The program can be seen, if you missed it, at this web page. But only if you are Korean. You have to log in as a user to the website, and the whole site is in Korean and you need to use your resident registration card number to do so. This is typical in Korea where the webmasters can take demographic information of their visitors. So for the Korean visitors click here to the page link.
For everyone else, the producer promised us a CD or DVD of the episode, so we are waiting for that. I tried to copy the program, record it with Realplayer, but it only captured the first 10 minutes. Not that tech savvy yet. Still working on it.
The segment producer/writer , cameraman/producer and reporter came from Seoul at about 11 am and wrapped up around 8pm on Sunday. It was a long, difficult and active day, over 30'C and high humidity so I was sweating a lot and slightly dehydrated. They took many shots, created little scenarios, everything was very deliberate and well organized. My Korean was pretty bad and didn't make it to the final cut. The segment is quite fun and shows the house well. It' s funny to see ourselves on camera.
Anyways, we did lots of work in the preceding week as well. I cleaned up my office a bit and hung some photos and made a day bed/bunk on the far end of the room. There are storage bins of fabric and such behind the gray curtain. I also made a table with a traditional Korean door, it fell apart and the pieces were glued and stapled back together modestly. The tempered glass was also recycled so can't be cut, but was saved for this table because I made one before and the door was the same length as the glass and fit perfectly. I rescued some hoard wood from the dilapidated house in front of us for legs and ends to match the weathered old frame. The Tv crew liked it. And it's garlic season..planted in the fall or late winter, garlic and onions have beenavailable in vast quantities around here. We got lots from the neighbors, here I'm doing my part to clean it up. The garlic kimchi I made 3 weeks ago made its debut on tv and it's delicious....pickeld garlic cloves basically. Everyone is surprised. The wife even said mine tastes better than mom's......
We just came back from the vet/groomer , where our little Saree, female , Aged 7 months got a major haircut and clean up.
Lifted from elsewhere:
“Sapsaree” is an original Korean word used from long ago. The first syllable, “sap,” means to dig out, and the second word, “sar,” means a ghost. Therefore, “sapsaree” literally means “a dog that roots out evil spirits.” This explains the old sayings, “A Sapsaree drives away ghosts” and “Even a ghost dare not appear where there's a Sapsaree around.”
The Sapsaree is a medium-sized dog standing about 50cm high. There are several types of Sapsarees, but the most famous ones are the blue Sapsaree and the yellow Sapsaree. They got their names due to their fur colors. For the blue Sapsaree, the white hairs mixed in with its long black hair make it appear to take on a bluish cast when seen in the moonlight. The yellow Sapsaree is slightly bigger than the blue Sapsaree and has yellow hairs mixed with both black and white. Other than these two, there are also white and chocolate colored Sapsarees.
The body of the Sapsaree shows balanced development and gives an impression of compact sturdiness. The head of the male is large, and its chest is well developed. The Sapsaree's jaws are shorter than the average dog's, and long hair grows thick all around the mouth except along the top of the snout. The coat of a newborn blue Sapsaree pup is black all over. At about four to six months the puppy fur is replaced with the adult coat of mixed black and white. Yellow Sapsaree pups wear a coat of yellow which is gradually replaced with a lighter shade.
The Sapsaree has been much loved by Koreans and it even appeared in the paintings in the 18th century. But through the period of occupation by Japan, it was difficult to find Sapsaree in Korea. Along with the policies to eliminate Korean culture, Japanese were eager to preserve their own species of dogs, such as the Akiba, Shiba and Hokkaido. In addition, during World War II, 300,000 to 500,000 dogs were slaughtered. The leather of slaughtered dogs was used to make winter uniforms for Japanese soldiers in Manchuria. Even after liberation, the Sapsaree seemed doomed to extinction as western culture flooded into Korea. Purebred Sapsaree almost became extinct.
Then, in 1969 Prof. Tak and Prof. Kim, who studied under Dr. Ha Song-in of the Department of Agriculture at Kyungpook Univ., came forward with some Sapsarees they had found. They travelled all over the country looking for Sapsarees, and a paper was published on their study. Most of this collection of dogs was left with the Ha family on their farm. Dr. Ha Ji-hong, Dr. Ha's son, has also joined the activities to preserve Sapsarees while applying his expertise of genetic engineering to the study and preservation of the Sapsaree.
