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Monday, June 1, 2020

Roses and reflections

When I visit a park at this time of year, without a visit to a rose garden is not perfect.

- A rose garden of Tottori Hana-kairo Flower Park -
Part of my trip to Tottori prefecture, end of May, 2019
Therapeutic time at the mountain stream of Oku-Daisen

I was 19 when Lynn Anderson’s I Never Promised You a Rose Garden was released.
It was constantly on at my favorite radio program featuring Western pop songs.
I enjoyed listening to it though I couldn't hear full lyrics back then.




“Along with the sunshine, there's got to be a little rain sometimes.....”
As a naive, happy student, I didn’t think about future rain when the sun was shining.
I thought my generation in Japan were so blessed without wars or destructive disasters.
1995 Hanshin Great Earthquake which hit my loved home town Kobe and its vicinity
 was a stark realization to me that my country is prone to massive earthquakes.



- My garden -


My concern about natural disasters are not only earthquakes 
but also typhoons or torrential rains which has gotten much more powerful in a decade.


 I think that always normal is abnormal, but can't I say
 "more windy days due to the violent collision of warm and cold air during the warm winter
or cold April with sleet or hails or occasional summer days" abnormal?
The talks of abnormal weather has been overshadowed by the overwhelming news about COVID-19.

Along with the sunshine, rainfall is also a blessing to roses.

Why don't people see the same direction regarding the climate change?
When imminent danger of COVID-19 was informed and then perceived,
so many people could imagine and understand of the full consequences of our actions.
Majority of people changed their behavior to slow down the spread of infections.
Without that attitude and respect to nature, what would happen near future,
whatever the reason, anthropocentric, natural cyclical change, or combination of the both.

Reflection on the wood-deck mirror on a rainy day

BTW, the plant below is not a rose but called “California Rose” in my country. 
It is double petaled impatiens, Impatiens wallerana. 
The rose-like flowers bloom profusely May through mid-summer. 



State of emergency for COVID-19 was lifted across the nation a week ago.
But our battle against the virus still continues with utmost cares.
Rainy season is coming soon followed by top summer's unbearable heat wave.
I hope high humidity and temperature decrease the force of the virus
so that we can prepare enough to stop or face efficiently the second big wave 
which is supposed to come, probably autumn to winter at latest.



The kind, cheerful, playful, and curious boy Y turned 7 the first of May.
I hope bright future for him but no one is promised a rose garden.
At only 7, he seems to be coming to know things sometimes don't go his way
and has to accept it, which is surely part of his growth.
I hope he'll enjoy his first school life started today.
Wish him grow healthy and develop personality with love, wisdom, and courage
so that he can rise to the future challenge of life.



I Never Promised You a Rose Garden

Linked to Mosaic Monday
Thank you, Angie, for hosting.

19 comments:

  1. Hello, Beautiful roses and a lovely garden. Looks like a lovely park/garden for a walk.
    Enjoy your day, wishing you a happy new week!

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  2. Gorgeous roses and cute kids !
    Great photos as usual ;)
    Have a nice week !
    Anna

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  3. I love roses and these are beautiful photos. You're right, when COVID-19 came out, everyone seem concerned, but in terms of climate change, there's a lot of people who doesn't care about it.

    We should really start caring more for Mother Earth.

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  4. Dear Yoko - my fear is that we will be battling this awful virus for a long time yet - but I do sincerely hope that I am mistaken.
    I take comfort, like so many others at this moment in time, in what mother nature is giving us - in this country we have blue skies and sunshine, it has been the sunniest spring that has ever been recorded here.
    I don't grow roses, but I do appreciate them, and really enjoy their wonderful fragrance.

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  5. I remember that song! Your photos are lovely as always. I think your grandchildren will bloom into beautiful human beings in part because they have a wise, thoughtful and caring grandmother. Japan has done well … the people listened and kept the virus down. I wish I knew why so many people deny climate change and their responsibility in it. Actually, the pandemic is part of it all.

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  6. The photos of the children are adorable! And of course we all love roses! I've appreciated what you've said too! I'm grateful for everything I have but I know things change every day. We have to be careful!

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  7. It seems everyone is showing photos of roses today. And why not? They are truly beautiful.

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  8. Beautiful roses and love the pictures of the kids. I'm sure they are happy to get outside.
    Dawn aka Spatulas On Parade

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  9. Yoko - perhaps you have heard about the protests that are happening around the United States. On top of the crisis with the pandemic, it is almost more than a person can bear. Is there anything that we can count on any more? Is the world a safe place? And then I look at your roses, and the lovely faces of your grandchildren, and I have hope. We must have hope. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and your photography with everyone at Mosaic Monday!

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  10. Felicidades para él chico Yoko. Crecerá siendo feliz.
    Las rosas preciosas amiga. Me encantan los collages.
    En España seguimos en confinamiento. Hay provincias ya en la fase 3 con más libertad para salir que la nuestra. Nosotros estamos en la fase 1 y aún tenemos muchas restrinciones, pero estamos bien que es lo importante. Esperemos poder salir victorosos del virus que por desgracia ya se ha llevado a muchas personas en todo el mundo.
    Cuidate amiga.
    Un abrazo.

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  11. Again MosaicMonday and here I'm, to read...
    ...I enjoyed your Post - I love this song when I was young. Long time ago. Roses are so much wonderful!

    Stay healthy. Happy MosaicMonday!

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  12. Yoko, I loved the roses. Thanks for sharing. Be well and safe. Have a great week. Sylvia D.

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  13. 大変な時期と小学校入学のめぐり合わせでしたね。
    でも新しいランドセルを背負ってうきうき、新しいお友達と新しい生活に一歩踏み出してうきうき。
    笑顔でいっぱいと思います。
    水滴のバラは素敵!(^^)!

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  14. Dear Yoko!
    Great baby photos. Happy birthday to your grandson!
    The presented roses are beautiful. Your every photo is amazing.
    Kisses and greetings:)

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  15. The photographs of the roses are really lovely. No roses here in my part of Canada yet, still too chilly. Your little grandson Y is starting school..... I wish him success and I hope he enjoys going to school and learning!

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  16. Dear Yoko,
    seeing delicate rose petals with drops of rain or dew you feel unwilling to dwell on the virus topic. It is overwhelming, as you put it, yet there're more precious things to care about. I saw your family pictures with tenderness. You know what, I will share our dear news with you. We've got a grandson! Desirable little crearure who is nearly three months old. In this unprecedented situation there's no chance to go to their place and hold him in our hands, but with modern technologies we witness how he grows daily. I do not spread the news all around but I'm sure you will understand our feelings like no one else.
    Thank you, dear friend, keep safe.
    Irina

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  17. I invite you for a rose walk https://5porroku.blogspot.com/2020/06/rozany-raj-na-zakonczenie-oktawy.html

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  18. I've been catching up with your posts, Yoko. Now Sam and Y are the same age. I haven't seen Sam in person since February though I've talked to him on the phone, and he sometimes texts me on his older siblings phones. They grow so fast and in this age of technology seem so advanced!Your roses and impatiens speak of summer. My perennials are coming up and wildflowers are starting to bloom. It's still cool here in the mountains, perfect for hiking. Our state has opened more and our town is busy with tourists. Bob and I remain isolated except for necessary errands like grocery shopping. We expect now that people are traveling again, there will be an upsurge in illness. You and your family stay well, Yoko.

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