(Italics added for emphasis!)
The other 1%, I'm reading the blog of a friend of ours who now lives with her family in Switzerland. And then I'm just slightly discontented.
Seemingly every weekend they're either on an awesome European travel adventure or busy hiking up a beautiful mountainside. Reading her blog pretty much makes me green with envy since--as we all know--I'd L.O.V.E. to live in Europe.
Anyway, recently they took a vacation and stayed on a "Bio Farm" in Austria. (All Organic, I believe...?) The pictures and descriptions made me moan in anguish and abject self-pity. I want to visit those places sooooo badly. (And I'm pretty sure I saw the exact place they're staying on the Travel Channel...)
BUT when I'm not reading her blog, like I said, I'm perfectly content with my current residence.
(Abrupt change in topic...)
Now, a few days after I read the Bio Farm post, a friend who will remain nameless, 
invited me to join her for a mid-week picnic off base. (I threw in 'mid-week' to emphasize the fact that sometimes I leave the base, sans-Doug, during the week.)
I followed the caravan to...
(Gabe was not even remotely afraid.)
Kawayo Green Farm.
Did you know Japan also has "Green Farms"? (Which I'm betting are just as eco-cool as 'bio' farms?) I personally did not know Japan had anything of the sort!
We walked to a grassy hillside with a beautiful view of the surrounding farm and countryside and ate our picnic lunches. (PB&Honey and apple slices for us.)
It was remarkably idyllic with rolling green hills and farm animals grazing in the distance.
After eating lunch, we ventured down the hill and sheepishly fed some hungry sheep...
(Gabe was slightly afraid...)
then visited a barn with a large and intimidating bull
(Gabe was very afraid...)
bypassing some cows and horses along the way...
and then inhaled some very rich and creamy ice cream!
(Gabe was not even remotely afraid.)(Nor was he inclined to share.)
There is also a Fancy Restaurant, Youth Hostel, and Golf Driving Range on the premises.
Who knew?
(Besides her...!)
It was a great day and a SLIGHT consolation that I'm not living in Switzerland. Or Germany. Or ideally, England. But whatever. Bloom where you're planted, right?
Japan rocks 99% of the time!
I've just gotta stop reading Tanya's blog.
(Wanna share Tanya's wanderlust? Click here to read about her Bio Farm adventure! After leaving a comment here, that is...)
I don't know Tanya, but that picture makes me want to be her friend.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean, I kind of hate (just a little) Tanya for having such an awesome life - do they just vacation 24/7?! But hey, look what you found in good old Japantown!!!
ReplyDeletePS I guess you don't want to know about my friend Liz who's spending a couple months in London with her hubbie and kids (he's getting a PhD in Art History)
Love you!
I'm living in Germany. It's just as lovely as I always dreamed. :D
ReplyDeleteYou are opening my eyes to a Japan I never knew existed. I really don't feel sorry for you anymore. :)
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that Japan had green farms. Cow poo makes everything green no matter what part of the world you live in. Keep enjoying.
ReplyDeleteYou can be jealous of her while I am jealous of you. So there.
Oh, Emily :) Your farm looks just as cool as my farm. As I've said before, we'll just have to be satisfied being jealous of each other. In the meantime, I'm going to start learning Japanese so I can convince someone to pay me to move there. Thanks for thinking I'm cool enough to warrent a post on your hilarious blog :)
ReplyDeleteEmily,
ReplyDeletePer our agreement, I am commenting here for you so that everyone will stop thinking you're a big loser and that your blog is boring.
Keep the funds coming or my awesome comments will stop.
Love ya sis,
Pine Princess: We do get a nice cow poo (Em's sniffer says dog poo) smell that comes across the base thrice weekly when they fertilize various lawns.
ReplyDeleteEm - stop whining. I have to read YOUR blog on the Dub family JAPAN adventures while holed up in southern UTAH. Humph. Okay, I'll stop complaining too.
ReplyDeleteCool green garden!!! Gabe is my kinda man! I wouldn't share that ice cream either!
If it makes you feel any better, I read your blog because I'm jealous that you are in Japan while I'm "suffering" in Mexico City. Ok, so we aren't really suffering (we did that in Caracas) but Japan just looks so much prettier and cleaner, and the grass is definately greener (or is that just because of where I am standing?) Anyone out there living in Cuba (or Utah, ha ha ha) who could be jealous of us being in Mexico City so that I feel better?
ReplyDeleteGeeesh. I guess living in a town home in Saratoga freaking Springs doesn't warrant any jealousy from you or you bloggies. If I could live somewhere besides Cardiff by the sea or Carmel by the sea it would be Maui, You can enjoy the alps while I sit by the ocean.
ReplyDeletePS as a concerned aunt...what the heck happened to gabers face in those pics. He looks like that old pic of dougie when he was a baby in that green jean jacket.It looks like he ahs a few scabs. Did he have a boo boo?
Gabe took a header into the sidewalk. At least, we think that's what happens. All we know, from Sam, is that Sam didn't do it. (His scabs are almost gone now.)
ReplyDelete