Great Idea!

The Japanese have this really great idea about reusing plastic bottles that contain cleaning products, cosmetics, sauces, shampoos, etc. Rather than sell you another plastic bottle, they sell an easy-to-use refill pouch. The pouch contains exactly enough product to refill the original plastic bottle. The pouches are clearly marked so that you don’t accidently put the wrong product into the original bottle. In the U.S., I hated to throw away a perfectly good spray bottle. I would save the sprayer, but how many sprayers does a person need? The pouches are easy to recycle and easy on the environment. It’s a win win situation.   George

Early Fall

PhotoBucket has been updated. The temperature is dropping and the wood stove is operational. 

The fall colors are visible on Yufu-dake, but it's not as noticeable as the other areas in Japan. If the sun is positioned at a certain angle, the volcano turns red.

 

Add caption

Susuki dominates most of the open areas in Tsukahara. Sunset is a dramatic time. The deer are bugling, the susuki are casting a silver glow, and the volcano turns a tinge of red. The thunderstorms are gone. The fall weather is perfect for engaging in outdoor activities.

 

Paragliders enjoy the nearby hill. According to rumor, they pay 10,000 yen per person per day to fly off that hill. I was very interested in paragliding until I heard the cost.

 

 

 

Lucky and Kiley are entertained by these strange looking birds (paragliders).

 

If you look closely, the air is full of tiny insects. This photo was taken in the old part of Tsukahara. I'm glad we don't have this problem in the highlands.

 

The autumn flowers are in abundance all over Tsukahara. It is an absolutely beautiful time of year.   George

Candy Trains

We are preparing our first annual Christmas party for Y.E.S. Around 40 people are expected, but we’ll know more as soon as we determine a date and a venue. We purchased many of the Christmas decorations before we left the U.S. After Christmas sales are a wonderful thing. Quite a few of the decorations were purchased at bargain basement prices.

A very special surprise will be at the party. I can’t disclose anymore than that. One thing that I can show you are our candy trains. We wanted something that would represent “Station” as in our business name, “Your English Station.” The trains are edible and are a lot of fun to make. The hardest part of making them is not being able to eat any of the inventory. I love chocolate and the smell of chocolate candy is driving me nuts. The trains consist of peppermint candies, Lifesavers, Rolos, Wrigley’s Doublemint Gum, Starbursts, Hershey Miniatures, and Hershey Kisses. They were assembled with a hot glue gun. I’ve made 18 trains with 22 more to go.    George

 

 

"English is too hard"

A sixth grade student commented in class, “Why doesn’t Mr. Kimball have to learn Japanese?” “English is too hard to learn. Japanese is easy.” Sensei quickly responded, “You have it backwards. Japanese is a very difficult language to learn. English is relatively easy.” I pointed to the world map and explained (with the help of sensei) that if you compared the Japanese language to the languages spoken around the world, English is easy to learn. The U.S. State Department allows its students three times longer to learn Japanese than any of the easier languages. According to this website “You can’t learn to speak the language (Japanese) by learning to read it, and vice versa.”

This makes me wonder…if Japanese is so difficult to learn, then shouldn’t English be easy for the Japanese to master? I think it would be if the students were able to use English on a daily basis. Japan does not have a diversified culture. I can go months without seeing a foreigner. Some of my students have never seen a foreigner in person. It’s this isolation that prevents students from using and learning a foreign language. My students are exposed to English for 45 minutes each week. The students don’t have a chance to use what they have learned, so naturally they forget. This follows the adage, “Use it or lose it.”

I can see why the students think English is difficult to learn. They aren’t exposed to the language on a daily basis like other, more diversified countries are. Here is a personal example. I don’t have to struggle with the native language in Japan. Erika does everything for me. Neither of us likes to watch TV and my private life is in English. At school, only a few teachers that can speak English approach me. I make conversation with those teachers in English. I try to understand the students and they try to understand me by using gestures, simple Japanese and English. Why do I need to learn a foreign language if it’s not required or necessary? Sure, I sometimes feel isolated, but even the foreigners that can speak Japanese fluently feel isolated.

