Thank you for inviting me to your Napa House, Minn sun-bae-nim.

First of all, you look so good, no wrinkles, not withered with "Se-wol'.
No wonder you're like a Bamboo Tree, dreaming of Bamboo Garden.

Secondly, you have very nice family, all smiling  being together.
Congratulations on new arrival in your family.

Thirdly, I love your Napa house and it's surrounding landscape.

By the way, is that car parked in front of your house is Toyota Camry
which I have? Mine is running very well so far without any trouble
for the past 2 and 1/2 years. It's a wonder to me.

Lastly, I don't know much about Piccaso but I was impressed by
Chinese 14th C  painter, Ni Chan. Very philosophycal?

Thank you again for inviting me to your house and introducing me
your family, sun-bae-nim.                             Happy New Year!

이사람도 오래전에 가본곳이기도 하지만 모처럼만에 우리웹에
민선생 집안소개를 해주셔서 감사합니다.

우리도 온가족이 모여 들끓고 있는데 아마도 이런때가 연중에
제일 즐거운때중의 하나가 아닐런지요?

크리스마스 디너는 turkey and ham dinner로 했고 어제는
left over로 때웠는데 오늘은 근처에사는 처조카식구 5명을
초대해서 한식으로 식사준비를한다고 아침부터 부산입니다.
집안 안주인의 일이란 끝이 없는듯!

즐거운 새해를 맞이하여 민선생댁에 만복이 같이하시기를---.  규정

민선생님, 오랫만입니다.
온 가족 모여서, 더구나 귀여운 손자와 함께 즐거운 시간을 가지셨군요.
민선생님댁 대나무, 빨리 빨리 자라서 竹림이 무성하기 바랍니다.
저희도 대나무 가지사이로 스치는 바람소리 들으려고
지난번 집 뒤마당 한 코너에 친지에게서 몇뿌리 모종했었지요.
지금쯤 아마 작은 bamboo grove를 이루고 스쳐가는 바람를 희롱하고 있을텐데...
아름다운 Nappa Valley에서 닥아 올 은퇴 생활의 꿈이 영그는
알찬 2011년을 맞으시고 더욱 건강하십시요.
Patricia에게 안부드려 주세요.

Happy New Year to you and all your family! 

Dr. Bang:

1.
My home had only 2000 sq feet and I added 1000 sq two storyby myself after I attended a builing school 2 weeks full time in Berkley.
You see the left side red crested roof like Korean house?  (We call it yongMaroo in Korean)
A bit of decortion on a westernstyle home.
The roof end triangular corner is slightly curved, below Yongmaroo, you see it?
I could not deform too much to keepa  balance with rest of the american style house

Since then I realized Korean houses can be bulit
by the western standards, just like Korean dresses can be made by any material even with a zipper.

2.
My car is a Toyota Tacoma pick up truck as I need to move rocks, cement, dirt more
often than moving people. My next car will be Kubotat tractor, diesel,
since I cannot use horse or ox cart ㅎㅎ

Something like this!
It will be more difficult than a golf cart?




The car in front of our house yesterday belongs to a lady who visited my son.

3.

You type or copy the word "倪瓚" Ni Tsan, ot Ni Zan in Google, then you will have more than two days
 of reading material. In fact my writing here will appear in Google under either 倪瓚 or Ni Tsan.

On Ni Tsan  (I misspelled his English name).
One of his paining (below)  is in New York MOMA, close to your home, my favorite "essay on a painting"
 on the right, " right on" in  the subject of the image.

His eaasy is quoated below with his original writing..

He lost his wife and comes home where his wife is not waiting for him anymore.
he leans on the tree branch woven gate, thinking about her gazign the remote hills.

He wrote:

江渚暮潮 初落風林

霜葉渾稀 倚杖柴門
 
閒寂懷人  山色依微

River bank hit by evening tide, Early falling (leaves) in the windy forest

Frost bitten leaves are sparce,  Leaning on the branch woven  gate (싸리문)

In solitude, thinking about her,  and I see the faint silhouette of remote mountains . 

Does it not sound like Mr. Frost you quoated last time?

Ni Tsan (or Ni Zan)

Dr. Hwang,

Next time you come to Napa, let us go to country with a sleeping bag, fishing pole,.. for
2-3 weeks!  I will be out of this bird cage. I was supposed to be out in 1 week, but something happened and will be detained furter!

Dr. and Mrs. Cho

You never came to Napa?
If that is the case, spring or autumn is the best time to tour around Central Valley,  SF ,
 and the back side of Yosemite.. when snow begins to melt and wild flowers are coming out.

I will write something about bamboo next time.
I collected 5-6 kinds of bamboos and they will be pretty if I take good care.

This is Madake variety which also grows in southern Korea.
I bought a 15 gal pot and divided into two. This is a slow growing variety.
We have to check "cold tolerance" for each kind. 
Local nursery will tell you which kind will survive in your area.

Say hello to your husband!

Attended Building School as a Doctor?
Never heard of it, sun-bae-nim.

You make me more and more interested
in visiting California.

I want to check first  Dr.K(70) in Fresno
to say hello in a long time and we'll talk.

For Dr. Bang,

1.
On owner Builder Center:

There are many many people who want to know about the basics of a home.
Electricity, plumbing, heating, foundation, building codes, making deck, stairs, ..

When I signed up, there were about 25 students, many of them were interested in
 building additions, a new house, etc. College students who were are studying architecture.

In the morning, you take 4 hours of theory, e.g. electricity or plumbing,  then afternoon
4 hours practice. Every one can do it, I found it out.

Framing a house? (putting up 2x4 lumbers).
There were modules ready made. We just assembled them and tided them rather than
 nailing. 

Heavy job?  Contract out or you buy material and hire carpenters if you
 know what you want. You can build with 33% of the cost. Of course your labor is
not included.  It did cost $20,000 for me to build 1000 sq two story addition, but the county  imposed tax based on $60,000 value addition, 30 years ago. Now 1000 sq will cost
150 k, but if you build your self, it may cost 50 K.
If it is not a conventional building like Korean park in New York, you need to bring people from Korea, then the cost will triple? Unfortunately, there is no carpenter who can
understand my intention or your intention when it comes to Korean  style flavored
 building.  

2.
Dr.K(70) in Fresno  

Who is he? Please send me an e-mail so that I can find who he is.

He is a Rheumatologist and good friend.
Because of him, i visited California 3 times
in the beginning of my practice.

We went to Lake Tahoe, San Francisco, LA,
 Hawaii, and etc. We were young then, vey
nostalgic days to me. Now, almost forgotten.