January 2026
A month of memories made and safe travels
Welcome Back
We have neglected our blog posts for far too long. We do apologize. It’s not always easy to balance everything and get older at the same time too! But we want you to be more informed and have a place to share out lives in an updated way beyond our prayer letters so will try…
Cherry Blossoms-Sakura
Cherry blossom in Japanese is Sakura and it’s the country’s national flower. It heralds the arrival of Spring and has come to symbolize ‘renewal’ and ‘hope’. It is with great anticipation that forecasters keep the public informed, from late March to mid-April, as to the best times to view these blossoms. The cherry blossom season…
GIRL’S DAY IN JAPAN
Celebrated on March 3 every year, Girl’s Day is a day on which Japanese households with young daughters decorate their homes with ornamental dolls. These dolls have been traditionally used to pray for a girl’s prosperity, health and successful marriage. The third day of March is considered to be a day of purification, on which…
November Newsletter
Greetings from northern Hokkaido where winter hit us with lots of wind and snow a couple days ago and still trying to wear us down! Please safe on whatever kind of ‘winter’ roads you have this winter and remember ‘Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the…
Apple Growers attract Owls
Owls are fast becoming common pets in Japan. Many neighborhoods have owl cafes, where one can enjoy the company of owls over a beverage or snack. Farmers in Japan’s apple-producing region are encouraging the wild owls they once turned away to return to their orchards as a solution to their battle against tree-killing rodents. In…
Southern Hokkaido Earthquake with thoughts
As soon as we were able, we wanted to get a report to you of the earthquake here in Hokkaido. Here are some facts and some thoughts as well! 1. It was 5 hours south of us so we had no residual damage from the earthquake itself. 2. As a result, though, Hokkaido Power who…
2018 July Newsletter
And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. This month a thought from our son Richard who is a pastor in Virginia. “In Luke 14:23 the master in the parable told his servants to invite people to…
Vicki’s Views of June
Tour of Northern Most Point of Japan: Soya Misaki
(above) – old WWII bunker
Wakkanai City Breakwater
Queen Anne’s Lace
Northernmost point Marker
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Isaac the trumpeter at Teshio Riverside Park
