Newbies in my house

In the spring, I tend to get packages from my friends and family.

Partly because April was my birthday month.

And partly because that, where I am from, spring is significant - is more than arrival of warmer weather & spring showers. It is the start of a new cycle of life, both in nature and society. Japanese schools' and companies' old year ends in March and a new year starts in April with new students & freshly employed graduates, anxious and hopeful, under cherry blossoms.

Or I'm just fortunate to have good friends and family - anyway, is nice to greet the beautiful season with a few new things at home.

Japanese "tenugui" cotton towel with horsetail print.
My sister always gift me with new patterns she finds.

My grandma would sometimes cook horsetail shoots and
serve in the mixture of  soy sauce and fish broth.
It's a little bitter and is definitely taste of Japanese spring.

Tomato-colored food container by Thermos.

Now my stew is hot at my lunch at work
- without the help of the microwave. 

My sister's homemade strawberry juice concentrate.
Here is with sparkling water: strawberry soda.

And because we started composting at a local library,
my friend Amy sent this for my birthday.
A compost bin that you can freeze!

And of course, Amy filled the bin with her most delicious mint brownies!