Is there a solution? The problem of isolation can’t easily be solved. The Japanese are fiercely proud of their nation and culture. I don’t see the Japanese envy western civilization. I more or less see the Japanese look upon “Westerners” as being gaijin (foreigners). If a foreigner follows the rules and respects the culture, then they are tolerated. Sometimes I wonder if learning English is “tolerated” only because the Ministry of Education makes it so. Japan gives the impression that they are promoting internationalism, but their governmental policies prove otherwise. If you don’t believe it, just try to get a visa as a foreigner.   George

 

 

 

Wow! It’s been a year?

Erika often says, “Time sure flies” as she is busily preparing lesson plans for the week. Time does seem to be passing quickly since we moved to Japan. Why is that? I know that time passes quickly when I’m busy. Perhaps this new lifestyle keeps me busy? I was busy in Seattle, but time passed like I was waiting to have all my teeth pulled. I noticed when I become involved with something I enjoy and it’s fun, time seems to move at warp speed. So, I must be enjoying what I’m doing, having fun, and staying busy. Yes, I think that would summarize our year in Japan.

A few days ago, Erika came home from teaching and she was in a cheerful mood. She explained that she had the best experience teaching that day. She realized that she was making a difference in a person’s life. She could influence a student in such a way as to make a positive change in that person. I think it finally dawned on her that she has the gift of being a teacher…an exceptionally talented teacher. When I grow up, I want to be like Erika.

After living in Japanfor a year, do I have any regrets? Yes. We should have done this sooner.

Do I have any advice for someone thinking of making a change? Yes. Take charge of your life, stop thinking and start doing!

Do you think you will move back to the U.S.? Sure. As soon as we become independently wealthy and we can afford a vacation home in California or Arizona. Erika loves the U.S. and I can’t deny her that luxury.

Our life in Japan has been an uphill struggle. It was also that way in Seattle. The main difference is that we have chosen to make it a struggle in Japan. It’s all about attitude. Feeling in control of our destiny is enlightening, but it’s also terrifying. I don’t think anyone is ever in control of their destiny, but ignorance is bliss. I think we are on the right path to having a successful business and a fulfilling life. Patience is proving to be the key. It’s kind of like fishing.

Well, cheers to keeping our line in the water.    George

 

 

 

 

Open Your Eyes

 A dear friend of ours, Klaudia, was kind enough to share this video with us. We just wanted to pass it along so others can see it too. This inspirational video really struck a chord with me. I'm fortunate that I can live in the beautiful countryside of Japan. The video reminded me that beauty can be experienced any where and at any time. You just have to open your eyes and heart to see and appreciate it.   George          

Six Month Anniversary

To celebrate our sixth month in business, we decided to purchase a new banner, bumper sticker, and advertising sign. What do you think? Erika designed everything. Considering how busy she has been, I think she did a sensational job. We purchased the copyrights to the owl and Erika took care of the rest. Our flyers, business cards, and website have the same insignia. The business continues to gradually grow. Stay tuned for more updates…       George

The Neighborhood

I added Photobucket to the blog. I’ll try to update these photos as the seasons change. These are some photos I recently took while walking the dogs around the neighborhood. Tsukahara is divided into two neighborhoods. The original neighborhood is where all of the old-timers live. I don’t know how long Tsukahara has been around. Judging from the shrines and temples, I would guess a long time.

The newer area of Tsukahara is designated, “Tsukahara Highlands.” It hasn’t been around very long. I’m guessing 20 years or so. The highlands are a compilation of people who left the cities to find peace and quiet. Many of these people have homes that are also small businesses. It’s a difficult way to make a living because Tsukahara has relatively few visitors compared to nearby Beppu and Yufuin.

I read a recent article mentioning that Tsukahara is the 7^th most desirable place to live in Japan. I think the air and water quality have a lot to do with it. The population of Tsukahara is around 365. A stranger would have difficulty finding 365 people, as they seem to be well hidden.   George

 

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Lucky's New Friend

A picture is supposed to speak a thousand words. Well then…

Tsukahara Hot Springs Part 2

Here's a few photos that I forgot to include in the last post.

