The Great Outdoors.

E and her tree that we dubbed a giraffe.

Why do we live in the city?

Summertime.

"When I was young," the tale normally starts, "we didn't do X because of (insert wildly exagerated hardship)."

It's summertime, and I don't want to think about what needs to be done or what should be done or what has to be done. I want something easy like summer vacation from school. While my memory of school summer vacation fails, I'm sure I complained of being bored or some other terrible malady that my mom must have had to hear. As an adult, I like to think of summertime as the time to throw off obligations, to recharge, to think about what you want, or to just not think and have fun.

This past weekend we met up with another family outside of the heat and humidity of our area and joined them on their own turf. Cooler temperatures in the mountains with the sound of water running by was our oasis. Driving hairpin turns where the mirrors at the corner that are supposed to give you a view of what's around the bend only reflect an image of the rock that you are driving around, well, let's just say that I was partially grateful for being in the passenger seat. If I had to listen to my backseat driving I'd be mental.

We had a nice time though back for a second time in Kamikochi. Much better weather and beautiful views of the mountains and the water....