Beach Frown, Victoria, B.C. (2009) At Shigeru's, Kumatori, Japan (2005) At Wickaninnish, Ucluelet, B.C. (2014) At Ninja Mura in Mie, Japan (2005) Christmas, Victoria, B.C. (2012) Pre-Wedding Photos at Royal Roads Japanese Garden, Victoria (2004) Hatsumode at Ikuta Jinja, Kobe, Japan (2005) Sunset, Victoria B.C., (2009) No Limits Conference - Port Hardy, B.C. (2008) New Years, Victoria, B.C. (2012) Nabe Party, Victoria, B.C. (2009) Fujii Wedding, Osaka, Japan (2006) KaToRiShiA, Osaka, Japan (2011) At Grandpa's, Victoria, B.C. (2012) Royal Kids Reunion, Osaka, Japan (2011) The Toast, Victoria, B.C. (2012) Danjiri Matsuri, Kishiwada, Japan (2011)
 
 
 

Oct 22 2014

Scotch Fest 2014

13th Annual Scotch Fest Poster (2014)
13th Annual Scotch Fest Poster (2014)

Auk wee I, Once again tiss time
to rattle the claymores and fill the Quaich.
Then let the flowing Quaich go round
and boldly let the pibroch sound
Till every glen and rock resound.

All wee clansmen and women are welcome
To the Thirteenth Annual Scotch Fest 2014.
So bring your See ya Jimmy and get ready to crack your kranium.

7:00 PM AT 2985 Harriet Rd Nov 15th 2014 Hope to see you all then.
Cheers

For new people who will be coming
Please bring a bottle of
Single malt scotch to share.
If scotch is not your thing,
Well bring beer or wine and have a good time.

By • Scotch Fest •

Dec 25 2013

Shinkansen 700 Series Hikari Rail Star – S-05 ライト付700系新幹線 ひかりレールスター

We took the Hikari Rail Star to Fukuoka in 2006 to visit Yuki’s Great-Grandmother Tomoe-san. It’s nice to have another part of our history in our Plarail collection.

Plarail - Hikari Rail Star
Hikari Rail Star Box

Name: Shinkansen 700 Series Hikari Rail Star
Takara Tomy Name: S-05 ライト付700系新幹線 ひかりレールスター
Power Source: 1xAA Alkaline Battery
Manufacturer Number: 4904810755784
Release Date: 2007-04-26
Features: Headlights, detachable cars
Service Type: Highspeed Passenger

Plarail - Hikari Rail Star
Plarail Hikari Rail Star

 

In real life…

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikari_%28train%29

Hikari Rail Star - click for a larger image
Hikari Rail Star trainset, April 2009

Hikari (which means Light) is the name of a high-speed train service running on the Tōkaidō and Sanyō Shinkansen “bullet train” lines in Japan. Slower than the Nozomi but faster than the Kodama, the Hikari is the fastest train service on the Tōkaidō and Sanyō Shinkansen that is covered in the Japan Rail Pass.

 

By • Plarail (プラレール) •

Sep 25 2013

Scotch Fest 2013

12th Annual Scotch Fest Poster (2013)
12th Annual Scotch Fest Poster (2013)

Auk wee I, Once again tiss time
to rattle the claymores and fill the Quaich.
Then let the flowing Quaich go round
and boldly let the pibroch sound
Till every glen and rock resound.

All wee clansmen and women are welcome
To the Twelfth Annual Scotch fest 2013.
So bring your See ya Jimmy and get ready to crack your kranium.

7:00 PM AT 2985 Harriet Rd Nov 09th 2013 Hope to see you all then.
Cheers

For new people who will be coming
Please bring a bottle of
Single malt scotch to share.
If scotch is not your thing,
Well bring beer or wine and have a good time.

2013 lineup (early in the evening)
2013 lineup (early in the evening)

By • Scotch Fest •

Mar 27 2013

Fred Mercer has finished well.

fred-mercer-UN-peace-keeperFrederick Joseph Mercer
March 12th, 1940 – March 24th, 2013

In loving memory of Frederick Joseph Mercer who, after a gallant battle with  cancer, passed away with his loving family by his side.

Fred was born in the country of Newfoundland in the city of St. John’s.  In 1957 at the age of 17, he joined the Canadian Armed Forces to serve his country. He then spent the next 21 years primarily with the 1st Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada, then the 3rd Battalion PPCLI.  Most of his career was spent as a member of the band, touring the world and captivating audiences with their performances.  As a ”Band Rat” one of the highlights was performing in the Edinburgh Military Tattoo of 1962. Ultimately, Fred achieved his career goal of becoming the Drum Major for the band. When he wasn’t performing he served in the Anti-Tank platoon. After his departure from the army he took a position with Loomis Armored Car, safely transporting all of your money in and around Victoria for 15 years.  Upon his retirement, Fred took up golf.  Not one to take things lightly he became very good and in short order, recorded the first ever hole in one at Cordova Bay “The Ridge” Golf Course on July 9th, 1999.

