One of the saddest day in my life. "When they came to Tawaramappu."

Tawaramappu was a beautiful little creek. After our family came back from Ecuador, my parents settled down at a town called Nakashibetsu. The first two houses we liven in was by Tawaramappu. My first fish was caught at the creek. The water was crystal clear and cold. Weeds in the water was so green and thick. There were deep places and shallow places. The creek carried its current gently and freely. I spent half of my childhood at Tawaramappu. It was the best play area in my life. Then the Summer of 1977 came. Tawaramappu looked really flat, ugree, bare and shallow, and there was no sign of fish that I could see. My brother told me bulldozer and things came and clear the creek while we were visiting our relatives for few days. I still don't know why the city destroyed such a nice little creek.

To be continued

Tanase sensei

It was a sad news. Tanase sensei past away this morning. Although I haven't seen him for more than 15 years, I have clear memories of him.
When we moved back from Ecador, he was the one helped us in manyways. I remember calling him Jittan, which means grandpa, back then.
He translated a lot of English books into Japanese. I think he published some of his books, also. Now he is with God in heaven sharing his big smiley face.

Feel for Kai

I can not say I was a healthy kid when I was growing up. At the age of 7 I started to have asthma attacks 3 to 4 times a year. I also could not do much physical activities. Because of that, I longed for strength, health, and inhuman like physical abilities. I prayed many times asking God to help me to be healthy as guys at my school. I thought that God will one day come to me and tell my body to get better and never get sick again. But he took good care of me in different way. He gave me Christian parents to begin with, gave a heart that enjoys his creations, friends, Heather and three boys, my life, and etc. This list is almost endless. I can even say thank you for giving me asthma. I can not imagine how I would be like if I was totally healthy and strong. I don't think I could see God in that kind of life. I am really selfish prson but my physical weakness is helping me to depend on God more and see my weaknesses and strengths. However, it is heart breaking when I see Kai having asthma attacks. Hope he will grow out of it soon.

A little fisherman

When I was a child, a innocent child, there was a little creek called Tawaramappu. It was a spring creek and the water temperature was always around 8-10 degrees celsius through the year. Yamame is a type of trout I fished most when I was little. I believe that I fished most at the creek and caught more Yamame than anybody else who has fished at the creek. I knew the creek from start to finish. I knew all the good spots to fish. I mean I really knew. I started to fish when I was 4. Yamames aren't big trout but really beautiful fish to hook 4 year old to fishing. In Chinese characters we use characters for mountain"Yama" and girl"onna but in this case we pronounce it Me" So, it means princess of the mountain.
Back them I felt like I was a part of the creek and sroundings. I don't think I thought that but when I look back I really think I felt or I knew how to be a part of nature. Agggghhhh!!!! Where did my fishing touch go.