Last week

Here I am sweeping the doorway to the tiny temple dedicated to the holy camphor tree and medicine buddha, Yakushi-nyorai. I want to live here.

There is Peter beneath Matsuyama Castle.

One last look at my shrine.

Sorry I haven't posted anything recently--been so busy finishing work and moving out of my place. I don't know where to start! (Family trauma aside),

I went camping by the Kamo River with Pat, owner of Club Belinnis where I painted the mural, for three days and he provided a hip-hop rave party, bar and coffee...I spent time with great friends and witnessed childish sexuality...

Junya came up from Tokushima to give us a curry party! pure love and affection.





Here are a few commissions I worked on till the last day. They aren't finished, but what can I do?--Sell them as is and pray for the best.

Paintings usually don't ever "finish"though anyway--They just pause at interesting places and then have a life of their own. I hope they work.

I saw the new Ghibli! The Borrower Arritetty. As expected...beautiful, subtle, creative, mature, memorable. I'll write more about it later.

Then Peter and Abigail visited and everything

came alive!!!

What beautiful, glowing, friendly people! I took these Kansans all over my town. It was a hot, sunny day. Ikku Shrine with the 1000 year-old camphor totoro trees,
the river and holy tree with Tasuku,

Emily's preschool, we met some of her kids--heaven on earth. We also went to 4 hours of karaoke!
I finished my teaching work, gave my goodbye speech at some of the schools about the Japanese proverb "Ten People, Ten Colors," cried in front of all the kids, thanked them for teaching me, took lots of pictures and got presents and flowers....

Here is Peter at the tree. What a great tree.