JM posts

Corn on the Cob

Corn is one of my favorite foods, and I especially like corn on the cob. When you buy corn in a can, the yellow kernels have been cut off the cob. That kind of corn is okay, but I think fresh corn on the cob is much better. I just boil the corn and eat it on the cob while it’s still hot. When I was young, I used to eat it with melted butter. These days, however, I prefer the natural sweet taste of the corn, so I don’t put anything on it. I have eaten a lot of corn on the cob this summer, and I hope I can have it a few more times before it goes out of season.   (123 words) Jaremaga now comes out online on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. To become a paid subscriber and read it 5 days a week, go to “Support Jaremaga” below for

Readers' Corner

Readers’ Corner: Our Ten Years Together

I have a cat named Mu and a dog named Mii. They are very cute. When I come home after work, they always welcome me. They are happy to see me and motivate me to work hard. Mu was a stray cat ten years ago. My neighbor found him and suggested that I adopt him. We welcomed him into our family. He liked eating and even looked for food in the trash. We gave him the nickname “Gomipanman.” Our beloved cat Mu passed away around midnight on July 30. He was very important to our family, and we miss him a lot. We have many memories of him, and we often talk about him. We are thankful for the ten years we spent together. Thank you for coming to us, Mu. We will never forget you.    (136 words) Jaremaga now comes out online on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. To become a paid subscriber

JM posts

A Sea of Clouds

It’s Monday morning, and I am in the mountains with my wife. We come here every summer. It’s 1,600 meters above sea level, so it’s much cooler than Nagoya. As my wife said, it’s great to wear long sleeves and feel cool! When we got here yesterday afternoon, the mountain hut was in the clouds. We weren’t sure that we would be able to cook our dinner on the barbecue because we couldn’t start the fire. The newspaper was damp, and the charcoal wouldn’t start. After 30 minutes, we finally started the fire and grilled meat and vegetables. The food was even better than we had expected! I got up in the middle of the night, and the moon and stars were out! The next morning, I walked up the mountain. What a surprise! There was a sea of clouds below me.   (142 words) Jaremaga now comes out online on Mondays, Wednesdays, and

JM posts

Back to School

Children are going back to school in Japan and in the U.S., but it’s a little different in each country. In Japan, children are in the middle of the school year. They are going back to the same class in the same school. They already have everything they need. In the U.S., children are starting a new school year. They are going back to school, but they may be in different schools, and they will be in different classes. There are no uniforms in most American schools, so the children need new clothes. Many also need new schoolbags. They usually use backpacks, but most backpacks only last a couple of years. Of course, they will need school supplies like pencils and notebooks, and some will buy new lunchboxes. It’s the time of year for back-to-school sales!   (136 words) Jaremaga now comes out online on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. To become a paid subscriber

Readers' Corner

Readers’ Corner: Trees that Monkeys Can Climb

I enjoy cycling on a road about two kilometers long in a neighboring town. Although it isn’t a major thoroughfare, it is wide, and the traffic is light. For the first kilometer, zelkova trees, or “keyaki” in Japanese, line both sides of the road. In summer, they provide welcome shade. In the second kilometer, crape myrtle trees, or “sarusuberi,” line the road. However, I noticed that these trees are short and have some burls. That made me think that monkeys could easily climb the trees, so I’ve nicknamed them “monkey-climb trees,” or “sarunobori.” I always have fun when I cycle between these trees.   (103 words) Jaremaga now comes out online on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. To become a paid subscriber and read it 5 days a week, go to “Support Jaremaga” below for more information. You can send me a comment or your own story at jaremaga@gmail.com

JM posts

We Make it at Home

My wife and I keep cool on hot summer days by eating shaved ice. We don’t go out to buy it; we make it at home. I bought a shaved ice maker three years ago, and it’s one of the best things I have ever bought. We always keep ice in the freezer so that we can have shaved ice anytime. We sometimes buy regular syrup, but we often use concentrated drinks instead. Yesterday, my granddaughter came over for shaved ice, and she tried mango flavored Calpis concentrate. She really liked it. My wife loves coconut milk, so she put it on her shaved ice. I tried mango Calpis and coconut milk together. The mixture was delicious! If you make shaved ice at home, you can try anything! (128 words) Jaremaga now comes out online on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. To become a paid subscriber and read it 5 days a week, go