Walking

Few people know how to take a walk. The qualifications are endurance, plain clothes, old shoes, an eye for nature, good humor vast curiosity, good speech, good silence and nothing too much.

A new walking aficionado, Xavier suggests that Ralph Waldo Emerson forgot two key elements for a perfect walk - namely, a stroller and a pacifier!

As part of our new sleep training strategy, stimulating the senses with a daily walk outdoors is recommended. Apparently, it's good to expose him to rustling leaves, birds, moving clouds, barking dogs, wind etc... all from within the safe, warm confines of his stroller or the Baby Bjorn.
My current walking routes of choice are the paved loop trail at Haddam Meadows State Park and the paved grounds of the Indian Hill Cemetery.

Haddam Meadows overlooks the Connecticut River. From part of the loop you can see a boat slip. Several times I have seen folks out fishing or canoeing.

At Indian Hill Cemetery, there is so much to take in while you are walking. For one, the trees are beautiful. Transitioning from lush greens in the summer to vibrant autumn hues - I feel like taking photos almost every time I'm there. I haven't felt inspired in this way since I left Japan, so that's nice. Noting the subtle changes in the landscape as time passes is very relaxing. I like knowing which trees are likely to have birds in them, where the wind picks up momentum on the hills and when/where to expect shadows that provide shade.

Secondly, tombs are fascinating. I love reading all the names and epitaphs. (The most intriguing name I have found so far is Youghaper Bodozian. I discovered that it is a popular Armenian name, but one I had never heard before.) Likewise, it is interesting finding out when people were born and how old they were when they died.

I discovered that several soldiers have been interred at Indian Hill. For example, Joseph Fenno King Mansfield - a Civil War Union Major General who died following the Battle of Antietam is buried here. So are many Connecticut and Massachusetts Vols. As for politicians, US Congressmen including Ebenezer Jackson Jr., and Samuel Larkin Warner are buried here.

I've also found names of people associated with Wesleyan University throughout the graveyard. For example, you can find Wilbur Olin Atwater, a chemist that studied metabolism and human nutrition. He was Wesleyan's first Professor of Chemistry. And, there are no fewer than six Presidents of Wesleyan University buried there including Paul Raymond Bradford (Pres from 1889-1908) and James Lukens McConaughy (Pres from 1925-1943). McConaughy was also a Governor of Connecticut.

And then there are tombs that are just generally interesting - like gravestones for people who were lost at sea!

It is safe to say that we're hooked! Until the weather gets too cold and snowy, count on finding us wearing out our shoes and stroller treads on these great paths.

Fall Leaves

The weekend before last we traveled to Ohara, a small town to the north of Kyoto to enjoy the fall foliage. Since the color-changing was delayed this year due to the extra hot, extra long summer, the crowds were out in full force to enjoy the new hues before the leaves fall.

Ohara is home to Sanzen-in Temple, one of the most famous Tendai Monzeki temples in Japan. This means that the chief priest of the temple was a member of the imperial family. Even more wonderful than the temple's Buddhist chanting or famous Amitabha Trinity (beautiful golden statues) are the magnificent gardens filled with moss, Japanese cedars and maple trees. In the fall, Ohara is a must see! The town is also home to several onsens, or hot springs, that we hope to have the chance to visit.

Along the path between the bus station and the entrance to Sanzen-in were several restaurants, cafés and little shops selling all sorts of goodies. We bought some amazing homemade jams in unique flavors like pumpkin, lemon and apple. Yum! We also got to try several types of senbei, or rice crackers/cookies. The ginger-glazed senbei were our favorites. It was fun to talk with the vendors and ask them what each treat was called in Japanese. One woman was very excited to see us writing down the name to her cookies in hiragana.

All seasons shall be sweet to thee...

It appears that Samuel Taylor Coleridge was right in his poem Frost at Midnight. All seasons are indeed sweet here in Japan. They are a very BIG DEAL!

Fall is rumored to be around the corner, and there are tell-tale signs everywhere. Every store - grocery stores, bakeries, bookstores, flower shops, etc... is decorated completely with autumn leaves, Halloween pumpkins and scarecrows. Fall goods are available all over, including things like autumnally spiced KFC buckets and Fall-outfit-clad Hello Kitty. I can't wait to see how they anticipate Winter and Christmas over here! As part of this seasonal change into fall, there are lots of festivals nationwide, especially in Kyoto. We have a lot of maple trees here and as a result the residents are very jazzed about the idea that the leaves will soon change. It really should be gorgeous!

Last night, I went to a Full Harvest Moon festival at Shimogamo Shrine. The full harvest moon is considered to be the "most sublime" moon of the year.

After a ceremonial offering of tsukimi dango rice dumplings (set up in a little pyramid) and Japanese pampas grass to the shrine deity, there was a series of classical court performances. My favorite was the Koto harp performance with a flute accompaniment. The fan dances were cool too, especially the beautiful costumes. By the middle of the performances, you could see the harvest moon rising up over Shimogamo Shrine. Sublime indeed!