Our Jan.1st and 2nd;

 (posted; Japanese culture page)

Hi, I DO hope you are having wonderful start of 2016☆☆☆

*New Year's visit to a shrine, Hatumoude "初詣”*

Yesterday, on 1st. we had a sudden guests and had unexpected busy day with them.  So this morning on 2nd, we visited a shrine. We pray for the peace and health for the year.  I hope you can see an atmosphere through my picture for our new year custom♪

Long queue to wait during  "the first three days" of the year.

We have special way to call these 3 days "三が日. sannga-nichi"

    This year happens to be "the year of monkey" according to Chinese Zodiac Sign.

おみくじ. Omikuji (also referred to as Mikuji) are Sacred Lots drawn at temples or shrines to tell our fortune.  If your written oracle "fortune" said that you would have unlucky year, you'll tie it like the picture below.

Mine was a middle luck :-)

♡ First two kinds of Birds for me on New Year♡

After finished visiting a place with our guests on 1st, I found these 'African Stonechat (hope so)　Brambling' 　when we were coming back home. With poor nature in our area, these so many birds even on the electric wire really surprised us and made me happy feeling as if lucky year ahead for us p:-)   Normally these flock of birds fly away as soon as they sense me getting close. Even all together at an instant.  They looked So cold that my husband said 'they look like dumpling' which means 'roll up a ball'.

And these 'Japanese Grosbeak' were waiting for me when we came back from shrine, on the tree of close to my house ♫♫♫

I was busy arranging this post this afternoon (^^;)   

My next post will be a week later, Visiting You Soon ♡♡♡

Linking this post to, "Saturday's critters", "id-rather-b birdin" ,"Scenic Weekends", 

"MosaicMonday", "WATW",  "Our World Tuesday", "Wild Bird Wednesday",

"Nature Notes","Outdoor Wednesday", "GoodFences"