Looking for old friends in the internet

As written in a previous post, in a couple of note books, I have kept almost all call signs of the USA hams whom I had worked. I have sorted out all the stations after their suffices. I am in a few ham groups in facebook. Whenever I find any call signs likelily familiar to me, I try to look them up in those note books. Sadly, they rarely hit in them. 

https://nuttycellist-unknown.blogspot.com/2024/08/two-indices-notebooks.html

Considering of my age 76 years, those in the note books must be the same age or older. I am pretty confident of haing worked most active stations in the US from '80s through '00s. I have never counted how many but it must be more than hundred thousands. CW guys always keep active throughout their lives in my exerience. I am afraid those old timers have already gone inactive or even SK by now. 

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 Actually, the FOC gang in the west coast whom I have most often chatted for the last decades are becoming fewer year by year. It must be how the life goes on. But I still miss them. I am still going on looking for old friends of mine in the internet. There are rare cases that my friends' family members give me a note or a comment like Susan KD4VXO whose father was N4DAG David. I always enjoy communicating with such a person as Susan. Say hi to me whoever you may be in case you or your family remember of me.

I sometimes have horriying moments when I realize having forgotten on good old friends. It is a way to prevent it that I have written about them in the blog. So far, I am struggling that senile moments. 

   

Prof. Isoyama's 8th anniversary

 It was the 8th anniversary of Prof Isoyama's passing yesterday. Even though I was aware of that, I didn't want to post too many subjects at the same time yesterday. This post on his anniversary is not the least but one of the most precious ones for me. He could have been 79 years old if he was still alive. His passing was not expected at all. It was due to an accident. But how he has lived surely looks like a perfect completion of life one could achieve. He has returned to the heaven immediately after finishing his dissertation on St. John's Passion.   

Having this anniversary every year, I could not help feeling time is flying away so fast that time in my life is not left so much. Not comparable to his way of living, I would not only regret on death bed. Of course, I have a lot of things to be regretted. Still I want to believe my life would be ended by the unseen hand of God, however incomplete it might be .

I have already written a lot about him and things I owe to him. I would spend sometime listening to St. Matthew's passion before going to bed. Muenchener Bach Choir and Orchestra conducted by Karl Richter. 

Spring is arriving here whatever we may think of things around ourselves

I have been concerned about what went on in the politics in our country, that is, the drift to the far right, for the past several weeks. It is a reason why I haven't renewed this blog. I still have some observation and view on it. But not so cranky at it any longer like when I was younger. People may realize what they have chosen for the administration in our country in the near future. Or before that, they may encounter drastic peril. I still believe the problem is that people are accepting and even supporting the reign by ultra right politicians, who often make very bad and thinly veiled or even obvious lies. It often causes unscientific as well as unreal conspiracy in the society. As quoted Arendt's words previously, it is akin to or leading them to fascism.

Enough with politics. I am still cooking dinner at home. This is pork seasoned with salted rice malt. I knew salted rice malt was useful in cooking. I have practised it as the seasoning of chicken breast thinly sliced. You may preserve it for a week or two. This pork dish was also good. Salted rice malt contains protease or amylase. Once foods are is marinated with it, protein and/or starch is digesed and the food becomes even more delicious. 

How many times I have uploaded the photo of blooming Ume? One of the earliest signs of spring here. From the end of last month to a few days ago, it had been pretty cold. But it seems the biological clock within these trees tells them to come out. 

I could not help askng myself how many times I could appreciate it. Not asking such unnecessary question, I may have to enjoy the moment of arrival of joyful spring. It is the time for me to start planting such as potatoes very soon.

A pleasant moment of music related event

About 15 years ago, when I was practising the Nr2 Piano Trio by Brahms with friends at the violinist home, it was the violinist's birthday. While the violinist was out of the room for a while, the pianist proposed me a trick. At the moment we started practising the trio again, as the pianist said, piano and cello would not go on with Brahms but with the famous melody of "Happy Birthday to You". The violinist has given us the Einsatz with breathing as usual. But the other two instruments started singing the melody as promised. At first, the violinist was wondering what had happened with eyes wide open. In a second, she realized that and laughed a lot. One of the happiest moments we shared. 

Shown in the reel clip below, it is such a moment for conductor Eliahu Inbal having his 90the birthday with the members of Tokyo Metropolitan Orchestra at a concert. When Inbal came to the podium from the wings, the orchestra started an arranged version of Happy Birthday to You. Solemn and impressive adagio like Mahler's slow movement. When it  sounded as if to end, the music started with the whole orchestra and chorus in unison of forte! The maestro stood still close to the podium. Of course, when the performance was over, he has grinned being given a bouquette and even a big cake there. It is not a moving moment of music but is surely a pleasant time for the performers as well as the audience. Without account in Meta, it might not be able to be watched;

 https://www.facebook.com/reel/2596249997426257

Beef and Tofu

Beef and tofu with vegetables. Seasoned with sugar and soy sauce. Tofu, processed through cotton filter, is rich with protein, calcium and fiber. This dish is a simplified Sukiyaki. Tofu absorbs the taste or the umami of beef. 

Simple, nutrient rich and also economical! Good for elderly.

I am starting farming. Surprised to see how expensive the seeds of vegetables are now. Have ordered a couple of Tomato seed packs, which cost 14 USD. Most of them are imports from oversea. Farming materials are also mostly imported. The biggest trading partner is China. I am afraid the vegetables will get more expensive very soon. Only few japanese people are aware of that. I will take the seeds from the matured vegetables this year.  

Apres un Reve performed by Sol Gabetta and Bruno Fontaine

This lovely piece arranged by Casals from a Faure's song has been one of my favorites since young days. I have written about it for a few times quoting excllent renditions. 

This one by Sol Gabetta and Bruno Fontaine also attracted me so much. Gabetta plays it with beautiful and neat phrasing as usual. The piano part is playing mostly chords in eighth note all the way through. Very simple on the score. However, there are still a lot of agogique since it is originally a song. It might be a matter of common sense for such professional players but they, especially the pianist, are making perfect ensemble. That agogique is just for artistic expression like breathing in song. I remember music is originated from song whatever the genre it might be. Breathing is a basic characteristic of life. Breathing together in ensemble of music gives us the pleasure of living together.

I have missed all the chances for ensemble. Given my arms are getting better with possibly ulnar nerve trouble, I would try to play cello again. What pleasure of sense of existence I have been given in ensembles in the past. I am full of thanks to the company, especially, the violinist who has played together with me for almost 3 decades. 
 

Snowfall

It has snowed a lot yesterday. This amount of snowfall rarely occurs here. In northern areas, they have had too much snow and 45 people were killed in accidents due to snowfall yesterday.  Until the end of next month, we might have massive snowfall for a few more times. Yes, massive only in our standard.

Ume flowers seem to be ready to come out. It means spring is not too far from now. I should prepare planting such as potatoes and other spring vegetables. Hilling the farm with compost plowed into the ridges.

Winter won't last long. We should get ready for spring.