Lazing on a Sunday afternoon

I can't quite seem to make it into the water this year. Sunday, I had plans to go swimming with some friends, but the rain gods chose once again to spit at me. We went to Tully's over in Matsue instead. As the caffeine cleared the fog from my head, the sky outside was going through a similar transformation. Four pm and bright blue! We decided to go for a walk.
Five years ago, Ben-chan and I had the brilliant idea of walking the complete length of the Shimane Peninsula, from Mihonoseki to Hinomisaki. It should have taken 3 0r 4 days, but we kept finding beaches perfect for loafing. (We only made it as far as Ichibata Yakushiji, and beyond there, there be dragons.) So far, the best beach we found was Kitaura, with it's small reef and rainbow of fish. Running a close second is Kaga, a place I first heard about from Lafcadio Hearn. And there my friends and I went.
There is a nice trail that runs beside the caves and tidepools. I told my friends about a large cave up ahead,but one of them misunderstood me, thinking I said there was a zoo. (Dobutsu vs. Dokutsu) Yet the variety of life in the pools proved her right after all. We had fun checking out all kinds of squishy edibles and I learned lots of new vocabulary. (Most already long gone.) The trail ran up a hill to a small plateau which contained a wooden platform. The perfect place for an acoustic gig. We lay on the deck awhile watching a dozen or so kites swirling above. I tried a screeching imitation and a few flew closer. I love making eye-contact with birds.
Later when the birds were gone, shadows lengthened and clouds snuggled ridges. Behind us, the sun made with a final tip of the hat, and was gone.


On the turntable: Tim Buckley, "Goodbye and Hello"