping. Arielle looked slightly alarmed until I pointed out everyone but us was eating it this way. LOL

We were STUFFED! I was a bit surprised the Soyu and Soba were cold. I knew about cold soba in the summer but assumed we'd have it warm today. Nope. We were given a tea pot full of the hot water the soba cooked in. When we were done eating the Soba, we added the boiling water to the soyu and had a soup. The soyu is salty and fishy....well it's made with fish.  Nolan liked the soba but not the soyu....I suppose we can adapt.

If you'd like to watch a Soba Chef teach what we did today watch this clip.

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Recouping Days

I'm not the warm, fuzzy, "mothering" type of mama. Though I have mellowed as I've aged. ::wink:: 

I'm known for quarantining my children when they are ill...and they are fine with this....school continues for the rest of us...the ill child gets the DVDs in his/her room....all are happy...they have a bell to let me know if they need anything....it works. It works so well Zander dreams of being sick, "No school, movies, and you get a bell!" 

I am, however, a bit more nurse-like with a husband home from surgery. And so....today was filled with pain meds, cooking bland food, trying to entice an appetite, sitting and chatting.....


The day also included enough good friends to satisfy an extrovert's need to socialize.  

Christina and Lacey came over to finish our romp through Ephesians. It's been timely, challenging, fruit-producing. Christina leaves Japan in a few days. It was a bittersweet session. I am blessed by their gentleness with my silly driving inadequacies....they even brought lettuce, broccoli and ice out. 

Akiko-san came over and showed us how to make Soba the "cheater way"...tomorrow we will venture to a farm and learn to make soba noodles from scratch.  Michael insists we go. 

Jim and Marvie stopped by and brought some yummy cranberry bread, real nursing advice and a sweet touch of friendship. 

It's been a good day. I'm thankful for much as the day ends. 

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Quick Post Surgery Update

We are home! Michael had hoped to come home yesterday afternoon...but the big gun pain killers make him sick....so we spent a night in the hospital to work on pain control and nausea control. 

He's WAY better on Day 2 than he was on Day 2 after surgery in March.   I've been thankful friends are giving kids rides to places they need to be. We'd thought we'd put them in a taxi. To be clear, this is NOT because of my driving history...this is because Michael needs me to be here with him and I don't want to leave him alone with kids until I'm sure the pain and nausea are things of the past. Sometimes you need a wife more than a son or daughter. 

We  had a good Skype with Jared this afternoon. Kids - be aware Dad is home and down for a couple of weeks....it would be a good time to catch him on Skype. ::grin:: ::hint:: 

Things I'm thinking:

It is a blessing to be married to a man who lives with integrity. What he is in the good times; he is in the bad times. I love that. 

I loved getting to know the others in our multi-patient room....and it was fun to be there as Michael prayed for them as we left.  I do love our life. 

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Low Fat Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes (Happy Herbivore)

This recipe is from Lindsay Nixon of Happy Herbivore. I really NEED her cookbooks for Christmas. ::snort:: Note, I got 9 smallish cupcakes from this recipe. 

YUMMY -  I didn't frost - still consumed

Ingredients:
1/4 C unsweetened applesauce
1/2 c. raw sugar
1 c. chocolate nondairy milk (or plain)
1 tsp mint extract (or vanilla)
1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

Directions: Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease muffin tin or spray paper liners with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine applesauce, sugar, nondairy milk and extract. In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt together. Add flour mixture to wet mixture in 3 to 4 batches, until almost combined. Add chips and stir until just combined. Spoon batter into cups 3/4 full and bake 15-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the icing. Combine 1 cup confectioners sugar with a few drops of food coloring, 1/4 tsp vanilla or mint extract and a splash of plain nondairy milk or water, and mix until a nice paste-like icing results. (Add more sugar for thickness, more liquid to thin it out) Adjust food coloring. Once cupcakes are cool, slather icing and garnish with holiday candy.


Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Day Before Surgery

Michael needed to work today as he has "ends to tie up," before surgery. 