Beppu Bay

          

George

Tsukahara Hot Springs

On Sunday, Erika and I decided that all work and no play make a teacher tired and boring. The cure for that was simple...let's go somewhere! We heard from a neighbor that Tsukahara Hot Springs had a trail that we could take dogs on. After 15 minutes of casual driving, we reached our destination. The YouTube video should give you a better idea of how close the hot springs are to our home.

It was about 80 degrees, but a thunderstorm was rapidly forming. The hike up Mt. Garan took about 45 minutes. The video shows Mt.Tsurumi, Mt. Yufu, and Monkey Mountain. Unfortunately, the cloud cover only allowed a peek at Beppu Bay, Oita City, and Beppu. We'll climb this trail again in the near future. I'll try to get a better video of the spectacular view. The coolest thing about the entire trip was that we left at 8am and returned home before 10am. We felt completely rejuvenated and ready to enjoy the rest of a glorious weekend.     George

Erika’s Update

I’m sure you have been wondering what Erika has been doing. It doesn’t seem like me to be quiet for such a long time. I’m happily alive!!! I’ve been extremely busy, but I have still some capacity to accept you as a guest if you stay with us in Tsukahara. To prepare for a visit, you need to learn how to use a hammer and split wood. According to George, there are only two things that I’m better at than he is; cooking and stacking wood. Although we’ve been busy, we try to take a moment to sit outside, enjoy the view, and eat our meal. We feel like we are on vacation. We don’t have to get in a car, take a cruise, or go to the airport to have a vacation. The best thing about living here is the freedom to take a vacation at a moment’s notice. I guess George has trained me well enough so that I feel our best vacation is on our own property. The temperature, wind, and air quality are so different compared to where our school is located. Actually, Yufuin which is only 15 minutes away has weather that is dramatically different from ours. Even if it’s late, after teaching at Y.E.S., I try to go back to Tsukahara. All of us, including the doggies, can sleep better there.

George laughed at my garden, but I harvested some tomatoes. I was very successful using bamboo poles to keep the deer from my tomatoes. Unfortunately, the rabbits and crows ate some of my prized produce. I planted two packages of lettuce seeds hoping to capitalize on my success. The bugs ate all of them. What did I learn from that experience? We live with nature so I have to be a little bit more modest.

I split and stacked all the wood for next winter by myself. My hands are hurting, but I enjoy being cheap. George has cooperated, but it’s hard for him to be as cheap as me. I find that I have problems with him peeking and wandering through the fridge while keeping the fridge door open. He also likes to keep the window open while taking a shower, allowing the warm air to escape. We have rarely argued since we moved here. Rarely do we have time to spend quietly together. Most of the time, we are busy working or making lesson plans and activities. If we do have a moment together, we usually spend it discussing our business plans or the dogs. We’ll sit on the deck and enjoy the peace and quiet. When George was encouraging me to move to Japan, he told me that making lots of money was not as important as choosing where to live. Maybe I gradually understand……but, I miss having all the material comforts of life!!!  Sometimes…                 Erika

近況報告

YESを始めてから、とにかく精神的に忙しい。それ以前から、この広い土地付き古いログハウスの田舎生活を始めて以来、休む暇なし。薪を欠いた去年の冬は泣かされたので、今年は薪集め。数人の、本当に本当に親切な友達から薪の情報をもらい、お陰様で今年の冬は暖かく過ごせそう。その為の薪割り。一時は卵も持てないほどの痛みで、ご近所の整体師さんにお世話になってしまった。年のせいにはしたくないが、完治しないのはやはり年齢を侮れないものだと、しっかり認知する必要はある気がする。頭の中だけか、いつまでも若い気でいるのは。。。

