Sakura Hanami

'Sakura' is Japanese for cherry blossom and 'Hanami' literally means flower viewing.
The Japanese traditionally celebrate the arrival of Spring with the Sakura Hanami festival where picnic parties are held all day and night under blooming trees.

'Tai-haku' is the great white cherry and Greygirl is lucky to have one of these growing three gardens down from hers.  It is huge, years old, and when a stiff breeze blows a fall of white petals like confetti come down quietly.  Sometimes in a kind of blizzard, and you do want to thank someone somewhere for such a lovely thing.

You don't have to be a lover of pink to be a lover of the cherry tree and it's paper-like blossom.  Like all things ephemeral, you have to enjoy it while it lasts.

Tai-haku, the great white cherry





The Cherry Trees

The cherry trees bend over and are shedding
On the old road where all that pass are dead,
Their petals, strewing the grass as for a wedding
This early May morn when there is none to wed.

Edward Thomas