Saturday, May 21, 2011

Asam bol & kobis

ume tree
The tree is just 2 meters away from my writing room on the second floor. Second to my laptop, this is another thing I stare at every few moments of the day. The greenness from this tree, clears the tension from my eyes. If you look closely, the fruits are ripening. This is ume tree. The ume fruit is pickled with salt and the Malay people called in "asam bol" or "asam asin".
This land belongs to a neighbour and the tree has been there even before we build this house. This neighbour stays on this rental house but they make the house like their very own. They built a store room in a corner of the land and they extend the roof of the house to the wall, making some space outside. During summer, I hear them having beer party on this expended space but other times, I see fat cats wondering all over the place. I do wonder where these cats come from and who are their owners. These cats are not lost or stray. They are well-fed and all are very fat. But the strange thing is, this neighbour feeds them everyday. Feed those fat cats that don't belong to them. How kind can anybody get! Considering cat biscuits are not cheap to come by.
Last year, the ume fruits rotten on the trees. Now is the time to pick those still green fruits to make pickles like "umeboshi". But it is not my tree and it's not me to go around asking.

Okinawa vegetable
This morning hubby came back from the green grocer, calling me like he is so excited. I was doing my work on the top floor and thought there was some emergency. He was smiling and held high this bag of cabbage.
He said, "3 heads of cabbage for just 40 yen (that is about RM 1-)!
Whoah! for that price...it is like giving away.
He explains the weather is cool lately and cabbage grows good in the cool. There is over-supply of cabbage everywhere. That was the excitement. I think my hubby is more house-husband than I a house-wife. SMILE & Peace!

Don't assume living in Japan is hard or cost of living in Japan is high. That is not true. Not so on this island!

*****

6 comments:

  1. Rindu nak makan umeboshi. :D

    Kalau difikir-fikir, kos hidup di Malaysia bukanlah rendah pun. Harga barang naik sentiasa. :( Gula naik seposen sekilo, roti boleh naik 10 seketul. Pakai sekilo gula dalam rotti tu?

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  2. As salam JahRera,
    Pkk ume tu ada buah tak? Lg best kalau dpt tgk buah kat pokok ume tu. Di Kedah, asam boi dipanggil asam ko.

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  3. wah... murahnya kak! wow! rindu to be online agan.. nantilah bila cuti sekolah.. he he

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  4. lina,
    itulah pesepsi orang luar tentang Jepun. Sebenarnya kehidupan orang2 Jepun murah dgn makanan tempatan. Org. yang bercuti di kota besar, terasa harga mahal sebab mereka tak tahu cari tempat2 makanan murah.

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  5. en daun,
    pokok ume ini di tanah jiran. Buahnya masih hijau. Sebenarnya sekaranglah masa paling elok memetik buah2 itu, kalau dah masak tak boleh buat jeruk lagi. Yang masak tak berapa sedap sebab kelat dan masam.
    Saya cuba tunggu tangkap gambar itu bila dah masak nanti.

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  6. cik nora,
    kita sama2 sibuk. tak apa. bila sengan nanti kita berbual sampai lidah kering.

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