July 10, 2001: Joint group meeting |
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It is a roasting day today in the mid summer. We have a joint meeting of Wasada and Kujyuu groups. The site is Ms. Aso's home in Shounai town. Her mother welcomed us by serving homemade dried persimmons and tea. |
 This is Shounai town in Oita district. We can enjoy a grand view of Oita valley beyond terraced rice paddies. The high altitude offers cool breeze. |
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| Joint group meeting Attendants 7 Hymn #30 Cooking: Procedure explanation and practice Reading: "In the morning of life" from the Founder's writing Lunch Life Study: On the half-yearly accounts Pleasure: Hiraishi Famed water visit |
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The ingredients of the day are domestic vegetables from Ms. Aso's field. Today(s recipe is taken from the lecture meeting by Motoya held on the other day. Takeuchi, the leader of the group, explains how to cook it. |
| The spacious kitchen offers a pleasant cooking place.
(Upper picture) From left; Yamade from Kujyuu, Kawano from Wasada, and Aso. (Right picture) Ihara and Nagano(right) dish us fully ripen tomatoes. |
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From left, Takeuchi, Aso, and Hikita are preparing potatoes. |
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| Aso's mother is steaming buns for us. The Adzuki beans, flour, and leaves are all domestic. | |
| As the cooking was at a pause, we had a reading time. We are encouraged by the Founder's word "Everybody can become new at anytime." Yamada explained how to keep the house simple and clean. |
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A large pot with abundant boiling water is used for making Tuna and violet-green perilla pasta." |
| Aso baked magnificent loaves of bread as a sample. |  |
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The luxurious lunch consists of domestic tomato, cucumber, and onion served with herb dressing. Upper right is steamed buns and beans salad on its left. |
| Violet-green perilla is picked up from the backyard and served like this on "Potato with herb." |  |
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After lunch, we visited Hiraishi Famed Water nearby. |
| We found many unusual products of Shounai on our way up to the water site.
This is Kongnyaku tree that produces starch of devil's tongue flour from its root. |
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Pea is a special product of Shounai. The fruits are covered with paper bags to protect them from harmful insects. Within two months, they will be picked up for the market. |
| Small chestnut is already swelling in green thorny shell. |  |
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Here we are at last. The small shrine is the guardian of the Famed Water of Hiraishi. The surrounding green forest makes cool air. |
| Local kids appeals to protect the Famed Water. |  |
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Some visitors bring up many bottles to fill the cool water. How cool tasty the water is! |
| We-were-there-picture on the water site. |  |
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Aso takes in the Famed Water into her house. We filled it and brought back as a souvenir. |
| We have had a good meeting today. Thank you Aso, we will visit again when the Kongnyaku will be produced in winter season. |
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| Reported by: Nagano | |