台風が無事に通りました。Typhoon passing in the night.

September 7, 2007: Uncategorized

台風9号が夜中この辺を通りました。50km南では高速道路や時には新幹線も通行止めになっていますが、こちらは雨降っただけで大丈夫です。千曲川がかなり上がってきていますが暴れなさそうです。軽井沢は停電の問題が続いているようですが、戸倉上山田温泉では午後から晴れる予定ですし、無事です。
Typhoon #9 passed through our area during the night. About an hour's drive to the south of us, freeways are still closed and electricity is down. Here, we're expecting the sun to come out this afternoon. Chikuma River, which runs through our town, has risen quite a bit but no worries about going over the banks. I wanted to go down to river and pick up more rocks for our outdoor bath project, but will have to wait until tomorrow.
亀清旅館のHPはこちらClick here for Kamesei Ryokan home page.


台風9号の後の千曲川 戸倉上山田温泉


信州の未来 Nagano's future

September 2, 2007: Uncategorized

Andy and Kenny in front of the science dome

今日は我が子供を連れて佐久市巡りしました。まずは昆虫天国の佐久パラダでした。ちょっと寂しかったけど、子ども達が森の中でいっぱい走れて、気持ちよかったです。その後、佐久市子ども未来館に行きました。東京はもっと凄い設備の科学センターがあるでしょうが、それぞれのディスプレイが上手に出来ていたし、スタッフがとっても積極的に明るくて、頑張っているなと思いました。
Today we took the kids for a trip to Saku, about 45 minutes towards Tokyo from here. First stop was the Parada beetle and insect world. A little dilapidated, but the kids enjoyed running around the woods. Next was the Saku Children's Science Dome for the Future. There are probably more sophisticated science centers in Tokyo, but the displays here were all done really well, and I was pleasantly surprised by how engaging the staff was.

亀清旅館のhpはこちらClick here for Kamesei Ryokan's website





There he goes again....

September 1, 2007: 亀清旅館 Kamesei Ryokan

First time bamboo harvester

この夏のプロジェクト、露天風呂作り、が段々と完成に近付いています。今度はお風呂の周りの竹の塀を作るので、そのために今日は竹を収穫しました。知り合いの竹畑で。又初体験!
Next step in my big outdoor bath project for is a bamboo fence. Today I harvested the bamboo for it at a friend's forest. I had to chase away all the panda bears to get to the bamboo. Just kidding! But there were all kinds of spiders and beetles and geckoes. My kids had a blast.
亀清旅館のHPはこちらClick here for Kamesei Ryokan's website





露天風呂にオリジナルな塀 Original Fence for our outdoor bath

August 30, 2007: Uncategorized

この夏に作っている露天風呂にプライバシーの為にこの塀を作っています。今日は取り敢えず形が出来て、明日は仕上がりを。材料はログホームを作る知り合いから頂いた杉皮です。Our big project this summer has been making an outdoor bath. Today I put together this privacy fence. Tomorrow I'll add the finishing touches to it. The fence is made of cedar bark that I got from a log house builder acquaintance.
亀清旅館のHPはこちらClick here for Kamesei Ryokan website.





初秋?紅葉と美咲ちゃん First of the Fall Foliage?

August 29, 2007: Uncategorized

朝、亀清旅館の裏の公園に散歩したら、発破が既に落ち始まっているのを見て、落ち葉とうちの美咲ちゃんのこのツーショットを撮りました。
During my morning walk, at the park behind Kamesei Ryokan I saw that the leaves have started to fall, and took this picture with our little girl, Misaki.

亀清旅館のHPはこちらClick here for Kamesei Ryokan website.







りんごが始まった!Apple season has started!

August 28, 2007: Uncategorized

'Tsugaru' variety

週末に来てくれた地元のお客様から採れたてのりんごを頂きました。子のりんごが「津軽」と言う種類です。私の一番好きな種類の尼すっぱい「紅玉」もそろそろ出るかな?
Last weekend we had some guests from the local area, and they brought us a treat: some apples they had just picked. That means apple season has officially started. Nagano is the #2 prefecture in Japan for apple production. My favorite variety is the sour 'kougyoku' one, perfect for baking apple pies.





ごみvs.教会 Garbage or Church?

August 26, 2007: Uncategorized

Gomi guard

私の生まれたところは日曜日の朝が教会へ行く時です。日本に来て、驚いたのは教会へ行く方が少ないし、代わりに皆がごみ・リサイクルをする。今日が当番でした。朝5時半から起きて、布団は34枚も上げて、そしてごみ当番。旅館の若旦那の生活です。
Back on my home planet, Sunday mornings are for going to church. Here in Japan, Sunday mornings are for gathering your recyclable garbage. Today was our turn to man the garbage station. Wake up at 5:30am, flip 34 futons, and be the neighborhood garbage man.
'Tis the life of an innkeeper in Japan.
亀清旅館のHPはこちらへClick here for Kamesei Ryokan website