Matsuyama Castle

I took an overnight trip to Ehime Prefecture on my days off last week.  I spent most of the first day visiting Matsuyama Castle and it was fantastic! It sits high on a hill.  You can take a ropeway tram or individual chairs on a chairlift, or you can walk up, like I did.

The first area (I think it was called the third Bailey) had a charming little tea house where you can eat a sweet and drink a cup of the traditional green powder tea.  

This area has a beautiful garden.

Walking up the path to the castle, there were many twists and turns that had to do with the protection of the castle.

The cherry trees were beautiful and there were many little green birds in them.  I tried getting pictures of them, but they are very quick and hard to photograph.

After the climb up, I took a break and had a sakura cone!

There were signs along the way explaining the construction and the strategic reasons for the way things were build.  It was beautiful and interesting. I had a little picnic lunch before entering the castle itself.  All this and I hadn't even gotten to the castle yet!

Inside, it was a museum with swords and armor you could try on and a drum you could beat.  

This castle has replaced Shuri-jo as my favorite. I thoroughly enjoyed my day here and would visit again in a heart beat.  If you are in Matsuyama, you really need to check it out.

April 2016 IQSCM Quilt of the Month

Do you know about the International Quilt Study Center and Museum at the University of Nebraska?  Each month they have a Quilt of the Month (and you can get an email from them about it each month - sign up for free on their website).  

This month's quilt (above) is called Poetry in Indigo III by Shizuoka Kuroha.  Here's what the IQSCM has to say about it:

Poetry in Indigo III features 168 different examples of kasuri fabric—the Japanese version of ikat.  Ikat is created by tie-dyeing the warp and/or weft threads in a specific pattern prior to weaving. The pattern appears as the fabric is woven. 

Figurative imagery in this quilt includes a crane and turtle, bat, and a cat among others. The crane and turtle motif symbolizes longevity. Bats are good luck symbols that often appear on young children’s clothing.

Artist Shizuko Kuroha is one of the most celebrated quiltmakers in Japan. After learning to quilt while living in the United States in the 1970s, she began giving quilt classes in Tokyo, eventually starting her own school and teaching all over Japan and the world. Kuroha has been the featured quiltmaker at the Tokyo International Great Quilt Festival on multiple occasions, most recently in 2014.

Blue and Japanese - you can understand why this one is so appealing to me.  You can check out past QOM on the website too.

Easter Picnic

Tuesday the school I work for held its annual Easter picnic, which means coloring eggs, potluck picnic, playing games, and plastic egg hunt. And speaking English, of course.  The students came with mothers and siblings.  I think the children all had a good time.

2016 Smalls Stitch A Long - Tulip Card

Thanks to Heather at Stitching Lotus for hosting this Stitch A Long.

Work In Progress Wednesday - Still Not a Full Rose

I've worked a bit more on this.  Now that I have to work every day, I'm getting very little stitching done!