Recently, great efforts are being made to preserve and protect Sapsarees, and the Korea Sapsaree Association was established for this purpose. Thanks to its efforts, Sapsaree was designated as the Natural Monument No. 368 by the Ministry of Culture & Tourism in March, 1992. And about 30 that appeared to be very nearly purebred increased to 500 or so Sapsarees alive in Prof. Ha's Kyungsan Stock Farm. The government is sponsoring new studies and a preservation project to encourage the preservation of the breed.
For more detailed information about the Sapsaree, please log on to the website of the Korea Sapsaree Association at www.sapsaree.org
Our Saree was given to us by a Budhist monk, the wife of a man who farms in our village. We saw them on Saturday and after a 15' chat it was decided that we were to take the dog. Being loving, attentive and caring pet owners she realized the opportunity. Actually a dog which they once had at her temple , was brought to the village last year where it was neglected and then broke free and wandered around our village for almost 2 weeks before making the pilgrimage back to the temple, in the city 5km away.
Saree lived on concrete until now -marked by her callused and raw elbows and knees- and ate Buddha kows what?- she hasn't taken much food since arriving yesterday morning.
Her hair was filthy and matted and couldn't be saved, so was all shaved off at the groomers. So she's on her second lease on life, and now spending her first night indoors. She will be a house dog. Sapsarees are said to be very loyal and protective, yet gentle and playful with everyone. they are known as very intelligent and highly trainable animals. Saree's litter siblings were given as a gift to the US Embassy in Seoul, likely to the new Ambassador to Korea.
Blue is seemingly unfazed, and actually was coaxing Saree to play earlier today, but otherwise mostly disinterested.
Yes it's dog # 4 for me in Korea. I guess when you are a good pet master then people just give them to you. More on this one later , it's a purebred Sapsaree. Very rare, but authentic Korean .
A view of the angled lawn and grass drive with new gate/fence at the bottom. The lavender in the foreground is from last year; they grew magnificently in the terrible soil, next to the big granite boulders. Upon reading a seedling packet for more varieties of lavender, it said cut back 2/3 in springtime. How would you interpret that? Cut back so 2/3 is remaining, or cut off 2/3 of volume? I chose the latter interpretation with out thinking and then after a moth was quite miffed that they were so slow to sprout leaves ...Clear understandable syntax is essential. Anyways,this lavender plant bounced back well , the others pale in volume or vibrancy. I planted more in the rock wall , I will likely not cut it back at all next winter.
The gate is heavy but the hinges are adequate. Likely the gate will stay closed most of the time. This froggy has been residing in our unfinished pond eating its younger brothers and sisters presumably. I guess there have been a few insects going by and maybe some other larvae to supplement the tadpoles. The pod itself ( going on 7 months) is still leaking and I'm ready to dynamite the whole thing. I don't even want to get into it here, but I'll say that it was filled , leaked, drained , repaired /sealed some 15 times at least.
The following garden shots have not been enhanced color wise. We had an overcast day, perfect for color saturation, so I captured our current blossoms.
The title refers to REM's 1986 single Rockville. I'm calling it shrikeville here, this month. Shrikes bred around here and forcible evicted all other summer residents. They give no one a break. Other semi-habitual birds like swallows, tits and redstarts have been rarely seen ( compared with last year) in the last month. The shrikes were giving a woodpecker a hard time this morning, I've seen them pester jays, thrushes too.
Much like my yoga, hiking, photography , writing and meditation, blogging is one thing that's always on my mind but its regularity neglected , and its infrequent occurrence makes for lackluster postings. I always think I'm going to write about this or that , but never do.
This blog is really all about me. But its been about the house for the last year, and that I guess, is all about me. But for those far from me, I should continue to comment about things that happen to me, daily life, investigations and interpretations, Korea, nature etc..
There are a couple other news items I wanted to make note of. I have been watching the conflict in Sri Lanka unfold with some interest , since my visit there in Sept of 2005. During the UN sanctioned ceasefire and in the shadow of the devastating tsunami , I got to be touched by a friendly and relaxed SE Asian Buddhist nation. Much like Thailand, Myanmar or Cambodia the people generally are so docile, friendly and respectful and you can see some of the benefits of Buddhism in practice, but age old conflicts and power struggling practices create the discomforting irony which brings us the reports of wars , violence or oppression.
This spring we heard the reports and saw the images proving that Ceylon's Sinhalese majority finally overtook the much lauded LTTE , concluding a 26 yr conflict which killed scores of militia and civilians alike. During my visit , I witnessed the campaign of president Mahinda Rajapaksa, a charismatic leader, popular and persuasive to many, and to some I spoke to, somewhat feared because he was pro-military and very much in favor of returning to battle to decimate the Tamil Tigers once and for all.
