currency of leaves

Another year has gone by.

The past 8 months has been fast. The 4 before that....not so much. The escape from a hellish disorganization known as the Palm Beach County CVB was a great success and has not been missed at all. All in all it was a huge learning experience. Learning how to distinguish between truth and honesty and lies and hate is a skill I hope to have polished to the point where I will be able to prevent bad situations from getting worse.

On another note, the bamboo is going nuts with all the rain. Nuts. I think I tallied something like 50 new culms that came up within a span of a few weeks. Not all of them have taken off but those that have are now up over the roof of the house. I'm waiting for the village of royal palm beach to come pay me a visit over some unknown law about bamboo..... Stranger things have happened.

Time to head out for the day. A potential jury duty session, couples dinner and some rest are on deck now.

This weekend included a trip down to Delray Beach for the annual Bon Festival at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens. A group of us headed down for the event a little after six to check out the vendors, food and of course the lighting of the lanterns.

From the Morikami's website:

"Inspired by Obon, Japan’s traditional three-day holiday honoring ancestors and thanking them for the quality of life enjoyed by the living, The Morikami celebrates Bon Festival in one fun-packed evening. Highlights include rousing taiko drum performances, traditional Japanese folk dancing with audience participation, and a street fair with games and vendor booths. The highlight of the evening begins at sunset when Morikami Pond is transformed into a tranquil sea of lighted lanterns which, in accordance with Japanese custom, guide the departure of ancestors’ souls who have come for a brief visit among the living. A special fireworks display caps the enchanting evening."

The crowds weren't too bad this year but there were still quite a few people mingling around the gardens and positioning for the best seats along the lake to see the lanterns and the fireworks. Since I had seen the lanterns before and the rest of the group didn't seem too interested, we skipped trying to get a good seat and instead walked around the lake. It was warm out. Just about everyone was getting a good sweat going but every now and then a breeze would coast through the gardens and give everyone a little respite from the heat.

The best thing about going to the Morikami during a festival usually isn't to experience the gardens. There are just too many people for it to be peaceful. If peace and serenity is what you are looking for, then plan to go early in the morning during a weekday. The best thing (for me at least) is a chance to get to see Fushu Daiko performing on their Taiko Drums. I try and see them at least once or twice a year and it is always a good show. I've even seen them play during the grand opening of the Palm Beach County Convention Center.


After catching Fushu Daiko play and mingling around the gardens for a while longer, we decided to head out and beat the traffic getting out of the gardens. I was pleasantly surprised this year at how easy it was to leave and how well organized the traffic flow was. Past years had seen me waiting almost 45 minutes to get out of the park but I was out on Jog road in about 10 this year.

All in all, it was a fun time.