Gone But Not Forgotten

Happy Birthday, Mary Jones!

Friday Finish - Cathedral Windows Table Runner

I am pleased with this finish.The size is about 12x31 inches and no fabric was repeated in the windows. I stitched the edges to make empty half windows.

Not Everyone Needs A Phone

Work In Progress Wednesday - More Windows

Strange Clouds

Last weekend when I was out walking, I noticed the sky above me was blue with no clouds.  The sky out over the sea was full of clouds, with the strangest holes in them.  

The photos aren't so good, there are always wires in the way in Japan. Have you seen clouds with big holes in them before?

Monday Morning Star Count - Week 32

Year Two of the temperature quilt  

Week 32

December  2 - 8 

53, 58, 73, 64, 54, 59, 52

Sarah at Sarah Did It! is continuing to host us on Wednesdays, so please check out the temperatures around the world.  Feel free to join in! The start of the new year would be the perfect time to start a temperature quilt or other temperature project.  I've seen some temperature afghans and some temperature cross stitch projects, although I really like the hexagons.  Choose your technique and join us.

I am reporting the high temperature each day.  My Year Two temperature/color (Fahrenheit) scheme remains the same: 

100 + Brown 

90-99 Red  

80-89 Orange 

70-79 Yellow  

60-69 Green  

50-59 Blue 

40-49 Purple 

30-39 Pink 

20-29 White 

10-19 Black  

Sengen Shrine Autumn Festival

(I attended this festival last month, but I took so many photos that it took me a long time to go through them).  I have visited Sengen Shrine in Fujinomiya several times.  The last time was in May for the Yabusame Festival. The shrine is walking distance from the Fujinomiya train station and a great place to visit.  

This typical Japanese festival covered the city streets as well as the Shrine grounds. Large decorated wooden carts carrying musicians were pulled by people wearing traditional festival clothing.  It looks a little dangerous. The heavy carts are pulled and pushed, and also prodded with big sticks. Some people hang out on top and others are tied to the sides. Aren't the costumes great?

On the outer shrine grounds were the food and game booths. 

My favorite festival "food" - fried noodles with seasoning salt

Inside the shrine area

The best part of this festival (in my opinion) are the battles between the carts.  Two carts meet, and I don't know if it is by chance or pre-arranged, and they slowly get closer and closer until they are inches apart.

The drums and the music get louder and the participants get very intense and stare at each other up close.

Eventually one cart backs up, then representatives of the two cart teams face off and drink a little cup of sake.  I don't know who is the winner.

I want to go to this festival again next year!