2013-07-29

Green Steps


Even though we are living in a rental house, the owner said that we are free to do any kind of yardwork or upkeep as we like.

As I take the dogs for their morning, afternoon, and evening walks, I look at all the different ways that my neighbors have done their yards.

I like how this homeowner has added some simple symmetry and greenery just in front of their steps leading up to the front door.


2013-07-18

Border Office


All of a sudden, Dale realized that my office chair can swivel around.


She had fun trying to play on the chair!


She tried to get up onto the chair, but she has grown so much that it moves too much under her weight.




This is as far as she can get!


Now, I need to get her off so that I can get back to work!

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Nose to Ground


Took Mary to the local cemetery so that she can have a nice afternoon stroll without her leash.


This late in the afternoon is not the best time for taking pictures with an iPhone. Too much noise!

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2013-07-16

Mini Pin Grass


Mary loves this hill in the park. 


She's so small that the grass and flowers create a kind of forest for her :-)

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Mary Movie III


Playing under her blanket.

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Mary Movie II


Another dog walk near the park.

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Mary Movie I


Dog walk in the local park.

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Kaneko's House


Will rent this house for both living and working. The owner is a pensioner who retired from his carpentry business. As the old saying goes, the shoemaker's children go shoeless. The owner seemed to build this house for utility more than beauty. It's old, but has tons of storage space and good air ventilation to accommodate the hot and humid summers.



Every room also has huge windows to help warm the house in winter. Every room has numerous outlets, which is uncommon in most apartments and homes built during the 70s and 80s. When not working, there's enough ambient light to do cleaning or to do office work at the computer. 


Will use this space as my office and study. With all the in-wall cabinets, had to get rid of a lot of our old cabinets and shelves to help avoid excess clutter. In fact, if we moved here with some of our old furniture, we wouldn't be able to use them since they'd block access to the buil-in storage.



I especially like the shoji paper sliding doors. We will get rid of the old light fixtures and bring our own for more brightness at night and asthetics.


The first floor is almost like a trick house or built to accommodate ninja defenders. You can access different rooms from different doors depending on where you happen to be. Another nice benefit is that lots of natural light shines in from the east, south, and west -- warm in winter, but a bit warm in summer.



Most rooms except for three have wall-to-wall tatami straw mats on the floors. Great for walking around with bare feet or just sprawling out on the floor for a mid-summer nap.


View of the front entrance from the room I'll use for the classroom.



The largest room upstairs will be my father-in-law's bedroom since he'll sleep on a bed, whereas the other rooms are better for sleeping on the tatami mats using futons.



The bedrooms upstairs have such big windows that you simply step through them to hang out the laundry on the balcony for drying. (As is the case in most Japanese homes, clothes dryers are a rich man's dream. Not only would the power bill for using a clothes dryer be astronomical, but there aren't even vents in the wall to accommodate the heat exhaust from a dryer in the first place.)

At sunset, we close the shutters on all the windows upstairs and downstairs for privacy and to keep the noise inside from bothering the neighbors. During winter, the add a bit of extra insulation from the cold, biting air. During typhoons, they add extra protection to the windows from flying debris.

All in all, I think we'll be comfortable here. This will be my first time to live in a house as opposed to an apartment or condo. Have a small yard with lots of shrubbery to maintain during summer. For the first time in 30 years, I'll be able to enjoy some gardening and yard work!

Best thing of all, we'll have a place where the dogs can stay with us indoors.

2013-07-15

Cemetery Noon


Came across this crane in the stream running by the condo! Very unusual sighting indeed!


Took the girls to the local cemetery this afternoon for their stroll.


Need to get a dog bra for her! 


Poor Dale gets real hot on these warm days. Clearly a dog bred for herding sheep in the cooler climate bordering on the highlands between England and Scotland!


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2013-07-12

Itachi River Dog


For the most part, this river is relatively clean with water foul, turtles, carp and other fish living here.


During summer, this is a great place for Dale to cool off!


Had no idea that she would love the water so much.


Here, she is waiting for me to splash some water for her to try to catch in her mouth!

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2013-07-09

Cemetery Sunset


Took the Border Collie to a nearby cemetery for her evening stroll. 


Used the Nikon to take these pics due to the need for greater low-light resolution. 


Queen Mary!


She's never given birth, but has teats that really stand out!


Dale is always "on the prowl" for her toys!


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