great to be back...

For the past couple of days I have been battling a fever, chills and body ache...the kitchen and appetite was closed...and I became another year older in the whole process...
This was a gift from my host sister, Tomoko and her husband, Koji. Can you believe that these beauties are artificial? I plan to use this to hold fresh fruit.

My husband gave me these purple tulips. Tulips are one of my favorite flowers. I'm not quite sure when it became my favorite but it is. Maybe it's because they look like light bulbs all lit up in the sun...For part of our honeymoon we went to Amsterdam's Keukenhof Gardens. There were tulips everywhere! I only wish that the weather was a bit more sunny, but I guess in April, it gets a bit cloudy...I think I've influenced Satoshi because now he's into tulips and lavender too!

Thank you also to all my family and friends who sent wonderful e-cards. You really made me smile on a day when I was really feeling low. :)

Finally, I can get back into the kitchen and back to being a foodie...