people came to see the wwoofer!

Yesterday was an interesting day. Two people came to visit me. One was a man that I have seen taking care of the cows and his daughter. The other was a guy who lives nearby and apparently always comes here to Yamaai Mura when there are WWOOFers.

I was a little shocked when I saw a girl about my age step out of the truck. It turns out we are basically the same age, she is older than me by a month. She is still in high school nearby but yesterday was a holiday so she came to the farm to help her father with cows. Her name is Kana, Kana-chan. We chatted about a variety of things, our families, our dreams, our pets, our farm experiences...she brought two grilled sweet potatoes and we enjoyed them while playing with her dog, who was very friendly and energetic. She wants to go out to eat and hang out sometime and I think we are going to settle for next Friday. I'm glad that I have a chance to make a friend my age! Everyone thinks I'm very young, being eighteen, and I think everyone is older. It's still fun but I'm happy to have met her. She wants to be an actress and since I want to make movies we decided we could collaborate. Sounds good to me!

After she left another guy showed up on his motorcycle. His name is Makoto-san. I thought at first he came to see Muto-san so I told him that Muto-san was in the kitchen but he kept saying I just came to hang out, which was the truth. We chatted for almost two hours before Muto-san and I brought out lunch (because we hadn't eaten due to the visitors and it was almost 3:00!) and he said that he'd come back later. He was a very interesting character, more blunt and outspoken than most Japanese people I've met. Later that day we had made dinner and had finished up and we decided that Makoto-san was not going to come tonight. However, at around 9:00 PM we heard a car pull up. Makoto-san was back! This time with a lot of goodies. He had bought all kinds of chocolates (literally, 6 different kinds), chips, rice crackers and beer for Muto-san. He has a crazy phone, I guess it is a different version of i-phone, I'm not an expert on all the different phones and what not but it was pretty crazy all it could do. We had to use the dictionary application on it but he just had me say a word in English into the phone and it could recognize it and translate it into Japanese! That's pretty darn useful, I must say. Muto-san was very interested in it. Hiro has a similar phone (perhaps the exact same thing) and he told me earlier that Muto-san was interested in buying one, but we joked if he'd be able to work it! (I don't think I can...). But I think he is really serious about getting the crazy phone, especially since his cell phone is breaking now.

Today...more rice sorting. I'm going to get to paint a mural on one side of the storage house so I might like to start on that soon too. Other than that, I'm just eating a lot of chocolate since there is still some from last night...hehe:)
chocolate<3

the sun came back!

Sorry it has been a while since I've written anything! I guess there wasn't a lot to write about since I was sick and then it was raining...rain rain rain.
However yesterday and today were beautiful! It's funny how after a few days of rain the sun seems like such an incredible thing, as if it was the first time we had seen it and felt its magic! Makes me happy. There are a couple holes in the paper door in front of the window in my room so when I wake up and it's a nice day, I can see a little patch of blue shine through.

I peeled a lot of persimmons last week and we hung them in the dome to dry out for two months but since it rained for a few days after we put them up they got a little moldy so yesterday I dipped each string of persimmons in a pot of boiling water and hung them up again. I hope that fixes them right up and they are delicious by New Years!

I guess I didn't do a lot of work yesterday, in fact since a friend of Muto-san's showed up just as we were about to start a new project (and apparently whenever this friend comes they talk for hours) I got to go to my room and...take a nap:) I wasn't feeling too hot so I guess it was perfect timing!
I had told Hiro I would like to go watch badminton that night so I went with him in the evening. They are good! I was kind of surprised, to be honest. Badminton for me is playfully bopping a birdie around at a party and half the time...it goes out or I miss it completely. So seeing real badminton was actually shocking. Hiro has been playing since middle school. A woman who is considered a beginner was there and she hit with me for a little bit before a real game. I didnt have shoes so I watched the game. She was a little older than mom but made me feel very welcome. She said if I brought shoes next time I could play. I knew I brought my running shoes for a reason (though it wasn't because I'd go running...)! So next week I will probably go again.

