Pink Peony

 

As you may already know, there are two kinds of peony. One is woody, called "tree peony" and the other is herbaceous, "Chinese peony". This is the latter.

I feel this is elegant while tree peonies are gorgeous. My smartphone was cheerful this time and I did take this photo luckily.

This park has a hothouse growing tropical plants in good conditions. One room keeps some kinds of subtropical butterflies. This is Ideopsis similis. 我也試試拍些蝴蝶照片.

I understand how difficult to take their photos. They are almost always flapping. We need a lot of perseverance.

Carp Streamers 鯉幟

The period from the end of April to the beginning of May, this park hangs carp streamers.

In ancient China, a carp were believed to be a dragon when it successfully swims over a hard torrent called Dragon Gate in Yellow River.  The streamers contain a wish for children's healthy growth. 鯉魚跳龍門

Other Cherry Blossoms

Somei-Yoshino, the most popular kind of cherry tree, finished its blooming season. I enjoy some others. 

A double-petaled weeping cherry tree

Its blossoms are smaller and more pinkish.

This one is double-petaled, too.

One blossom has a lot of petals. It looks like a soft ball.

😻

I hope April still brings you pleasant days to go out and enjoy nature.

 

Blossoms and Soba

Lots of people come on the dike to enjoy full bloom. Four young ones in the photo are Vietnamese. Japan has lost the necessary labor population to maintain its economy. They are working at factories in many cities. When I have a chance to contact them, I say some of their words such as hello, thank you.

 

It's nice to have soba (buckwheat noodle) in the season of cherry blossom.

The green paste on upper right is called wasabi 山葵, a native Japanese plant. It's sharp and sweet. You can get wasabi sold in a tube easily. However, most of them are mixed with horseradish. They are less sweet. The tempra on the right side is sakura-ebi or cherry blossom shrimp 櫻蝦天婦羅. You can enjoy fresh ones only in this season.

Mixing Memory and Desire?

The time to enjoy beauty of nature in the spring has come. 👀

It's nice to have a chance to look up blossoms in the early morning without any noise.

 

Cherry Blossom Front

 

When you visit Japan in spring and watch a weather forecast on the TV, you will see a nation map with some lines drawn on it. They tell you the average day when cherry blossoms will open . I found this map at an expressway rest area.

This cherry tree is a specimen. Not open yet. Do you know any other flower fronts?

Flowers I Found Last Week

Bright yellow brings us the warmer air.

Butterbur Sprout 蜂鬪菜

Ume (apricot) is in full bloom now.

Japan spring-orchid. 

The watering needs carefulness. 春蘭

 

Sweets in Early Spring

I would like to introduce you two types of Sakura Mochi 櫻餅, both of which are very popular and you can get them anywhere.

Red bean jam is wrapped with baked wheat skin. A cherry leaf is salted. It's edible.

The jam is wrapped with steamed sticky rice. You can enjoy a chewy texture.

The delightful scent of the cherry leaf and the rich sweetness of the bean jam tell people the arrival of the spring. 

Lovely Jonquil 👱

 This bean jam is white.

Waiting for the Arrival of Spring

Cold air has been covering our area. Every afternoon we have strong winds. The highest temperature is around 10℃.

Adonis ramosa

Narcissus leaves grew well due to warm days in last December.

Chimonanthus praecox  蠟梅

Comparing with yellow dandelion, white one may have stronger cold resistance. 

Stay warm and enjoy February.