My GI Joe

Number four son, Joe, has finished basic training at Ft. Jackson, Columbia, SC, and is now at Ft. Lee in Richmond, VA, for advanced training in whatever duty he will have. Joe will finally finish in mid-April and will be in the Army Reserves for the next eight years.  Congratulations, kiddo!

Joe with his army-issued glasses and Christin

Tree Trimming

Henry spent a couple of days trimming three fruit trees on our back slope.  They were getting rather gangly, so he cut them back by half.  There were already buds on them, so the fruit will be somewhat less than last year.  However, we may be able to actually reach the fruit this year.  

Henry is in the plum tree. 

The end result of three trees.  The black ball is for compost, but sticks can't go in there.  Eventually it will all get burned.   Henry also cut down the  remaining Japanese pear tree since he cut down the mate last year and one needs a male and female tree to have fruit. 

During the process a Daurian Redstart darted here and there and perched on the branches, then dropped to the ground and hopped around looking for something.  He's a winter visitor here and will depart in April sometime.  Pretty little thing.

Mr. Redstart

    
It does not stay put for long.

Two male pheasants out my window

This morning (2/17/15) Sara and I heard the distinctive honk of a male kiji, or Japanese pheasant.  A brood of females, which we rarely see, and the males, are residents in our little valley.  The huge colorful bird was on the hill outside the kitchen window and walking down toward the field.  My camera was charging upstairs so I went and got it.  

 When I got back to the kitchen there was a bird standing not 20 feet from our house, pretty as you please. 

Then I noticed on the hill another male that was lying down among the tall grass.  At first I thought it was a rock, but it was a second male.  It looked like the one originally walking down the hill. 

The standing one came from someplace and just stood there for at least 10 minutes.  It must be an older male as the red skin on its face is much more pronounced than the male on the hill.  Also it looks to be a bit plumper when puffing out its chest.  Such beautiful red, blue, green and browns all on one bird. 

How's that for a profile??

The one on the hill has less red skin around its face.  He stayed another 10 minutes after his buddy left. This must be the one from the previous post about Kiji 2015. 

This was the larger male that was standing in the field.  I opened the back door and he made a getaway.  They run rather swiftly when they want to. 

Return

Saturday the 14th, we returned to Kobe.   We stopped at one rest place for lunch and found these things:

Another fancy ladies' room.

For the little boys.

Lunch--tempura shrimp  udon  and in the Sara's was  kitsune udon.

The bakery had these peach muffins--yummy.

Mikan (tangerine) bread--looked orange and shaped like one. 

These are apple breads.

A super duper motorbike, one of a group at the rest stop.

Off there on the left is what is supposed to look like the flashing lights of a police car.  I doubt it makes people slow down, though. 

Valentine's Banquet

The banquet was held at the church.  The teen girls served.  The meal took about 70 minutes to eat--some six courses, all elegantly done.  Hats off to the young ladies that put this together and took turns watching the little kids. 

Tomatoes, basil and cheese first course

The salad course

Tomato soup

The main course--pasta and chicken cort-on-bleu with asparagus

Dessert

 

 

 

 

 There were some games and then Henry gave a short speech.  It was a fun evening for everyone.

To Iwakuni 岩国

 Henry was asked to speak at a Valentine's Banquet at the military church in Iwakuni (it means rock country--and the hills around that area are loaded with rocks).  Anyway, we traveled there on the 12th.
 

Friday the pastor took us to a tourist attraction that's rather popular.
Mostly it was souvenirs and outdoor eating under the trees.  However, very Japanese. 

Dozens of carp flags flying in the wind.  These are also used during Boys' Festival in May.

The ducks were searching for eats in the pond.

A lady beat on the drum announcing something.

This restaurant was in front of a beautiful waterfall.

The menu--fried chicken.

Ebisu statue which I think was the theme of this place.

 Then there was the ladies' restroom.  So elegant with heated toilet seats and automatic flushing.  

That's a baby changing table.

Kiji 2015

Recently a resident Japanese pheasant has made his appearance.  This time he was in the field outside the kitchen window just sitting pretty as you please; some 10 minutes which is very unusual.  Looked like it was sleeping.  Then the next day he was perched on the side of the slope and puffing himself up a bit.  He is really a beautiful bird with his red face, dark green chest and blue feathers down the long tail.

It moved to the hill eventually, then went up into the woods. 

Computer Tote

 I was asked to make this tote for a friend.  She provided this lovely brocade-type cloth from Senegal.  It about 9 inches wide, so I had to sew two lengths together then fashion the bag.  I added the pocket on front, no charge :-).  It's enclosed with a magnet flap.  The handles are sturdy woven cotton, triple stitched in place. The lining is a black/white knit piece I had, just waiting for a new home.  Finally, the side and bottom were stitched closed with home-made black bias tape.

Celebration Quilt

The pattern is called Celebration from the FabShopHop of 2012.  This top is not finished yet and I'll add another blue border all around, then send it out to have it quilted. 

This is a closeup of the side borders which are made of six rows of 3.5" squares.  The top and bottom have just two rows in the yellow and blue as the pattern was long enough, but not wide enough. 

http://www.fabshophop.com/