Which he did, in less than 4 years since his first election.
At the same time, I got to meet some Tamils who explained their history and plight, one which I can sympathize deeply. Only in the last half century as populations grew, the island got smaller and the buffer between two distinct cultures got much smaller so the discord intensified. The LTTE's intentions for some sort of homeland or independent statehood were entirely justifiable, but their means extreme and unacceptable.
The people began to have hope and got behind the revolution. Meanwhile , the Tigers' bombings, assassinations, and terrorist warfare made them the second most globally unpopular political group ( after the Taliban, or A lQueda I guess) and basically the necessary definition of evil. Justifiably, international consent favored the opposition to the LTTE and their actions, likely making the financing of the war quite easy.
Now, Rajapaksa is a demi-god hero to the Buddhist Sinhalese majority, freeing them of fear of violence. There is a crisis in the north, now where the Tamil people's homes, livelihoods and spirit have been destroyed. If president Rajapaksa is a man of any nobility, he should reconcile his loathing and show compassion for his former enemies. Rebuilding the local economy, instituting social programs, or even granting some special legislative power, or semi-autonomy are the reasonable and humane things to do. This could be his greatest legacy.
Observing this modern conflict has been quite interesting. Unlike the Balkans wars- which were utterly confusing for the multiple cultural and religious entities, the geography and basically the multiplicity of hatred, violence and ethnocide- the Sri Lankan war was simple to understand. And it finished convincingly and decidedly. How much dirty laundry will come out to hang is anybody's guess. Is it really over?
And on to Myanmar , a nation which also touched me deeply. The sadness I feel for this citizenry is unmatched. Under oppressive and severely restrictive conditions for decades, the military Junta is not showing any sign of willingness to change. 20 years after its first major democratic uprising which ended very badly, last year brought another round of protests, this time led by the nation's Buddhist monks. This act of dissent lasted less than a month and ended not as badly but just as decisively.
Then Burma was hit with the devastating cyclones killing thousands , destroying livelihoods and the humanitarianism of the outside world was shut out and helpless .
This spring we are watching the nation's heroine, Aung Sang Su Kyi undergo a trial for something which happened to her, something it seems she is completely innocent of any wrongdoing. Several weeks ago, an American swam across the lake in central Yangon which her compound is situated against. The result or motive of the visit is unknown, but the government is accusing her of plotting some sort of action, perhaps to disturb the so-called elections scheduled for next year. Further to her 19yrs of continual house arrest now, at 62yrs of age she is being imprisoned indefinitely. And we watch....
When this government will collapse is anyone's guess. Much like North Korea, where its only ally and trading partner China, asks no questions about arms trade (or any type of trade) or status of human rights and the best job for the youth( or anyone) is to join the military. These aforementioned nations (maybe China excluded) are so poor that being in the military is the only chance at daily meals and clothes on your back. The decimation and/or assimilation of minorities, trade embargoes and lack of democratic and capitalistic institutions keep the people impoverished. In Burma or North Korea a populist revolution is virtually impossible, a kind of internal coup might be the only hope for change.
So we watch and wait. Burma is an incredible blank spot on the map of Asia. A massive nation, it ranges from mountainous impenetrable valleys and pristine environments, to plains of subsistence farming and teaming tropical waters with gorgeous beaches. The opportunities of development in many industries such as tourism, mining and intensive agriculture are astounding. Like Sri Lanka, visiting Myanmar is like time travel, the buildings haven't changed in decades or centuries, the ubiquitous technology of the modern world is unknown here.
Now , North Korea and China have a kind of advantage in their style of power holding: the elimination of religion. To quote one of my new heroes , Christopher Hitchens: North Korea is in effect a' theocracy'. The great leader Kim Il Sung, and the dear leader, his son, Kim Jong Il are the bi-partite deity and their followers (basically everyone) are promised salvation for their loyalty. From what I don't know, it must be hell on earth as it is. But the leader can manipulate information any way possible, and for people living with the same technology and information as 60 years ago, it would be easy to prove the dear leader's omnipotence by effecting some seemingly miraculous act such as .. I dunno, how about providing food (UN/ROK aid) after a devastating famine. As for the PRC, Mao's cultural revolution was successful in the goal of reducing minority identities based on linguistic, religious or ethnic heritage thus aiding its unifying and all- encompassing cultural singularity and economic cohesiveness. Pretty harsh shit when it comes to morality, but you gotta give em credit: as warlords they know what they're doing.
