Be*mused

Monday musings

Small slice of deep heartland

This weekend was a killer.  I was so exhausted last night that despite my big plans for a full 5 day week of *nothing* (no trips to plan/pack for nor recover from, no pressing commitments,) I decided not to set my alarm and was shocked when I woke up naturally at 9:30 am this morning.  Squeezed between our regular Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon errands and yardwork, M & I ventured into the deep heartland, driving for almost 4 hours Saturday afternoon until we reached our destination, leaving less than an hour to transform ourselves from comfy, long-drive casual to black tie attire and get ourselves over to a big business event.  After hours of socializing with people we didn't know and partaking of marginal dinner fare, we darted back to the hotel to catch the end of the World Series game, grab a little shuteye and arise at 5:00 a.m. to drive home.  Yawn.

With something resembling divine intervention, the mailman pulled up just as we were pulling out of the driveway Saturday and handed me a long awaited, padded envelope.  So much has been written recently about The Gentle Art of Domesticity that I was even more anxious to get my hands on it and happily, it didn't disappoint.  Suffice it to say, if you enjoy the colorful visual and written observations over at Yarnstorm, you will love this book.  It's like the blog, but so much more.  One person's unique point of view, living the creative life within the framework of an active and happy family.  Jane's delight in simple pleasures and her keen eye for the beauty found in everyday life are abundantly evident here.  Thicker than I expected, the book is chock full of her gorgeous photos, set in some lovely layouts, and I'm still reading through (savoring!) the many thoughtful essays.  For the time being, it's the next best thing to hanging out with Jane, one of my favorite yet-to-meet-in-person internet friends.  And a lifesaver on a long drive.

With my late start this morning, I decided to knock off a few errands to clear the deck for the rest of the week.  On the hunt for some requested Clover knitting needles for Molly (Yes, they're Japanese needles...yes, she lives in Japan. Go figure.) I was having trouble finding one particular size so I drove up to a neighboring town to check out a new shop I heard about at my recent knitting group meeting.  Supposedly an all-purpose needlework shop (knitting, quilting, embroidery,) I didn't have high hopes for adventure when I pulled up to a non-descript building tucked behind a MacDonald's at an off-highway intersection.  I entered, perused some books at the entrance and glanced over toward the fabric shelves.  My heart jumped to my throat as I visually scanned shelf after shelf of the nicest selection of fabrics I may have ever seen.  Truly.  Think Purl Patchwork on steroids.

Schizophrenic quilter's fabric selection

I couldn't help myself.  Thousands of bolts, a mouthwatering array.  I almost forgot Molly's needles.  I'm thinking that such a gem of a find so close by surely portends an imminent sale of the house, don't you think?  (It had better, and soon! This place could be dangerous.) 

I know you came looking for mittens.  Next post!       

On the road again

I'm happy to report that I have learned the lesson of the Japan trip and continued my mental health tour, traveling to Cleveland this past weekend for a few days with friends.  Textile friends...quilters and knitters, weavers and dyers...members of my tribe!  There really is nothing more restorative than time spent with old friends so it was easy for them to talk me into staying longer than I had planned.  I drove back yesterday, head swirling from all of the talking, looking and sharing, not to mention stomach swirling (in a good way) from our varied culinary indulgences. Today I have to decipher all of the notes I took (books, patterns & websites recommended, recipes copied, sketches & instructions jotted down) and email out the links and info I promised to share.  But that's not all!

Newly arrived Finullgarn

There are mittens to be knit.   

Snap out of it

C'est moi...tabi-fied!

I've lived here in the heartland for 3 years now, and as some of you know, it hasn't been a good fit.  I was ready to embrace change when we were transfered here after 26 years...our whole family life!...in Cleveland, but despite its friendly people and my repeated attempts to find/make a place for myself, it has never felt right.  And so it was a great relief to hear of our unexpected transfer to Chicago.  (You may recall my posts from that time...*Yippeee, I'm outta here*, *Time off for good behavior*, *Sentence commuted*?  Kidding, although I considered them.)  All to explain why there's been so much recent angst over the as-yet-unsold house.  I've basically been sitting here alone all summer, house staged for sale and bags figuratively packed, waiting to join M in Chicago.  I made the situation so much worse for myself by dropping out of activities and neatening workspaces to the point of creative paralysis.  Frozen, waiting, ready to go on a moment's notice. 

