The Yoshino

Last post was June '08. Wow, serious backsliding.

As of 1 hour ago, there is a 12ft Yoshino cherry blossom tree in my front yard. I had the inclination to have one of Japan's finest trees ever since sitting beneath the snowing petals on the grounds of Kumamoto Castle. I couldn't help but think as I bought, transported and planted the tree about all the great memories I have experienced under cherry blossom trees, whether it was with fellow gaijin laughing, drinking and enjoying spring weather, or watching one Adam Yoshida wrestle sumo style on his birthday, or enjoying a hanami with the Ishizukas or some of my teacher friends. But I also thought about the future. Sitting under my tree in the front yard a year, two three, four down the road. Joe, Michiyo, Hiroki, Lynn, Katie, mystery niece/nephew #2, 3, 4...

I read that people like to plant trees when they have a kid or on the occasion of their kid's first birthday. I guess I didn't have the excuse, just the motivation to be able to stand at my front door and watch this thing grow, bud, flower, snow, develop leaves, then lose them in the winter.

Over the next few months, it looks like I'll be going to places near and far. The short list is shaping up like this: Pittsburgh, Charlotte, Bangkok, Chiang Rai, Germany, Vienna, Slovakia, Switzerland, and Wheeling, West Virginia.

Perhaps there will be more posts here in the near future. Photos of the Yoshino or of Wheeling. No telling what the future holds.