Korea Journal Page Six Journal Page 1    Journal Page 2    Journal Page 3   Journal Page 4     Journal Page 5   Journal Page 6   "Cherry Trees in Blossom at the Edge of the Lake" (right) Honestly, I could hardly believe my eyes when spring came to Busan. The blossoming trees throughout the mountains were astoundingly glorious.

"Bird Studies" (left) Up in the mountains close to where we lived was a park called "The Grand Children's Park". In this park was a small lake made from damming a river. Ivan and I loved to walk around the lake along the path that wound under large trees. This park was very popular and I noticed that everyone was very happy when they were there in the fresh air, being close to the trees and water. I was enchanted by the swans that floated on the green lake that reflected the surrounding mountains.  One day I said to Ivan, "I wonder why the swans are always in  the centre of the lake?" Ivan looked at me with surprise and said, "The swans aren't real!" I looked at him with shock on my face and then looked again at the swans. Sure enough, the swans had obvious signs of being made of fiberglass and one was even badly listing!!! I guess I just wanted to see real swans so much that I blocked out all the signs that said, loud and clear, that they were only pretend.

"Blossoming Trees at the Children's Park" (right) I was obsessed with drawing the trees in blossom when spring arrived.

"Magnolia Branch and Blossom" (left) This tree gave us some of the first blossoms of spring. The opening magnolias looked like a flock of birds in flight.

"Sunday Afternoon" (right) On the weekends Ivan and I would go exploring the many trails through the mountains. There was always so much to see. As Ivan sat pensively along a little stream  on which floated pink petals, we saw a man and a woman taking a log out of the forest  on a type of cradle that the man had strapped to his back. We always saw people harvesting from the forest. On this day we also saw a man carefully collecting smallleaves from a bush. Perhap for a natural remedy?

"Bird's Nest" (left)  One afternoon when Ivan was out for a run in the mountains he came across this nest made of grass and moss. He had to bring it home for me to see because he knows how much I love them. And then, of course, I had to paint it because I find nests endlessly facinating.

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