Friday, July 29, 2011

clouds...

clouds... by angryparsnip
clouds..., a photo by angryparsnip on Flickr.

A quick sketch of some monsoon cumulonimbus clouds

drawing. . . parsnip
music. . . Rain, Ryuichi Sakamoto

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Wednesday In Japan...

Wednesday In Japan... by angryparsnip
Wednesday In Japan..., a photo by angryparsnip on Flickr.

My Wednesday post about my life in Japan.

The Special House Ramen...

dried seaweed... nori
green onions...negi
roasted pork... chaashuu
egg...tamago
noodles... men
house made pickled cabbage... kimchee
in a miso soup... suupu

The day was hot, too hot for me but this ramen was a super quick
wonderful lunch.
Plus what can I say lunch with my wonderful daughter-in-law and
darling granddaughter is always perfect.

Now if I can only come up with a better word than daughter-in law. Yes
she is married to my son, but she is more, she is family and how nice
that I am now part of her family !

Be sure to check out photo of the restaurant on post #2

happy. . . parsnip
music. . . One Summers Day, Joe Hisaishi

ramen #2

ramen #2 by angryparsnip
ramen #2, a photo by angryparsnip on Flickr.

Local Ramen restaurant just across the square from the family home in
Nishinomiya.

Monday, July 25, 2011

parley view parsnip

parley view parsnip by angryparsnip
parley view parsnip, a photo by angryparsnip on Flickr.

My Monday post on what is going on around my home.

Today it is really about my home..... A work in progress.

This is a mosaic I am working on for the back wall on my small wall
fountain. All made from broken tiles from some of my past project.
It will be floated on top of the sliced rock wall to hopefully look
like leafs and flowers floating down stream.

When I lived in Laguna Beach I use to have my own kiln and made
speciality tiles, wall planters and chess boards
I always save the pieces that didn't come out quite right , were
cracked, broken and I break them up and used in my mosaics.

On my recent move to Tucson, I am sure the movers where wondering why
this crazy lady was moving boxes of broken tiles carefully marked
"Broken Tiles, Studio, Do Not Drop"

ceramics. . . parsnip
music. . . Hollywood, Michael Buble

Friday, July 22, 2011

space.....

space..... by angryparsnip
space....., a photo by angryparsnip on Flickr.

On July 21, Space Shuttle Atlantis touched down for the last time.
The Space Shuttle program is ending after thirty years and I am quite
sad.

I am 64 years old and I grew up with the hope and excitement of the
future before all of us. It was right before us and all we had to do
is dream, work hard and reach for it. The world and space was ours.
I think the Space Program was a spark that inspired a generation of
people and children.

I think we have no dreams today, not on the magnitude of those early
years.
Today we have no one thing sparks or inspires us to achieve like we
had at the start of the space program. Excitement to achieve.

When I was a little girl growing up in Chicago, one of the best
weekend afternoon treats was a trip to the airport.
Not to get on a plane and fly away somewhere but to park on the street
at the end of the runway , with lots of other families, and watch the
airplanes takeoff or land. If we timed it right the Good Humor Ice
Cream truck would be there and we got eat ice cream and watch the
airplanes.
So amazing so exciting and so much fun.
Ones imagination took flight with those airplanes of the 1950's.

Then the Space program started, "The Right Stuff" rides circling the
earth, trips to the stars, landing on the Moon, colonies on Mars,
missions to other Galaxies.
It was exciting to be young in the 1950's the world was before us. We
were all so young and full of promise.

I think I was very lucky to be growing up durning the 1950's. I know
there were lots of problems but what I remember was the ability to
look forward, to be able to be inspired and run with it.

wistful . . . parsnip
music. . . Back In The High Life Again, Steve Winwood

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Wednesday In Japan

Food-08.03Trip-7 by sleepytako
Food-08.03Trip-7, a photo by sleepytako on Flickr.

My Wednesday post about my life in Japan

Ekiben

Train station bento
eki = station ben from bento.

