Tanabata

Today is July 7, Tanabata.  This is the one day a year that the weaver and the cowhearder cross the heavens to be together, and the Japanese celebrate by putting paper wishes onto bamboo branches.  In some versions of the story, they have to cross the Milky Way, and celebrations include lots of lights and stars.

The first day that I (together with David and Dan) ever set foot in Japan was July 7, and there was a branch of bamboo with wishes right at the airport.  That must have been 1987.  Nick probably recalls doing this in Michigan -- except instead of putting light pieces of paper that wash away in the rain -- we used very solid paper that was still there in the spring.  The festival is celebrated on different summer dates, so Nick and his friend Derek were there for the festival last summer. 

Will thinks it odd, but we have a bamboo branch with tied on paper wishes in front of the house today.   Leave it to me to find bamboo on short notice!  Wiki says that we should burn the branch or throw it in the river -- not sure that either is an excellent Arlington option.