Shiso juice /赤紫蘇ジュース

Recently I found this Japanese herb called Shiso is growing in the house Josh's grandma used to live.  It called Perilla frutescens in America. Here is a link to Wikipedia. There are two kinds of  Shiso leaves. One is this red one use for making plum pickles, seasoning for rice, etc, but more for color than just eat. The other one is green leave. I actually have green one in my garden. We use with whatever from noodle to sushi, sashimi, with chicken, pork, tofu, even in a spaghetti in this season. And we all love it. And it is very good for your health. It used as natural medicine.  
先日ジョッシュのおばあちゃんが昔住んでた家の庭に赤紫蘇が大量に生えているのを発見！青紫蘇とゴマの葉はアメリカでも食べたいを庭に植えて、そのうちにわさわさと毎年でるようになってほしいと思っているのですが、あまりに世話をしないのでぼちぼち食べれるくらい。その発見した赤紫蘇は群生!しかも誰もなぜそこに生えているのかわからない。

So I was so excited when I found this. And it reminds me of my childhood. When I went to my friends house in this season, everybody have this Mom made Shiso juice in there refrigerator. My mother didn't have a time to make things like this. So this was a drink I only can have in my friends house. 
発見してから夜な夜な、子供のときに友達の家に遊びに行ったら割とどこの家にもおいてある「お母さんの紫蘇ジュース」の味が頭の中をぐるぐるして寝付けない。



So I made this Shiso juice.
Put washed 200 Shiso leaves in 1.5L of boiling water. After 10 minutes or so this red leaves all turned to green. Pick all the leaves out, and continue boiling for 20 more minutes. Then add about half cup of honey and about 150ml of lemon juice. And done! You mix with sparkling water, or just water, or with liquor when you drink.
ということでついにお母さんになった私が紫蘇ジュースを作ることにしました。
コジコジは大好き！ジョッシュは青紫蘇が嫌いですがムリヤリ少し飲ませて、うむ、思いのほか悪くないということでした！

Fuurin (wind chime) Class

Fuurin (風鈴) is a Japanese wind chime that most of houses hung in this season in my country. Japanese summer is very hot, humid and stickey. But  this simple sound from fuurin soothe your mind. 

日本の夏と言えばの風鈴！

This idea is actually from my father. And this class filled up so quick. Mose of us made multiple fuurins.
父提案のこのワークショップは思いのほか人気があった。すぐに人数いっぱい、そのうちまた第２弾も計画して欲しいとの声が。ほとんどの人は並べてつけたいと二つ三つ作りました。

Here is finished pieces. There are two small holes on each bottom piece on top and bottom. So they can put fancy origami paper each picked on the bottom, or hung few in row.
ぶら下げる部分の上下に穴をあけたので、いくつか縦に並べてぶら下げることもできるし、下にそれぞれ選んでもらった千代紙をつけることもできる。これが焼き上がり！

This is how assembled mine! Ready to catch the wind!

私が作ったのも完成！