After a dusting of snow yesterday afternoon, a nice morning around Lyons - calm and sunny - quite cold [but the wood stove is drawing nicely now that I've replaced the mica windows]:
Along South St. Vrain Creek
Round Oak wood stove, built circa 1913.
Along Rt. 7, just outside Lyons.
Just a quick post to say thanks to everyone who asked if I was OK over the last few days.
I have been in the USA on a business trip since 7 Mar and therefore was not in Japan when the quakes and tsunamis struck. Most of the friends to whom I reached out via email have replied that they are OK. I expect to hear from the rest as they get to work - as I write this it is Monday morning in Japan.
As far as I can tell, there was no serious damage where I live southwest of Tokyo, and I still plan to return to Japan later this week, barring any travel delays or other problems.
My thoughts are with the Japanese people, who have always been kind and hospitable to me in my 10 years of living in their country. Working in their favor is their intelligence, their hard-working nature, their ability to organize and cooperate, and their strong sense of honor and respect towards others.
Please consider doing what you can to support the relief efforts and assistance being provided to Japan by various governmental and non-governmental organizations.
And thanks again for all who asked about me.
Yes, there will be more warm and sunny days here as Japan slowly slides towards Winter. We'll have some typhoon action until the moist summer air from the south gives way to more westerly winds from off the Korean peninsula and the drier air improves visibility and comfort.
Here along the coast of the Izu Peninsula, there will still be flowers in bloom and plenty of insect and animal activity into late November, and I am looking forward to some more hikes, and chances to do some more macro photography of small plants and animals.
But today it is cool, breezy, and rainy, so since I am stuck inside anyway, I thought it would be a good time to take a look at some of the images I captured this summer.
You can do so by clicking HERE, or on the link at right to the "Summer is over" photo gallery. It's just under the "Navigation" label.
So many things I want to do but have not done. But today the things at the top of the list are not so much about visiting someplace new, finding new friends, or socializing. And not about any of the other things that have to be done to maintain a so-called life in the modern world - errands, cleaning, paperwork, bill paying, shopping - none of that stuff.
More about exploring on the inside:
Mostly creative work.
It is hard to do this kind of work when my day is busted up into a million pieces by conference calls, meetings, travel, and managing. And hard to do when I am sitting in a hotel room thousands of miles from home without my stuff - my gear, my guitars, my books, my tools.
So today has been a pretty good day. An unbroken stretch of a few hours to "get in the zone", think, practice, try. There has to be some insulation from the ever-more-intrusive outside world to do this.
It would have been a great day outside, too. As if the sea and the wind had been watching the calendar, the weather really turned the corner right around the last day of Summer. Although it is sunny today, there is a cool breeze coming off the ocean. A submarine anchored just outside the harbor last night and at 7 AM this morning, they got underway. I guess they are doing sea trials or some sort of training, as they have been cruising around on the surface for the past three hours, doing S-turns, one-eighties, and then stopping and doing nothing.
But today I won't go out to enjoy the Autumn weather. I did two hikes last week, and today is an inside day. Play some music, start this blog, look at some photos, and occasionally glance out the window.
And, then tomorrow, off to Hong Kong. Three trains and three hours to the airport, wait in the lounge for 90 minutes before departure, and then 4 hours flying time. It makes for a long day, but the trains here are great, and I can get some paperwork done on the laptop and check mail on the iPhone on the way to the airport.
Back home on Friday, and hoping for good weekend weather for my next outside adventure.