Today I got to weed. Not big weeds. The little tiny tiny weeds that hardly seem to matter:) It was calming, though, I guess. It was at a bed I hadn't gone to before, surrounded by bamboo and completely cut off from the everything else. Usually I study the "traffic" that goes by but this time I just listened for it through wind. It was a very windy day. I didn't have a watch and it was 1 I had to use the restroom and found Muto-san had made lunch already! I felt bad but lunch was great, french toast! I ate mine with honey and it was quite delicious. Then I weeded again.

I'm officially friends with Miki, the cat. And I'm very happy about it. I actually worked at it whenever I could and now she will let me pet her. So this afternoon I spent about 20 minutes relaxing with her in the sun and it was very pleasant. I love cats. Maybe too much.

Muto-san and I ran errands just now and went to Ajisen Ramen! yum:) At the moment I'm trying to skype mom but I am not an expert and...she isn't either so it is a little difficult to find one another in cyber space...

Hopefully it works out!

Cold!

Unfortunately, I have a cold.
Sunday was the sore throat.
Monday was the killer runny nose.
Today...getting better! I've been using everything in my reach to get rid of it...ginger, tea, honey, no milk, lot's of water and...sleep! I got ten hours yesterday, incredible.

Work has been a little difficult the past couple days, but Sunday was fun and easy.
Every month there is a farmer's market in Kikuchi. Yamaaimura farm (this farm) sells vegetables and eggs from the truck. Everyone there sells from their mini trucks and vans. We went and first we received a piece of paper that had five different kanji and katakana. At various locations on the street (the farmer's market took place along one street that was blocked off for the morning) there were tables with stamps that matched the symbols on the paper so once you filled it, you got a prize!

There were all kinds of booths. Non-profit organizations, people selling tea, meals, BBQ, plants, vegetables, crafts, live fish...all kinds of things! It was fun seeing all the different booths. We got to Yamaaimura's spot, they had the happy sign that was hand painted by four different WWOOFers a while ago. Katsu was there along with a woman who helps plant in the spring. The first time we passed there was a crowd of women picking out vegetables. Three different bags of vegetables for 200 yen! So cheap! I guess that's kind of the point of the market though...
After we completed stamping our papers we went to the tent to get our prize, boxes of tissues. Yeah! Then Muto-san bought me a fish on a stick for a snack and I hung out a bit at the Yamaaimura booth. Katsu's wife and dropped of Hana, their daughter, so Katsu was holding her. She is so cute! She just looked around, wide eyed, wondering. Muto-san had gone off to get something but when he came back he held Hana for a few minutes, but she started crying almost right away. I guess it is still only Mom and Dad:)

After the market was over Muto-san took me to an Italian restaurant that his friend owns. He told me the waiter was half Japanese. We asked him what his other half is and he is half French! His sister was also working, they were broth very beautiful people. I talked to the sister a moment, they both speak French, Japanese and English. Wow...jealous! The food was great, spaghetti and salad and a beautiful little dessert with a dollop of vanilla ice cream (made using Yamaiimura eggs!), a mini cookie, a little jelly and a mini cake all placed delicately on the little plate. He got a pizza to go for Hiro and Hitomi.
We stopped at  Non-Profit Organization office base that was in Muto-san's old elementary school. There we got to sit in on a little class. The students were giving a presentation on how farmers were all of an older generation and the younger generation wasn't really moving to take its place and the dilemma of that and what if Kikuchi increased in population ...I think...I wasn't really sure but that was my interpretation.
Before I left Muto-san's friend who was working there gave me a little loaf of bread as a gift, they were selling them, but he gave it to me for free! We had it for breakfast the next morning.
When we got back to the farm I got a guitar from the barn (he had told me there was one lying around). I managed, somehow, to tune it and then kind of learned Cat Stevens' Trouble, which is a great song. But the strings were kind of far from the finger board (or whatever you call it on a guitar, the neck?) so my finger tips became raw rather quickly. But it was fun to make music...I miss my violin!:(

