Christmas 2013

 

A trip to Carmel in our new 2014 Subaru Forester.

 Mommy, you look cute in the Coach sunglasses. 

 Arigato, Taeko!

This feels like my second home. 

Taking a nap after playing with the Lamb Chop.  Mommy kept learning about Extraordinary Chickens, thanks to Ron.

 

Getting ready for a Christmas party at my aunt's house.

 There are numerous Mickey "Mice" in the tree, collected over the last 30 years.

 I am here as Santa's Helper.

I'm listening and trying.  Please don't point at me. 

Who isn't?

Someone is munching on something!   

Now I am listening.

Sunset ride.  Mommy loves the new sunglasses.  She also loves the new hand-free leash from my Aunt Karen!

 I barked and barked.  They are real sheep, not Lamb Chop!

Jerome Coop

We got a coop and run built by Bill Finnigan of "For the Birds Custom Chicken Coops." It is beautiful, functional, and completely predator safe.

Here's the site our gardener prepared before the coop was built.  Bill said this was the best ground prep he had seen.

   

Both the coop and run are roofed and have double main doors in case I want to change the location later.  The entire run is protected by 1/2" hardware cloth in addition to 2" x 4" welded wire.  The three coop windows are covered with plexiglass, which can be opened for additional ventilation.  Eggs can be collected from the outside.    

My chickens are happy, and my husband and I, relieved.  Our dog Shiro is thrilled to reclaim his backyard.

Last night, I checked inside the coop around 9 p.m. with a flashlight.  My chickens had chosen different spots.  One was roosting, two were side by side on the pine shavings on the floor, and another two were together in one nest box.  This evening, all were roosting, except one that had chosen to sit in a nest.

My next plan is to add an extension to the run!

My Friends' February Trip to Yamagata

https://picasaweb.google.com/103288803801831150342/YamagataInSnowFebruary2013?authkey=Gv1sRgCL__r7LInIruzAE&feat=email

My vacation has just begun, and I finally got to post this link.  I look forward to our first reunion since our crane trip! 

June Trip to Half Moon Bay

May Trip to Point Reyes

A Sandhill Crane in Moss Landing?

A solitary Sandhill Crane was spotted last week in Moss Landing.  According to the photographer's son, who is very knowledgeable about wild birds, it wasn't supposed to be there, and it probably had a defective GPS.  But the crane was "feeding tranquilly among the rushes with the birders at about 50 yards distance gawking at it."  Could it be that it could no longer hear its flock's calls--the haunting, beautiful honking?

Best wishes in getting reunited and flying back north.

  

The Muffler

衿元に
友のぬくもり
大晦日

Erimoto ni  (around my neck)
Tomo no nukumori (my friend's warmth)
Omisoka (New Year's Eve)

A couple of days before Christmas, my childhood girlfriend asked if I had received a package.  My answer was no.  But the package arrived on New Year's Eve, containing a beautiful COACH cashmere muffler.  She got a salmon pink pattern for me and a matching gray pattern for herself.  She was sad that the gift meant for Christmas didn't arrive in time, but it was a perfect present to welcome the New Year.  

I touched the soft mass, put it against my cheek, and remembered one by one--the mufflers, scarves, and wraps that she sent over the years and how perfectly she was able to arrange some around my neck when she visited me here or when I traveled to Japan--and how she made me feel.     

One woven wrap in particular was in petal pink made of baby cashmere--so soft, subtle, and delicate in both texture and color.  It arrived one spring.  As I stood in front of the mirror and arranged the wrap around my shoulders, I longed to see her, my family, and the cherry blossoms in Japan.

Almost eight years since then, and I welcomed a beautiful New Year.  I am so grateful. 

ありがとう、妙ちゃん。

"Double" Sunrise on Mt. Diablo

Akemashite omedeto gozaimasu (Happy New Year).

Because the cloud was in front of the sun, the sun rose twice.  The sun was bright and looked so close.  There were also the New Year moon and turkeys!  One flew down from the side of the mountain to join the flock.  They were the most colorful wild turkeys I had ever seen.  It was an awesome New Year's Day outing.