On work and, well, more work

It never ends really, there's so much to do. I'm planning a day trip to Ise tomorrow, the first of a few I'll be likely to take before I leave Kyoto. I'm thinking my hiking trip in Kumano will be much shorter than I had originally anticipated, it's just finding lodging down there that worries me. Still, I've got plenty of time to check things out and make arrangements. Gotta call Atsuko-sensei too! Though I believe she's back in the states by now.
I've been working on filling most if not all of my gift list as well, since I'm going to be sending a final package back home (airmail this time, it's been over a month since my sea-faring package was sent though I won't start despairing until I get back to find it isn't there yet.) full of gifts I can't carry around with me everywhere and extra stuffs. Goodness I miss having a proper kitchen. But, I think I've found the fine line between staying in touch with people back home and enthusiasm for my work and adventures in another country. Only recently had I realized this is the longest I've been away from home in a foreign country! It really isn't that hard when you've been studying the country in question for a while, connections are also very helpful. But I digress. Work. Right.

After the rains last week the days have been increasingly sunny and crisp. Things are indeed warming up a smidgen again, but that's because we're expecting more rains next week of course. There isn't much going on in November in Japan really, besides gearing up for the holiday season, New Years that is. I forget when Golden Week is again...should look that up.
Well, I should get back to typing away. I'm almost at the end of my last book on Shintoism and today is my marker for getting a final rough rough draft of my paper done, and finishing my second portrait. I couldn't paint anywhere outside last month because of the effing mosquitoes! I almost got eaten alive in Arashi-yama that day, yeesh! Still, it's only recently been chilly so I think I'll wait a few more days before I venture into the hillside shrine regions to paint again. I really want to go back to Inari and paint some tori or statues. It really is a beautiful mountainside, especially the back-side paths that I did not stray too far down since a kindly tourist hiker informed me that he had been hiking for hours already from the beginning of that trail, and It was already beginning to get dark. But that's for another day, today is e-mail updating, checking lists, finishing small projects, and a bit of planning.
For consolation's sake, here are a few picture teasers of Jidai Matsuri, the last big festival in fall in Kyoto, basically called "Festival of the Ages" which involves a very long procession of people in historical Japanese costume! Fantastic stuff. And here you are, for viewing pleasure. :)

                                                   Where the parade ended, Heian Jingu.

 I'm pretty sure he wasn't sleeping, but maybe he nodded off for a split second when I shot this. ;)

                                                      Beautiful horse...<3 Meiji era, no doubt.

And that's all for now! I've got lots of organizing mailboxes and sending of mail today. I'm off!
Take care,
~Kira