I have posted before about my love of train station food in Japan.
On longer rides you can buy food at the station especially made for the train trip. What is wonderful is each area has take out lunches featuring the food of that region.

This was a lunch my Japanese son bought on the local train from Toyama to Kanazawa.
Masuzushi
masu = a type of sea trout.
or it can be called masu no sushi = shushi of trout.
The #2 post today shows the food and the fabulous container it come in.

Fabulous packaging, wonderful presentation, terrific food, plus a wonderful train ride and if you get to add some crazy family.... nothing could be better.

Thank you sleeptako for the use of the photo and great memories !

hungry. . . parsnip
music. . . Bright Lighst Bigger City, Cee Lo Green

masuzushi #2

Food-08.03Trip-8 by sleepytako
Food-08.03Trip-8, a photo by sleepytako on Flickr.

What the food looks like inside the beautiful wooden box.
Trout placed over sushi rice, wrapped in bamboo leaves and fit into a shallow ceder cylindrical container. Then it is weighted down for a set time.
This was my Japanese sons lunch on the local train from Toyama to Kanazawa.
I have the lovely ocean view paper wrapping framed and hanging in my pantry.

I have eaten the special Oshizushi (pressed sushi) covered with Persimmon leaves from Nara.
Fabulous !

Monday, July 18, 2011

parley view parsnip....

parley view parsnip.... by angryparsnip
parley view parsnip...., a photo by angryparsnip on Flickr.

My Monday post about what is going on around my home.

Early Saturday morning clouds, looking east towards toward the Rincon
Mountains.
I like that you can see the sun through the line of Altocumulus clouds.

I have put my "The Book Of Clouds" by John A. Day out on my desk so I
can really understand what am seeing beyond
"Wow those are fabulous clouds"
Just so you know how much of a geek I am, one of the first sites I
joined after getting a computer of my own and trying to learn how to
use it, while roaming around cyber land was "The Cloud Appreciation
Society" based in the UK. Yep ! I'm a cloud geek.
Living in Arizona how could you not be !

Update on my Friday post...
The rabbits have really adapted to the Sonoran Desert.
The longer ears allow the rabbits to listen for predators while laying
low and still.
They also have larger veins that run through the larger ears to allow
heat to radiate out from them.
We have the cute little Desert Cottontails, and the Antelope and Black-
Tailed Jackrabbit.

In a Southwest story ... The Great Spirit creates the desert and the
creatures who will live there. He has the Jackrabbit guide them to
their new homes and explains their special adaptation which makes them
well suited to the environment. Well the Jackrabbit doesn't listen,
mess every thing up and when the Great Spirit realizes what has
happen, he gives the Jackrabbit an adaptation of his own, bigger ears
so he can listen better.
I use to think this was a Navajo tale but I think it is just a folk
tale ?
There is a book called, "How The Jackrabbit Got His Very Long Ears"
by Heather Irbinskas that is wonderful. I have sent it to many of the
children of family and friends with a cute stuffed animal that goes
with the story.

hopping. . . parsnip
music. . . Dancing In The Street, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas

Friday, July 15, 2011

hey.....

hey..... by angryparsnip
hey....., a photo by angryparsnip on Flickr.

I can almost hear the rabbit saying "hey thats my spot "

When it is very hot, all the animals come to the shady plants and
trees that are on a drip system and dig in the cool dirt to nap away
the hot afternoons.
I looked out my studio window ( sorry about the window glare) to find
a Bunny Showdown by the sweet orange tree.
Talk about the Tombstone, OK Corral Showdown ! I could almost hear the
music and spurs clinking......
It seems this bunny had the best spot but after one circle around the
tree the bunnies thought better of hopping about in the heat and all
was resolved quickly.

The monsoon have stopped for a few days so that means sunny skies and
temperatures back up to the 102/108 range.
Tomorrow the next wave of storms start and we are watching the mountains
waiting to see the clouds building up.

