Kazu-chan arrived in my "genkan," saying, "I am planting sweet potatoes, would you like to come along?"
"Of course," I lied as I quickly put on my "nagagutsu" (gardening boots) and grabbed a trowel, some gardening gloves and a bucket. This would be one of many gardening lessons with Kazu-chan.
Once we got down to the gardens, she showed me how to bury the sweet potato plants with their stems horizontal, under a few inches of dirt with the leaves sticking out the top, waving. After we finished her garden, we would walk down the path to mine and plant some more.