So in Sri Lanka, we have the peace loving Buddhists endorsing a kind of slaughter -to avoid further bloodshed or loss of life is the usual excuse . In Cambodia , Burma and Thailand the rulers still behave like powerful and ruthless kings of past centuries ( much like some African nation states) outdated in today's seemingly peaceful world.
It really is the most peaceful it has been in the history of humankind, don't you agree? Sure there are armed conflicts everywhere, but in relation to the percentage of the global population which lives in peace (freedom from the fear of oppression or attack) ,the quantity of war is quite minor.
And what are their causes? Territorial disputes still rage , but what is the motivation behind them? The answer , most of the time comes down to ethnic and religious differences- and of course economics are often the result of associations to either .
This brings me to - for those still reading - my latest muse : atheism. Those who know me well will know of my continual investigation into religion and spirituality. I think most people struggle throughout their lives to identify with, come to terms with, accept or try to break free religious entities and associations. There is no doubt that humankind (as a species) has both a sense of integral morality and metaphysical connections, which transcend religious imperatives, and therefore make the exclusivity of singular religions void. I have always championed the benefits of religion but simultaneously despised the outnumbering negative consequences.
It might be getting late tonight for me to continue on this vein. It's a big mouthful... or handful I guess. For those who can't take criticism of religion , it's a good place to stop.
Let me introduce three wise men, who are brave enough to stand out and attempt to dismantle some of the outdated , superstitious and calamitous beliefs that categorize 'faith': Richard Dawkins, a biologist, Sam Harris, scholar and neurophysicist , and journalist Christopher Hitchens. These are my current heroes, whose poignant efforts help disseminate the thinly veiled pack of lies endorsed by half the world's 6 billion people who cclaim adherence to the three major religions.
Meanwhile, life goes on. My uni semester is coming to close and summer plans are being considered. The economy is affecting us and going to Canada is pretty unrealistic. Yeonmi is very engaged with planning and dreaming about business opportunities, most namely a shop of some sort in Jeonju selling interior decorations, and as an office to market her work.
I do have 5-6 weeks off and Armand my dear friend from Edmonton is considering a visit if he can get things to work out for him as he is undergoing some major personal and professional changes. No word exactly on how that will play out.
I'm considering extra work at the uni. I have first to do a writing workshop like I did last winter. The feedback from that class was really successful so they're going to run 5 versions of it and I've been asked to prepare a presentation for colleagues to discuss my course and its merits and contents. That comes in2 weeks during my last exam week. The course begins June 18th I think. I get to teach English majors again , I think the other programs are for other departments...
I just finished the last week of lectures and lessons and am giving exams starting next week. It has been a real farce and frustrating jig, shuffling schedules and modifying lessons due to the very unacademic principles of Korean university life, namely freshman socialization skills. The children (as some of these freshmen teens behave) are very immature because unlike the west, they have been wholly dependent their entire adolescence thus far, and have only been studying. Children generally are encouraged to act as children for as long as posible then have to be as mature and respnsible as possible after completing university, a very rapid transition for which they are not prepared. They have never dated, worked, drank, dressed themselves or interacted with the opposite sex until freshman year at which point, studies pale in essence.
Social networking (very stratified, of course, in neo-confucian Korea) takes precedence and the students' departments and other clubs do field trips, picnics and festivals during the week during class times- read: learning to defer to their elders and binge-drinking. They miss our lectures frequently and if it weren't for the fact that the administration enforces a mandatory attendence policy for our non-elective course , It wouldn't be a problem. But, granted that the departments schedule and register their pupils for our courses, and they know they're going to blow off courses for partying , why couldn't they at least be decent enough to tell us weeks in advance so we can modify our syllabi. Very frustrating, and the last 3 weeks has been endless juggling and surprises. I've decided not to change the course work or my tests and have them be responsible for self-study. They have the resources including my endless offers of help, it's up to them to show inclination.
The extra work I'm considering is to teach the uni's professors English presentation skills as they have to do at least one lecture per term in English. So that course would be of my own design but would likely include presentation skills, target language and some coaching. ..but it is only 24 hrs over 3 weeks.
That would leave me with about 20 days real vacation/travel time...and we want to go to Indonesia , me to dive, yeonmi to shop and impotr/export some decorative stuff. The whole Balinese craft market is pretty poorly represented here in Korea so it may be a viable business.
