[Sangetsu]

Very hot, sunny, and humid today. A nice change from last week's rain. I wish it were just a little cooler, but my wish will come true before long. I'm looking forward to seeing snow again.

I took a hike in the nearby mountains today, about 10 kilometers of walking altogether. I found a nice mountain biking trail that I want to try out next week. I also found a small shrine hidden in the forest below a very large tree. You might think of a forest as being a quiet place, but with the large numbers of insects and frogs it was very noisy. But it was a peaceful sound, and make the walk pleasant. It's only when the forest becomes quiet that I get uneasy.

I returned from my walk, coming down past the temple to the high school. The school's orchestra were tuning their instruments, and I heard the sounds even before I came out of the forest. The temple is being remodeled, the original wood is centuries old and beginning to rot. I stood for several minutes watching the carpenters work, admiring their craftsmanship. The building is huge, and not a single nail is used. All the beams, columns, panels, and boards are interlocked together in an ingenious fashion.

Now I'm at work in my classroom, waiting for my students to arrive. I hope tomorrow is as nice a day as today is.