Horton Deakins's Blog, page 19
May 15, 2012
No peanut butter — just jelly
No time right now to show you the backpacking trip to the waterfall in Japan, but check out this video of jellyfish in the Monterey Bay Aquarium:
May 7, 2012
All the way to Japan to get away, and your sisters show up!
Just kidding. I was thrilled to see them. It would have been nice if all three could have come. I’ll get back to the waterfall backpacking trip soon, but here’s a skeenik photo of two of them and myself, somewhere in northern Japan, probably on the Oirase River (that’s about the only river for which I knew the name!) I must have used the self-timer on my Minolta Freedom III 35mm camera.
Two of my sisters and I in a scenic area of northern Japan
They weren’t willing to try just anything, but this photo catches my oldest sister and I eating yaki ika, better known as “squid on a stick.” Dig my photo-gray glasses.
Squid on a stick
If I’m not mistaken, this is Lake Towada, the largest volcanic caldera lake on the island of Honshu.
Lake Towada
Next time: Wild strawberries.
May 6, 2012
April 19, 2012
What’s a speed limit sign doing out here in the woods?
Little Waterfall in the Woods
After a long hiatus, I scanned in another roll of the negatives from my Japan photos. It’s always exciting for me to see them, since I don’t have prints of any of them. Unfortunately, tonight I only have time to post this one photo. It’s a waterfall way up in the mountains of northern Japan. I think this may be the Oirase River, but if not, it’s in an area close to that river.
Not many people, even Japanese people, have seen this sight. I hiked to it during a backpacking/camping trip with three other guys. I found I had written down their first names, but I have no idea what their last names were. I’m not sure whether I’m going to mask their faces when I post their photos, but in any case, I won’t post their names.
No, I didn’t get a photo of the speed limit sign (in kilometers per hour), but I assure you it was there. We walked by it on the trail, puzzled at its presence and wondering why it had some kanji written on it. About a mile up the path later, it dawned on me: that kanji said “waterfall” in Japanese. The sign had nothing to do with limiting our speed; rather, it was a marker telling us to “turn here for waterfall.”
We returned to the sign and proceeded down the hill through what could only be described as a jungle. Yeah, I know it’s not politically correct to say “jungle” rather than “rain forest.” So … jungle. Jungle, jungle jungle. Jungle. Jungle again. The waterfall was beautiful, so it was well worth risking snake bite and attacks from exotic arachnids.
I’ll post more photos from this trip when I get time.
March 14, 2012
Read my interview March 15th
One Writer's Journey.
See the story of my own journey on the path to becoming an author.
March 13, 2012
Remembering my pal
One week ago, March 7, was the the third anniversary of the death of my good buddy, Stormy.
Stormy, asleep, during his last days
Here he is at nearly 15 years old, not long for this world. The very next year, we lost our other dog, Breezy, a terrier mix, as well. But now we have Lucy, a cocker spaniel. She is quite the little hunter, and she really perks up if you say, "Squirrel!" She hasn't caught a squirrel yet, but she has done in a mole and a mouse or shrew, and she grabbed a quail in our yard one night, but she was unable to hold on and the bird escaped.
Check out this memorial video of Stormy doing tricks on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emejdOs_0RA
March 8, 2012
Everyone’s too afraid of criticism these days
I can’t believe no one told me my website didn’t display properly with Firefox. Maybe no one noticed. Ha. It doesn’t display exactly right under IE 9, either, but not a peep from anyone.
I think there are only two real possibilities: 1) Apathy, or 2) Fear. I don’t include ignorance, because those who are ignorant about it are merely those who haven’t seen it. And I’m too apathetic to elaborate on what I mean.
Anyway, it’s fixed now.
Everyone's too afraid of criticism these days
I can't believe no one told me my website didn't display properly with Firefox. Maybe no one noticed. Ha. It doesn't display exactly right under IE 9, either, but not a peep from anyone.
I think there are only two real possibilities: 1) Apathy, or 2) Fear. I don't include ignorance, because those who are ignorant about it are merely those who haven't seen it. And I'm too apathetic to elaborate on what I mean.
Anyway, it's fixed now.
February 10, 2012
Chinatown in Tokyo? Get outta here!
Tokyo Chinatown--maybe
Okay, perhaps this isn’t Tokyo Chinatown. Could be in Yokohama; could be Ikebukuro. I can’t be sure. But it’s from roll eighteen which contains some interesting fake-food displays from restaurant windows.
Plastic food
Hungry yet?
More plastic food
If that one didn’t get your juices going, then this next one will absolutely make you drool:
One-stop grocery shopping
This one’s not even fake! I’m ready to eat–how about you?
Typical street scene
Don’t even THINK about going the wrong way down this street!
Appetizers
Now, THAT’S an hors d’oeuvres tray! C’mon, let’s go!
Chinatown in Tokyo? Get outta here!
Tokyo Chinatown--maybe
Okay, perhaps this isn't Tokyo Chinatown. Could be in Yokohama; could be Ikebukuro. I can't be sure. But it's from roll eighteen which contains some interesting fake-food displays from restaurant windows.
Plastic food
Hungry yet?
More plastic food
If that one didn't get your juices going, then this next one will absolutely make you drool:
One-stop grocery shopping
This one's not even fake! I'm ready to eat–how about you?
Typical street scene
Don't even THINK about going the wrong way down this street!
Appetizers
Now, THAT'S an hors d'oeuvres tray! C'mon, let's go!
