Beautiful Battle Ground

Yes. I know that "Battle Ground" doesn't sound very beautiful. But "Battle Ground" really is a beautiful place in my home state of Washington. It's the name of the city where I grew up. You can find out more about Battle Ground here http://www.cityofbg.org/

However you won't see pictures of the house I grew up in on that website, so I've provided a few here. One of the things I am always most impressed by when I go home is the smell of the trees. Such a beautiful sweet fragrance. Also, the sky seems so far away when I'm home. I think it's because the trees are so tall. I have never seen trees so tall anywhere that I've lived in Kyushu. I often go home in August, so another real shock to the system is the total climate difference between Kyushu and Battle Ground. It is usually cool (in the 20's) and the humidity is very low in the summer. The temperature dropped a few times when we were there this year and my Dad had to build a fire in the wood-stove to keep us warm. (see the photo of the stack of firewood)

As the photos suggest, my childhood home is a very peaceful place. I can always relax there. It's my "resort." The place I go to feel most relaxed, comfortable, and at peace.

FT