Snow in Tachiarai-machi

Somehow, the same place that was unbearably hot and humid in August...
looks like this on Groundhog Day.

This is the view from our porch looking across the street.

Here's Serenity heading off to work. I felt slightly guilty, so...

I headed out on my bike to get photos of one of the bigger local shrines.

The shrines here are kind of like parks. There was actually a swingset just to the left. This is a Shinto shrine, and while it's a bit bigger than most in Tachiarai, there are little shrines everywhere.

The deal is you go up to the steps, ring the bell by yanking on the rope, clap once, keep your hands together, bow and pray. No one here today...I wonder why. It was freezing.

Then I headed over to the river behind our house.

The skies were starting to clear, but as I write this it's dark and starting to snow again.

From our front door.

Why couldn't we be working in Okinawa?