Hello, Blogland!
Earlier this year I decided that I allowed fear to control too many aspects of my life. So I started doing things that scare me – not a lot, mind you, but a little. And let me tell you, starting a blog and learning a bunch of new things that go with such an endeavor definitely intimidated me a bit. Ok, a bit more than “a bit”. I blame it on spring and the rainy season.
My neighbor's blue hydrangeas.
With rain comes dreary, cloudy skies. But you also get flowers and greenery. Recently I’ve noticed I have a lot more appreciation for seasonal changes than I used to. Yes, I’ve always noticed seasonal changes, but when I was living in the States, I didn’t really stop to appreciate them. I don’t know if it’s because I’m older, determined to thoroughly enjoy my limited free time to the fullest, or because I’m living in a society that really appreciates the different seasons for the unique delights they have to offer. Whatever the reason, I know that it was my neighbor’s beautiful hydrangeas that made me stop and say “I simply must take a picture of these flowers.” And after that, “I simply must share these pictures with everyone!”
Another neighbor's purple hydrangeas.
After noticing the flowers, I noticed the lush grass growing in the field next to the apartment. The field next to our building has been an empty field since we moved in two and a half years ago, and it feels like having a yard that we don’t have to take care of. On the edges of the field are fruit trees and vegetable patches. And our nearest neighbors. It’s a very unique setup for Tokyo. When people at work ask me in tones of shocked disbelief why I live an hour commute from the office, I just show them these pictures.
Aside from getting me to pull out the camera voluntarily, something which rarely happens, spring also inspired me to engage in other equally uncharacteristic behaviors. I baked. To you, that sentence may seem totally innocuous. But to anyone who knows me they probably had to re-read it a dozen times before finally saying “no way would Miss Kaizer ever bake.” Well, the truth is that I did bake. And while my inner feminist wept bitter tears, I was secretly very pleased with myself. I didn’t exactly make the dough from scratch, but I was still pretty darn proud. I mean, I rolled out a pie crust. Lil ‘ol me. We don’t have a pie pan in the Kaizer Kasa, but we do have a Betty Crocker Cookbook (thanks, Mom) that provided me with the recipe I used for an apple pie on a cookie sheet. The filling was four apples peeled, sliced, and mixed with brown sugar and a little butter. What we got after 25 minutes in the world’s smallest oven was pure sugary heaven. Awww, yeah! I’m now a baking fiend!
Please forgive the darkness of the photo. It was late when I finished baking.
We each had a large piece while it was still warm. Omnomnomnom! It was an easy project and has given me confidence in my ability to actually bake. I think I’m going to try Grandma’s banana bread recipe next Sunday. I actually wanted to do that today, but we didn’t have any milk and neither of us felt like leaving the apartment. I threw the bananas in the freezer so I can use them next week. Don’t tell anyone I said this, but I’m actually looking forward to baking next week. Ssshhhh! It’s days like this I realize how inspiring life can be.
Until next time, may life continue to inspire you.
Miss Kaizer
Tags: baking, flowers, intro, neighborhood
Uncategorized | Miss Kaizer | 
June 21, 2009 7:40 am
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