Saturday morning after a week of turmoil and intensity; how better to spend the time than Turgenev-ish rambles through the countryside to see what the world will bring me? I hear the fierce screech of the Grey Faced Buzzard and spend the next hour tracking her down.

At first afar

Then closer in a wood

I finally got reasonably close. As I was about to press the button, old friends from California drew up beside me in their car. Would the bird fly away thus ending a long friendship? Nope I got the picture and chatted. Good augury.

I ,er, ramble on.

My first Habu

On the island of Okinawa, this species is heavily collected, primarily for use in habu sake. Actually not sake, but a stronger liquor called awamori, it is alleged to have medicinal properties. The production includes the snakes in the fermentation process and it is sold in bottles that may or may not contain the body of a snake.^[8]

Down to the shore to see what is going on.

Pacific Rim Egrets amongst the seaweed racks

This bird, Pacific Rim Egret, comes in two colors - pure white or grey.

Great White Egret

Songs of the seagulls out on the skerry there as I gather carageenan

I go to work for a little while. Big week for us.

http://www.oist.jp/en/press-room/press-releases/150-2011/1206-new-sci-tech-grad-uni.html

It is growing

It is very pleasant to wander without much purpose as there is always so much to see.

November