The next day was runny nose day. I started out the day by learning to drive the little, slow green truck. Then I went around raking and collecting up what Hiro had weed whacked the day before. I put it in the truck. Then I managed to go up the hill a little, back up into a space under a tree where they dump all the grasses and weeds, and I dumped the weeds there myself! The truck was easy to drive and slow, but I was happy that I didn't roll down the hill or tip over on the bumpy road...Then in the afternoon Muto-san asked if I wanted to go into the mountains again. So we went to where the Shitake are. There Hiro was digging post holes to stick the logs that we had brought the time before. Katsu was cutting one end into a point. Muto-san then gave me the post hole digger and I had to do it. Since I'm weak it wasn't all that easy, and by the third hole or so Hitomi probably sensed I was suffering a little and told me to come with her to collect mushrooms. She told Hiro to take over and he looked really bummed. After we collected the mushrooms, though, I came back and took over again and he used the sledge hammer to push the stakes a little farther into the ground. I don't know how long they had been there before us, but by the end, I know I was exhausted. Hiro and Katsu looked pretty worn out. I went to bed early that night.

This morning Hitomi offered me some herbal medicine. You mix it with water and drink one pack after each meal. I was very grateful, anything is good!It came out in little brown pellets, very tiny, and didn't really dissolve. And it was strange because it was at first bitter with a strangely sweet after taste. She had warned me, though, that it was hard to drink:)

 After the eggs today Muto-san said I had a new project. We pulled out the crate of kaki (persimmons) that i had harvested the week before and he showed me how I should peel it. So...I spent quite a while peeling Kaki, probably a couple hours and maybe 60 kaki..maybe 50. At home, I never peel anything. When I came to Japan a month ago I was very bad at peeling. But, by the time I finished the crate of persimmons...I think I became an expert on peeling persimmons. They will hang them in the plastic dome for two months since they need sunlight, cold air and dry location. Around New Years they will be a delicious, chewy and sweet treat!

After that I finished gathering the cut weeds.
My cold was a lot better today, I'm glad! Tomorrow should be even better!

Hiro goes to Open Badminton every week, Muto-san said I should go but when I asked Hiro if the people are good, he said yes! I don't know the rules really and I"m definitely not good...just for fun. He said there were beginners too...maybe I'll go watch first...

Sounds fun though, badminton...

kaki (persimmon)

Today I got to harvest persimmons. It was a beautiful day. At noon all I could think was "I haven't seen a cloud since Monday!" Clear blue skies, bright sunshine, dark shadows, green leaves and grasses... everything was so stunning!
However, today was also hot. Though the wind was crazy strong, in my work suit I got too hot so I ended up just wearing normal clothes. Harvesting persimmons didn't really make my clothes dirty so it worked out. Muto-san told me to come up to the persimmon tree, it was on the top terrace above the vegetables and sat right on the corner where a dirt path forked. There was just one tree but it was full of fruit. He showed me how to use the long pruning tool (we have it America too, a long adjustable pole with a snipper at the end). The only difference between this pruning tool and the one I've seen in the US is that one side of the blade had two tabs that would clamp down on the branch after it had been cut, therefore you could lower the branch that had the fruit on it carefully, rather than having it fall and bruise on the ground. At first it seemed pretty fun and I was having fun snipping at the branches, so much fruit! I find it very satisfying collecting food. (Oh, so THIS is where it comes from, THIS is how it is done!). But as I started to thin out the lower branches I had to really reach for the tip top of the tree and soon my arms grew sore. The wind blew the branches and leaves all around so it was hard to see where I should cut. But soon I had filled two crates. I could only not get maybe 10 at the very top. After lunch, though, Muto-san said he would fly to the top of the tree and get them, so no worries.

We took the little green truck and road it (slowly slowly) towards the tree on the hill. At one point he got out and said, "switch drivers!". I said no no but eventually I got into the drivers seat and he sat on the passenger "crate". We were going up (slowly slowly) but I got stuck on a big boulder thing in the road (the little road is very bumpy and uneven). So he had me back up, but then he told me to brake and I tried but I was so stupid because I forgot in a manual car you have to push in the clutch too (but we didn't know that that's what had happened at the time...). Luckily we were going slow enough that I could quickly get out and he could stop the truck.

 When we had collected the kaki (he stood on the truck and could reach the top), he told me to drive back but to push in the clutch when I wanted to brake...haha...oh boy though...me and automobiles don't mix.

