Saturday, April 18, 2009

Gorgeous vistas

Last weekend, on a rare sunny day, Sweetie and I ventured to a nearby "environmental center" that Sweetie had scoped out last fall shortly after we moved here.  I LOVED it.  Unlike the nearly arboretum, which has wooded trails that look largely the same, this place had obviously been planned out and offered different ecosystems and vistas, largely for educational purposes.  

Despite the bone-chilling wind that whipped up as we emerged from the forested area, I thoroughly enjoyed our visit and can't wait to go back -- maybe next time with tripod in hand.  I recently bought an amazing tripod and even more amazing head (both Manfrotto and ridiculously easy to adjust).



Tea time

Today I had three students over for a chanoyu (tea ceremony) experience.  I felt oddly satisfied for getting up early on Saturday morning and preparing the dogu (utensils).  I do miss my regularly weekly lessons that required early wakeups each Saturday.  I admired the students for getting up early themselves!  And being ready ON TIME for Sweetie to pick them up.  There are few young (or old!) people these days with the discipline necessary to commit to a "Way" (such as tea or the martial arts).  I know a few at the college where I teach and I admire them immensely.

The pic is not of my current tea room, but of my teacher's in Okinawa.  I miss her and my fellow students there so much, but I carry their spirit and enthusiasm with me.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Make up your mind


This is a stylized photo that I took while in California last month.  We haven't had great weather for picture taking here lately.  In fact, we've been having typical Midwest weather lately.   Sweetie thought spring had solidly arrived, but I knew better.  I remember May blizzards in Ohio.  So, it did not surprise me that we have snow forecast for tomorrow.

What did surprise me was the siren that I faintly heard while cooking this afternoon at home.  Sweetie and I both noticed it, I turned off the stovetop fan, and confirmed that it was an emergency siren, and said to Sweetie, "We must go downstairs.  Now.  Right now."  

I knew that it had to be a tornado siren, and once we hunkered down and turned on a radio, we found out that indeed it was.  

So, we spent part of our evening debating the relative merits of a particular corner of the "tea room" vs. the "office" closet.  We requisitioned my exercise mat for cover.  And I managed to clean up my mess from a tea presentation yesterday at the college.  So, all in all, a rather productive and instructive 30 minutes of so.  

And thankfully, we did not have to assume the position!