A mini-vacation thanks to Takumi

Yesterday and today Tetsu and I went on a mini-vacation sponsored by Takumi!  Back in the summer Takumi had sent us a coupon with a list of onsens from which we might choose.  We found a day when we could get away and Tetsu chose an onsen a couple of hours from us in the mountains of Tochigi prefecture.  John went to the vets and the cat sitters were asked to come in for two days, and off Tetsu and I went!

Though the scenery near where we live hasn't yet changed much to fall colors, the mountains were beautiful on this trip!

We weren't actually going that far from home and so we made a couple of side trips along the way...

We hiked down to a dam which was being renovated.

And then across a hanging bridge which was actually quite scary.  I held on to my cellphone and camera tightly as I sure didn't want to drop anything at the height we were at!

 A quick shot of the reconstruction work going on far below.

Okay.  Let's get to that onsen!  Wait!  A trip to the mountains isn't complete without seeing a few monkeys!  There were actually three but they disappeared quickly as we came down the road.

And then at the onsen.  A rather older one but we were so happy to have ended up at it!

We pulled into the parking lot and were met by a man who came out from the main building to welcome us and then carry my luggage into the onsen.  While Tetsu checked in I was invited to sit in the drawing room overlooking the mountains and was given a hot towel and plum tea.  Tetsu finished up and joined me and then a Nakai-san, a hotel maid for lack of a better translation, carried my bag and took us to our room all the way explaining about where we could find the baths, the hours available, what time dinner and breakfast would be served, where the emergency exits were, how to lock the room door etc.

Our Nakai-san was a middle aged woman dressed in kimono pants and she bustled around showing is where the cotton kimonos called yukata and padded jackets were stored in the closet, sizing up Tetsu and immediately assuring him that she would bring him a bigger size than the men's yukata already in the room.  She also gave me split toed socks to wear while in the hotel and to keep.  Before she left us, the Nakai-san kneeled on the tatami floor and bowed deeply, welcoming us and hoping we would have a relaxing stay.  One really feels taken care of at a traditional Japanese onsen!

As we had an hour or so before dinner we went to check out the baths.  First off Tetsu had asked that we make use of the private family bath, of which there were three.  One of the things that make onsens special is the outdoor bathing areas.  The air is crisp, (freezing in this case and even colder in winter) but the baths are so hot it is hard to lower one's self into it.  Once in though it is heaven to sit in the heat and look at the beautiful scenery around you! 

Censoring needed ahead!  Close your eyes if you don't like it! 

Okay, scroll through that quickly!

I took a quick dip but it was too hot (and crowded) for me.  After the photo shoot I told Tetsu I would meet him back in the room after I went to the women's bathing area which I knew would be larger and with more amenities.  Oh it was wonderful! 

There were a few women already there but gradually they left and I quickly went back to the changing area and brought my iPhone back with me to the outdoor bath.  The bath had this gorgeous maple tree hanging over the hot water.  I loved watching the leaves flutter down into the water where I sat.

The scenery overlooked the river running through the mountains and little town.  Yes, I stood out on the walkway naked to take this picture...  When inside the hot water one doesn't much worry about people seeing you and the area is in a rather secluded place so I doubt that anyone could see even if they wanted to...  Still, there were old buildings in the distance... and other onsen hotels on the curve of the river... 

I stayed as long as I could in the hot water practically boiling myself but enjoying the beauty around me to the fullest!

After the baths (and Tetsu tried another of the private family baths), we went down to dinner and were met again at the elevator by a maitre'd waiting to guide us to our private dining area.

Oh my!  Look at all that food!  Our Nakai-san was back serving us and bringing us tea and extra dishes (hot miso soup, hot noodles, hot vegetable custard, rice) and explaining what everything was.  She also lit the flame under the broiled meat and vegetable dish in that black pot and she removed lids that needed to be removed and said she'd be back to explain how to eat the food toasting in the floor fireplace.