Then I cut the extra branches and leaves off the kaki I'd collected, only leaving a tiny little "T" of the branch and stem left on the fruit, like how you see they cut Japanese melons in anime. And after that...I weeded a little. Then chickens. Then we made curry for dinner. I asked if it was hot and he said not really, but when I looked at the box I saw it was level 5 hot! The hottest! I only used a little curry sauce and ate a bunch of rice to balance it out. Tomorrow it is supposed to rain.

No more blue skies.

truck adventure

Monday was interesting...so was Tuesday...so was today.
Monday I weeded in the morning...I had to crawl inside a tunnel of eggplants and peppers to get to the weeds between them. But in the afternoon I'd started weeding when Muto-san came over and asked if I wanted to go to the mountains. He never really says what we are going to be doing, but I've learned it is best to say yes because whatever it is- it is always better than weeding.

So I grabbed my camera (because I've learned to always bring my camera wherever we go, just in case) and we got in this tiny green truck. I hadn't seen it before, but it must been in one of the barns, just waiting for this moment! There wasn't an actual passenger seat and I was a little surprised when I opened the door to see an upside down crate with a cushion. But I got in and got comfortable. Next I was surprised because the truck didn't go very fast...I don't know the first thing about trucks and cars, but to me it was more like a tractor because of how slow it was and how he had to shift and what not. It also had no shocks (at least it felt like it) because I was bouncing up a down on the little bumpy mountain road. We slowly crept up a mountain road until I saw Hitomi's truck on the side of the road ahead of us. We parked right behind it. They were cutting down trees and bringing the logs and setting them in the back of the truck. They used a piece of bamboo measure the logs so they were all the same length. Later I learned they were to be used to grow shitake, so they were a specific tree called "suugi" I think.

They were enormous, maybe a foot in diameter at the base, and that would be the very biggest one...maybe more like 10 inches... but they don't grow any branches until the top, so the fall very gracefully. Slender and smooth trees... one time though the tree fell across the road, and though it wasn't a busy road, it seemed suddenly that there was a lot of traffic. But they cut it and we moved it to the side of the road.

The logs that had little nubs on them we had to cut off using an ax. At first I wasn't doing it, but soon Hiro held out an ax to me, "try?" I managed to keep all my fingers intact. After we cleaned off any nubs or branches we had to carry them to the truck. I could only carry one at a time and even at that I could feel my arms getting pretty sore after a while. Hiro and Katsu could pick up two large ones at a time and carry them...sometimes I wish I was a boy and I could incredible upper arm strength! I'm still sore in my arms so that means...I'm getting stronger! At least that's the bright side...
After we had filled both trucks we drove even further into the mountains. The other truck was a lot faster than this little green truck so they were out of sight as we crawled along the road. Then road became a dirt road. Then that dirt road became what I'd consider to be a totally overgrown trail...but I guess in Japan what often looks like a footpath is actually a road. The poor little truck whined and screamed and grumbled as we went up and down little bumps and over some rocks and logs...the tree branches, grasses and bushes brushed against the windows and we joked that this was a slow roller coaster with all the ups and downs and bumping and jumping happening! Soon it flattened out into a clearing. The ground was brown with fallen leaves and dead grasses and dirt. There were a few trees, just enough to make it look mystical, and the many rows of logs for growing shitake. They run a wire between two trees and then lean the logs against the wire, making a long tunnel. It was very quiet...almost too quiet for my taste. But we made noise while we unloaded the logs onto the ground and then collected mushrooms. I was picking them off the logs and adding them to Hitomi's basket. Muto-san had an apron that he used to collect the mushrooms. Katsu had a basket and Hiro and taken off his jacket and tied it around his waist as a pouch to collect mushrooms but I don't think it was going too well because I think he was saying how he should bring something to collect them in next time and I heard Hitomi say the Doraimon's pocket would be the best. Doraimon is a character from a kids tv show, he is a "robot cat from the future" and he has many incredible inventions, all that he keeps in his front pocket on his belly. It made me laugh when she said that...for it truly would be the most convenient!