Although serving his country was very important to him, what Fred held dearest to his heart was his family. Together with his wife Janice, they devoted their lives to raising four very responsible and loving children.  The family bond instilled in their kids will be his ultimate legacy never to be forgotten.

When Fred was first diagnosed with this disease he chose to fight it on his own terms, with dignity and honour.  This courageous position allowed him and his family to live with this illness and support him every step of the way.  Fred definitely set the bar very high on how to leave this world.

Predeceased  by  his sister Lorraine, Fred is survived by his wife  Janice, children Kirk (Sherri), Craig (Kana), Tony (Nicole) and Janet;  his grandchildren Karsen, Rielyn, Grace, Wyatt, Kaila and Jordan; siblings Rita (Robert), Paul (Jenny), Ken (Diane), Deb (Michael); cousin Jeanette and many nieces and nephews.

The family wishes to express their gratitude to the nursing staff and volunteers of the Palliative Care Unit (PCU) at Saanich Peninsula Hospital along with Dr’s Winsby, Kennedy, Jovic and Marsh. In lieu of flowers, please give generously to the Palliative Care Unit at http://sphf.ca/donate. Please specify ‘other’ and enter ‘Palliative Care Unit’.

A celebration of life will be held on Friday, April 5th, 2013 from 1:30 – 4:00 pm at the Royal Canadian Legion, Trafalgar/Pro Patricia, 411 Gorge Road, Victoria BC

By • Friends & Family •

Feb 7 2013

Home School Log 02-07-2013

今日は、これまでに結晶のスクーリングに使用した本を数冊ご紹介したいと思います。

私達が英語、社会科の主教材として使っているテキストには、各学習項目に合わせて提案書籍が記載されています。この、英語と社会科のテキストの著者は、実際にホームスクールで自身の子供を育てた女性なので、自宅での学習に適応しているのはもちろんのこと、コミュニティ内にある図書館でたやすく手に入る書籍ばかりを集めていて、非常に使いやすいです。

ホームスクールを始めてから、ほぼ毎週図書館へ通い、結晶のスクーリング用の書籍（オンホールドシステム＝予め借りたい書籍を予約しておけるシステム、があるので大変便利です）、その他珀空の年齢向けの絵本などを借りています。テキスト内で提案されている書籍以外にも、学習予定内容を取り扱っているもので目に留まった本を借りてきてスクーリングに使用することも間々あり、今回はその中からもご紹介できればと思います。

 

 

まずは、Franklinシリーズ。カナダはマニトバ州出身のPaulette Bourgeoisという方の作品で、TVアニメにもなっている人気シリーズです。主人公の亀、Franklinが学校や家、コミュニティで起こる日常的な問題を通して様々なことを学んでいくといった内容で、わかりやすくやわらかい文章で綴られた物語の中に、きちんとした教えが含まれていて、私も大好きなシリーズです。

ちなみにこれまでに

Hurry_Up_Franklin.jpgHurry Up, Franklin
Franklin Is Messy
Franklin Rides a Bike
Franklin Fibs
Franklin’s New Friend

を教材として使用しました。

 

 

 

 

次に、社会科の学習で使用した書籍では、Chester Raccoon and the Big Bad Bully (Audrey Penn著、Barbara L. Gibson画）をご紹介します。

Chester_Raccoon_and_the_Big_Bad_Bully.jpg

クラスにいる少し乱暴な友達を恐れて、学校に行くのを嫌がるアライグマの子供達。子供達から相談を受けたアライグマの母親は、ある出来事を語り、ただ怖がって逃げるのではなく、思考を変えたり、あるいは優しく接することで、少し乱暴ないじめっ子の心も変えてやることができる、という内容になっています。
もちろん、現実は絵本のようにうまくいかないかもしれないけれど、こういった考え方を結晶に紹介し、心に留めてもらうことで、今後何か問題が起きたときに何らかの手助けになればいいなと。

 

 

最後に、”A Drop of Water” by Walter Wick。

Walter Wickはアメリカ出身の写真家で、”I Spy”シリーズで特に有名です。
これは提案書籍の中にはなかったのですが、図書館で色々と物色している際に、その美しい表紙が目に留まり手に取ったものです。”水”の様々な表情がクローズアップ写真によって非常に美しく撮影されており、まず目で存分に楽しめる本でした。自宅でも簡単にできる実験もいくつか含まれていて、結晶のスクーリング（Grade2では、固体、液体、気体について学習します）にとても役立ちました。

これまでに本当にたくさんの本と出会いました。子供も私も好きな作家、子供がなぜが喜ぶ作品、様々です。当然ですが、同じような内容でも作家によって全く違う表現の仕方になり、個人的にしっくりくるものとそうでないものがあります。カナダに住んでいるので、手にする大半は英語で書かれた本になってしまいますが、結晶にも既に好みの作家がいて、その方の著書はほぼ読破しています。

本との出会いはまさしく運命。これからもホームスクーリングを通して色々な素晴らしい作品と出会っていきたいと願います。

By • Home Schooling •

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