May 31, 2015

  • Ballard Fiddlers

    This weekend we are hosting two middle school girls from Japan, courtesy of Carlton's middle school Japanese class. Since they are young, they stay with their host families in pairs, and we only have them Friday night through Monday morning. Kanon (in blue) and Yuzuki (in pink) are in front on the far right.
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    As it turns out, Friday night was Veronica's Fiddle Showcase at the new performing arts venue in our neighborhood, Ballard Homestead.
    Fiddle Showcase

    Veronica is in the Ballard Fiddlers, and her orchestra teacher Ms Newell is the fiddler/singer for the Barn Owls. The evening started with Rachel Nesvig on the Hardanger fiddle, a traditional Norwegian folk instrument.
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    After that it was all American folk music. Brittany Newell is the orchestra teacher at Ballard High School, and also lead fiddler/singer for the Barn Owls.
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    After their set, Ms Newell introduced the Ballard HS Fiddlers.
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    Veronica had a solo on Low and Lonely!

    The evening ended with a square dance with music from the Ballard Fiddlers and the Barn Owls, hosted by the Seattle Subversive Squaredance Society.

    Saturday morning, we toured a bunch of Seattle sites but not before a visit from the Japanese teachers and chaperons. We gave them a tour of the house and room the girls are staying in. Then we posed for a quick picture before sending the group to a second home visit.
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    On our way to the first sightseeing stop, we experienced the Ballard Draw Bridge in action. I took a moment for another photo op.
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    After that I parked a block away from Kerry Park. I love all the Ahs and Ohs as we walk past the last hedge and get that first glimpse of the famous Seattle Skyline view from Kerry Park.
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    It was a short walk to Marshall Park for a view of the cruise ship terminal with the Crown Princess and Westerdam in port.

    Gasworks Park offered another classic view of Seattle and Lake Union.
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    We were treated to a beautiful wooden cabin cruiser, romantic rowboat, and kayak. What a beautiful day in Seattle.

    Our next stop showed the Ducks getting in and out of the waters of Lake Union. One broke down at the ramp but a quick fix put all the tourists back on for a lake adventure.
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    By now we walked off the breakfast of pancakes with blueberry compote so a stop at Ivars for fish, clam strips, and chowder fueled us for a few more sights.
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    The Chittenden Locks were very busy this sunny weekend. The blue heron chicks filled the trees and birders served birthday cake. This has been one of the largest hatches in recent years and indicate a clean healthy environment for the birds.
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    I can't believe I did not take a single picture of the lock operation. We did get to see the railroad bridge open for a sailboat. The jet skis and paddle board lined up for the lock to get from the Puget Sound to Lake Union. What fun!
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    We finished the day with an all American chicken dinner. I demonstrated the intricacies of fried chicken. Kanon and Yuzuki made a beautiful crust for the strawberry rhubarb pie. Look mom and dad back in Japan, your girls can bake! The rhubarb came from our garden and made a most delicious pie.
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    What is dinner without one more food picture.

Comments (4)

  • It's a month and a half until summer vacation here, so I take it that the Seattle home stay is part of a school activity in a rather exclusive school.

  • I think they were from some fancy school, since I would not be able to afford to send my middle schooler to Tokyo, plus they both had iphone6's. :-)

  • I googled "Seattle home stay middle school June" and found this. They're a private school in Tokyo, and the trip is part of the curriculum.

    http://www.tokyoshigaku.com/articles/-/7228

    I know it's them because on the page, there's a picture of the two girls in pastel sailor suits with two rather handsome guys, and another group picture in front of a nice house I DIDN'T get to visit. The pictures are a little more than 3/4 of the way down the page.

  • @radochiku: Thanks for finding that, Ayako!

    We have the sign-up for the high school kids homestay this summer, but haven't decided to do it yet. They go to school out in suburbia and we have to schlep them there...

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