We have been enjoying lovely summer weather last week because of the
monsoons cool down.
Highs in the upper 90's and lows in the 70's.
It was 68 this morning at my home and it was perfect ! Shocking !
I live higher in the foothills so I am always a few degrees cooler
than in the valley where City of Tucson is.

stormy. . . parsnip
music. . . Mercy, Duffy

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Wednesday in Japan.....

Wednesday in Japan..... by angryparsnip
Wednesday in Japan....., a photo by angryparsnip on Flickr.

My Wednesday post about my life in Japan.

Sengan Taoru
Washcloths in English, but worlds apart.

Unlike the American equivalent, these washcloths are not shut away in
some linen closets in colors from beige to pink and used for washing
up in a bathroom.
Sengan Taoru are carried in purses or pockets and used for drying your
hands when using a public restroom.
Even now when living back in American I still carry one in my purse. I
despise the wastefulness of paper towels and air hand dryers.

These fabulous squares of terry cloth come in brilliant colors,
designs and patterns. Any color and designs you desire from polka
dots, plaids, leaves, flowers or as in the above photo a few of the
mascots from my collection. I smile every time I use one.
Sold in Department stores, trendy shops, tourist destinations they can
be found in every where.

Sengan Taoru are usually one of the first differences ( beside the
wonderful lime green public phones, see my photo ) that tourist are
exposed to.
I was surprised to the attention to detail, style, usefulness of these
small wonders that characterizes much of Japan.
There is much though behind appearances and how it affects your
everyday life. Beauty can be found in a simple useful washcloth or a
walk in a tree lined park to view the Sakura Blossoms.

So kawaii !

charmed. . . parsnip
music. . . Kiki"s Delivery Service, OST

Monday, July 11, 2011

parley view parsnip...

parley view parsnip... by angryparsnip
parley view parsnip..., a photo by angryparsnip on Flickr.

My Monday Post about what is going on around my home...

Last Thursday started out like any typical monsoon day in Tucson.
Bright blue skies in the morning, fluffy white thunderhead clouds
building up and up, getting bigger and bigger in the afternoon till
they are islands of whipped cream floating over your head.
About 4PM the rains started over the Rincon Mountains to the east and
the Santa Ritas Mountains to the south.

We saw the curtain of rain coming towards us but thought we had time
to drive the few minutes to Ginza, our local Izakaya.
Half way there I saw and felt the typical fat, fat rain drops hitting
the ground and car and then came the faint sound of hail, melting
when it hit the car and ground. The hail only lasted sixty seconds,
and the curtain of rain pass over us and then was gone in ten minutes,
slowly moving west.
So typical of the summer monsoon we get in Tucson.

Coming home later in the evening, this is what the sunset looked liked.
Living in Tucson is like living in a technicolor movie from the 1930's
and 40's.

Fabulously Exciting !

Eryl. . . again many thanks for the great play on words in naming my
Monday blog post !
I smile every time I write it ^_^

smiling. . . parsnip
music. . .Workin' On The Cloud, OST, The Last Exile

Friday, July 8, 2011

4th of July storm

4th of July storm by angryparsnip
4th of July storm, a photo by angryparsnip on Flickr.

Our huge start to our Monsoon season started on the 4th of July
You can see in this close up how very powerful and destructive these
fast moving rain storms can be. When this storm hit my home about
5:15 pm it lasted about 20 minutes but the winds that came with it
were clocked at 65 to 77 mph. Hello... can you say hurricane ! ! !

As I was standing outside to take some photos before the rain hit, the
wind sounded like a train zooming by.
Between the micro bursts and the over 1000 lighting strikes in an
hour, I am thinking maybe it was good idea to get back in the house.

You will again have to click on my blog to see 2 more storm photos. Can't wait till next month so Japanese son can help me with my blog/photo posting.

wet. . . parsnip
music. . . Open Your Eyes, Snow Patrol

rain storm photo #2

rain storm photo #2 by angryparsnip
rain storm photo #2, a photo by angryparsnip on Flickr.

