A lot of driving. I have forgotten how much driving is involved when on the farm. Everything is far. But I also had to drive up and back twice to Syracuse to pickup/drop off Angie at the airport and a business meeting for Wisdomino in Albany. Yeah it was a lot of driving for me. All and all it was about 4000 miles in three weeks. Early in the morning I decided to check out some auctions (dangerous). I ended up being high bidder on a 2015 New Holland Boomer 33 ( "hours unknown, does not run, may have problems, no key, no battery" ) from the State of Tennessee. I figured I could swing by Nashville and pick it up on the way to Georgia. And indeed I did. It was only a couple of hours extra, maybe 4. But, it was more efficient than going to Georgia and then back and forth to Nashville. Nashville is about 4 hours from Duluth. So I was looking at a 4 hour savings. After I go through it and getting if working I will tow it up to the farm in NY. I wasn't prepared for a trac...
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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. From what I understand, at the end of WW2 the inhabitants were encouraged to commit suicide rather than surrender to the Americans and get tortured and eaten. Besides other types of suicide, they jumped off the cliffs at the Southern end of the main island. If you have seen the original color footage taken at the time, I am sure you were moved with images of mothers holding their babies jumping to their deaths. Humans can do better. Peace. I also thought about how a human leader can seem like a better option and potentially more satisfying than faith in a deity.
I did many other things and firsts.
I rented a car in Japan. The car was a Suzuki "Smile", a kei car. It was very funny looking and certainly not available in the US. It was a "must rent" for me. From the outside it is comical looking and beholds 660cc of brute power. It is minimal indeed. I found the car to be incrediblely large on the inside despite the comparison to other vehicles. I have expereince driving on the left side of the roads, but I must concentrate more. I can't let my guard down. I have learned that if I become complacent driving on the left side, I can find myself in a dangerous situation. I did well in Japan where precison driving in the norm.
I visited Tokyo tower (somehow I didn't do it years ago in Tokyo).
I practiced my Japanese. Although I was mostly very shy during my work week, I did experiment getting the critical muscle memory developed actually trying to communicate with Japanese words. Being able to be vulnerable and put myself into embarashing sistuations is an avenue for growth. I found myself several times during this trip with some familiar self-talk "Do something everyday that you find a little scary". The Japanese almost always smiled even with just a few words spoken in Japanese.
I took a ferry to Zamami and Aka islands. Getting out on the water when you are an island is never a mistake. It was a great adventure.
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Anonymous said…
What fun! Thanks for sharing your extensive travels. I think you were considering a job in this area when you came to So CA... and you've stayed busy and productive! I've been to <10 countries and (at 84) my daughter says my travel days are over! [I worked for TWO airlines in the '80's...and my [THEN] husband wouldn't fly] Regards to Angie. Stay well. Kathie Wolin Laguna Woods Affordable Travel Club.
Kathy, It is good to hear from you! I appreciate your expert guidance in SoCal when I was there. Its a pity you couldn't share the travel bug back in the day. Keep moving and doing, which I am sure you are.
A lot of driving. I have forgotten how much driving is involved when on the farm. Everything is far. But I also had to drive up and back twice to Syracuse to pickup/drop off Angie at the airport and a business meeting for Wisdomino in Albany. Yeah it was a lot of driving for me. All and all it was about 4000 miles in three weeks. Early in the morning I decided to check out some auctions (dangerous). I ended up being high bidder on a 2015 New Holland Boomer 33 ( "hours unknown, does not run, may have problems, no key, no battery" ) from the State of Tennessee. I figured I could swing by Nashville and pick it up on the way to Georgia. And indeed I did. It was only a couple of hours extra, maybe 4. But, it was more efficient than going to Georgia and then back and forth to Nashville. Nashville is about 4 hours from Duluth. So I was looking at a 4 hour savings. After I go through it and getting if working I will tow it up to the farm in NY. I wasn't prepared for a trac...
It has been good spending time on the farm. I really had forgotten how quiet and dark it is here. It can actually be a bit unnerving. The leaf doodle bug was put to work in the forest. However, it looks like the car will be going back on the road. We can say it failed field trials,but that would only be partially true. The better utility value at this point is more suited to getting a teenager back and forth from high school. The mycological aspects of the farm did not disappoint. The pics of these shrooms are not photoshopped. The coal stove (very heavy) is loaded on the truck. It will be rebuilt in Georgia if I can save it. Coal stoves are increasingly out of production. When they are gone they are gone. The small wood stove is now in its place. The pic of the red sky in morning was indeed a warning of weather. We had strong storms and tornados in Upstate NY. Although I was travelling much that day in the area, I missed the worst of it.
I got the bobcat going again and I have almost all the holes drilled. I will be taking the auger back Monday morning. I still have to assemble the fence, fashion 4 gates and generally get the job done. I am gaining on it. It is amazing what you can get done when you are not studying for a class and working a full-time job. We have our new llamas, two females named Rosey and Ultima. They settled in with the herd right away. The current animal count: 7 chickens, 6 llamas, and 2 cats. Click pic for video
With tribute to USDA and other government furnished information of the post war advice converting Model-Ts to tractors --"Doodle Bugs". I towed the resurrected rear-ended 2013 Nissan Leaf up to Berkshire, NY from Duluth, GA. It is now in field trials as a farm machine in Upstate NY. Despite the lack of current ground clearance it is performing well in dirt and mud. I will be skidding firewood very soon. https://journal.classiccars.com/2018/06/08/doodlebug-1923-ford-model-t-tractor/ https://www.thehenryford.org/collections/explore/artifact/188731?AssetId=THF811118
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