Spring!

It is nearly spring here, but in Asia, SPRING has already been officially declared. Living in Japan, we were aware every single day of changes in nature. The Japanese celebrate all events in nature - miniscule and grand. The season determines what ladies wear, of course - the print and type of fabric. It impacts the foods they prepare and eat, particularly those that may be foraged in the wild; tiny green sprouts emerge from beneath leaves and branches, eliciting expressions of glee! Grocery stores and department stores tempt shoppers with seasonal goodies - made of paper, plastic, mochi, silk, string, wood....in spring, summer, fall, winter.

Girl's Day (Hina Matsuri) is March 3rd. I wish I could, once again, step into the lobby of our little bank in Misawa Town and admire the extravagant display of Emperor and Empress Dolls! Lovely! We have a tiny Hina Matsuri display, a gift from a dear Japanese friend. We carefully unwrap it and admire it each February. It reminds us to respect and honor all of the girls in our lives. This year, Hina Matsuri holds special significance for us! Our baby grand daughter, Abby is nearly one year old! She is a bright and sparkly addition to our lives and holds a big special spot in our hearts! Also, we know that a 2nd baby grand daughter will enter our realm very soon - in late April! We do not know her name yet - now do we know her little face - but we do know that she too will fill a big special spot in our hearts!! (She already does!)
Happy Spring! (unofficially, that is)


There is an abundance of robins!


We pruned these plum branches 3 weeks ago, and forced them to bloom early indoors. They are beautiful!