Dirty Snowflake

After discovering the delights of the pond she is ready for a bath.

Dusk

The dawn of November

The first sun of November peeks over the horizon.

A pastel sketch and a photo profile?

The pastel sketch was done by my father in 1947.  

The pup on the right is Duke when a puppy,

3 years ago.

 Snowflake, a temporary resident

Pastel dawn

The T19 typhoon left its own beauty on the beaches. 

This pristine piece of shell is part of a giant clam.

Post T19 Vongfong  

The sugar cane was a record crop 

a week ago, tall and lush green

      After the storm, a beach drains out 

 Everywhere was hit by a blizzard of sand

The footpath was like walking on fresh snow. 

(There's a dog in there somewhere) 

Wanna Walkies!

This is the expression that means only one thing. 

He can maintain it for ages while I try to work

Again a huge discrepancy 

in typhoon path predictions 

between JMA and overseas.

How do they expect us to plan a weekend barbecue?

Happy Hour?

The advancing storm is putting a miserable end to happy hour. 

Duke can be seen already making his exit.
The rain hit minutes later

Typhoon No.16  Fung Wong

The JMA forecast has the typhoon headed to Okinawa and Yoron.

The International forecast has it going well east of us.

Let's hope JMA is wong.

Rain falls like a gold lace curtain in the dawn sun.

The squally weather is ideal for summer, 

friendly to the farmer and welcomed by the garden.

There are only two people...

who use the long beach in the mornings, 

myself and a local farmer with a dog called Hokto.  

Hokto is a scruffy grey mutt that looks like he's been created by Dr.Seuss. 

The farmer is not much different, squat and tubby. 

In the winter months he often gets out before me 

and leaves his footprints on the beach.

He walks with short steps, feet splayed out. 

One morning I tried walking in his footprints 

and found myself doing a Charlie Chaplin imitation.

In the summer months I get out before him to avoid the sun 

so my footprints are the only ones on the beach.

This morning I had finished our walk 

 and was sat on a driftwood seat I had made at the beach exit.  

The farmer and Hokto appeared at their usual place 

midway down the beach where the boats are pulled up.  

Him and Hokto started off away from us 

and then as I watched he started acting strangely. 

At that distance it was at first hard to imagine what he was doing.  

The little farmer was swinging his arms 

and taking giant strides like a Greek palace guard. 

He was walking in my footprints. 

And, amazingly, he kept going like that until he became a dot on the beach. 

Even Duke laughed.

Maybe he found out it was better exercise than his usual waddle.

Or maybe he wondered how it felt to be in the shoes of a tall gaijin.

Carriers of the sun. 

Predawn, 18th August 2014. 

Two planets in close proximity precede the sun.

Ancient civilizations would see this as an oracle 

of some coming event.

No idea what planets they are.

Squalls in the sunset.

The rain has retreated for a while, leaving a gap for a BBQ. 

But this summer the squalls are never far away.  

Sun and rain, sun and rain...

good for the garden, and cool breezes

with every passing shower. 

Love it.

Summer storm dawns

Midsummer morn and battleship island. 

Local lore says that the island was mistakenly shelled

 by the U.S. Navy during WW11. 

They didn't manage to sink it.

Marooned Minnie 

So long Halong.  

Typhoon 11 breezed by without too much fuss. 

Left a beaut beach and a gift- 

the first glass fishing ball in five years.

Dog's Delight

Rough seas at high tide 

dumped this useful post on the beach.

With its chunk of concrete base 

it must weigh half-a-ton - 

a mystery how it came over the reef.

PlantPro Model X1

A scientific new development 

 for plant protection in violent storms. 

 Can be rotated to any wind direction.

Double sandbags tied together secure the chair (I hope). 

We'll see in a couple of days.

Hello Halong

A lemon sun rises above waves from T11, 

as big as houses, breaking on the reef.

Calm before the storm.

Time for a last barbecue before 

typhoon No.11 arrives, about 36 hours away.

The sea in the lagoon is only slightly ruffled 

but the reef is beginning to roar 

like a flight of approaching bombers.

Just  Duke and myself, (wifie away visiting an aging mom).

Aaah, peace. Time for another beer.

A bone to pick.  

Duke has been picking 

at this lamb bone for five days,

won't part with it

Weekend Guests

Funny thing happened on the way to the sea this morning.  

Curious bottle lying at the tideline. 

Picked it up and cleaned it off and... POOF!  

Lottsa smoke and a big Genie appears, all green and puffy. 

"Gosh" I exclaimed. 

"Thank you master," says the Genie, 

"You have released me from the bottle 

so you shall be granted any wish."

 "Gosh" I repeated, 

(as it's my favourite exclamation in such circumstances.)

And after deep thought said, "I wish to live for ever."  

The Genie's face fell.

I picked it up and  gave it back to him. 

 "Sorry, pal," he said. 

"We Genies don't do 'For Ever' wishes. Think again."

Disappointed,  I compromised, 

"Okay," I said" I wish to live until England wins The World Cup."

So, I should be around for a long, long time.

Morning spit

This sand spit (behind Duke) appeared the morning 

after the last typhoon T9. Beach used to a straight line here.

Crack of dawn

Beach art

It is sometimes good to just stop 

and look around one's feet. 

Nature paints its own picture everywhere.

Making friends?

Duke and Daffy trying to strike up a relationship. 

Problem is, Duke sniffs and then licks his lips.

Memories of past barbecues perhaps?

With the rainy season over... 

lovely weather starts

It's a Dog's Life.  

Lesson 1. How to carry pups.

Ethereal Eyes

                                                           With my digi-camara kaput

I had to wake wifie up at 4.30am in the morning 

when I found these two celestials 

staring through my bedroom window. 

It was well worth while and she took a great shot.

Careful scrutinising shows the sea's horizon

"Don't even think about it"

SABISHI!

Yonta, after a last bath.
The new owner came to collect him shortly after.
Glad to see he'll have a nice home with lots of love.

Pals

Basil (on top) and Yonta are going to miss each other 

when their owners come to claim them.

Duke will also miss the beach chases

Aint nothing like a tummy tickle.

The new owner called her Basil, a boy’s name, 

because they own a herb garden and restaurant.

Suppose it’s better than Coriander.

Duke at Dawn

With May now opened up morning walkies start early.

Sun gets uncomfortable by 7.00am