「お月謝が支払われ、親御さんが文句を言わないなら続けなさい」と、他の生徒の親御さんや保育園関係者の方々にも言われたが、良心の呵責を感じながら続けるのはどうも性に合わないので、やっぱり辞めてしまった一クラス。小２、４、中１、２を同時に教えるというのは誰かにシワ寄せがいき、毎回それを見るのが本当に心苦しかった。４月から１ヶ月の橋渡しの役が、ズルズルと５ヶ月も過ぎてしまった。一線を引くことの難しさを学んだ。その点、アメリカは楽だった。。。何度も簡単に一線を引くことが多かったから。

日本に越して来て、後１ヶ月で１年を迎える。この１年を振り返って、予想以上に外れていたものは何か、という質問が出た。ジョージは、「エリカからもっといろんな文句が出るだろうなあと覚悟していた」ということ。うーん、色んなところで暮らしてきたから順応性はあるだろうし、基本的には日本人だから。。。いろんな面で妥協はあるが、それなりに穏やかな、というより、そんなことを感じる余裕がない日々の生活を送っているというのが正直なところ。まだまだ少ないけど、友達や生徒、生徒の親御さんたちとの人間関係には恵まれたとつくづく感じている。子供たち一人ひとりが本当に個性的で、いろんな発見が出来るのもまた楽しい。大人のクラスも、年齢ではなく、何事もやる気で上達するのだなあと、教える側でありながら感心させられる。そういう点では、YESが、ゆっくりであるが、確実に良い環境に広がりつつあることを嬉しく思う。

犬たちは相変わらず元気。想像していた以上に山の天気が変わり易く、突然の雷雨や稲妻でカイリーの健康状態がすごく心配だったが、これも少しずつ落ち着いてきたように思われる。カイリーのような犬用に作られたピアノ曲とサンダージャケットが効いているのかな。。。どんな服さえも嫌がって着ようとしなかったのに、このサンダージャケットだけは着ると安心感を覚えるのか、ジッとして着てくれる。ピアノ曲で息の荒さも少し和らぎ、しばらくすると眠りを誘うようだ。このピアノ曲、少なくとも私たちには効果テキメン！

 

本当に小幅の一歩いっぽ、でも確実に日本での生活が定着しつつあるような気がする。これもYさんが特別に作ってくれたエンジェルのお陰かな？？？大病の子供たちだけにしか作らないというエンジェルを、アメリカのご近所さんのYさんが作ってくれた。こういうものはあまり信じない私たちだけど、このエンジェルだけはベッドの上に置いて大切にしてる。「やっぱり日本に帰って来てよかった」と言える日が来ますように。。。

 

長くなったけど近況報告

New Semester

A new semester has begun. In Japan, the month of September is filled with sporting activities for the students. I was told to expect to have many English classes cancelled. I guess it’s no surprise to hear that sports have precedent over English. This brings up a topic I discussed with a veteran A.L.T. over the summer holiday. He has been in the Yufuin area for the past 5 years. Usually an A.L.T. will teach for a year or two, and then move back to their home country. Anyway, when he was hired, it was assumed that his job would be obsolete after 2 to 3 years. At that time, it was assumed that the main teachers would have a firm grasp of the English language. Thus, the main teachers would not require the assistance of an A.L.T. The assumption has been proven wrong. It has been 6 years since the plan was first implemented. The main teachers are still light years away from being left alone in front of an English class.

I asked the veteran A.L.T., “Why are the teachers having so much difficulty with English?” His reply had to do with senior teachers being unable to cope with change. He also mentioned that their hearts were not in it. He used a personal example. “When I first came to Japan, I was unable to speak the language. I had to get around, pay bills, and live my everyday life. This forced me to learn the language.”

“I see what you mean,” I replied. “I have a similar situation in that I have Erika to hold my hand whenever I face a difficult conversational situation. It’s much easier to rely on her than to take the initiative to learn the language. The main teachers have the A.L.T.’s to hold their hands. So what’s the solution?”

“The solution will take time. The older teachers will have to retire. The newer teachers are required to have an English license. The entire education system will require a change in attitude. They need to have a real reason for teaching/ learning English. Right now, the reason is because Japan wants to be international. If you asked someone from the Department of Education what that means to be international, the answer is vague. Until the teacher has a firm idea and purpose for teaching English, their hearts will not be in it and the program will not succeed.”

