What a convenient guy!

A long time ago, George and I worked on George’s mother’s house. His mother mumbled, “You see, I miss him because he left me when he married you. He was such a convenient son.” I replied, “You have him plus one…ME.” She said, “It’s different. I cannot get his services whenever I want.” I see…she is SO honest. Believe me, that’s one reason I can get along with her so well…when I can get along with her.

Now, I realize that I am so glad that I am not in her shoes. He is not going to leave me…well, hopefully not.

When I ask what I want…then, here you go, he makes exactly what I want. I said, I want to have a mascot for our business. Something cute, like many Japanese have and like…you know, cartoonish…see, kinda like this and then I showed him a picture on the net. A few days later, what I had asked for appeared in front of me. He’s such a convenient guy.

Erika

Waiting for Clear Skies

We are in the midst of the longest winter in the history of human kind in Seattle…at least it feels like it. The streak of 41 days without sunshine ended yesterday. Wouldn’t you know it…it’s cloudy with a chance of rain for at least the next 7 days. I was able to take some photos of the night sky about month and a half ago. Pleiades, which is also known as Subaru, is a birthplace of starts. The Rosette and California Nebulae could have used more exposure time, but the clouds started to roll in. I’ll try to photograph them again at a later time. Isn’t the Owl Nebula cool looking? It’s supposed to look just like the face of an owl. The Andromeda Galaxy is our closest neighborhood spiral galaxy (2.2 million light years) and looks similar to our own Milky Way Galaxy. This galaxy can be seen under dark skies without the help of a telescope (http://wikihow.com/Find-the-Andromeda-Galaxy). I hope the weather will be clear soon. I have so many objects that I wish I could photograph before I box up the scope and move to Japan. Keep looking up.

George

Intarsia

 I’ve been an avid woodworker for over the past 15 years. During this time,  I’ve had the pleasure of making decks, gates, sailplanes, bridges, shoji screens, picture frames, intarsia, kotatsu, and even koto stands. I think I enjoyed intarsia the most. Intarsia is the art of making pictures out of wood. Judy Gale Roberts has been a great inspiration to many people who have done intarsia.

Koto Stand



First attempt at intarsia



Zoom in on the teeth

Here’s a few examples of my work.

I was experimenting with combining two of my hobbies, woodworking and stained glass, and came up with some unique creations.

I would like to do an intarsia of my two dogs, but most of my woodworking equipment has been carefully packed away. I hope it won’t be too long before I can focus my attention on my hobbies after I move to Japan. Creating an intarsia of the spectacular view outside my window in Tsukahara is on my to-do list. Another hope is that I will be able to spark an interest and share how to make an intarsia. Most of my projects are made from Western Red Cedar, although some artists use a variety of woods to get the various colors.
George

astrophotograph

The winter weather in Seattle has been wet and cold. That’s nothing unusual. Seattle isn’t the best place in the world to use a telescope. I’ve been patiently waiting for a clear night to view the stars since last October. I kept reminding Erika that if the night skies are clear, you won’t see me for the rest of the night…I’ll have a date with my T-scope. It finally happened on January 31^st and February 1^st. I had forgotten all of the steps required to set up the T-scope and the software programs. After fumbling with the wires and connectors, everything was ready. At first, I just wanted to view the red spot on Jupiter. The skies were clearing, and luckily I was able to do much more. I felt like a kid in a candy store! I had so many things to photograph and so little time.

Without getting too technical or boring…the Crab Nebula is a star that exploded in the 11^th century, M81 and M82 are distant galaxies, the Orion Nebula is that fuzzy patch of light just below the three stars in Orion’s belt (stars are born there), and the Horsehead Nebula is on the left side of the three stars in Orion’s belt (the dark gas forms the shape of a black stallions head, pretty cool!) I wanted to take pictures of these beautiful objects ever since I first saw them in a National Geographic magazine as a kid. As I mentioned before, there are so many things I want to see and photograph, but not enough time. I’m learning each time I take a set of images. I still have a long way to go before I can call myself an astrophotographer. The journey is a challenge, but I’m having a blast!

I’ll keep posting photos as I process them and as the weather permits. I hope that one day (after I move to Tsukahara), I’ll be able to share with kids and adults alike, a peek through the eyepiece with the hope of sparking an interest in astronomy. The night skies have an endless supply of wonders and surprises just waiting to be explored. If I could hook just one person into wanting to learn more about the stars, then I think I accomplished something very important. Keep looking up!

George

Japanese Garden

It seems peculiar that after spending so much time and money on trying to acquire the skills to build a Japanese garden, I chose to spend the rest of my life in a place that will require none of those skills. While living in California, I desperately wanted to create a Japanese environment in my backyard. I wanted to build a large koi pond stocked with imported Nishikigoi from Hiroshima, to grow many varieties of Japanese maples, to create a karasansui (dry rock garden), to build a bridge, and to create an impressive entrance into this garden. The garden was to be called, “So Shin En (双心苑)”, translated to mean, “Garden of Two Hearts”. After 2 years of research and intensive work, the garden became a reality.

