Where Globe-Trotting meets Beach-Combing
Ume blossoms (Asian plum) celebrate the coldest month of the year. “Don’t worry!” they bob their little heads. “It won’t be cold forever!” Surprise! Ume blossoms symbolize hope, elegance, grace and the coming of spring.“In spring apricot blossoms bloom first.I was looking for the blooming alone in twilight.”–Yamanoueno OkuraJapanese envoys to China were captivated by…
Sadly, my friend Nancy is about to move away. Happily, that means she’s not working anymore so we had time to venture around with our friend Megan Monday. We started off shopping the Machida Shrine Sale under the February plum blossoms, followed by lunch of a green tea kinako or something and an avocado-crab croissant…
There’s a bridge spanning the Hikichigawa that’s my favorite place to chronicle the passing seasons. So here’s one of each: spring cherry blossoms, summer, late summer, fall, winter. Same bridge, facing the other direction!
The snow didn’t last very long here, just a chunk of slush here and there in the gutter, and chilly mud everywhere else. Although I think it’s still snowy on base for some reason I don’t quite understand. That’s about perfect though I think. Ever since last spring when an elderly photographer set up a…
The gray day turned misty, misty turned rainy. I walked home from the rain station, sodden, listening to the steady rain on my umbrella, carrying a baguette, four tomatoes and a new tea bowl. I turned on the heaters downstairs, changed into dry clothes, selected some wine, spread the last of the pesto on the…
Japan is continually reborn as something new bursts into bloom. It’s nearly February…bring on the plum blossoms! Winter in Japan is kind of growing on me. Now that we actually use our heaters and have a comfortably warm house I can actually notice and enjoy the stark beauty of the naked cherry trees, the uncluttered,…
By now Haitian earthquake news has been pushed from the front page, replaced by articles about the presidential speech etc. etc. That’s normal of course, to lose our sense of urgency as the days pass. But it’s not an issue Karen or Jim Esson can turn the page and forget about. Just days ago Jim…