“Well, that’s good for us, but that’s bad for the students,” I replied. “Japan is very good at copying ideas, but they fail miserably when it comes to being creative. It would take a creative mind to challenge and persuade the educators to change. I don’t see that happening anytime, soon.” The veteran A.L.T nodded his head in agreement.    George

More Videos

Here's another YouTube video. This clip shows the surrounding area. As you can see, we are out in the middle of nowhere. The elevation is 700 meters which is about halfway up the side of Mt. Yufu. Some people say that this is the backside of the volcano. I think it's the best side. If you travel to the other side of the volcano, the crater is more visible. The terrain is rockier and it looks more dramatic...more like a volcano. I'll try to take pictures the next time I'm over there. Mt. Yufu is known as "Bungo Fuji" which means it's the Mt. Fuji of Kyushu. From 40 miles away, the volcano kind of looks like Fujisan...only smaller.

Mt. Tsurumi is close by. This volcano was on the "watch list" after last year's disastrous earthquakes. In the video clip is Mt. Garan. A famous hot spring is located there. We are near many hot springs. Beppu and Yufuin are a mecca for tourists seeking those natural wonders. The concentration of hot springs in this area is second only to Yellowstone National Park. This is probably a good thing since the hot springs seem to act like a relief valve. We haven't experienced an earthquake since we moved here.

I included one more video showing the outside of the house. Please don't laugh at Erika's garden. She just planted some carrots and other stuff, so the mounds look bare. I'll update as soon as we have more veggies. The wood pile has steadily grown. Erika has worked very hard at stacking and sorting the firewood. We should have enough wood to get us through this winter and part of the next.   George

Terror in Tsukahara

Living in the mountains has been an en-“lightening” experience. We have experienced thunderstorms almost every day in August. The weather routine is predictable. A typical summer day starts out clear. As the afternoon approaches, the dark clouds peek over the rim of the Tsukahara Plateau. Soon after, the rumble of thunder can be heard in the distance. The winds pick up and the clouds quickly gather overhead. The lightning and thunder occur almost simultaneously. The ground shakes with the tremendous explosions of thunder. A deluge of rainfall soon follows, signaling the end of a short lived, but violent storm. The entire cycle lasts about two hours.

It’s a beautiful thing to watch and experience unless you’re caught in a storm. Erika went for an afternoon walk with the dogs. She was caught completely off guard. She didn’t even have an umbrella. The swiftness of the developing storm surprised everyone. Before she knew it, she was surrounded by flashes of light and explosions of thunder. She was terrified and disoriented. Up ahead, she saw a bolt of lightning strike the ground. She remembered to stay away from anything tall. She crouched down and pulled the dogs towards her. The trio trembled as the storm worsened.

Meanwhile at home, I ducked instinctively as I heard a thunderous crash from a nearby meadow. The house shook and the power went out. I hurried over to unplug the well pump. I was told that lightning could do some serious damage to a well since it’s not grounded. I proceeded to unplug everything I could think of. “Should I find Erika?” I asked myself. I didn’t know that she forgot her cell phone. I assumed that she would call me if she were in danger. When I called her, I heard her phone ring. I felt sick to my stomach.

The deluge of rain began coupled with lightning and thunder. I decided to jump in the car and to look for her. As soon as I approached the front door, I heard Erika’s voice yelling, “Kiley’s coming!’’ The trio made it back safely.   George

Lucky on YouTube

Lucky likes to play soccer. In Washington, he would maneuver beach balls around our neighborhood park. This would often get the attention of people passing by. We started using a basketball because he found that popping a beach ball was more entertaining than chasing it around. He hasn’t popped a basketball…yet. Here’s a YouTubeclip of Lucky in action in Tsukahara. Please excuse the poor quality of the video. It’s the first time I posted anything on YouTube. Posting on YouTube is easy to do, but it takes a long time to process. I started the post at ten in the morning and it wasn’t completed until ten that night. The clip is less than two minutes long.  I think it has something to do with waiting for my turn. Anyway, this will give you a chance to see our dilapidated deck that is in need of some serious renovation. I hope to post more clips in the future to give you some idea of what we have been up to. Stay tuned…

French Memo Board

We managed to find some spare time over the summer holiday to do arts and crafts. In the U.S., we often made time to do intarsia and stained glass. With the new business taking up so much of our time, it’s rare that we have a spare moment to be creative. Last year, Erika gathered the materials for this project. So, what is it? I'm glad you asked...it’s a French memo board. We wanted an easy way to display our student’s pictures. It’s also a way for the other students to see who has joined Y.E.S.

