Soba!

If you look up today you will see a full Harvest moon. All over the country in September, festivals are being held to celebrate the good harvest. Last week Shikaoi's. I missed the main part of the festival, the carrying around town of the Shrine, which is quite something to see or do, if you are lucky enough. Sadly, I was only able to take part in the evening activities because I was at work at Urimaku Chu Gakko that day. I saw my kids from Shikaoi elementary do a traditional dance.

Today though, at Tsumei Sho Gakko, we got down to the real business done this time of year- harvesting. After English class, and lunch, the whole school (eleven kids), myself and four teachers, all went out back to the school`s small plot of Soba, sort of a buckwheat, and harvested it. It took a little over two hours to cut it all down, collect it, and hang it to dry, but eventually the work was done. We are going to eat it in December for the New Year Festival. I had no idea I was going to be doing all this until, maybe, one minute before, and I probably could have bailed at 1 PM saying I was needed at the office; but I knew I would not be missed and the kids had a blast. The two littlest girls were too cute; somehow they had learned 'hurry up' in English and were adamant that we all comply, the afternoon's work moving far too slow for them. I was going to go for a run tonite, but after a English class held in the gym and an afternoon harvesting, that may be changed for a quiet night with a cup of tea and a good book.