Tetsu looks happy!  I actually have trouble sitting on my knees (men can sit cross-legged, women are supposed to sit on their knees) and so the Nakai-san brought me a very low chair that allowed me to stay close to the floor with my legs under the chair.  So much more comfortable!

While we were eating dinner, an elderly woman dressed in kimono came in and bowed deeply asking where we were from and if we were feeling refreshed after our bath.  This was the Okami-san and I guess that is translated as the owner of the inn.  At privately owned inns, a family will often be inn owners for generations and the eldest woman, often the wife or the owner's daughter will be the Okami-san and in charge of training the Nakai-sans, of speaking with guests in a social manner, and of seeing to the small details that make the inn run smoothly.  An Okami-san must be able to chat with people and make them feel at ease, yet she must be strict enough to keep her staff on their toes and yet warm enough to make sure they feel they are important parts of the inn and not just workers.  The Okami-san told us about the inn, she praised our son's kindness in giving us a mini-vacation and she asked about our international marriage.  Very well socially skilled!

Back to the meal...  As I've pointed out before, Japanese food always tries to as decorative as the season and there was an maple leaf (unedible) on the plate to depict the season and other seasonal foods.  A chestnut there, a basket of mushrooms, a quail's egg that was made to look like a persimmon, ginko tree nuts.

The Nakai-san came back and explained about the toasting food...  Can you make out the skewered whole fish there?  There are two there ready to be eaten...  Whole fish is not my favorite, not because I don't like fish but I'm not too keen on seeing it look at me as I eat it...  BUT, this is a special occasion and I stayed in the atmosphere, left my glasses hanging around my neck and enjoyed the fish down to its bones!  Good!  (Well, I'm sure most Japanese would find this a real treat but I just patted myself on the back for eating it all.)  We were SO full!!!  The Nakai-san brought fruit for dessert.

When we got back to our room our futon had been laid out for the night.  But first, another trip to the outdoor bath!  By the time I got back I was half asleep already!

In the morning we woke up to the beautiful mountain and new clouds that were lifting into the sky.  Did I mention that our onsen's name was called The Inn of the White Clouds?  It lived up to its name! 

The clouds kept shifting and hiding the mountains and then the colorful mountain side would come out again.

After yet ANOTHER bath, Tetsu and I went down to breakfast.  We were met at the elevator again by the maitre'd and our Nakai-san was still waiting on us hand and foot.  We ate in the main dining room and what a spread of food greeted us again!

I loved the little handmade origami cranes that served as chopstick rests.

All that food again!!!  Our name at the table.  Not only was our Nakai-san taking care to see to whether we needed more tea or soup or rice or whatever, the Okami-san was back asking about our night and exclaiming when I told her I'd already sent Takumi photos of our mini-vacation.  These people never sleep!

This was an interesting pot that the Nakai-san started cooking for us.  Make-it-yourself-tofu.  I think it was a small pot of soy milk and the Nakai-san added nigari which is coagulating agent made from sea salt.  She stirred it a second or two, covered it and said she would come back and let us know when it had become tofu and was ready to eat.  It was delicious with a ponzu (citrus) dip sauce.

Back in our room our futon had been put away for us again (everyone's timing is perfected) and Tetsu and I went to the baths one last time.  (How clean can we get?!)

When we went down to the lobby before checking out the Okami-san was still puttering around, putting guests' shoes out, picking up leaves at the entrance, wishing people a safe journey home.

Such a wonderful place!  We talked with another couple after breakfast and they said that they have been coming here once or twice a year for the past 20 years.  They too find the baths wonderful, the food beyond compare and the Okami-san and her staff warm and welcoming.  We've become fans too!  I hope we'll have another chance to stay!

Thank you Takumi!
 

Around the world!

Tetsu and I went on a trip around the world!  Well, it was around the world but maybe not a real trip.