The construction was straight forward. We used a cork board, fabric, batting, ribbon, and buttons. The tools we used were a staple gun, hot glue gun, scissors, hammer and a thick sewing needle. First, place the batting (5 layers) on the face of the cork board. Flip the board over. Staple and glue the batting in place.

Next, place the fabric over the batting. Stretch the fabric so that there are no wrinkles, but not too tight. You don’t want to bend the cork board. Flip the whole thing over. Staple and glue the fabric down. Neatly fold the corners so that there are no visible creases.

Figure out a pattern for the ribbon. Stretch the ribbon over the face of the fabric. Flip the cork board over and attach the ribbon with glue. At each ribbon intersection, attach a decorative button.

We used a thick, threaded needle to attach the buttons. The needle is pounded through the cork board with a hammer. The thread is pulled through the board and the button is pulled tight against the fabric. The thread is glued to the back of the board. That’s it!    George

Seasons

We have been in Japan for almost a year. I think I enjoyed the autumn colors the most. The temperature was perfect and the night skies were clear. When we arrived in October, I did not have any time to take photos. This year I’ll try to capture Tsukahara’s fall colors. Winter was my second favorite season. It was frigid, but the surrounding beauty made up for that. A “winter wonderland” would best describe the winter of 2011. Sure, it was difficult to get around. I learned that driving in the snow was fun provided there were no other cars around. It was so quiet and peaceful in the winter. Sitting by a warm wood stove was a magical experience.

“Spring is a time for awakening.” Living in California most of my life, I never knew what that saying meant. I was used to the weather going from cool and rainy to hot and dry. That was a sure sign that spring arrived. In Tsukahara, the change was subtle. It was still very cold, but the stillness disappeared. Winter loosened its grip which allowed for tiny plants to emerge from the ice and snow. After a few weeks, the meadows of golden brown turned into lush green. It seemed as if everything turned green. A plethora of insects also made their debut.

Summer kicked off the rainy season. The rain was soon followed by the humidity and heat. Which brings us to today…it will be 33C with 45 percent humidity. It’s time to sit in front of the air-conditioner. The rest of the week will be cooler, but thunderstorms are in the forecast. The hillsides are saturated from the rainfall. I’m looking forward to fall.

I have a weather station that I purchased before I left the states. Over the past year in Tsukahara, the coolest temperature has been -10C and the warmest has been 33C. The biggest surprise was the rainfall amount in a 24 hour period…5.67 inches!   George

Curiosity

If you haven’t heard, Curiosity has landed. If you have to ask, “What’s a Curiosity?” please read no further. Check out the cool website from NASA Curiosity . This YouTube clip is pretty cool, too. The landing sequence was known as “The Seven Minutes of Hell,” because of the complexity. I have to marvel at the engineering that went into this project. It’s amazing that something as mind boggling as this, landed without a hitch. Magnificent job, NASA scientists!   George

It’s hot!

The title says it all. Yufuin will reach 94 degrees today. That’s 90 degrees plus high humidity. Seattle will have a high of 74 degrees. I think Yufuin had a low of 74 degrees last night. The rumors are true about the summer weather in Tsukahara. The temperature drops as soon as the sun sets. A light breeze usually takes the edge off the heat. We had a low of 68 last night…very comfortable for sleeping . During the day, the temperature reached 90 degrees. I’ve learned that a log house provides insulation against the heat. The third floor is unbearably hot, while the first floor is 5 degrees cooler than outside. So far, a fan is all that has been required to maintain comfort.

Lucky found the coolest spot in the house.