Much of the work was invisible. Trenches were dug to carry the drains, water pipes, air lines, and electrical wires. All of the excavation was done by hand. The lower pond was dug to 5 feet deep by 10 feet wide by 20 feet long.  The upper pond was 3 feet deep by 4 feet wide by 5 feet long. The hole was so large that a police helicopter kept circling overhead as we dug the hole. I think they thought we were burying a body or something. The neighbors thought we were installing a swimming pool. All of this soil was made into berms for planting beds and to transform a flat backyard into an attractive oasis. Planning was crucial, especially figuring out the correct filter, pumps, tubing diameters, drain layouts, wire gauges, and circuit breakers. Over 2 tons of boulders were hand selected and individually placed. Erika did a lot of the digging and lifting. She was much younger then. Of course, she complained a lot and I heard the word, “Divorce” just about everyday. Each joint between the boulders was filled with expanding foam and salted with sand to give the natural appearance of inter-connecting stones. The pond liner was carefully formed to remove all of the wrinkles. This provided a smooth surface for the water to circulate and to prevent any koi poop from collecting. Air diffusers were installed over the drains and educators on the walls to provide circulation similar to a Jacuzzi. This provided plenty of exercise for the koi and allowed any unwanted debris to be effectively transported to the filtering system.

The entire system was automated. Even the water quality and water levels were electronically monitored. The pond held 6000 gallons and 14 Nishikigoi. We did have 15, but a Great Blue Heron decided she wanted to have sashimi for dinner. I could not believe how large a heron actually is. The bird stood 4 feet tall and was not intimidated by my presence at all. I built the pond with vertical sides to prevent predators from stealing my fish. I later learned that a heron regurgitates its food to attract the fish…almost like using fishing bait. Once the fish gets close enough, the heron catches it. My only choice for protecting the koi was to install netting and use an electronic scarecrow. The solution worked although getting splashed by the scarecrow was a nuisance.

Turning on the pumps for the first time was an unforgettable experience. I wasn’t a 100% sure that everything was going to work. Did I have the right size pumps? Did I use too much tubing? Is the waterfall going to have enough water pressure to form a pleasant looking fall? Did I choose the right size filters? I had a gazillion questions in my head and the main answer was…it worked!! I had a small leak at the filtering tank which was easily fixed. I let the system run for a couple of weeks before I let the koi enjoy the pond. Within a month or so, I had become very close to the koi. They would approach me at feeding time and eat from my hand. I could pet their underside just like a dog. I had learned everything I could about raising koi. The water quality was exceptional. I know if I were a koi I would have loved swimming in that pond! The koi pond was the most satisfying and enjoyable projects I had ever had. We planted hundreds of azaleas, many maples, Sequoias, and fruit trees.  The garden turned out to be everything I expected and more. The soothing sounds of the waterfall permeated the entire property.

It was a sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It was an escape. I just wished I could have enjoyed it. Not long after the garden was completed, I was transferred to Seattle. I was devastated at the thought of leaving all that we had worked for. None of that compared to the heartbreaking experience of leaving my Nishikigoi. After 6 years, I still have not recovered. I miss those koi very much and I’m reminded of them whenever I see a Nishikigoi.

Erika’s new set of 100,000 rules mention that our home in Tsukahara cannot have anything grown on the property that is not edible. I guess I can live with that. The property is beautiful enough without cluttering the landscape with a Japanese garden.

George

Cake Decoration

My next challenge is cake decoration. Again, I know if this were George, people would understand if he did it. Even though everyone knows he can do a better job, he is not interested in decorating cakes. He thinks that as far as the cakes are tasty, that’s enough. He also knows that this skill could help us in the future, when we are living in Tsukahara. We are not certain what we will be able to do for a living in Japan…teaching, café…anything and everything for survival. Any skills that we can develop in the present will help us for our future. Then, why not, since I have so much time and this makes George happy since I can get out and challenge myself.

By the way, I don’t think I have so much spare time since I lost my job. Walking the dogs for 4 hours everyday, cooking, cleaning and running errands require tremendous time and energy. I’ve developed a respect for house wives and husbands.

Well, this is my first cake. The instructor told us to draw something easy. I asked George to draw a cute dog. After I brought the decorated cake home, George took a close look at it. He smiled and asked, “I thought I drew a dog, not a chick?” I needed to make an excuse. “I didn’t have time. I spent most of the time frosting the white cream around the cake and I had only 10 minutes to do the picture. It’s not easy to decorate in such a short time and with so much pressure.” I quickly spelled one of the neighbors’ kids’ names in Japanese on the cake and gave it to him. He was polite enough not to say anything, but he did smile. His mother kept saying, “It’s so cute. This looks like one of the cartoons on your (her kid) computer game.” The boy still didn’t say anything, but kept smiling at it. The decoration is probably worse than a chick. Hey, the cake should be good…it’s from a box. How much can I possibly mess it up?

Practiced frosting and pon-pon flowers

Jewelry

The people who know me can’t believe that I started making jewelry. I am far from being materialistic. I don’t like shopping or exchanging gifts. Also, I don’t have any sense of art, no patience for detailing and I’m terrible with my hands. Unlike me, George is detail oriented, patient, and has a sense of art. As an example, I included a picture of a origami that he made.  

