Shipwreck beach

March 28 2010: The above was our intended destination....key word being intended. Looks kind of fun, doesn't it? The place is called Shipwreck Beach. Located on the coast by Mutsu Japan. Directions were very good, but apparently not good enough. But that's ok. We may not have actually seen this above (picture thanks to Misawa Airbase ITT) but we did get to be accidental tourists, which sometimes is a lot more fun.

We found the windmills (sorry, turbines...I'm dating myself, turbines are a new thing for me). Not such a problem there. Actually, we may have found the road that gives access to the beach, but it wasn't clearly marked that "this is the place". We went a little further down the road and found a roadside monument. We parked there and walked around.

First up was an old wreck of a house. Shane and Andi took a peek in, only to find that somebody's belongings were there, blankets, pillows, pot and pan. A little dusty, but not rusted. Could be someone's summer lodging. Not wanting to intrude, we continued our journey in the opposite direction.

Looking out at Mutsu Bay.

Nope, not a shipwreck....though it doesn't look like it is used for much. It is the closest we came on our journey. Where we were was mostly concrete barriers. Some of them fun to walk on, others took a lot of concentration.

More ocean (above)

Below: Finally got to some sandy beaches. I think if we had just plugged along for another Klick (kilometer) we might have gotten to shipwreck beach. As it was we had already gone about 2, and of course, had to go back to the truck.

Below: Looking North towards Mount Hokkaido, which is on the northern island.

Above: Not really a lot of seagulls in this area. There is an abundance of crows however. Really, crows in this part of Japan.....there is just a large amount. I think I've mentioned it before....flying black rats.


Below: I don't know why Andi was complaining of having a queasy stomach. She takes rolling hills about as well as I do, which is to say not well at all.

Below: The fruits of our labor. 9 sand dollars (some in better shape than others) and lots of glass, and one fishing lure. I don't think we would have found the sand dollars had we actually gone to the right beach. We were on a less traveled section....sometimes there is something to be said for the road less traveled, "and that has made all the difference." (Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken")

Speaking of crows. Did you know they are murder? That's what a group of crows is called....a murder of crows. The last few nights they have been grouping out on the wires cawing into the night. So, Andi and I take great delight in coming out with the camera. Taking a picture with the flash on....as once the flash goes off.....

nope, those aren't bats, it's murder! Andi thinks it is great fun to do this. She's right.

Maybe they are just howling at the moon......

Salmon Release

March 20/21 2010: Got invited to go along with the Martin's to the Oriase Salmon Release. A yearly event, sponsored in part by the base, and Oriase town. The river waters looked cold. Not at all like a good day for a swim.

Though the early morning joggers seemed to think nothing of the brisk weather. Ok, not really so early in the morning. It was 9:30. But on a Saturday, that's first thing in the morning.

Just a design in the retaining wall. Since the salmon are released here, this is also where they come home to. In the fall there is a salmon catch, but that'll have to be pictures for another day, as well, it's not fall now is it?

Just a few of the 400,000 wee ones to be released today. They said of that amount, it is figured that about 6% make it back in 4 years time. Not sure how they know it'll take them 4 years to return, can't tag their ears after all. Although some didn't even make it past the starting gate.

The kids either bring their own buckets (the Japanese were much better prepared then the Americans) or rely on their neighbors to have brought enough extras. The flyer that the base put out said nothing about needing buckets, but would probably be better if they did. That way we might look a little more prepared.

Once they receive a bunch in the bucket, then it's down to the cold waters of the river. I'm hoping the water in the transport truck was just as cold as the river.

They line up on the edge and wait for the count. In go the wee ones (the fish, not the children). There are still some up at the truck getting their load of fish. So there is plenty for everyone. I think Andi did 3 trips.

And, in the end, was so proud of herself, as she got the courage up to actually touch them! Of course once she started touching them, there's no stopping.

Above: looking upstream. No, the fish didn't go up that way, they went down of course.

Above: Lots of local school children came out for the event. It was a field trip for them. Most Japanese schools go 6 days a week. Each school wears a specific colored hat, makes it easier to find them in a crow. They were only to happy to pose for pictures.

And some schools don't wear uniforms. Perhaps it was casual Saturday! I didn't think it was THAT cold, but it was drizzly a bit. Kind of reminded me of Northern California.