Clouds moving west from my home toward the Tucson Mountains, Oro
Valley and Marana

4th of July storm #3

4th of July storm  #3 by angryparsnip
4th of July storm #3, a photo by angryparsnip on Flickr.

Late afternoon storm clouds building over the Catalina Mountains.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Wednesday In Japan !

IMG 2889 by sleepytako
IMG 2889, a photo by sleepytako on Flickr.

My Wednesday post about my life in Japan.

I have a huge list of my favorite things in Japan and near the very top right after the Vending Machines are "Oshibori"

Oshibori are damp hand towels that are given out at restaurants at the start of your meal.
Most of the cheaper restaurants have plastic wrapped paper oshibori but many have, thank goodness, the cotton towels.
According to the season you get either a hot or cold towel.

Absolutely heaven !

In this photo by my Japanese son, sleepytako, you can see the KCC delivery of the fresh wrapped towels all ready for lunch and dinner.

This photo was taken in Umeda around 10 AM.
Thanks David for the use of the photo and the memories !

happy. . . parsnip
music. . . Daydream, Tatsu Yamashita

Monday, July 4, 2011

parley view parsnip.....

parley view parsnip..... by angryparsnip
parley view parsnip....., a photo by angryparsnip on Flickr.

This week and especially Sunday was a cornucopia filled with wild
animals around my home !

Last Tuesday when it was 113 in Tucson it was so hot that even the
little Hummingbirds took refuge in my small fountain that is cut into
one of my walls in my back yard.
The little one on the tail of the fish stayed there all afternoon.
The other one coming in for a landing sat on the edge with the water
bubbling over the tiny little feet !

As I sit in my studio and look out the window I saw Sunday afternoon a
Coyote loping by, the usual Quail Families with new babies, Bunnies
galore, Cardinals, Doves, Humming Birds, Lizards, Squirrels and a
Coopers Hawk looking for lunch which he caught it right above my head
as I was sitting outside. And Oswald ! ! !

The way my blog is set up I can only have one photo with each post
( this will change when Japanese Son visits next month and can show me
how to change my blog ) so please click on the next two posts to find
out who Oswald is ?

burning. . . parsnip
music. . . Cardiac Party, Jack Mack and the Heartattacks.

Oswald ! ! ! #2

Oswald ! ! !  #2 by angryparsnip
Oswald ! ! ! #2, a photo by angryparsnip on Flickr.

I finally got a picture of Oswald ! When I opened up my garage door
there was Oswald moseying by.
Love Love Love this snake. He (?) is a deep beautiful black with
white strips.
Oswald use to live on the west side of my home, but has moved over to
the east side and taken up residence. Which is good because that is
usually were the Pack Rats like to party.
Oswald is a Non Venomous, Common King Snake... NO ! there is
nothing common about Oswald, he is my dear friend. Why ? because he
eats Rattlesnakes, Snakes, Pack Rats, Gophers and mice. All the
animals that are trying to move into my home and cars.
One Day he got into my small fenced in yard and you should have see us
herding him out with brooms. . . another story for another day.

Morning Dove nest in Lemon Tree #3

I have been watching the building of this nest from my studio window.
Hope the Doves weren't too upset I took a picture of their
architectural wonder. I love bird nest, it is so amazing to see what
they find to weave into their nest.

Friday, July 1, 2011

their back.........

their back......... by angryparsnip
their back........., a photo by angryparsnip on Flickr.

Yaa Hoooooo !

The monsoons are back...
If you look in the middle of the photo you can see the rain starting
to come down over the Rincon Mountains like a wave.

Wednesday afternoon the clouds started to build up all around Tucson
and the storms started.
Late Wednesday night, early Thursday morning it finally rained in
Tucson. The storms are mostly to the east and south today because of a
northerly air stream pushing south but it will breakup by tomorrow and
we will again see rain in Tucson.
The Monsoon have started !

Maybe that bribe er.... offering of my daughters fabulous cookies finally
soften the cold cold heart of Mother Nature.

wet. . . parsnip
music. . . Singing In The Rain, Gene Kelly