When we woke up Sunday morning, and I walked out into our main room
where the whole wall is tall window sliding doors, I gasped. The sun was
shining perfectly on the calm, flat Sea bringing out the vibrant
turquoise and blues, so clear you could see down to the corral and all
the way out to the Kerama islands, their silhouette backlit by the
bright puffy white clouds. September mornings are our favorite on Oki. We can tell the summer is ending because as we sit
right now on the deck in Cams rocking chairs, we’re not profusely sweating like usual. (: The
heat intensity from the summer months is subsiding and the mornings and
evenings are so warm and breezy that it almost feels temperature-less.
The only sounds this early are the birds singing, the cicadas in the
surrounding brush, and the gentle lapping waves of the incoming tide. Beautiful !!
{Please excuse my iphone photos!}
The other ways you can tell summer is coming to an end here are when the sugar cane fields have grown taller than Cam and are ready to be harvested again… and when we hear drums, the sanshin, singing & dancing in the streets each night {really!}:
Obon is a festival every year on Oki at the end of August, when Okinawan families get together for a huge feast + tons of drinking and worship their ancestors either at tomb sites or at an alter in their house. After, everyone goes out into the streets where there’s processionals and traditional Eisa dancing. The past two nights our neighborhood has been packed with dancing and Orion beer kegs… and stumbling elderly neighbors!
One more lovely part of Oki summers are the honor system fruit stands on the side of the road or in neighbors’ driveways. Stealing in Japan is not common the way it is in the States, so buying fruit & veggies this way always makes me smile.
I made a salad with pears and apples I bought from a stand and it was absolutely delicious. But before I post that, I wanted to share with you one of the yummiest sandwiches we’ve ever had that’s just right for the end of summer. I made it this weekend from Pinterest inspiration, using homemade Focaccia, but you could substitute Ciabatta or whatever bread you like best. It was stuffed with heirloom tomatoes, freshly made Pesto, Mozzarella slices and crispy bacon.
Focaccia BLT {serves 2}:
4 Pieces of your favorite bread
4 oz of Fresh Pesto
2 Heirloom Tomatoes
Mozzarella
4 pieces of crispy Bacon
Spread Pesto over both pieces of bread. Layer with sliced tomatoes, mozz & pieces of bacon.
Serve with a dry white Chardonnay or a tall beer.
Charity Poole says
Oh, that view! And the sound of cicadas…one of my favorite sounds in the world.
Charity @ http://atallshipandastar.blogspot.com
Christine loves to Travel says
Beautiful photos as usual! I am in love with your life Amanda 🙂
bekkah says
great post! God is so awesome. :]
Gaby says
goodness you live in paradise! our summer is just beginning, and i can't wait!
Jenna says
Wow! That top picture is absolutely breathtaking! Picture perfect 🙂 As you head into Fall in the northern hemisphere we are heading into Spring… also a welcome relief from the cold winter months for us 🙂
That sandwich looks delicious!
xxx
Jenna
Brooke says
Beautiful view!
That sandwich looks delish!
=)
Brooke
Anonymous says
WOW! your pictures are breathtaking! I'm a new follower from Italy. I really would like to ask you how you manage to make your pictures so bright and vivid, do you use any special filter for camera?
Thank you for your answer!!!
Lucia
Taylor says
you could (and should) be a national geographic photographer. if you ever become one, could i accompany you on your travels?
your photos are so magnificent.
anticipationblog.blogspot.com
Miss Chelsea says
Are you sure you don't wanna trade lives just for a little bit
Anonymous says
are those beach pics from your iPHONE?? you are insanely talented my dear. Also – you had me at bacon AND pesto. that looks (to borrow a phrase from the kenworthys) amaze-balls! 🙂
love – lanneybear
Nicole Marie says
i will never get sick of seeing that view in your pictures…
i love places where people trust each other like that
Ashley says
YUM! Two focaccia BLT's please! I'd say the other is for Mr. Cooper, but then I'd be lying. Look amazing! Must add to our weekly meal plan.
Kari says
Is that the view from your porch? Amazing.
Lauren says
I don't know why you put the disclaimer in there about the iphone pic, don't think you could take a bad picture with that scenery!! 🙂 Xo