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Showing posts from October, 2008

Honshu and Okinawa

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I am back. I spent 10 days in Japan, 5 days for work on the main island of Honshu and 5 days of solo adventure in Okinawa. Travel is so invigorating dispite the uncomfortableness. Jetlag, anxiety, crowds, and other discomforts aside, it is mind-expanding and rewarding. Work went well. I flew a new airline (Skymark) from Tokyo to Naha. I am always wary of strange discount airlines and all the traps they set. However, I had a great expereince with "Sky". I was actually shocked. Super easy checkin at the airport, no extra fees even with extra luggage. The primary mission in Okinawa was to visit the Peace Park and the Suicide cliffs of Okinawa. At the end of WW2 the inhabitants were encouraged to commit suicide rather than surrender to the Americans and get tortured and eaten. They jumped off the cliffs at the souther end of the main island. If you have seen theoriginal color footage taken at the time. I am sure you were moved with mothers holding their babies jumping to th...
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How's that for some perfect tomatoes?
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It is a cool rainy Saturday morning. I need to be out splitting wood. It won't be doing much drying today but splitting is a step in the right direction. I probably have about 6 face cord put up, but I want to get some cushion. Next year's use is fine. I always go through a bit more than I plan. I guess it is like eating what is in the pot. If it is there you consume it. I got a promotion at work. I was getting pretty bored. It will be good to have some new challenges. My flight instructor gave me some kudos the other night. I did my best landing ever. A "greaser" is what you call it. The flying experience is really a great one. It pulls from all corners of the mind. It really makes you feel alive. We were commenting that it is a strange calling. It is stressful and enjoyable all at the same time. It was great the other night. We were using runway 7 which is unusual because of the prevailing winds. There is a road that crosses the grass runway on the runway 7 appr...
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My friend Dennis took these great pics of a screech owl in his wood duck house in Williamson, NY. I heard one of these guys out in my woods a couple weeks back. These things are loud. The first time you hear one you really can't figure out what it is, a mammal, human, bird?
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The weather was great this weekend. It was cool, ok cold in the morning, but it was truly great Fall weather. I skidded more trees, cut and chopped. I cut the log out of the beautiful maple that blew over. It will go to the mill this week, hopefully. I have a lot of work to do. This weekend it didn't seem as important as it often does. I snapped this pic of a red tail hawk over Owasco lake Saturday.
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A lot got done this weekend. The firewood is in a lot better shape. The pile of roofing is finally buried. The spreader is on the tractor and a whole bunch more. I ran into this machine at the local restaurant. Rednecks feel the pinch on gas prices just like everybody else. This trike has tool boxes and clearance lights just like the pickup.
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What a couple of days. Yesterday was really something. After a good day a work, I ran down to knock off half a dozen landings at the Greene Airport, then over to the gym to run 3 miles in 21 minutes (while watching educational tv and studying my chinese language book). It was a very urbane while at the same time I was enjoying the country settings. Life is good.
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Firewood. Hey, I didn't break anything!
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I managed to spend most of the weekend outside. That is always a good thing especially this time of year. We have had three killing frosts so far this Fall. We are expecting another tonight. It is time to relinquish the outdoors to nature for the duration. I am taking Tuesday off. The to-do list is still long. Adding to it is that I have a really nice maple that fell down out back. It looks like lumber to me ($). There is a sub-species of hard maple that only grows in this area. The veneer grade logs are the most valuable timber around. Let's see how it goes. Besides the lumber I have tractor work, firewood and getting the solar system installed among my list of unfinished Summer projects. Jeff (Squid), DJ and I worked on DJ's pole barn moving four of the posts to their proper location. DJ gets to run her backhoe. I get to lift stuff and use the shovel.
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