The past week has been dramatic here in the ROK, not for the verbal jousting happening between Washington, Pyongyang and Seoul over the DPRK's nuke test and missile launches but for the great grief overwhelming the nation due to former president Roh Mu-hyun's death.
Word came of his suicide last Saturday after he jumped from a cliff on a mountain behind his countryside home , while his bodyguard was absent. His suicide note was shared on the internet and the news, and the evident pressures from public life and a corruption investigation proved too much. The media outlets have all the necessary information for the non-familiar to familiarize themselves, but this nation's history with bribery, corruption and the like is rampant , making politics and its endless accusatory/aggressive and defensive posturing very trying experience for likely many leaders and as well as the public's emotional stance.
Regardless, for me , the greatest tragedy of all surrounding this event is suicide. Already at epic proportions : the highest of the OECD nations, highest cause of death among youth , somewhat of a trend with entertainers, and now condoned by an admired leader of the nation. For another view , see the op-ed on this page. It's a heavy topic, and most sentient people can sympahize with the sentiment but it never eases the pain, regret and confusion.
And last week's gloom culminated in a state funeral in Seoul for the dearly departed. During the week, nearly 200 memorials were set up across the nation, in Seoul traffic and routine movement was compromised with the faithful lining up for as long as 4-5 hours to pay respects. I caught some of the broadcast proceedings during lunch ; it was very difficult and painful stuff- with some interesting and rare rituals performed. After experiencing Korean grieving in the past year, I have become especially sensitive now to the great sadness. It was a difficult day for lessons with my students, where no amount of energy could enliven the somber day.
As for the great sadness, it defines this nation. It is an essential part of dramatic and literary works of art. Regret and anger of the past wars, colonization are ubiquitous. Confucian deference and ritual ancestor worship may also contribute to the 'han'. Societal pressure on education, success and welath now drives Korea to the highest levels of dissatisfaction, suicide, alcoholism and divorce in the developped world. How to cope? Where to go from here?
So for a week the nation has forgotten the poor economy and the North's bad behavior. As far as N/S relations go, the ROK's populace is immune to the chatter and news. It never ends and rarely do folks get excited let alone feel concerned or threatened. As for the state of war, most sane people are seriously worried and continue on living in the shadow of conflict like other nations do. I've read at great length about possible outcomes , and there are many. Kim Jong-il- the dear leader- is a dying man and is likely trying to ensure his own legacy. When the DPRK will collapse from its own admission or burden, or by military decimation is anyone's guess. Another round of battle may damage Seoul for a little while, but besides numerous infantrymen, the North is seriously mismatched for modern warfare, hence the continued nuclear positing.
UPDATE_ After discussion with some Korean professors I have a couple comments to add about the former president's loss of life. I posited the interpretation that his suicide would in effect endorse suicide to the nationals. This was an uncommon or not immediate interpretation to them. Finding this response odd, I asked whether Koreans are desensitized to suicide because of its frequency, and the answer was that this was a very plausible theory.
So I asked them about suicide in Korea, where there is a history (recent) of political suicide; as in protest or demonstration of political views. One strong interpretation was that Roh's suicide was in effect, a demonstrative statement of his own, likely against the vilification , accusation, scrutiny and condemnation of leaders or public figures.
It's all very sad and confusing, but i think there's a gap in interpretation of action between the eastern and western mind here as well.
Well I've made excuses before about not writing much. Other hobbies, house work and a lack of novelty about being in South Korea obviously is a major factor. And the country home is also a mini-paradise so weekend escapes and such are less frequent. As always Yeonmi , Blue and I have tremendous pride and take great pleasure in the country life. Blue has matured a lot, and seems generally healthier living outside . Visibly , there has been basically no hair shedding in the past year. She is much more docile off leash recently, kicking around our property: she clearly knows the deliniation by scent and observation. She hasn't escaped recently: this comes as a relief.
Above is the shed/garage /workshop which we put the siding on last weekend. We used left over brick on the fron to match the rest and bought more old used mahogany school flooring for the siding. Cheap and durable, reusing is better than vinyl or cement siding, the flooring is rough but the overall effect is cool. It was in a school for a few decades before getting rescued. The camera crews may come soon for the TV show, so we're pushing to beautify and finish as usual. I'm hoping to kick back soon and do other things. Get back to writing, hiking photography. It has been a lot of landscaping this spring.
