Bob Marley in the Egg Room

Foodlife in the evening is a pleasant way to end the working day. I get to talk to the animals, and focus on nothing but the practice of sustaining life. If you walk by the Farm Shop around 5:30pm, you'll hear Bob Marley singing One Love as the song penetrates the Egg Room window.
Its an interesting place, the Egg Room. The walls are covered with maps of many regions of the world, such as Japan, South East Asia, India, North America, Africa, and one world map. Its nice to study the maps while scrubbing each egg clean. The thought of biking across one of those regions thrills me. But, I usually zone out if I don't study the maps. Every night, those in charge of the chickens have to clean over 400 eggs in about an hour's time. Every egg that is not shattered from scrubbing is used. The ones that are broken at one end we take to the Koinonia kitchen instead of selling it.
My Foodlife work this month has been in meals service preparing breakfast and supper everyday. April is especially hectic for meal service since the new Participants are in the period of orientation. Even though I cant cook, they have been looking to me and the other few who know the kitchen for help for almost everything in the kitchen. For those of you who know I cannot cook, well, I can cook now.

So back in the Egg Room... Bob Marley certainly adds to the Japanese phrase "お疲れ様です" (Otsukarasama desu). The phrase is a unique phrase that is often said to another after finishing work, or a long day, or something. Its like "you worked hard and are tired. That is ok." Its also used as a greeting, I think. Complex phrase. Anyway, hearing Bob Marley at the end of the working day is good because, well, imagine Bob Marley in his soothing voice saying to you "good work today. Relax now."

...

On another note, today was a day for the volunteers to go out on an adventure. After eating delicious 天もりそば (tenmori soba), we went hiking part of Takahara mountain, raced up the final slope, was greeted by a statue manifestation of Kauwasaki, and finished back in the valley. There was a small family restaurant down in the valley that was run by the 4th generation. Their dumplings were sooo good.
The great thing about being down in the valley is that we had to drive back up on a really steep rocky path to get to the main road. The one-wheel drive van barely made it, and thats putting it generously.

The trip also reminded me of the beautiful Appalachian mountains today, which I miss much.

Peace, and may the wind be to your back.