Well, hello there friends and family. It's me Danny. Most of the time you get Katy's commmentary on these blogs but Katy really wanted me to give my insights into these pictoral scenes.
It's kind of becoming a running joke that I am becoming the "apple guy" in Andong (and I don't even eat apples) and I would tell you otherwise, but I'm truly afraid that it is actually becoming true.
The following ridiculous situation is proof.
One day a few months ago during the yearly Andong Mask Festival, we were walking around when we saw about a dozen men walking through the grounds dressed to impress and looking like they were on a mission, so of course we followed suit.
They stopped in front of a large apple stand and were being handed white gloves and scissors, obviously for some important
apple ribbon cutting ceremony type thing...?
Katy was joking with me that I should tell them about how I am a local apple model and grab some gloves to join in on the ceremony. After all I am kind of a big deal around here now.
But, I laughed it off telling my wife that she is crazy (and she is).
But just then an older man wearing traditional Korean clothing started to gesture for someone to to come over.
After some confusion (as is usual for me here) I discovered that he was gesturing for me to come over and would not take no for an answer.
So I came over and was handed my gloves and scissors and told to cut the ribbon with the rest of the important men in attendance. Asking why? or what it was for? would have been a silly and unimportant question, so I cut away and smiled for the many cameramen photographing this momentus occassion.
There we all are. Each of us men an apple official in our own respect.
After I cut the ribbon, I shook some hands told everyone thank you for coming and tried to get the heck out of there, before I was forced to eat them all with my new brotherhood of fellow "applelites."
Next came Katy, who was not about to be forgotten in the days honorable roles.
Here is "The Man" choosing her to be a rice cake cutting official.
If I had to do it so did she and let me tell you she performed her role with talent and pride.
It was a cake made of rice (as most things are here). And to say it was a large rice cake would not do it justice...No this thing was huge. Those are whole large apples pressed into it. Look at her. It's like she was born for this moment. Most of those guys aren't actually even doing anything. As you can see their hands aren't really on the knife, but Katy, Katy's holding it full on, like the pro that she is.Yet another adventure in our apple filled lives in south Korea.
Another unique site is rice being harvested, which I had never witnessed before. The interesting thing about rice is that you need to let it dry out in the sun and what better place to do it than in the middle of the road!? Apparently this practice is illegal, but this fall I constantly had to take new paths due to all the rice drying on the road. I bet the Korean farmers are saying, "Asphalt is the best place because it is flat and warm, so BACK OFF! ...And don't ride your bike through my rice anymore!" Just kidding, I have never been mean enough to ride my bike on their rice, but I have considered it : ) So watch out if you are ever driving in Korea in the fall because around any corner could be a nice spread of rice... and apparently it is not free to anyone who drives by.
This picture has nothing to do with farming, but Mr. Lee took us to see this house on our way back from the farm. While historical sites are the same worldwide (boring) this one made me think that living in this old house wouldn't be that bad. Again, I say: Korea is beautiful!