In our city there is an "amusement park" called Tobu World Square with miniatures of famous architectural structures from around the world.  I occasionally get to this park when I have visitors who are spending some time in Nikko and it is a rather educational park though there aren't many changes from visit to visit.  This week the park started their night-time illuminated hours and the opening night was free (which is real savings as nearly $30 a head!).  Tetsu noticed the announcement in the local newspaper and at around 6:00 in the evening we bundled up and went to check out the park.

Here is the Tokyo Sky Tree model that Tetsu and I went to see in person last year.  The real Sky Tree is so huge that from a distance in the park one would almost believe we had been transplanted to Tokyo.

Tokyo Dome is the huge sports stadium in Tokyo that I don't have much connection with EXCEPT that this is where the Tokyo International Quilt Festival is held every year and I will be among all those little people going into the dome this coming January again.

It is rather poignant to look upon the city scenery of the Twin Towers which had been depicted in Tobu World Square even before their collapse on 9/11.  Of course all these famous landmarks wouldn't have been able to be seen together in real life but it is still moving to see the tall structures on the "New York" skyline.

The park was lit up with billions of LED lights, around the architecture, along the walkways, in magical tunnels.

Another view of the "US" with the White House in the foreground and Sky Tree and the Tokyo Tower in the background.

We visited the Egyptian pyramids.

The Parthenon.

The Vatican.

Oops.  Sorry.  My geography knowledge is limited...  Is this a structure in Russia?  I like seeing the little girl looking at the piece in wonder.

Another poignant piece, Notre Dame. 

The details on the buildings are amazing. 

Tower Bridge in London all lit up in bright colors.

Sorry, I didn't get the name of this structure but it was the newest addition the park just set up this summer.  It is a palace in Thailand.

The Taj Mahal.  Another interesting thing about the Tobu World Square is that some of the figures are dressed in native costumes.  Saris on the some of the women miniatures around the Taj Mahal.  Kimonos in the Japanese sections.  Burkas around the Arabian structures.

Some Buddhist monks in the Japanese section.

The Forbidden City in China.  At some of the exhibits, there are cars or trains or parades of people that move with the insertion of a coin.  The movement adds a bit of life and drama to the dioramas.

This was the closest I could get to an overall photo of the park.  Somewhere in all that is Big Ben, The Sagrada Familia, The Leaning Tower of Pisa, Versailles, Angkor Wat, the Great Wall (actually I think I was standing on the Great Wall when I took this picture) and many many other world famous pieces of architect.

It was a fast tour of the world but very exciting and we could sleep in our own beds afterwards!

Binding

This is a follow up post on being a quilt mentor (or in my case, not being a quilt mentor).

A couple of posts ago I talked about the irresponsibility of just handing a block to a beginning quilter and telling her to applique and not really giving any instructions.  I brought my thoughts to Mrs. Furui and we reevaluated our patchwork group promising ourselves to teach more and encourage excellence.  OK.  We will try to do better.

On the other hand though, this day that our patchwork group was getting together, the purpose was to put binding on the applique quilt we've been working on and also to help one of our members put binding on a baby quilt she has been making for her grandson.  I had seen this friend/member a week before while she was still quilting (and I put in a few stitches for her while we had tea) and I said she was doing a fine job and that she should bring the quilted baby quilt on Friday and that we would all help her put on binding.

When this friend showed up on Friday with her baby quilt (after I'd just had the above discussion with Mrs. Furui) I was surprised and disconcerted to find that she had started putting on the binding herself... She had cut the binding strips widths and lengths she thought appropriate, sewn the strips on by machine and then tried to turn the binding under by finger-turn...  making sort of a mess... and she had eight strip ends flapping that were either too long or too short.  Sigh.  Mrs. Furui and I looked at each other.  The baby quilt owner looked panicked.

