powderbum

1. Greet people warmly with a nod and a sincere smile. 2. Never, ever, be the loudest person in the room. 3. Go out of your way to be kind to others. 4. Compassion, sympathy, empathy. Skills to be cultivated. Nothing takes more strength. A rabbit to balance the gibberish.

I hope he won’t mind a bit of public gratitude. A thank you to my friend @obenkarp for this map of Vermont. Framed, appropriately, I believe, with maples leaves from the yard. It will now find a home on a wall here in Nikko.

Making use of the Furusato-Nozei system. Pheasant Hamburg. Because revenge* will be a dish best served with a side of sweet potatoes and grilled vegetables. *or the Circle of Life, if you prefer

The very occasional retweet because nobody I know in English language Twitter happens to be following. And because what this person shares is beauty bordering on the sublime. It will make a little moment of your day better.

I’ve seen and heard many things over the decades in Tokyo. Looking down at a first.

Read something. Listen to something. Chat some. Doze some. Two delightfully uneventful hours later you are where you want to be, exactly when you expected it. Sunday dinner still awaits. And because sometimes you sit on the left-hand side of the train.

Let’s say you and your partner have arrived at the hotel. The plan is to lock the door behind you, forget the outside world, and enjoy yourselves. A weekend for romance. Nothing else. There are two vacant rooms, both stunning and identical in every detail save for one:

For the first time since last March we will turn the water off before leaving for the city, on a train that will, today, depart exactly one minute before sunset.

I have one niece. We’ve never actually met. She likes unicorns and wearing big princess dresses and playing soccer with her brother at the beach, and she keeps asking for more of the miso soup packages we send her. Her name is Maple.

Sea of Clouds and Just Clouds and a Bit of Clearing.

Penned in 1998. Widely circulated in 2016. Thought of again this morning. And here’s a fluffy rabbit looking pretty badass. As far as fluffy rabbits looking badass goes.

Admiring the moon, however briefly. It has gotten colder out there.

Mt. Nantai and Mt. Nyoho, overlooking Kirifuri Falls. A November Saturday in Nikko. A short bike ride from home.

One day I know I’ll be wise enough to distinguish between a Very Serious Hiking Trail™️ which demands my most enthusiastic greetings for all who pass, and Just A Trail™️ which requires eyes firmly on the path in front and no social interaction whatsoever. But not today.

🎶 Lay here and watch the trees sway… Got nothing to tell you, l've got nothing much to say Only I'm glad to be here with you On this heavenly, heavenly, heavenly, heavenly day 🎶 #tonedeafperhaps #anallowanceofafewgoodmoments