Tea Time!

I've been studying tea ceremony for the last couple of years and the other day I had my first performance. Jon was my guest, and Tami-san (my teacher) dressed us both in kimono for the special occasion. I made a few errors and almost got the giggles half way through (waiting for Jon to finish his sweet so I could stop whisking the tea!), but overall I'm pleased with my performance. Okashi-o dozo.

Ten Years Ago

Ten years ago on St. Patrick's Day, at a fated CEESA (Central & Eastern European Schools Association) teachers' conference in Prague, I met Jon. Was it the luck o' the Irish? We have different recollections as to how the weekend went, exactly, but it turned out to the beginning of a long-distance romance. How many trips did we make between Vilnius and Riga over the next couple of years? If only Eurobus had a frequent flyer program, I'd still be rich in bus miles!

Snapshots from my blonde-hair-dying, scrapbook-making days.

A Spring Hike

It was a beautiful spring day today, one that called for a 'hike' in the 'hills' behind our apartment. So, we donned our backpacks...

Strapped on our binoculars...

Looked for birds...

And more birds...

Smelled the flowers...

Watched the butterflies...

Greeted our favorite neighborhood kitty-cat...

And flew home...like a butterfly, stopping to 'drink the flowers' along the way!