How Japanese

today i went with takami to her grandfathers house and helped him and her uncle and aunt plant rice. it was kind of fun, and very relaxing - quite zen really. michael and i got into the spirit of things, and takami just took photos. but i dont blame her, it wouldnt be very exciting if you were japanese.

im sure you all know what a rice paddy looks like. well, these days they do have machines for planting the rice seedlings, but of course the rice field isnt always a perfect shape for neat litle rows of rice, so you have to go along the outside and in the corners and plant by hand.

unfortunately there wasnt any spare boots for michael and i but, it was kind of fun getting into the mud in bare feet. like being a little kid again, feeling it squish up between your toes. we only did it for an hour or so, im not sure as i didnt have a watch on all day (how nice by the way).

then it started to rain, and we went inside for lunch. which was of course delicious, a nice chicken salad, with (im sure) lettuce and radish from the garden (but not the cherry tomatoes), and a rice bowl with beef. they even had some home made umeshu umeboshi -that is plums pickled in plum liquor. strong stuff. i have eaten the umeboshi in the bottom of my umeshu before, but it was soft and sweet. these were crunchy and felt like they were literally burning my tongue with acid. of course tetsuo and takami showed off by popping them whole.... even michael couldnt do it, and he loves umeboshi.

a big thanks to tetsuo and hiromi, for being such kind hosts on two occasions for me now. they also took me snowboarding back in january. i was kind of sad to say goodbye to them today cos i know i will probably never see them again..... lovely folks.



forgot to post about my nice afternoon on thursday......drums, yoga and cake hillside.