After that we went home. Muto-san said his friends were having a party down the road and invited me to come so I went. It was a BBQ so the table was filled with raw foods and there was a grill on each end of the table. I sat at first with Muto-san and another man (in his 30s I think) who had gone to America for a year, so he knew some English. There was pork that Muto-san was grilling on the pan and he told me that this was hashibuta, meat from his own farm. How sad that must be! I tried a piece. It was incredible. And as I've heard many people say on tv, UMAI!!! It was incredibly tender and flavorful... Soon Muto-san went away to talk to other people and I was left with the "younger" guys. It was fun talking to them, we mostly just discussed cultural differences and a little about our pasts. Another man came and he had also gone to America. He had gone on a road trip with his friend some time ago. Then another guy came and I swore he looked familiar. Later I realized he was a delivery man and he had come the week before to deliver something while I was washing eggs, aHA!
Towards the end I was basically forced to leave because all the men were drunk and I realized that really, I should have left a while ago... next time I will try to scoot out at a more reasonable time. The delivery guy walked me back to the house, I was glad because otherwise I would have run crying home since I'm a little scared of the dark and I couldn't see a thing it was so black. Actually...I probably wouldn't have run crying "home" but into some bushes and gotten lost, yes, it was the dark.

Then I chilled out and went to sleep.

Tuesday morning we went to harvest the last rice, this last field was mochi rice. And I think it is that after it is dried, it is white rather than brown. I got to cut a little bit by hand, which I was happy about because...well, I had hoped to be able to. When Muto-san showed me, he used the sickle in one stroke and cut through the bunch of rice (if you don't know already the rice grows in bunches). But when I used the sickle it wasn't as easy! But towards my 10th time or so I got the hang of it. Then Muto-san road the combine and finished the field off. When the bags were full, he lifted them onto Hitomi's shoulder and she walked them about 100feet to the truck. I was really impressed, she must have an incredibly strong back, because she even took her hand away and let it sit there on her shoulder while she held her hip to balance out the weight. After she had done two and there was another bag, I knew I should do at least one...luckily I didn't have to go the 100 ft because I wouldn't have made it. I carried mine with my arms in front of me and I was feeling pretty weak after the thirty feet to the truck. Katsu had told me earlier that the bags are 30 kg which is 62 lbs. For a weakling like me...that's pretty heavy.

Then the truck adventure really began! We brought the ramp for the combine so it could get into the back of the truck but for some reason it wouldn't go up the ramp. So after a bit of fussing, Muto-san got down from the combine, but as soon as his feet touched the ground, the combine started crawling up the ramp all on its own and Muto-san jumped back on. It was kind of funny, but thank god it didn't go crazy or anything.

Then once we had it loaded we were driving up this very steep hill when suddenly the truck said,"hey, I can't do this." and it shut down and we rolled backwards for a half second. Hitomi was in another truck behind us and I looked back to see if she was okay but she had been smart and stayed far back. The truck kept dying out and Muto-san asked me to get out and to "lock" something on the wheels, and luckily, after that the truck decided it could make it up this hill. I definitely got nervous though, what happens when you can't make it go? Next time maybe...

Today I weeded in the morning and then in the afternoon we went into the city. First they delivered some goods to a place where it will get picked up and taken to Fukuoka. Then we went to an electronics store, they had everything! Except...for an external hard drive which I looked for. But there were about 200 TVS on at the same time and all kinds of speakers, but that was the second floor. On the first floor they had everything from hair curlers to microwaves and even massage chairs and takoyaki irons- wow! I like Japanese fridges, they have sometimes as many as 5 compartments. They very in temperature so you have more control AND you can save energy by opening different compartments to get specific things rather than standing with door open while looking for one thing. They bought a carpet and a heater for the table...I can't remember what it is called but since they don't have central heating in the winter they use a low table that has a heater under it and a blanket squished between two layers of the table so that people can stick their legs underneath and stay warm without letting the heat out.

