A millipede

Sometimes I try to tell people what a millipede is, but you don't see them in Japan so much.

That's why last Wednesday I was SO happy to find millipedes at Shimana Community Center. Not just one, but lots! I saved a few by taking them outside, before someone stepped on them.

Millipede is made up of two Latin stems:

milli = 1, 000

pede = foot

What other 'milli' words can you think of? And how about 'pede' words?

My harvest

Here are some of the Chinese quince from my garden. They smell lovely, but I'm not quite sure what to do with them!

I'm still trying to decide if I should try cooking them or not, so if you have any ideas, please write and tell me. (Aside from making liqueur.)

And the little orange things are called "Karasu-uri" or "Snake Vine" in English. The vine grows in the summer, and in late summer it has fruits that look like tiny watermelons. In autumn they become orange and kind of look like mini-pumpkins. Please don't try to eat them! I picked them because I think they make good decorations :)

This year they were growing in many places in my garden, including in the persimmom tree.