梅 Ume blossoms - Perseverance and Hope

The blossoms of 梅 Ume, Prunus mume, are the faint-fragrant harbinger of spring in Japan.

They typically bloom one after another between late January and early March

persevering the frigid cold of winter.

At this time of year, it feels like that weather gets warmer with each new bloom.

In various different places, the first bloom of Ume was the earliest in record this year.

Ume in my garden

I went to 城南宮 Jonan-gu, which was built to protect the south of Kyoto from evil spirit

 when the capital was transferred to Kyoto in 794.

On entering one of its gardens called "春の山 Spring Mountain", 

I felt like that white and pink snowflakes were drifting all around.

Almost all the Ume trees that cover all over the Spring Mountain are weeping type.

The cascading branches with blossoms as far as you can see are mesmerizing.

Under them, a pink carpet of petals spreads on the green moss.

Admired and photographed by so many visitors, the blossoms look in the pink.

The green moss is dotted with the fallen red Camellias around the edges of the Spring Mountain.

Ume blossom is the symbol of Perseverance and Hope.

Peace for Illia 

for all the suffering people from wars

 Illia Bondarenko & Ryuichi Sakamoto

Camellias are another highlight of the shrine at this time of year.

Linked to Mosaic Monday

In the expectation of spring - the Sunlight Sakura and other blossoms

Around the Vernal Equinox Day, “Yoko Sakura” (Cerasus 'Yoko'), one of the varieties of early blooming cherry trees, encourage people that the real arrival of spring is just around the corner.  It has started blooming earlier than usual this year. When I saw it for the first time some years ago, I fell in love with the loveliness of the bright pink petals and the plump swelling buds and was happy to see "Yoko" on its name plate. Both the Sakura 陽光 and my name 洋子, meaning sunlight and ocean child respectively, are written "Yoko" in Roman alphabets.

There is a heart-warming story behind the Sunlight Sakura, about a man who cultivated his own variety of the tree and sent seedlings all over the world as a symbol of peace and friendship between nations. (Source; Blooming Ambassadors)  The story was filmed in 2015, Yoko The Cherry Blossom .

The Sunlight Sakura is a crossbreed between Hikan-sakura (Taiwan Cherry) and  Amagi-yoshino.  It inherited the ability to brave hot and dry climates from the former and the resilience in windy and cold weather from the latter.

The kindergarten life of the boy Y was abruptly stopped Feb, 28 with only two weeks left for the farewell to the teachers and friends.  Not only grandchildren but also adults have felt at loose ends due to the sudden school closure and canceled events and personal activities.  I think school closure is a good idea because the young who generally show no or few symptoms can give SARS-CoV-2 uncounsciou to the people who are likely to develop severe COVID-19 and to die.  Various measures have been taken to slow down the speed of the viruses spreading.  The most important now is to reduce fatalities and to keep medical care system in good shape so that the people with high-risk can be protected and saved.

Japanese cornel has the bright yellow flowers in early spring.

I have often been reminded by my blog friends how many tree blossoms I'm blessed with.  In winter, there are Japanese cornel, Ume (Japanese apricot), Sasanqua camellia, Winter camellia....,to name a few.

Winter Camellias flower during the dull days of winter.

I'm thankful to the blossoms and flowers which have consoled me with their blooms.

Some of the flowers from my garden

The 3rd of March was Dolls' Festival. I only displayed the dolls of the top tier this year.  Despite the sinking mood of the time, grandchildren simply enjoy the time of being together more often than usual as long as no one is ill. The new school year is due to start in three weeks.

The youngest M likes to pose "Rabbit" when photographed.

Though life continues with utmost caution and care, I am not overly scared by the surging number of the confirmed cases worldwide.  If infected in spite of my preventive measures, it can't be helped.  On a positive note, I get antibody to the virus.  Nearly 80 percent of the confirmed cases are mild illnesses, ... though it's uncertain how I'd be.  I'd like to believe that under the wise leadership of the crisis management, each and every one's responsible attitude including preventive measures both not to catch and to spread, orderly act when necessary, and patience, will lead to the overcome of the SARS-Coronavirus-2 as a nation and then as a world.

My prayers and thoughts are with you all.

Linked to Mosaic Monday
Our World Tuesday

My first month of the year 2017

Hello,  my dear Friends! 

Hope you started healthy, happy new year with peace of mind and smiles.

Now that the first month of 2017 is going to be over, 

I'd like to  share how my January has passed with you.

Isonokami Shrine surrounded by holy cedar trees
I-Phone photo edited by Waterlogue

Year of the Rooster started in sunny, warm weather in my part of the world.
(Chinese Year of Rooster starts from 28th of January.)
My husband and I paid our first visit to the local shrine on the 2nd
 to get purified to start the New Year afresh.

We also visited Isonokami Shrine in Tennri City.
Isonokami Shrine is one of the oldest extant Shinto shrines in Japan.

 There are many roosters roaming around the shrine grounds.

Rooster and Hen walked in formation as if posing for me like models.
They looked caring for each other, which made my heart warm.

A good luck charm, earthenware bell in the shape of rooster from the local shrine

New Year days were mostly spent with my grandchildren.

Legos

Cat's cradle, painting, kite-flying, pla-rails, card game, etc.

I’m happy with some lovely colors when the land is the least colorful.
Assorted Ornamental cabbages with pinkish -purple leaves is one of the New Year ornaments. 

I-Phone photo by Waterlogue

Also happy with the colors of tree blossoms blooming in the middle of winter.

Sazanqua Camellia

Two weeks in the middle of January, much of country had the coldest days of winter. 

Heavy snow fell in northern Japan and Sea of Japan coastal areas
but only a little here in Nara.

The snowiest and coldest days made me lazy.

Snow-melt on the moss in my garden

Lastly, these are paper cranes for well-being of family and world Peace.
I hope the days filled with smiles for each person 

and the world free from tyranny of leaders including lies, distorted facts,
and inhuman and destructive action.

At Nigiwai-no-ie in Naramachi

Wish you a lovely February!

Camellia Sasanquas and Deer

At the north end of the garden of Nara New Public Hall, many Camellia Sasanquas are planted
 lining up along the bamboo hedges.

On a snow day in February last year, I took pictures of Sasanqua flowers peeping through the bamboo hedges

 or looking up at the overhanging branches because the garden was closed.

Last week, the garden was open to the public. 

I opened the back gate to enter. 

Flowers were abundant on the branches while petals covered the ground. 

I was so happy: I was in the right place at the right time .

Deer are not grazing petals but grasses. 

Though they eat the petals of cheery blossoms, they don’t eat those of Camellias.

Sasanquas start flowering when autumn foliage is almost over and last till February,
giving lovely colors and radiance in the shivering cold.

Deer can roam freely in Nara Park. 

They appear in the residential area or even in downtown.  

But deer are kept off Japanese Gardens.

So I included double exposure images, which I tried for the first time, 

from my wishful thinking to take pictures of deer with blooming Camellia Sasanquas.

Two species of camellias are popular in Japan; one is Camellia Sasanqua and the other is Camellia Japonica. 

The former is autumn-blooming (late autumn to winter), the latter spring-blooming (late winter to spring).  

See Like a Sasanqua

This post is linked to Our World Tuesday.