Meeting Miss Mamie

The title has a typo--that should read "Meeting Miss Maemi..."

We went hiking on a nearby mountain (hill) today, and had a chance encounter with "Miss Maemi".  We had made it to the peak; David was resting under the "Mountain of 10,000 Stars" pavilion; and I was trying to get some pictures of the fall color on the hill across the valley from where we were.  I left the hiking trail and

noticed a tree with an unusual BUMP on it.

Then, the bump moved.

It

was

not 

a            

"bump".

It was alive!

It was, in fact, Miss Maemi.

The schoolmarm-ish Miss Maemi was clad in a matronly gray/brown coat-dress; which camouflaged her well;

 But   underneath she sported a racy red teddy!

 Her fashion fascinated me. And then I noticed Miss Maemi's sister(s), cousin(s), and OH! her entire family tree==er, her entire family was on that tree.  The tree was covered with hundreds of similarly-attired family and friends...

I don't know what kind of tree it was; and the fact that it had already lost its leaves drastically decreased my odds of determining that.  Wait,....when probability is already near 0%, can it be drastically decreased?  Anyway, I'm not good at this tree identification thing...

What was it about this particular tree that attracted literally hundreds of the maemi?

And was there any remote possibility that they would arbitrarily exchange the warmth of  this autumn-sun drenched tree for that of a nearby 98.6 degree hiker?  I decided I didn't want to risk finding out, and rushed away from the rendezvous...

Though previously a biology major, I prefer it when there is more of "me" than "them".  I prefer, um, nonliving specimens (like the one pictured above with the red teddy...).  I always prefer to see the living specimens before they see me, so that I will have a head start when I begin to run away...(And regarding reptiles, it really does NOT matter at all if it is poisonous or not.  If you die of a heart attack when you see it, you're dead--regardless of whether or not it was poisonous.)

But perhaps my greater fear should be, not insects or reptiles, but poison ivy.  (seeing as I left the hiking trail to get those photos...)  Although I haven't had a case of poison ivy in the 7 years we've been in Korea, it may just have been lack of opportunity.    It's rare to find it growing in a city of 10 million people. Now we've moved to the "country".  I think my chances of having a "close encounter" with it have dramatically increased.

Speaking of poison ivy, they serve an unusual delicacy here... No, it's not grain-fed beef;   it's poison-ivy fed chicken.  I'm serious.  I'm sure that I would be allergic to it, and thus have declined to sample this...this...this...um, "food."  Is it possible to get poison ivy inside the intestinal tract?  I'm not going to volunteer to find that out either.

Well, my husband has just informed me that the Chinese character which the Koreans pronounce as "man-sung-san" does not mean 10,000 stars.  It means "10,000 Family names"...which is about as boring and unromantic as one can get in naming a mountain.  I suspect they gave it this name when they built the "Roots" geneaology park adjacent to it several years ago.  I will continue to call it the "Mountain of the 10,000 Stars"--because I believe that's what I'd see from the top if I stuck around until it got dark. 

But I couldn't tonight; I needed to get home to get supper for a hungry hiker, NOT TO MENTION POST MY PICTURES ON MY BLOG!!

Editor's Note:  No maemi were harmed in the creation of this weblog entry.  The specimen above was found in the deceased state...in no way did we hasten its death.  Rest assured that I would NOT touch one if it were still alive!!!

To the scientific minded:  Maemi are Chinese locusts.  Sorry, can't find the "real" name.

Read an interesting article: Big Food vs. Big Insurance

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/10/opinion/10pollan.html?em

I don't know that I agree with everything in this article.  I patently disagree with the thought that "big government" should get even more involved in our lives. 

BUT, I thought that this was a particularly telling statement:

"As for the insurers, you would think preventing chronic diseases would be good business, but, at least under the current rules, it’s much better business simply to keep patients at risk for chronic disease out of your pool of customers, whether through lifetime caps on coverage or rules against pre-existing conditions or by figuring out ways to toss patients overboard when they become ill."

Thoughts on Labor for Labor Day

God's thoughts, that is........

There are those days, or weeks, or months when we need a spark of enthusiam...  Listen to what God said to Zerubbabel; just for fun today read Haggai...Haggai 1:13   "The LORD sparked the enthusiasm of Zerubbabel...."

