Okinawa Friendship Quilt - memory art

Our family room is now enhanced with the Okinawa Friendship Quilt!
20 ladies quilted 20 squares of their favorite icon of Okinawa then we traded to have all the different squares. I finally got my quilt finished with the great charity of another friend I made here in Minnesota, Jill Price an accomplished quilter. It was the highlight of my birthday this year!

Dragonflies come out before the typhoons.
Geta shoes
American and Japanese flags are flown together in friendship!
Tori Gate Even the bus stop benches have covers with this design.
Goya (bitter fruit)and ube or yam. These are the preferred vegetables there. I prefer them as a flavor of icecream.

Hibiscus are found everywhere.
I made the map and in Kanji is "Okinawa" which was made with the help of a friend.
ShiShi Dog, made of clay and comes in a pair a male, being the protector and a female, keeper of good luck. A set is given for each home or building in Okinawa.
Kimono. We had the privilege to buy a few antique ones.
Pineapple, still a sign of welcome! The pineapple factory was one of our favorite tourist spots. Have you ever tried pineapple chocolate?...that was the only place we could get Shikawasa a drink made of green oranges and pineapple mixed. Yummo!

Shushi...a new love!

Kokeshi dolls are made of wood and painted. They are a very popular gift and collectors item. A special one, Syonara Doll, is made with the body of a paper roll and can be tied up with obe material. Many friends write farewells and wishes on them as you move away...(sigh).

Shan shin is 3 string. A guitar that's uniquely eerie and enchanting to me, I love it! It's usually covered in habu snake skin.

Red clay tile roof tops make for beautiful villages.

Toguchichi beach is where a secluded nook was found and used over years and years to baptize believers in Christ. Taylor was baptized there. Everywhere you turn it's all breath takingly beautiful.


Highway"58" if you get lost you just drive until you find the ocean and get back on to 58. It's the only highway that runs the whole length of the island.You get to drive "fast" 50 KM. The other signs are "new driver" and "elderly driver". These signs are stickers to go on the backs of cars to inform you to watch out. If you had an accident they have the law of "no fault" which means it's everyones fault. However as Americans we were considered "professional drivers" and had to carry "Gomenasai" money,(Yen to say I'm sorry and to buy people off.)

This is a wooden pirate ship or at least it was to our children that played on it. We had Taylor's 9th birthday party there with treasure hunt. Ship Wreck Park is on the beach across the street from our house.
The cars were tiny and you would find babies crawling around the dashbboard! People drove so slow I could almost stomach it. You would never hear a horn honk. Most patient people I've ever met. The road signs were fun to learn as well as driving on the wrong/right side of the road!

DIVE! That was the weekend occupation, personally I was glad I went as far as snorkling! Beautiful oceans many stories.
Taiko drums are the heart beat of Okinawa. It calls to their ancestors and celebrates profoundly.
Me, Alivia and friend. The people were the most friendly people we've ever met. We had a blast living there for three years.