Fudodo at Koyasan

I can't tell you what a difference that trip to Japan made to my mental health.  The change is palpable.  Getting away, spending time with M and Molly, seeing old friends and meeting new ones.  Sadly, I can't share a lot of the experiences and photos I'd love to post because they involve people who'd probably prefer not to be featured here, if they even knew where *here* is.  (Few outside my immediate family...M, Molly & K... know about Be*mused.  Surprised?)  I can share a few more, however. 

Hotel Urashima

On our last weekend in Japan, we joined Molly and her boyfriend for a wonderful weekend in Wakayama Prefecture at an onsen resort.  Tanya recently wrote about this popular aspect of Japanese life which I find to be a bit ironic, considering the propensity toward modesty in Japan.  Several times on earlier trips I had politely refused invitations, finally trying the experience on my third visit to Japan, when K's host family included me in a celebratory trip to Mt. Fuji for his 21st birthday in 2000.  We were all having a wonderful time when we arrived at the hotel and it became apparent that the whole point of the trip was to enjoy the onsen.  When in Rome...

FLASH...BREAKING NEWS!!!   While sitting here in my newly casually messy house, writing about my trip-acquired 'what-will-be,will-be' attitude regarding the whole impending move situation, a realtor and a young couple walked into my house...no notice, no knock, no kidding...right in the front door, ready to tour the place!  How's that for being thrown back into reality?  Ha!

And here I had been getting ready to tell you that now I'm a convert, that I love the onsen experience!  I wanted to write about spending a weekend among hundreds of other like-minded holiday visitors, families with members ranging in age from 5 to 85, all plotting our time to try as many of the 8 or so possible bath experiences at the resort, squeezing in meals and shopping, all on site, all of us roaming about, clad in yukata and little plastic slippers.

Two unidentified guests, post bath, ready to head out
to enjoy the ocean view.

I was going to tell you about soaking in hot spring baths in caves, overlooking the Pacific Ocean...of feeling the salt spray of waves crashing just outside and the cool ocean breeze wafting in.  The faint smell of sulphur and the softness of your skin after drying off. 

I planned to mention the funniest experience of the trip (my life?), walking into a bath to hear, "Molly!? I didn't know you were coming this weekend!!" and being introduced to a big bunch of her friends.  (Yes, all of us girls, exchanging pleasantries, au naturel. Sorry, no photos. Heh.)

Actual steamy shot of lobster pot bath, by undercover agent.
(Thanks, C!)

And then I was going to relate that now when I even think about getting stressed over the prospect of being here possibly through the winter, I just put myself back in that cave, sitting in the steamy pool with a towel on my head...ahhh. 

But now I can't, because I lost so much time doing the rush-rush tidy-up routine and driving around the neighborhood while strangers roamed my house. Tonight I'm heading to a meeting of a local knitting group that I used to belong to. 

*Dipping my toe back in the water*, so to speak.

Koyasan

Kompon Daito, Koyasan

I've not yet jumped back into anything productive since our return, so here's a glimpse of our overnight visit to Koyasan, the spiritual center of Shingon Buddhism.  Set in an alpine basin about 1000 meters above sea level and surrounded by mountain peaks, it's the home to over 100 temples, many of which provide overnight lodging.  We hopped a train out of Osaka for the two hour trip, happy to escape the humidity for the cool mountain air. 

Ekoin Temple (highly recommended!)

Molly booked our stay at EkoinTemple, centrally located in the center of town and staffed by young monks.  Dinner and breakfast, included in the overnight fee, are served in room.  We also found this perk outlined in their information for visitors.

Fortunately, we didn't need this.

Path through Okunoin

My favorite spot in Koyasan was Okunoin, site of the main temple (no photos allowed) and a massive cemetery of over a half million graves located in a dark, cool cedar forest.  Its magical aura was broken by an unexpected onset of mosquito swarms in the late afternoon, but not before we had lots of time to wander and take in the fascinating shrines and statuary, many eerily encrusted with moss.  A few of my favorites...

On our second day, after an early rise, we explored a bit more...several temples and the view from the edge of town..before heading back to Osaka for a bit of city shopping. 

6:30 am services at our temple lodgings

Temple garden, Kongobuji Temple

Pathway to vista view...