Haggai 2:3-5  "It may seem like nothing at all!  But now take courage...take courage and work, says the LORD   Almighty, for I am with you.  My Spirit remains among you, just as I have promised.  Do not be afraid."

Sometimes we see a task that seems enormous, and our efforts or abilities seem so small.  But the LORD wants us to take courage.  And He tells us to not be afraid.  We think," I would like to do that; but I am afraid if I did, I might not be able to finish it, or it might not turn out right, or (you fill in the blank).  But if the LORD has called us to do it, don't be afraid.

Or, check out Zechariah...

"Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin."

"It is not by force or by strength, but by my Spirit, says the LORD."  Zechariah 4:10

"This is what the LORD Almighty says:  All this may seem impossible to you now...But do you think this is impossible for me, the LORD Almighty?"  This is what the LORD Almighty says:  TAKE HEART AND FINISH THE TASK!!!!    Zechariah 8:6, 9

May God bless your Labor!!  And have a good Labor Day!!!!!!!!

Oops!  I think I missed Labor Day...  Shows what happens when you live in a country that doesn't celebrate Labor Day! 

The Woods

A Hike to the "Top of the Mountain" Fortress

After living in Seoul (population 14 million) for 5 years; we are now in Daejeon. (population 1.4 million).  That still is a HUGE city; BUT we have a mountain across the road from our home.  I look out my window and see trees. NOT tall buildings, NOT traffic jams; but a beautiful mountain and trees.

Not only that, we have 4 national parks within an hours drive of our home!  (All of them are mountains.  YEA!!)

We have hiked on the Bomun Mountain several times.  It is the nearest mountain to us; having numerous trails, both marked and unmarked, that criss-cross the mountain; going to the mountain's several peaks.  The highest peak is "SiRu Bong".  Today, the plan was to hike to this peak.  We made it, despite our start being delayed until 2:00.  So, it was a bit hot and quite humid by the time we started.  As we ascended the mountain, it became a little cooler, especially under the shade in the pine forest.

The city in which we live is built in a valley, surrounded all around by mountains.  On the top of this mountain, there are the remains of a wall, and fortress.  We enjoyed getting to the top and seeing them...

Here is David on top of the wall.  It is not so large as the Great Wall of China, of course; but it is fascinating, nonetheless.

Near the top we can see this structure; part of the original fortress.

Ah, at last we made it to the top!

This is such a nice, breezy place to stop and rest.  It has such a lovely view of the mountains on all sides, surrounding the city.

Of course, I'd rather look at the mountains, which God made, than the city and all the tall buildings!

 It reads, "This mountain fortress was built with stones piled up along the perimeter of the walls on the mountaintop...It is assumed that the fortress was built when Baekje was in war with Silla.  Although the fortress is relatively small-sized with 300 meters in circumference; it is placed at the center of strategic importance where it could easily reach to the neighboring fortresses.  Most of the walls were built with stones piled up only on the outer sides of the walls after the earth was dug out.  However, on the south-east walls, stones were piled on both the outer and inner sides of the walls, filling the space between the walls with earth.  There are no walls built on the northeastern side, since there are steep slopes that work like a natural fortress.  As for the gate sites, south gate site and west gate site are remaining.  On the far north of the fortress, the "jangdaeji",  a military commander's post, was discovered.  Various relics including earthenware dishes which date back to the Bronze age, and tiles for roofing of the Baekje and Goryeo Kingdoms have been excavated in the fortress site."

We enjoy hiking so much; and there are a lot of places to hike around here.  However,         I try not to spend more time hiking than the average American spends watching television...  Have to be a good steward of my time, you know...

Descending back down the mountain, we came across a clearing which held a badminton court!  You literally have to hike an hour to get to it!  I guess that is really getting your exercise in.

Bless the LORD, O my soul!  O LORD, my God, Thou art very great! He established the earth on its foundations...The mountains rose...He sends forth springs in the valleys; They flow between the mountains.  He waters the mountains from His upper chambers; The earth is satisfied with the fruit of His works.O LORD,how many are Thy works! (from Psalm 104)