"I know, I know.  You told me to wait.  But I really want to take this to my daughter tomorrow and I thought if I got a head start on applying the binding that I'd be able to get the quilt finished faster.  But now I don't know what to do.  It's too hard to turn under the edges.  I don't know what to do with all the ends!  Help!"

So Mrs. Furui and I went into repair mode.  And to our defense, we have sewn bindings on with this friend before on many other previous quilts.  It just goes to show that "doing" something and "learning" something is different.  Some members are quite eager to help and do the tedious sewing but they don't really pay attention to the technique or put it into their own heads.  I do this all the time when computer glitches show up.  Tell me how to fix this!  But a week later I won't be able to do it again because I didn't really try to "learn" the method...  I just wanted to get things going again...

Mrs. Furui and I squared off the quilt edges (binding and all).  We ripped back all of the ends and re-cut and re-sewed.  We ironed a crease in the binding strips making it easier to turn the binding (not the way either of us would normally put on binding... we like double binding).  We even tacked the folded back edges so that the sewing would go much faster.

As we worked, even Mrs. Furui and I realized that though we are both veteran quilters, we don't put binding on the same.  We both like one long piece of binding (instead of four strips) but we sew our corners differently.  On this day I was on the sewing machine and so we sewed the corners my way.  I use Elmer's craft glue on my own bindings when I tack but Mrs. Furui uses fusible thread.  We did it her way as I hadn't brought Elmer's glue with me.

Finally we handed the quilt back to our friend to do the final hand sewing.  I'm pretty sure that she was able to finish up her quilt that night and take it to her daughter the next day.  She kept apologizing and apologizing for all the extra work she had made by trying to put on the binding herself but I said I admired her initiative (some quilters preface every new technique with "I'll never be able to do that.  Would you do it for me?") and pointed out that even Mrs. Furui and I have different ways of putting on binding and she could think of HER way as her way.

"Yeah!  After you've just spent two hours fixing the binding that I put on in MY don't-know-how way!"

It's true... if she'd just waited as we'd suggested, we could have taught her and she could have had a much easier time of it. 

My grandfather often said that just having the right tools for a job made it all that much easier.  I would add, learning a tried and true technique makes the job a lot easier too!
 

Random photos (again...)

It seems like I only have random photos these days...  I drive or walk by someplace and snap a picture but there isn't much of a story behind why...

Tetsu and I went to a nursery so that he could pick out flowers to plant before winter sets in (that's what he'd doing right now) and more than looking at flowers I enjoyed the pretty display of umbrellas over the many flats of plants. 

It always seems like flowers put under my care are doomed from the start and so instead of picking out plants I chased a butterfly around for awhile.

The other day driving back from pre-school I stopped by a local persimmon tree that is heavily weighted with persimmons.  I think I take a picture or two of this tree every other year or so because on alternate years it doesn't seem to bear much fruit.  This is a good year!

While taking pictures, two elderly men in a car stopped near me and asked if I was alright... maybe they thought I was having car trouble?  When I held up my camera they brought out their cameras too!  It seems that they too are locals and together we talked about camera settings and about how last year this tree hadn't had enough fruit to warrant being photographed but this year it is quite pretty.

They also said they had been up to Okunikko to hike and take pictures of the Noblewoman of Odashirogahara (my last post's pictures) and I showed them a couple of the pictures I'd taken last week and they showed me theirs.  It is nice to find something in common with strangers!

The mornings are colder and sometimes a pretty fog covers the countryside.

I've got my down jacket out already!  This must have been one of the mornings when John refused to go with us for a walk.  He is not an early riser and is usually grumpy in the mornings.  John is so much like a contrary teenager!

Often these days we are up before the sun.

This is a sweatshirt that I purchased for Tetsu from Bitmoji.  We all think Tetsu's bitmoji is hilarious because it looks just like him!   The shirt says "Leave it to me!" which pretty much sums up how Tetsu goes about life.  Sometimes I think he thinks he's superman!

Ha-ha!  My own personal superman!