...definitely worth the hike!

I wasn't familiar with Koyasan before Molly mentioned it but I would definitely suggest it as a destination if you're ever visiting the Kyoto-Osaka area.  The town's historical sites are all within walking distance and it seemed much less touristy than many areas we've visited, with the added attraction of its gorgeous geographic setting. 

The fog of jet lag has finally cleared and things are getting back to some routine around here.  Faced with putting together a more personal photo travelogue for family & friends (whittling down from over 800 shots), I am feeling slightly overwhelmed on that front.  Enticing me away from that task, my Ravelry invitation arrived yesterday, quite a surprise since there were over 15,000 people ahead of me when I left for Japan.  *Danger, Will Robinson!*  I can see that this will could be another serious time warp if I'm not careful.  It's motivated me to cast something on tonight though, and I'm going to order some Finullgarn this afternoon, so we'll look at it as a positive for now.

Peaceful moments await you

These magenta flowers at a Tsumago doorway caught my eye early in our visit, so I was happy to see them again the next day at Nabana no Sato, a sort of flower garden theme park which describes itself in its brochure as *A small, dream-like village located on the banks of the Nagara River.*  Some family friends took us there on a day trip and I was able to identify the pompom flowerettes as gomphera.

Gomphera and marigolds

Though the overall grounds were beautiful, they were easily rivaled by their famed, indoor begonia garden.

For maximum impact, click photos to enlarge.

Notice the seating area, dated and available for group photo ops.

I'm not even particularly a begonia fan, but it was difficult to stop shooting photos of them until we proceeded to....

...the cosmos fields, which were surrounded on three sides by dahlia beds.

These blossoms were about the size of cabbages.

In addition to the gardens and greenhouses, the village is home to a wedding chapel, beer garden, numerous restaurants and snack stops (rose and lavender soft serve ice cream...surprisingly delicious) and a welcome sight to departing guests, a hot springs footbath.  Ahhh.

As they say in their brochure, Nabana no Sato is a spacious oasis with a perfect balance of beautiful nature and modern facilities.  Enjoy a visit with your family, friends or partner.  Like our beautiful oilseed rape vista, peaceful moments await you. 

I might have phrased that a bit differently.

Kaerimashita

When I left a couple of weeks ago, I was bordering on mental case status and I am happy to report that I have returned only marginally so.  *grin*  It was a wonderful change of scenery, figuratively and literally.  Can't get further from the cornfields than this, can you?

Bamboo forest

Molly knocked herself out planning our stay.  Activities ranged from a day at her high school festival, an overnight stay at a mountaintop Buddhist temple, a weekend trip to a seaside onsen resort, shopping in Osaka, three days with family friends and various hostings by co-workers, Molly's tea ceremony teacher and English class.  Nonstop fun, dotted with relaxing times despite the hectic schedule.  The best part?  Spending some time with Molly again...and getting a peek into her multifaceted life.

   

We dragged in on Wednesday night, completing our 24-hour journey from Japan by means of car, ferry, plane, plane, cab and car.  When my head hit the pillow, I was sure I would sleep for a week, but awoke yesterday morning, a mere 4 hours later, at 4:30 a.m.  After a quick trip to the grocery store and the post office to pick up all that vacation mail, I decided to unpack everything.  Suitcases and totes dropped in various rooms, I sorted clothes into mounds of laundry, piled purchases & gifts on the dining room table and set items Molly sent home with us on the stairs for eventual packing.  With unusual energy, I weeded through the mail, wrote checks to be sent, stacked magazines and catalogs for eventual perusal.  So energized!  And then I hit the wall.  Usually I don't feel the effects of jet lag for a few days but I instantly recognized the hit-over-the-head-with-a-hammer feeling of needing a nap...immediately.

At which point, the realty office called to schedule a showing.  In an hour.  Home with a thud!

I took hundreds of photos and am waiting to integrate more that will be forthcoming soon from Molly and friends.  I'll try to share a few while I get myself back into a routine here over the next few days, between naps and blog reading skimming.  (People, you sure have been posting with a vengeance since summer's over and the kids are back in school.)  Right now, however, I'm feeling the overwhelming urge to plant my face in a pillow. 

Wish I was back here again.  Note the ocean breeze blowing the curtain.  *sigh*