Chrysanthemums, persimmons and potatoes

On the way to Kei's school stands an ordinary house with a black gate. Most of the year, the gate is closed, and there's nothing to distinguish the house from its neighbours. In November, though, the owners started leaving the gate open to reveal a mass of gorgeous chrysanthemums. Most of them are bigger than Dan. I love the way you can find surprises like this even in the most ordinary-looking streets. Who knows what other secret talents my neighbours might be hiding behind their gates?




This house isn't in our neighbourhood, but my parents-in-laws, whom we visited at the weekend so they could see the boys before I take them back to England for Christmas. It's strung with persimmons, drying to be eaten at New Year. You still see this a lot in the countryside, but where Kentaro's parents live in Shiga Prefecture it's already quite unusual.

The parents-in-law have an allotment, so the boys got to dig up a row of potatoes and dig the ground over afterward. The spade was a bit big for Dan, but there was no way he was going to give up!