This is a bad sign. All the planes are gone. 

This retaining wall along Hwy 2 collapsed on two houses. We think this is where the casualties were because it looks like the pictures in the newspaper. 

We went for a Sunday drive along the river. We had to take a detour to Masuda due to collapsed roads. 

Lotus Time in Iwakuni

Lotus is a major crop in Iwakuni. Although the flowers are large and extremely beautiful, each only blooms one day. Lotus only bloom in late summer. Typhoon Nabi destroyed all the blooms, but this did not destroy the crops. The only parts of the plant used are the root, which is commonly used in many dishes; and the pods. After the flower falls off, the pods are dried & used in floral arrangements and decorations. I have heard that the Iwakuni lotus root is special, because it has 10 holes instead of the usual 8 grown everywhere else in Japan.

A perfect lotus bud. It is about the size of a large pear. 

Lotus flowers. The blooms are very large. 

These blooms are beautiful. 

Lotus fields abound in Iwakuni. 

This is a miniature backhoe. It has a rake-like attachment on the boom used to harvest the lotus roots. 

We live in country where almost everyone isa gardener. Flowers are everywhere youu look. 

Flowers around town. 

Flowers growing around town. 

In early September, our chigerie (paper tearing art) class said farewell to Paulette by giving her a party at Ingrid�s. Paulette�s the one in the middle (in B&W) in the last picture. 

Party animals. 

A farewell picture. All were sad to see her go. 

We are having a collective birthday party at the OClub. Here are the birthday girls - Ingrid, Paulette, and Emilie. 

From left to right, Barbara, Ingrid, Jim, Paulette, Matt, Emilie, Tina (Paulette and Gary's daughter), Stan, and Margie. 

Tina and Paulette. Like Mother, like daughter. 

We find so many interesting restaurants on our travels that we have to show them to you. This is the first of a series of pictures about an interesting restaurant we found on the way back from Yamaguchi. This is the inside wall decor. 

Inside and looknig toward a garden in the back.