WANISAN

This week while we were out doing a night time walk by the little river behind our house, we happened upon a couple of interesting characters.

I see interesting people and animals and birds and insects on my day time walks through the park and around the lake near our home, but we also walk at night along a small river (Okay, they call this a river here, but really, it wouldn’t rate as a small creek, large ditch? back home).

We always stop on one of the bridges on our way back and peer over the rails and look for fish. Sometimes there are catfish or carp that are 3 feet long swimming below. We’ve seen cranes, turtles, and ducks there, too.

One night we saw a small mammal there swimming in the water that got out of the water and disappeared into the shrubs along the back. We’ve seen it a couple of times and the best we can come up with is it is likely a type of weasel or mink.

Last night when we were walking we saw a larger animal on the bank below. It was looking back toward its rear so we couldn’t see the face or head clearly. We were trying to be very still because it was really only about 20 feet almost directly below us. After a short wait, we realized it was waiting on its partner and we could see the face clearly.

It was wearing its little mask.

Two, very healthy looking and a bit large, Japanese raccoons.

I tried to take a photo of them without creating too much of a stir. I only had my iPhone, so the picture isn’t all that good.

Maybe you can see them though.

This week I’m continuing to enjoy the fall weather while I’m out walking. I have been doing this now for about 3 months. Two times each week I walk by myself through the park near my home and usually at least 2 nights a week and up to 4 nights a week my wife and I walk together.

I have to really load up my iPod for something to listen to while I’m walking alone, but it’s been a very good thing for me to do. Maybe it’s one of the best things I do for myself. The weather has been pretty cooperative these days though there have been some cool and even rainy days.

The leaves are falling but there is still a lot of color. I love the smell of the leaves on the warmer and dry days. It really reminds me of home.

Here’s a shot of a short stretch of my walk:

So, the Thanksgiving holiday has passed. But it always lingers. Sometimes that’s not a good thing because what lasts is the food or worse, the weight gained from eating all of the food.

But there are good things left over as well.

Memories.

Memories of Thanksgivings passed spent with family, some who are no longer with us, and friends, and in other places, other times. The holiday season is a time for those reflections for most people, but maybe more so for those of us who are expatriated.

I get tired of the negativity and nastiness that pervades social media, but I truly enjoy seeing the messages, photos, and conversations of friends and family who are enjoying one another, sharing their lives, their memories, and their hope for the future.

Thanksgiving is finished? Hopefully no completely.

My favorite leftover is I am still feeling thankful.

Here’s a picture of our turkey:

This week marks the celebration of the biggest gathering type holiday in America. The annual Thanksgiving Day traditions run long and deep. There’s food, family, friends, football, and gathering together to eat an abundance of dishes to celebrate an abundance of things in our lives. Yes, we have plenty. Though we often feel as though it is not enough, we have plenty. Truly.

When people ask me if I miss my home country, the US, I usually, and frankly quite truthfully, say ‘not really’. Most everything I want or need I can have here in Japan. My family is here. My life is here. I can visit.

The time I get the most nostalgic or homesick for home though is around Thanksgiving. There is so much more to it than just the food items. (I can get everything here you would see on a traditional holiday table. Well, except for the home-made pumpkin pie my step-mom makes.)

Church, family, and friends still make this time special for me and those close to me.

It’s more than food. It’s the spirit of the day. A time to reflect and be grateful.

I have many things to be grateful for in my life. It hasn’t always been that way, but it has been now for many years. I am so humbled and happy to have my life, my family, my friends, my work, and my students.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Last week while I was on one of my walks by a fairly large (by Japan standards) lake, I noticed the usual suspects out there fishing. It’s a pretty common sight, to see a fair number of usually older men sitting on their little stands, using their fishing umbrellas and packing all their gear in large camping bags.

They sit there for hours trying to catch these small fish which they then of course release. Most of them are using cane pole type fishing rods and few are authentic cane.

This time it was raining slightly and not many were there, but I did notice this one guy who looked like he was dressed more for the rice fields, and those fields would have been more than 50 years ago.

I didn’t want to stop too long on my walk nor did I want to draw attention to myself, so I took only this quick shot with my phone’s camera.