And for the great tits that nested, they left over a week ago. Their residence was short lived. After 2 weeks of nest building, mom layed eggs for another week, and then incubated for maybe a day or two. After hatching, the chicks fledged in 8 days and were gone. I have no idea how many left the nest or have survived, but I reckon the odds are poor. There is a plethora of brown shrikes this year, the past week especially has been busy and fewer other passers by coming through. The colorful orioles here have been sighted only one day so far, last week, but haven't resided like they did last summer. This week has brought many more raptors , especially the Chinese Sparrowhawk, and kestrels. I don't have the equipment to photgraph birds, so for lovely images of the birds of Korea please browse this page at BIRDSKOREA. The page is my almost daily favorite even for brief moments, and the many images help me identify some of what I see as I am poorly equiped in optics.... The highlight last week was brown hawk owl scared out of an old woodpecker's hole at about 9 am, I got a good 10 seconds of close observation as its pupils were adjusting to the bright morning light after being roused from its slumber... it soon realized the threat and made off. We encountered a cobra like snake on the way back, maybe 1.5 m, which rose up hissed and did that tongue lashing thing they do. Good description , eh? David Attenborough I am not. Bothan anattractive and unwelcoming creature. We found an interesting plant with a lovely herbal- lily- like blossom on the same walk. Yeonmi dug some up, the roots were ginseng like in shape, and it turns out it is medicinal and known to westerners as the Burning Bush. The resinous leaves get flammable in the summer heat and the whole plant can ignite very easily by match under the right condition.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Finally , some rain came on Monday to green things up. Pictured in the bottom right is part of the drive where next to the log planter barrier is the new sod lining the concrete pathway. The lower reaches of the drive are still a bit messy, and have no solution in store yet, but are much tidier than before.
We got an inquiry from KBS -the nation's biggest broadcaster, to ask to come and look at our house to be on a spot on the breakfast /morning show. They do a weekly spot looking at cool houses in Korea and the folks that built them.I don't really have much more detail, the show can be found online, I'll dig up the link from Yeonmi maybe, but apparently it's tasteful and well-regarded... They saw the magazine article and were inspired to do our story because we did the work ourselves , mostly, and I'm sure we'd make an interesting profile. Privacy issues arise, but hopes of marketing value in many ways are a strong consideration. Stay posted....
My bird house is home to a hatched clutch of great tits. The mom incubated last week and the chicks hatched on Thursday. Dad has been helping out bringing treats, namely worms that appear to go in welcomingly. She brings something out of the nest often as well...not sure what yet. Yesterday a big greedy shrike was trying to get in to steal quick meal, but couldn't get more than a couple inches in. Now I understand why the hole size is of vital importance. The remote I bought for the camera only works if you are facing the camera, so my idea of sitting a few metres away and releasing the shutter didn't work. I stood and fired away from 3 m, without much trouble. So I'll try and get the chicks as fleglings next week on their way out of the nest...
The remote control was purchased online as most things these days, the delivery fees are included or minimal , and it's the best place to find what we ( I ) want at a fair price. We started buying our usual Costco items last month as well. Usually coffee beans and other precious imported items are what I'm after, they're rare elsewhere. But this week I got a new set of boots, a screen door for upstairs, waterproofing paint/putty for the pond, and a manual lawn mower which I'll show off when it arrives. Payments are very convenient, usually I do a bank transfer by ATM but it's not a necessary means, just the fastest credit to the seller I think. Every thing comes in 48 hours except for some uncommon books.
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Last Tuesday May 5th was Children's day, a national holiday in Korea, and quite close to Yeonmi's deceased father's first anniversary of his death, so we made the trip to his tomb and patriarch's family home.
Anyways, we did lots of work in the preceding week as well. I cleaned up my office a bit and hung some photos and made a day bed/bunk on the far end of the room. There are storage bins of fabric and such behind the gray curtain.
I also made a table with a traditional Korean door, it fell apart and the pieces were glued and stapled back together modestly. The tempered glass was also recycled so can't be cut, but was saved for this table because I made one before and the door was the same length as the glass and fit perfectly. I rescued some hoard wood from the dilapidated house in front of us for legs and ends to match the weathered old frame. The Tv crew liked it.
And it's garlic season..planted in the fall or late winter, garlic and onions have beenavailable in vast quantities around here. We got lots from the neighbors, here I'm doing my part to clean it up. The garlic kimchi I made 3 weeks ago made its debut on tv and it's delicious....pickeld garlic cloves basically. Everyone is surprised. The wife even said mine tastes better than mom's......