After being laid off, I planned on having lots of extra time to do things. George was worried about me being isolated from society. Well, my communication skills with my dogs improved. George believed I was getting depressed. So, I tried to find something that I could do better than him. I knew he wouldn’t be interested in making jewelry and it just happened that I glanced at an ad for a class in making jewelry that was sitting on the table. Fate invited me to challenge myself.

The first time I made some jewelry, my mother-in-law commented, “it’s kind of boring.” She was brutally honest, but that’s one reason I liked her very much (when we are not arguing). She said, “The recent trend for earrings is for them to be long. Look at Ann Curry (who she likes), she wears long earrings.” Reacting to her comments, I made… (more like practiced) many long earrings. George shared with me his opinions, but he wasn’t much help since he thought earrings looked painful and are unnecessary. He, however, helped me assemble some of the complicated designs.

After I made a couple of long earrings, my mother-in-law liked them and offered to sell some. So, I quickly made many different long ones and mailed them to her. A month later, she sent me money for whatever she sold. I was so excited to see $$$ for my efforts. Later, she sent back some leftover earrings that she could not sell. I was surprised and disappointed to see so many. I first thought she was feeling sorry for me and that she gave me money for something I didn’t sell. I called her and asked her if that was the case. She said, “No, I don’t do that kind of thing. You sent me quite a few of them and I sold most of them.”  I had forgotten how many I had sent her. Well, I am no longer interested in selling earrings, but I want to learn some new techniques. I decided not to give up the hobby until I accomplish something. Who knows what my future will bring!!!

Erika

Another Look to the Sky

Although we haven’t moved to Japan, we have decided to use this delay in a positive way. It’s hard though. I’m developing skills that I can share with my future students and guests. Just think of the possibilities to practice English while learning about the cosmos. I know…it sounds like an excuse to play with the telescope. That’s where the positive part comes in.

Here’s my second attempt at astrophotography. These photos were taken from my front yard in Seattle. I included before and after images to give you an idea of what can be seen from a telescope compared to the same image after digital processing.  

The reddish sky is mostly caused by light pollution. In the second photo, the sky background has been darkened and the galaxy has been “pulled” into the picture. I tried to explain the imaging process to Erika and she quickly tuned me out and returned to whatever she was doing. I’m not going to give up! I found that if I make my hobbies seem like fun, she eventually comes around. Take stained glass for an example. She wasn’t interested in it at the beginning, but now she does all the glasswork. Who knows…maybe one day she’ll set the telescope up and all I have to do is take pretty pictures. George

Astrophotography

I’ve been interested in astronomy since I first tried to see Comet West in 1976. Lacking any experience, I got up early one clear morning to see the comet. I borrowed a pair of binoculars from my Dad. I stood shivering as I pointed the binoculars to what I had thought was the comet. After about 30 minutes of observing, I found out the object I was staring at was a reflection from a telephone wire…good grief. The light of the morning sky was too bright to observe anything else. I gave up and prepared to go to school. That night I read in the newspaper that the comet was located in the opposite direction I had been looking. Boy, did I feel dumb. The next morning I got up early to witness a spectacular sight. No binoculars were needed as Comet West hung in the sky and was about an inch long. The head of the comet was pointed towards the horizon as its long tail reflected the light from the sun. I watched in amazement until the sun brightened the sky and the comet faded from view. My interest in astronomy never faded.

It wasn’t until recent that I was able to buy a telescope. Actually, it was Erika that encouraged me to finally make that dream a reality. She always encourages me to make my dreams come true, but she always asks me to find out how by myself…like enjoying the telescope, but try not to use any money from our account (ha, ha, she is smart!) We knew that we were going to move to a very dark location in the Japan countryside. Since I was still working, I could purchase the scope now and ship it to Japan after I worked all the bugs out. Believe me, there were a lot of bugs to work out. Living in Seattle didn’t help. I had been waiting six weeks for a clear night to bring the scope out. I’m still waiting and waiting. The best part about waiting is that it gives me time to research various parts and techniques that are required to take beautiful photographs of the night sky. The first thing that I learned was that there was a very steep learning curve that was required. I had a long climb ahead of me. The second thing I learned was that the hobby called, “astrophotography” could get expensive. Thank goodness for Craigslist and Ebay. Without those web sites I could have never funded this adventure. I had made a promise to myself…I wouldn’t purchase anything unless I sold something to fund it. I sold a bicycle, cameras, pool cue, bicycle equipments, even baseball cards. I managed to raise around $5K. Erika just shook her head and wondered what in the world was so interesting about stars? Why not just look at the photos in a magazine or a book? It’s the same, isn’t it? The best answer I could give her was, “No, it’s different”. From the most distant quasar to the nearest galaxy, each has their own and unique story. When you look at the stars, you are looking into history. Besides, the images make pretty pictures…well, some of them do. I haven’t had a chance to take many photographs, but if and when I do, I’d like to share them.

George