35., 36. Japanese toothpaste

I like Japanese toothpaste because it is not as cloyingly sweet as American brands. At first, this was hard to get used to, but, having gotten used to it, I find it preferable. My favorite brand is “Grain of salt” (#35). As it says, there is a bit of salt in it, which leaves a very clean taste in my mouth. But lately I am using a brand (#36) that is black because it has bamboo ash in it (!!!) Very bland, (I guess I miss those grains of salt . . . ) but I feel like I’m really doing something good for my teeth. It was quite expensive for toothpaste, I think close to $8. But this was a rest stop on a vacation trip and I was on a bamboo ash kick at the moment, so plunked down the money to see what it was like. At first I didn’t like it at all, and it actually sat in a storage box for over a year but I needed toothpaste recently and decided to give it another go. This time – not so bad. (Maybe it’s cured?) So I’m happily brushing with and spitting out black toothpaste!

33., 34. More apples!

I have discovered 2 more apple varieties that are “to die for”!

33. Fall Reflection!
34. Shinano Sweet!! These are from my Japanese “home prefecture” – Nagano! They have edged out as my favorites (sorry, Fuji!) Oh, why can’t it be apple season forever?!?

31., 32. Apples!

As summer wanes here in Chiba (summer itself, not the heat of summer . . . ) I look forward to the arrival of Fuji apples in the fall. Fuji apples are actually available year round, but the ones on the shelves now are only bare reminders of the sweet crunchiness that is a Fuji apple in its prime. So this could be a very bleak time in the apple landscape but for the arrival, at this time of year, and only for a short time, just when the Fuji apples are really, truly past their peak, to bridge the gap, so to speak, of the Sugaru. The green Sugaru reminds me of Granny Smiths, very crunchy but thinner skinned and sweeter. And then there are the red Sugarus – “sun sugaru” as they are called – also firm and crunchy with a sweet-tart tang. I am thankful for these two varieties of apples! (written in August! – It’s almost November and we are in apple season!!!)

31. Fuji Apples
32. Sugaru Apples