Tails, Small & Large

Japanese lesson:
1. Tail: Shippo
2. Big: Oki
3. Small: Skoshi

So, first I'll talk about knitting, because that's what you're here for, right? Currently there are some things on the needles, namely the Eris cardigan and the Olympic-socks-of-which-we-do-not-speak. The Eris is laying in a wooly puddle on the coffee table patiently waiting for me to work on it. The OSOWWDNS's...well, let's just say they very nearly went to live with the fishies.

The only thing keeping me knitting are the projects I have in the future. I wouldn't want to get all out of practice for when they get here. The Lt says I have to finish both the cardigan and the OSOWWDNS's before I can cast on for the new stuff. I don't think he knows me very well. What knitter finishes one thing before she starts the next? What sense does that make? I guess it's a good thing it's travelling all the way from France!

I got on the Phildar site and ordered me up some French summer fun. No, there will be no Henri or Jacques joining me this summer, just some linen and viscose. (Only a knitter will read that sentence and say "ooo, linen!" instead of awwww-ing in pity and disappointment.) Here's what's on my horizon; a lacy open-work v-neck sweater (Printemps 2 no. 446, modele no. 09a), and a lacy cabled shrug (Printemps 2 no. 446, modele no. 28a).
The only thing is that the patterns will be in french. Oh well, I've been wanting to work on my french, right? Good thing I found these nifty translators.

OK, small tails: done. Large tails:

Yesterday the Lt and I went whale watching. Every year, humpback whales migrate through the East China Sea on their way north, right past Okinawa. So, we contributed to Eco-tourism, and went to check them out. We were not disappointed! It even stopped raining just for our tour. BTW, Dramamine Less Drowsy Formula ROCKS. These are some of my best photos, and they still don't capture the size and grace of the whales. Considering I was taking a picture of moving whales from a rocking AND moving forward boat, they came out pretty well.

We saw 3 whales, a mother & calf pair joined by another whale. We got to see them spyhopping and breaching. Imagine the strength it takes to propel 30 tons of whale out of the water!
Spyhopping:

Breaching:



It was amazing. They are so huge and seemed so gentle. At one point, the captain turned the boat off, and they came very close, maybe 10-15 yards away. They were relatively curious about us, checking us out.


They were the exact steely blue gray of the water, their markings were the exact color of the sky reflecting off of the water, and their dorsal fins are the exact shape of the waves. As if by design....


If you've ever tried to take action shots with a digital camera, you'll know it's all about timing. With a film camera, you push, it clicks. Not so much with the digi's. In a true feat of timing, I managed to catch a few shippo shots.