It was a very cold day and getting even colder as the sun started to descend at around 4:00 pm when we arrived at the Akan Crane Center.
Ali from Florida had been at the center since 8:00 that morning and he was still enthusiastically taking photos and oohing and ahhing at the sight of the Japanese cranes landing and taking off again.
Ali is a photographer. You know...the kind of photographer who takes shots of the Obama inauguration and the Summer Games in Beijing.
He was wearing an Iditerod jacket (the famous Alaskan dog-sled race). Ali explained that he had taken photos for the Iditerod for a few years and when photographing last year's race, he had quite an unexpected experience.
Ali was a passenger in a small plane that was flying near the Brooks Range when due to bad weather, the plane went down and crashed into the Yukon River.
Ali said that he had enough time to think about three things before they hit...
1. He was okay with God -for the most part he tried to do the right thing
2. He was okay with others -he walked away from confrontation and did not feel
the need to apologize to anyone
3. He loved being a photographer and was happy with his life's work
If this was it...he was ready to go. He was at peace.
Thankfully it was not Ali's time and we had the privilege of meeting him and listening to his story.
Thanks Ali.
t
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Shall We Dance?
It is wonderful to watch the Japanese cranes pair up then curtsy, jump, bow, twirl, turn...
And after the dance they raise their long necks to the sky, open their beaks and cry out in song- The male one melody, and the female another -sounding like a harmonious trumpet tune.
It really is difficult describing these elegant mating dance performances.
Typing these words makes me feel like I have 'two left hands'!
Enjoy the photos!
t
And after the dance they raise their long necks to the sky, open their beaks and cry out in song- The male one melody, and the female another -sounding like a harmonious trumpet tune.
It really is difficult describing these elegant mating dance performances.
Typing these words makes me feel like I have 'two left hands'!
Enjoy the photos!
t
Friday, February 13, 2009
Tears Laughter and Love
I am learning to sing a few Japanese songs.
NAKINASAI WARAINASAI
THOUGH THE TEARS MAY FALL
THERE'S LAUGHTER AFTER ALL
WHEN YOU FIND LOVE AGAIN
...from the beautiful Okinawan song, Hana (Flower)
Wishing you all love and laughter today.
Happy Valentine's Day!
t
NAKINASAI WARAINASAI
THOUGH THE TEARS MAY FALL
THERE'S LAUGHTER AFTER ALL
WHEN YOU FIND LOVE AGAIN
...from the beautiful Okinawan song, Hana (Flower)
Wishing you all love and laughter today.
Happy Valentine's Day!
t
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Nature's Way in Eastern Hokkaido
I just submitted the following entry for the Hokkaido Canada Association newsletter:
Two city dwellers who love the country are feeling fine in Eastern Hokkaido! My husband grew up in the city of Kobe, and I grew up in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia Canada. So how did we end up here?
First our love for nature lured us to the wilds of the Yukon Territory Canada where we met and stayed together for three years. Wanting to know more about my Japanese partner's language and culture, I suggested that we give living in Japan for some time a try.
I stumbled upon a volunteering position to teach English in Tsurui-mura, Eastern Hokkaido. This opportunity and our love of the north was the reason why we chose to be here.
Tsurui-mura is a very special village. We have been lucky enough to share this place with the tsuru (Japanese cranes), dairy cows (of which there are over one hundred farms), and the wonderful two thousand plus residents.
After a year of living in Eastern Hokkaido, we are happy to say that our love for nature is greatly satisfied.
The wildlife is abundant. On country road drives we often see not only
tsuru but also fox, deer, eagles, hawks and many varieties of smaller birds.
We have also spotted hare, owl, weasel and king fisher birds.
When there is fresh snow on the ground, it is wonderful going for walks and camparing our own footprints with the animals' tracks.
The environment that these animals share with us is beautiful. Tsurui Mura has a hilly landscape speckled with many dairy farms and it is bordered by the Kushiro Marshlands. We often go for hikes in the hills and we can see views of the Akan Mountains in the distance. At night we are lucky enough to enjoy the the star-lit skies.
My husband and I have a semi self-sufficient living on a horse ranch 15 kilometers from the village core. In spring we made tempura out of the many sansai (mountain plants). In our summer vegetable garden we grew all the vegetables from home plus daikon and edamame. Come summer's-end we learned how to pickle our harvest of daikon (takuan). In the fall and winter months deer hunting was possible and we now have a freezer full of this healthy lean meat. A very relaxing treat on cold winter days is bathing in the natural hot spring waters at one of Tsurui-mura's three nice onsens.
It looks like one year is extending to another. No surprise after our amazing experience here in Tsurui-mura Eastern Hokkaido.
Looking forward to planting again this spring!
Two city dwellers who love the country are feeling fine in Eastern Hokkaido! My husband grew up in the city of Kobe, and I grew up in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia Canada. So how did we end up here?
First our love for nature lured us to the wilds of the Yukon Territory Canada where we met and stayed together for three years. Wanting to know more about my Japanese partner's language and culture, I suggested that we give living in Japan for some time a try.
I stumbled upon a volunteering position to teach English in Tsurui-mura, Eastern Hokkaido. This opportunity and our love of the north was the reason why we chose to be here.
Tsurui-mura is a very special village. We have been lucky enough to share this place with the tsuru (Japanese cranes), dairy cows (of which there are over one hundred farms), and the wonderful two thousand plus residents.
After a year of living in Eastern Hokkaido, we are happy to say that our love for nature is greatly satisfied.
The wildlife is abundant. On country road drives we often see not only
tsuru but also fox, deer, eagles, hawks and many varieties of smaller birds.
We have also spotted hare, owl, weasel and king fisher birds.
When there is fresh snow on the ground, it is wonderful going for walks and camparing our own footprints with the animals' tracks.
The environment that these animals share with us is beautiful. Tsurui Mura has a hilly landscape speckled with many dairy farms and it is bordered by the Kushiro Marshlands. We often go for hikes in the hills and we can see views of the Akan Mountains in the distance. At night we are lucky enough to enjoy the the star-lit skies.
My husband and I have a semi self-sufficient living on a horse ranch 15 kilometers from the village core. In spring we made tempura out of the many sansai (mountain plants). In our summer vegetable garden we grew all the vegetables from home plus daikon and edamame. Come summer's-end we learned how to pickle our harvest of daikon (takuan). In the fall and winter months deer hunting was possible and we now have a freezer full of this healthy lean meat. A very relaxing treat on cold winter days is bathing in the natural hot spring waters at one of Tsurui-mura's three nice onsens.
It looks like one year is extending to another. No surprise after our amazing experience here in Tsurui-mura Eastern Hokkaido.
Looking forward to planting again this spring!
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