Above: Looking downstream. Perhaps it'll be a different shot in the fall. I don't know if the salmon get a chance to swim all the way back up here, or if they are caught closer to the mouth of the river and transported. There is a giant shallow pool area where the grown salmon are put in order for the catch to take place. I thought people should slog out into the river. Oh well, that'll be another blog for another season.

Andi and Ethan walking along checking for any floundering fishies. They found a few and put them back in the water.

From the river, we drove back up to the community center. There we found that the women's organization had been cooking and making a fabulous lunch.

Above: seaweed and fried rice (?) I know the seaweed. That was for wrapping our rice balls, if you chose to. It is rice inside the other things, but not quiet sure how they do that....

Warm rice was brought out and we got to make our own mis-shapen rice balls. The ones that the ladies made were perfectly formed triangles, all even without a flaw. Ours were....well, less than perfect. We got to put in our own stuffing. Rice balls generally have a filling, salmon being the most common. Andi opted for plain. I did the salmon. Though it was salmon flakes, not fresh salmon, so not as good as it could have been.

Above: A class from one of the schools got to come as well. They had a great time. Their big treat was that the Americans had brought desert. Of course, some took the time to bake their desert....those of us not as inventive brought fig newtons (that would be me).

The head of the women's organization was presented with a gift from the Air-Force Family Readiness rep. They fed us well. Not only did we have rice balls prepared for us, but the fried rice things, soup, salad and drinks. It was an incredible amount of food and so delicious. They did a lot of work and took great pride in their work.


Below: After everyone had eaten, the ladies got to enjoy the fruit of their labors.

Which brings us to Sunday. Originally Andi and I were going to go to the Hokki Festival. Hokki is a type of clam. This is the end of the harvest season. But we didn't go, as first it was rainy and WINDY in the morning. Then it became just WINDY.

Ethan and Jolie came over to play. And you know, there is this fantastic mud puddle in the front yard, and side yard (the tractors gouged the yard when plowing). They were having a great time jumping over the puddle. Instigator that I am, told them to let me know when the first one fell in the puddle so that I could get a picture.

Sometimes I wonder about my parenting skills.....ah well. I figured they were all washable. All were wearing old clothes. Ethan and Jolie were worried about getting in trouble, but being the bad parent that I am, I told them no worries.

Their mom says I'm grounded. I'm not sure from what though.....

Andi was getting a little cold and tired of the "wait, one more picture". I drove the two home, as it was to cold for them to walk, besides I how to explain how all this happened to their parents. All is clean, and I think 3 children now have specific "puddles at the Curtis house" clothes.

March Blizzard

March 10 2010: Went to bed Tuesday night (the 9th) with just a slight snow falling, coating the almost completely cleared ground with a fresh coat. Woke Wednesday morning to a blizzard. School was cancelled (a first since we've been here). But Andi's dental appointment was still a go. It doesn't look very deep there, but Andi is actually in about 18 inches of snow. Shane and I did a quick shovel of the driveway and away we went.

Low visibility.

Got home 2 hours later. Shane decided to do another shovel. About 6 inches by then.

Our deck doesn't usually get any snow at all on it. But the wind was blowing so hard we had quiet the drift out there.

Snow falls quickly from the roofs here. There had been NO snow in that spot 24 hours before this. The pile ended up being about 5 feet tall. Most of it snow from the roof, some from drifting.



Below: About 6-9 inches on the deck, depending on where you were standing.

The way the wind was coming around the house, caused huge drifting on the garage overhang. Our garage door faces in a westerly direction, so I guess that means the wind was coming from the East, perhaps a bit of the south

Shane had to go out and knock down the part that was leaning on the wires.

3rd shoveling of the day (below) about another 8 inches. All told we had approximately 25.6 inches! That's the most we've had at one time here.

Below: outside view of the deck and our new "wall".

Next day it was back to school for the kids, and back to my usual walk. It warmed up a bit yesterday, so things are melting off fast.

The hawks are back out on the hunt for unsuspecting creatures (below). Saw this one at the end of my walk. Could hear it for awhile, calling out....finally it came within sight. Now if it would just hold still while I get it centered and take a picture....