Spring – 春が 来た

さくら/桜

The Cherry tree in my front yard began blooming this last weekend. It’ll be in full bloom in a day or two, or maybe even less. It’ll hit 70 tomorrow. I love a lot of the blooms in my garden but this is the best, I think. I love the magic of this tree. It has a delicate fragrance and it’s spectacular at night. No wonder the Japanese are so enamored of them.

Today was my last teaching day with my level 1s for this quarter. They’ll have a test next time I see them. Third quarter winds up at the end of the week and then we’re all on spring break. This quarter has flown as have all of the preceding ones. The year has flown. I told the kids that by the end of the year they’d be able to speak, read and write Japanese and they can. It’s limited, but they can communicate. I don’t know how it happens. I look forward to fresh beginnings next quarter. One of the topics is spring, a favorite with me.

I’m also doing a dye workshop with an art teacher at school (we did one in the fall) that will also celebrate the season. We’ll hang bright pink and red banners (in shibori no less) in the school courtyard. I can’t wait to see the results.

The idiom 花より団子 （はなより　だんご）・Hana yori dango literally means “dumplings more than flowers.” It comes to mind as Hanami, flower viewing in Japan is also going on. Cherry blossom viewing and picnics go hand in hand. I want to do the same.

Tags: Sakura