Then we went to a second hand shop, but wow, it was really nice! For some reason though I still can't find any t-shirts...I don't know what it is wrong with a normal t-shirt that they don't like them here:( After that we went to dinner at conveyor belt sushi. Muto-san was picking the sushi so I got to try all kinds of sushi I had never tried before...like, clam, baby eel, hamburger, sea urchin and corn. The only one I really didn't like was the baby eel...it was a little bitter and I could see the eyes of the eels and it was clear and I could see that they were, well, cute and I so I felt bad eating it... it's weird how I can feel so guilty eating something that has eyes, or something like horse...
The sushi was yummy and it is always fun to see the sushi going around and around. There were little kids on the other side of the conveyor belt, so we could watch them too. There is a slot at the end of the table that you slide the plates into, and it counts the plates so that they know how much to charge you. After every five plates or so, though, there is a game that comes up on the little touchscreen at the end of the table (the touchscreen is a seperate menu for if you want to order specific things). I actually happened to win one of the games and a little toy rolled out  for me. How lucky am I?
After dinner we went to the super market and they did shopping and I went off and did some shopping too. It me probably 10 minutes to find the body wash, I was getting pretty irritated. I stocked up on chocolate and bought more bananas for us. I also bought honey for breakfast toast...honey on fresh toast...ah.

I got a package from Mom, Michael and Keiko today. Mom and Michael sent me the guidebook I let them use, an Atlas they are letting me borrow, different pamphlets to the places they went so I can check it out, Michael's pocket knife he bought here since he can't take it to Hawaii, stickers and more! They even sent me a UNIQLO sweater...I laughed a little, in a good way:) It is very cute and I'm glad I have another sweater  because it is getting colder, thank you Mom and Michael! They went to Hawaii yesterday and soon they will be home in America too. Mom even said she would join facebook so she could see my photos easily, I couldn't believe it! Awesome:)

I'm tired now... wonder what will happen tomorrow!

I wonder what will happen tomorrow!

Finally, the sun is here again

Today was my official day off and luckily it wasn't raining, in fact, it was gorgeous. The sun was golden all day long...not just one golden hour, but a golden day! In the morning we ate breakfast as usual and then it was about 10 and I filled the fanny pack that Muto-san lent me with different things for my bike ride. A little money, camera, tripod and tissues. Later I also added the Yamaaimura farm business card so I could show it to people if I got lost and maybe they could help me...Muto-san was a little concerned about the bike. Hiro and Katsu had brought it from somewhere and Katsu said I can ride it whenever I want. The tires maybe needed  a little air but not so bad, but Muto-san filled them up anyhow before I left. Then bumpity-bump I went down the little road till I got to the main road.

There I wondered which way I should go. First, actually I needed to decide where to go. I decided to visit the Kikuchi River where there are some shops and a bathroom. I don't know what exactly it is, but I think it is called the "water station" and I think it is just a place to stop for fun. Since I'd gone a few different routes in the car with Muto-san I was pretty sure I could figure out how to get there...So, at the intersection I decided I'd like explore a little and visit this small stream and bamboo grove I had passed before in the car.

Therefore I went straight, back onto a small mountain road. Since the road was down hill I was going really fast. I had not ridden a bike since I got to Japan so it felt great! I love riding a bike and it made me miss my Baby from home! I realized after I left that the seat was a little low, but...that's okay. I started using my brakes more, though, when I almost ran over a snake while speeding down a hill...that would have freaked me out...can't imagine...

I got to the little stream and took some photos then continued on. I honestly don't know how I remembered the way, I've always said my sense of direction is pretty good even though people have told me I'm wrong:( but I faintly remembered seeing little details and soon I was right where I wanted to be with a big sign pointing down the main road saying "Kikuchi Gorge", in English! So since i was going down to the river valley it was all down hill. Awesome:) I kept looking back and thinking, uh oh, up this? But I remembered a different way Muto-san had gone once on a much less busy road and I decided I'd try to find that again. I went through a tunnel and there I was! The river glimmering in the sunlight and the trees shivering in the wind. So exhilarating.

