Falling Petals
In the five and a half years I lived in Kyoto, Japan, I came to understand the reverence for cherry blossom season. In my school days, I was moved by Japanese poetry comparing the death of a samurai in the prime of life to a falling cherry blossom petal in its fleeting moment of beauty, but I didn’t truly understand the cherry blossom obsession. Instead of studying Japanese at a school for foreigners, I hired a private tutor to teach me to read and write. She taught me the three different character sets using textbooks for Japanese students, starting from kindergarten level. I was bewildered by how many lesson pages were about hanami, the Japanese tradition of cherry blossom viewing. But the first April came, and then the second, and on until I passed through six cherry blossom seasons in Kyoto. I repeatedly visited personal favorites among countless stunning places to see glorious blossoms from a variety of trees. Pale pinkish-white blossoms, deep pink blossoms shaped like pompoms, medium pink blossoms draping down like a willow tree. I made sure I caught the blossoms at their peak each season. “I saw them!” I thought each year. “I didn’t miss them!” My husband and I planted a small cherry tree as soon as we bought our little house in San Francisco. We took photos of our boys in front of the tree each year when it blossomed. Sadly, our little cherry tree is looking forlorn. Too many years of drought? The lichen growing on its branches and the lack of buds are discouraging. We went to see the cherry blossoms at the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park last weekend, and saw many trees that looked like ours, still dormant, few buds, some with branches marked by what might be a disease. There were still plenty of beautiful cherry blossoms to see. Perhaps the bedraggled trees that looked like ours will be late bloomers and surprise us all. And if our little tree has bloomed its last bloom, we will gently put it to rest and plant a new one. Cherry trees bloom at different times by location and type. Enjoy finding these treasured ornamental trees where you live! This week’s HikingAutism Hike Notes from the archives is Japanese Tea Garden Stroll, an easy walk through the garden paths of the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. This week’s Hike Notes from the Archives: (Original Hike Notes 56): Japanese Tea Garden Stroll Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area page. Check out selected articles and interviews under Media. Click World Walks to see or share favorite family-friendly walks! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. See products with inspiring designs that support the efforts of HikingAutism under Support/Shop. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links. Check the Home page for the broader background story. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photo galleries at the bottom of each hike page! Feel free to share and follow on Facebook at HikingAutism, follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism and Instagram at lisalouis777
2 Comments
4/17/2024 08:34:51 pm
A lovely, plaintive read, Lisa. This "Insights" entry illustrates the fact that profound respect for the natural world exists in diverse cultures and transcends geography.
Reply
4/17/2024 08:46:50 pm
Thank you, John. I miss springtime in Japan, and all their celebrations of flowers!
Reply
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Lisa LouisSharing insights and hiking highlights (Hikes, Hike Search by Area) from the special needs caregiver front in San Francisco. Archives
November 2024
Categories |