About a dozen members and friends attended the private guided tour of the special exhibit “Lords of the Samurai” at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco on September 13. We got a closer look at not only 160 beautiful and historic artifacts like armor, clothing, painting, ceramics and calligraphy by important samurai, but also heard some history of the more famous samurai (both men and women). More than warriors, the samurai were writers and artists and the highest ranking class just below the Daimyo leaders. We got an intimate look at the activities of 600 years ago within the Hosokawa family (one of the most famous warrior clans of their time). After more than an hour of information and insight from our knowlegeable Japanese guide, we were able to go back on our own to spend more time in the special exhibit, as well as in the main museum. Many of us ate lunch at the cafeteria on site.

Thanks to Angie Fong for setting up this interesting event.

OTTFFSS… and BWBWWBWBWB…

Curtis Otaguro solved last month’s puzzle. It will take the
bookworm only 1.5 hours to go from p1 of volume 1 to the last
page of volume 3. As you look at the 3 books on the shelf, you
realize that p1 of volume 1 is at the right side of the book and the
last page of volume 3 is actually on the left side of volume 3.

Cats:A clowder or clutter of cats
Cobras: A quiver of cobras
Colts: A rag of colts
Cows: A kine of cows (12 cows are a flink)
Cranes: A sedge or siege of cranes
Crocodiles: A float of crocodiles
Crows: A murder of crows
Doves: A dule of doves

Four NSC’ers braved the regional heat advisory to hike to Picchetti Ranch in Cupertino on Sunday, Sept. 20^th.  Debbie Fong (who was the last to arrive at last October’s hike)  drove all the way from Concord and was the first this time at the meeting place.  Debbie and Dick waited for Freeman Wong and Ray Tateyama who drove two hours from Sacramento and arrived a half hour late after missing a turn. This was their first hike in the South Bay.

Despite the weather warnings, the temperature at the start was cool since the elevation was 800 ft.  The biggest issue was the attacking flies.  Debbie shared her can of bug repellent spray. The climb to the Ranch was shaded for over two-thirds of the time and we had a few spectacular views of the valley below –  particularly a view of the Stevens Creek Reservoir.   Those who were on the hike last October remembered the Reservoir being almost empty,  thanks to the continuing drought.  This time, the Reservoir was three-quarters full.  We saw a kayaker and a canoe paddling in the Reservoir.

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