More photos. Then I stopped at the "Water Station" to use the restroom (just like I had the day I was going to the farm...) I thought about looking around but I hadn't locked the bike and I was alone so I decided to just continue on. When I came out there was a man standing next to one of those huge motorcycle that is connected to a sidecar. That motorcycle was monstrous. It was probably the biggest, widest motorcycle I'd ever seen. I walked my bike out from behind some bushes and the man called out "Did you ride from Kikuchi town?" I kind of wanted to avoid conversation so I said I'm sorry my Japanese isn't very good but he kept talking to me so I went over and I explained as best as I could that I only came from a farm up the mountain. Then he asked if I was American and I said yes and he told me that his motorcycle is from America and about a friend he had in California who had an orange farm. Then he gave me a business card and told me if I came to Kumamoto that I could call him. I think in Japan having business cards and handing them out is a lot more popular and social than in America. I said thank you and rode off again. He passed me when I was back on the road and waved his hand and I waved back then saw that on the back of his jacket there was a giant American flag printed onto it! I laughed a little to myself at that...

I rode on this little road for a while, trying to find the mountain road that I had gone on with Muto-san to get home...I recognized an abandoned hotel and then saw the little road heading up, pretty darn steep too. So I walked my bike all the way up till I got to this fabulous outlook that I remembered from before. I could see the little "Water Station" down there in the valley beside the river. I could see the tiny Japanese cars, they looked incredibly tiny from high above. I could see electrical towers stretching into the distance over the mountains. It felt great. My bike is my friend, look where I've managed to go? I thought. So happy I continued on. Then I rounded a corner. To my left was a fern and moss covered wall and the left of the road was a thick bamboo grove. The road turned again and sunlight was pouring in from the opening there, it was fabulous. After that I managed to ride the bike again but soon I came to an intersection. Left or right? I decided that the left looked way more familiar, so I went left. But to my dismay there was another intersection about 20 feet later. I decided to go straight and not to the left...luckily, if I got lost here there were houses everywhere so I could just ask. But since there were so many houses and many little roads and therefore many opportunities to go the wrong way. But then I recognized a field of tea bushes and the house next to it with it's unique garden that I had looked at before. Yes! But immediately after that, for the first time, I had truly no idea of which way to go. Straight or left? There was a post in the ground pointing to the left that had a bunch of kanji and then 181. I thought well maybe the main road is 181? I checked Muto-san's business card to see if I could spot a 181 anywhere...nope. Well, let's see. So I walked my bike up the hill to the left. It seemed to go on for a bit and I kept looking around as I went higher to see if I could spot the rusty bridge near the farm but I couldn't. A woman drove passed and she kept staring at me with a smile, and it seemed she was about to stop and ask if I was lost but she just nodded and I nodded back and she was gone. I kicked myself for getting too nervous to ask if I was going in the right direction. Nothing really seemed to look familiar and then suddenly the road turned into a tiny dirt road. Meh. I went the wrong way! But I thought, well, at least I know that straight is for sure the correct way to go! So I got on the bike and what had taken me 10 minutes to walk was all behind me in what seemed like seconds. zoom!

So on the right way I went. Then I came to a main intersection. Five roads came to it, two small and three big ones. There wasn't a lot of traffic or anything and I knew one of the roads was the correct one to lead me to the farm. I was a little disoriented because of the new way I had come but I ran across the intersection to the other road, tripping on a dumb reflector thing sticking up out of the road...and then, yes! I recognized the random giant oak looking tree a midst bamboo (which looks strange so it was kind of  a landmark in my head) and then a little after that, the great big rusted bridge! Maybe I shouldn't be so proud for doing something so simple but...I was very proud of myself for finding my way. Congratulations to my good memory and thank goodness I love looking out the window when we drive:)

I bumpity-bumped down the little road to the farm and relaxed. I'd gotten pretty hot and sweaty so I changed and imported photos...Muto-san came back and asked where I had gone and I told him to the place where we had eaten lunch last week, next to the river, and he said "You went all the way to the river?" and I was even more proud. Heck YES I did!!

So then we had lunch, I did laundry and then I basically spent the afternoon drawing on the tree deck. I saw Hiro had gotten the eggs and I said I'd like to wash them, I find it very calming...he didn't fight me so I got to relax and wash a few eggs:)
I feel very satisfied.
Tomorrow I get to work again.