We have to be careful about electricity usage. Japan is suffering from a shortage of electrical power since the Fukushima disaster. During the summer when usage is at an all time high, the Japanese government is asking everyone to conserve. The power company has increased the cost of using electricity. Some areas are experiencing rolling blackouts to help control usage. The power company mailed us a warning alerting us as to when a blackout will occur. I’m surprised at the consideration they give their customers. In America, the lights go out without warning, and you have to live with it. Stay cool and we’ll try to do the same.   George

Summer Holidays and Weather

Nine months have passed since we moved to Japan. My goodness how time flies. The first quarter at school is nearing an end. The students will soon begin 6 weeks of summer holiday. I have been asked many times about how I will spend my holiday. Let’s see…I will be in an air-conditioned room, surfing the internet, and trying to keep from falling asleep. This is the first job where I would rather be working instead of being on holiday schedule. It used to be where a publically employed A.L.T. could enjoy the holiday, but hard economic times have changed all of that. I think it has something to do with taxpayers wondering why the A.L.T.’s aren’t preparing for the next quarter instead of taking a holiday. The logic makes economical sense, but an A.L.T. could easily get burned out. I’m just sitting back and trying to go with the flow. Hopefully, the business will someday support Erika and me so that we can schedule our own holidays.

On a different note…I’m still deciding which is worse, light rain for months on end (Seattle) or torrential rains for many weeks (Japan). In Seattle, I couldn’t stand the prospect of rain every day for most of the year. I was starting to grow webbed feet and I wanted to quack. On the other hand, the thunderstorms in Japan have been a daily occurrence, lately. I was told that this has been an unusually unstable weather pattern that we are having. Flooding at the lower elevations has caused tremendous damage and lives have been lost. In the Yufuin/ Tsukahara area, many of the roads have been damaged by landslides. The thunder from these storms is amazingly loud. The nearby lightning strikes sound as if a string of bombs are detonating in rapid succession. The ground shakes from the explosions. I have never experienced nature in such a dramatic fashion.

Kiley has always been sensitive to sounds. She trembles at the first signs of a storm approaching. Her breathing becomes labored and she can’t keep food down. We have been worried about her and we cringe every time we see clouds approaching. The fireworks season in the U.S. was a nightmare for her. We had thought that moving to Japan would have avoided this problem. I guess if it’s not one thing, it’s another.   George

Lucky and Kiley

Lucky has discovered a new hobby…fishing. He’s obsessed with koi. He pulls like a horse when he is anywhere near the lake and heads straight for the colorful fish. He’ll stick his entire head in the water and try to grab a sashimi.

The local swans act like the koi police and hiss at Lucky.

Kiley doesn’t care about fishing or swans. She just wants to look cute for the camera.

Lucky struck an interesting pose for the camera. I think he was in la-la-land.

Lucky needs a lift to look at the deer.

George

Erika’s Invisible Garden (Part 2)

After conducting some extensive testing with the local deer, Erika has devised a new method of deterring them. The method consists of using locally harvested bamboo poles and reflective tape. The poles are evenly spaced around the garden. The reflective tape is carefully woven between the bamboos.  I asked Erika why she didn’t use netting like everyone else. She said that it was too expensive. I asked, “Will the tape scare the deer because of its reflective quality?”

Erika replied, “Yes.”

“Humm, when the deer feed, it’s at night. It’s very dark. Not much reflecting goes on when it’s dark.” She told me to mind my own business.

Well, at least she made the pole tall enough. “Are you sure that the deer are eating your tomatoes?” I asked.

Erika replied, “Yes.”

“Humm, will the tape keep out anything smaller than a deer? For example, two Jack Russell Terriers playing in the garden?” I asked. Erika told me to mind my own business.

I find it hard to believe that a piece of shiny tape will keep out a mischievous or hungry animal, but stranger things have happened. Stay tuned for any breaking news.   