The kids and I prepped for tomorrow's PCOC Birthday Party for Jesus. I know I'm going to sorely miss the advance team in the a.m.  We cut, laminated, baked and I think I'm set. I even made VEGAN Chocolate Cupcakes so I'd have a treat at the party - and the trick is keeping my kids out of them. I also made more peanut butter balls.  

Michael came home about 30 min early....and snapped this photo (which isn't great of either of us - but we tried). Yuuki in her "new" coat. Richard and Susi gave us a box of some of her things which we'd left behind.  The kids feel MUCH better about her being outside in the winter with a coat. 

I see myself at approx 200 lbs... note the UofO dog tag. 

 Michael suggested he and I run to the mall and buy the gift for our 17yo from the Chapel's angel tree. He'd requested a "Gundam model." Some of you may know what that is -  a friend helped us.

Several rows of models to choose from. We picked one up for Zander too. He'll love it.

I love that Michael remembered one of my favorite produce markets is in the mall. He suggested we stop by and we got all this, squash.....

...and a case of deliciously sweet Satsumas too.  Check out the funky mushrooms. This is the first time we've seen them this season....Apples go, Satsumas arrive....

10 minute dinner....I put lots of whole cloves of garlic, 1/2 an onion, some of those funky mushrooms from above, herbs and spices in the middle and YUMMO! Nutritious fast food.  The others had salad, fruit, and peorgies too....but I was full. 

 

Stacia helped decorate the cupcakes for tomorrows PCOC party

 We talked about Jesus being the vine and we the branches, how to remain connected to Jesus, the fruit of the spirit which is to be expected as we ARE abiding in the Vine....and we prayed for all the crazy details of this unsettling week.

Clue: "You always walk by it but you never look under it." 

 Team-work 

Zander was hoping for iPads.....4 mini's and 1 normal sized original iPads or etch a sketches

We had a few rounds of a drawing contest.....lots of fun...something that says Christmas to you, something that says peace....

J for Jesus 

It's about the cross...

I worked on a PWOC project - trying to get small gifts out to my Presidents. I thought it was DONE this a.m. but Michael brought them home and said I had to fill out custom's slips. ::blech::

I packed a bag "in case." 

We're off to bed...must leave for surgery at 05:30 tomorrow.  Praying the roads are clear when it's time to bring Michael home....surgery goes as planned and we're home tomorrow afternoon. 

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Second Sunday in Advent

A very busy Sunday indeed! Michael preached at three services. The children attended two services and Religious Education. I went to all three services.  I found cause to chuckle as I went through the day and heard three different labels for the second candle of Advent. I loved that no one was bent around the axle over it....

Finally home and we had the once a week ice cream which Gherkin tradition dictates......and we did NOT read or do an Advent clue....BUT since this is my blog...I figure I can recreate history if I want too.....

"Tonight's" clue was - "Ai yai yai yai..."

The kids needed a bit of help but eventually found the gift nestled in the Sombero Krista brought home from Mexico.  It was a new deck of cards and Stacia was ready for a rousing game of, "Go Fish," immediately.

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Names and Memories

Michael spent the day at work, Arielle spent the day in bed, the others raced around in the snow. I spent the day putzing around.

BUT this evening!

We all gathered to discuss a Name of Jesus - one we don't often consider in connection with Jesus...

It's right there in Isaiah 9:6. 

Clue # 8 "Who is the fairest of them all?" Yes, the gift was hidden behind a mirror. 

Years ago the only gift we purchased the four older kids for Christmas one year was the fishing game....and they loved it. We thought it would be fun to reintroduce the game...but  the boards are much smaller now, no strings for fishing line and no little magnets....wind up instead of battery....

Ham of the camera....then play

It was still fun....we thought it funny than the one Nolan and Arielle were playing didn't even have fish - it had TIRES - redneck fishing? 

Tomorrow will be a long day as Michael preaches 3x....then one more day of work and 2 weeks off.  ::grin:: I seriously think this will be the most laid back Christmas we've had in years. Things are not done...but with Michael have surgery and me not driving they just aren't going to get done...and I'm o.k. with that. LOL

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...