雨の日 (rainy day)

It wasn't raining in the morning but I was getting ready for it because there was that hushed feeling all around me. I didn't put my laundry on the line outside or open the door in my room too much, just in case the rain might blow in. 

I got up at 8 as usual and was slightly concerned when Muto-san wasn't up. I did normal morning things and it was almost 9 before I heard him moving around but I'd already decided to feed the chickens so off I went. 

The chickens make me feel like I'm very special, they are always so happy to see me!

When I returned Muto-san said he was sorry that he got up late but we needed to leave to go pick up new pigs from another pig farm. No breakfast! ah! surprisingly I haven't been that hungry...most likely because I've been eating crazy huge and heavy meals and not doing a lot...

So we got in the big truck and drove off. It was probably a 20 minute drive, maybe 30. The first half was on winding mountain roads before we got into an urban area. And soon we turned off the main road and went to the pig farm. This is where the pigs have nothing but a stall to themselves and a machine that dumps food before them. 

Muto-san pointed over to a truck coming towards us with pigs in the back, he said, "Those pigs are lucky ones." And yes they are, the come to Yamaaimura farm and become hashi buta (running pigs). There are 15 pigs in each fenced in area, and each fenced in area is...ah....30 by 30 meters roughly? Which is a lot of space compared to the big huge farms with tiny stalls...sad. The pigs looked like they had been whipped or something...scraped up a little...I felt bad. I pigs squeal is a truly terrible sound...when I hear it, it sends shivers all through my body and I wish I could block it out...

So with 15 pigs in the back of the truck we went started back to home, though a lot slower. We stopped though at a place called Harai to buy food. It was kind of buffet style because you can put whatever you want into plastic containers and they weigh it at the counter. So we got this one fish dish (fried fish soaked in vinegar with vegetables), squid, what looked like sweet and sour shrimp and fried chicken! whoa! Then at noon we finally had our first meal, yum. By then, though, it was raining pretty hard and didn't stop until about an hour ago...it's 11 pm. So after we ate we just relaxed. Watched tv, listened to music. I showed him the movies I'd made of the bike trip and the Appalachian trail and the youtube video of Chelsea Cross and the Rhythm Ryders performing STARSTRUCK by Lady Gaga! haha...he was amused I think.

So it was a rainy and very lazy day. Muto-san went to take a nap at some point in the afternoon and Hitomi (his wife) came in while I was watching a Japanese movie called "Always" based on manga. It takes place in 1955, and she said the that was the time she was born so it brings back memories. Then we talked briefly about worrying moms:) She has a daughter, I think she said she is in her 20s, but she has a kid and is married so she cannot worry anymore. Mom sent me a letter and postcard and they happened to come today! shimpaishteirundesune! (she is worrying, isn't she!) maybe just a little:) and it's okay that she does but I hope she realizes that I'm fine. I'm just fine. It was nice talking to Hitomi, though are conversation is more limited because she doesn't know English at all really, but as she was leaving she did say "see you tomorrow!" with a smile. "Hai, mata ashita!" (yes, see you tomorrow!)

Then it was 5 and I had to go out to the chickens again...rain was still coming down down down. So i put on my work clothes, rain coat, long boots and took an umbrella from the storage room. I stayed dry! When I got to the chicken coup, the rain sounded so much worse pounding on the thin roof than it really was and I was a little worried. However today was the first day I didn't break a single egg! Embarrassing, yes, but I'm finally doing something right. Thank you thank you!

Japanese TV is...crazy though. Yesterday I watched a show that was run by a large man dressed as a woman and another man and they had invited different groups of people. One was Japanese with foreign lovers, the next was families with children who were serious about being actors and actresses (I think) but I"m not, maybe jsut TV models... and the last I didn't understand but something having to do with ages 18 and 55...who knows. 

Today was a music show and two bands that I thought some people might appreciate are JAPAN X (or x Japan...) and AKB48. Japan X is a hard rock group with crazy clothes and hair...AKB48 is a group of all girls that sing and dance, apparently very famous here right now. 

I'm tired though I did nothing today! Good night!

I added a few more pics...see here!