Spring is right around the corner

I say this because for the past few weeks my friends and I have been doing things that you would only expect to do in the spring. Mainly we have gone on a few hikes, walks and bike rides. This weekend in Hagi was the Tsubaki Matsuri or Camelia festival. After an extremely snowy drive through the mountains of Kano (where I got in a small car accident that could have been a lot worse than it really was) we headed to Mt. Kasayama. We arrived at around 3:30 only to find out it had ended. We continued to walk around the park and enjoy the camelias and natsu mikan growing on surrounding trees. It was a beautiful walk and day. My friend Dave from Matsuyama was in so it was nice to show him the true inaka (rural) of Yamaguchi.

This winter has confused me a little bit. It is no where near as cold as Ohio and no where near as snowy but for some reason it feels never ending. Maybe it is because we don't have central heating in our homes. Each time we return home we must fire up our kerosene heaters in order for it to be bearable. Only to wake up the next morning to an icy house and seeing your breath indoors. Showers are the worst. Try getting naked in the same temperatures as the outdoors, EVERYDAY. Worst of all I recently have a bit of frost bite on my feet. I have heard it is very common, in fact Bren has had it as well. It leaves your toes red, swollen, ichy and painful. Putting on your shoes feels like your toes are covered with bruises. It is nothing serious, just an annoyance of Japanese winter. It sure feels never ending.

But for now I will stop my ranting and look out the window on this 50 degree day. It is beautiful but I sit here breathing in the kerosene fumes of the stove that my office feels obligated to use on this gorgeous day.