Country Girl
I'm back.

Wow... and that was one *incredible* experience. The person who commented here to say that the Japan Alps are a place that's hard to leave wasn't lying. Oookamura is the far-away, long-ago Japan of dreamtime. We made soba, planted rice, crafted ceramics, pounded out mochi, and learned to play the wadaiko (Japanese drum). It sounds almost stereotypically ethnic but it was a really awesome retreat, especially for the company of the *children* who made it possible.

More with photos tomorrow.