A  weekend visit to Ken-san, a sculptor in Andes, NY. 

We have been spending a few weeks during summer in upstate New York with the same family friends for the past 4 years. As a mother, it is far from a relaxing vacation. There are always dramas, chaos and hungry kids, but we learn a lot from our conflicts. Nothing can beat the fresh air and the gorgeous land  with fun folks. 

A photo shoot for Tomomi Ishimura's second book, 動かないゼロトレ
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A photo shoot for Zero Training (ゼロトレ）, a book by Tomomi Ishimura.

90 degrees Sunshine in Brooklyn.
Lots of meats to grill, and more young ones this year.

A weekend foliage getaway/ pre-halloween rehearsal / double anniversary trip to  mountainside of Vermont. Packed with wigs and boom box, marching up the mountain on freezing late afternoon.  Shots of Corralejo kept us warm.  

Jake and Coda visited NYC for the first time from Connecticut, taken by their master, Matt.
Matt, who is a certified dog trainer, showed the boys how to roll in the city.  
They both behaved like a gentleman.  

An weekend visit to sculptor, Ken Hiratsuka's studio in Andes, New York, about 4 hours north of NYC.  Accompanied with his fellow sculptors, Daisuke Kiyomiya and Akihiro Ito.  Beautiful life style was there.

A casual Friday afternoon beach trip to Robert Moses State park, which is the west end of Fire Island.  
It was almost scary how warm the water was, couldn't stop thinking of the climate change.
Confirmed idea is that we may as well enjoy the ocean while we can.
Wanting to go back one more time to feel that warm wave before it gets cold.

My second-time sea fishing was painful, yet rewarding by the end.

After experiencing major sea sickness from stormy weather, I was able to catch a handful amount of fish. 
Altogether with Shu, a neighbor Astorian hommie, who took me to the trip, we caught over 15 fish. 
Special thank to Mr. Savy, a local fisherman who was fishing right next to me.

"Pay attention!"  I was constantly reminded by Mr. Savy, a Cambodia-born local fisherman, who is also a green-beret Veteran.
"Pay attention!" The word kept ringing in my ear till the following day. 
I could picture him yelling at other soldiers in the middle of battle field about half a century ago. 

Anyhow, the hard-work was paid off by the feast from local ocean, accompanied by chilled sake, and fine folks.

Would I go back soon? Uhhh, . . . Maybe.