Last year, our first real winter in Ishinomaki, we learned about a little thing called, yuki-mushi, or snow bugs.  They are tiny little fluttery things that, at first glance, really might remind one of snowflakes caught in the breeze.  I remember being surprised by them – they were just – suddenly– one morning – HERE.  

And our Nozomi staff became my teachers (for some reason I don’t remember ever seeing them in previous places I have lived in Japan – even Sendai).  When the snow bugs come out, it is sure to snow in the next few days.  A quick search showed me that they actually have about ten days to prove themselves correct.  Last year, it was just a matter of three days.

Yesterday, our little white friends were just, suddenly, HERE.  The girls and I were quite excited… several quickly became little pets after school.  I don’t like the cold, but my philosophy is that if it’s going to be cold we might as well enjoy it with snow.  We will keep you posted.  I think nature is so strikingly beautiful that it provides such whimsical harbingers of the upcoming season.