George

It’s raining, it’s pouring

The topic of many Japanese blogs: rain and lots of it. Some areas of Japan are suffering from landslides and flooding. The rain in Tsukahara is heavy (3.5 inches in 24 hrs.), but there are no signs of flooding. Erika and I looked at each other and asked, “Where does all the rain go?” I thought I was used to rain because I lived in Seattle. The rain in Seattle was light and lingered for many months. The rain in Japan is heavy and lasts for about a month. When I lived in Seattle, I wished that the rain would downpour and be over with. A note of caution: Be careful of what you are wishing for. The rain is seeping between the logs in our home (fun)…I’ll have to work on that. I was told by the former renter of our home that the rain used to enter the house like a waterfall. Good grief! Fortunately, that condition has been corrected and the waterfall has been reduced to a cup of water.

So far, the rain has not been too much of an inconvenience. We managed to load up on some free firewood over the weekend. A large drainage project is being constructed near the base of Yufu-dake. The area is being cleared of trees. The residents of Tsukahara have first dibs on the wood that’s being removed. Most of the wood consists of cherry, maple, and oak. The construction crews have cut the logs into 6 foot sections which fit nicely into the back of a pickup truck. Some unwelcomed wood contractors have managed to find the wood and are hauling it away to be sold. The profits they are making on the firewood are not being shared with Tsukahara. This practice equates to stealing from the community. We alerted the community leaders and they are aware of the situation.

The wood we are collecting will be used for the winter in two years…I hope. It depends on the severity of the approaching winter. Last year, we had to scrounge for firewood and pay a premium. This taught us a valuable lesson about preparing ahead of time. The time is flying by and winter will be upon us soon. I think we will be warm and dry this winter if we can make it through the deluge we’re having this summer. 

George

Update

So, how are the repairs to the house coming along? I’m glad you asked. The scaffolding was removed a couple of months ago. It’s nice to be able to see out the windows again. The area that was covered with the blue tarp has been repaired. The rotted areas were removed. The logs were treated to prevent further rot and insect damage. The rotted wood was replaced with new lumber. The areas were caulked and stained. Finally, a couple of clear coats of acrylic were applied to give it that glossy look. All of the finishing materials were purchased from Perma-chink . Their materials are water-based and friendly to the environment. The cement paneling between the logs required caulking at all of the joints. The panels were primed and painted beige. I like the warm colors and the beige seems to blend in with the dark brown. The color of the roof will probably be a leaf green to go with the rest of the warm color scheme. The reasons we chose dark brown for the logs are as follows:

1.     It would have taken forever to get the old dark brownish-red finish off the logs.

2.     Matching the new wood (repairs) with the old wood would have been difficult.

3.     Removing all of the gray wood would have been time consuming.

4.     Dark colored stains hold up very well to the damaging effects of ultra-violet.

5.     The most important reason…Erika loves the color.

Before

After

I’ve just begun to do the repairs to keep this house standing. It’s kind of like painting the Golden Gate Bridge…once you’re done with one end, it’s time to start over. I’m concentrating on the rotted areas, but with a full time job, it’s not an easy task. As soon as I thought I had taken care of most of the rot, I found a few more areas. Yes, it’s frustrating to say the least, but I’m becoming an expert at rotted log repair.

The rainy season has started in Japan, so the housework has moved inside. I have as much to do inside as I do outside. I learned that I shouldn’t move too far ahead when applying finishing coats to the interior surface of the logs. This is because of the heavy rains. I might find water stains seeping under the finish coats. That’s not a good thing.

The work inside requires patience. The old, white sealant must be removed. Then, foam rods are fitted into the cracks. The rods prevent a heavy buildup of sealant from forming when the sealant is applied. A thin layer of sealant is flexible and less likely to crack/ peel due to expansion and contraction. All of the water stains are carefully removed with a razor blade using a scraping motion. This method takes forever, but it prevents a blotchy appearance when a light colored stain is applied. Finally, a couple of clear coats of gloss acrylic are applied. The result is an interior surface that reflects light (creating a brighter room) and a surface that is easy to clean. Besides…Erika loves it. I wasn’t a big fan of gloss finishes until I tried it on this house. I’m hooked. The house sparkles and that’s the effect we were after. 

Before

After



George